YCB Level 2 flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Yoga root meaning

From the Sanskrit root yuj, to yoke or unite; it denotes union of individual consciousness with universal consciousness, and also the discipline that leads to that union.

Four streams of yoga

Karma, Bhakti, Jnana and Raja yoga: the paths of action, devotion, knowledge and meditation. Hatha yoga developed later as a practical branch of Raja yoga.

International Yoga Day

Observed on 21 June each year since 2015, following a UN General Assembly resolution passed in December 2014 on India's proposal, to promote global awareness of yoga.

Patanjali Yoga Sutra 1.2

Yogah chitta-vritti-nirodhah: yoga is the cessation of the modifications of the mind. This definition is the foundation of the entire eight-limbed framework.

Ashtanga eight limbs

Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi, listed in Sadhana Pada; they move from social discipline to meditative absorption.

Hathapradipika shatkarma list

Chapter 2 of Swatmarama's text names six cleansing acts: dhauti, basti, neti, trataka, nauli and kapalabhati, presented before the section on pranayama.

Kapalabhati technique

Forceful active exhalations with passive inhalations, usually 20-30 strokes per round. It is a shatkarma rather than a classic pranayama and is avoided in hypertension and pregnancy.

Jalandhara bandha

The chin lock: the chin is pressed toward the chest and the throat contracted, sealing the airway. It is used during kumbhaka and in several pranayamas.

Bhramari pranayama

The humming-bee breath: exhalation is made with a low humming sound, often with the ears closed. It calms the mind and is suitable for most beginners.

Surya Namaskara steps

A twelve-step sequence of postures linked by breath, starting and ending in pranam asana. It functions as a complete sthula vyayama for the whole body.

Diaphragm role

The primary muscle of inspiration. Its contraction lowers the dome and enlarges the thoracic cavity, drawing air in; in diaphragmatic breathing the abdomen expands on inhalation.

Resting heart rate

Beats per minute while at rest; the normal adult range is 60-100. Regular yoga and pranayama can lower it by increasing vagal tone.

Autonomic nervous system divisions

Sympathetic, the fight-or-flight branch, and parasympathetic, the rest-and-digest branch. Slow breathing shifts the balance toward parasympathetic, lowering heart rate and blood pressure.

WHO definition of health

Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, as defined by WHO in 1948.

Asanas to avoid in hypertension

Inversions, long breath holds, kapalabhati and bhastrika, because they raise intrathoracic pressure and blood pressure; shavasana and nadi shodhana are preferred instead.

Yoga in type 2 diabetes

Regular practice improves insulin sensitivity and can lower HbA1c. Dynamic asanas and surya namaskara are used, with caution for neuropathy and hypoglycaemia.

Mitahara

Moderate eating: fill half the stomach with food, one quarter with water and leave one quarter empty. It supports comfortable asana and pranayama practice.

Sattvic ahara

Fresh, seasonal, lightly cooked, largely plant-based food such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, pulses, milk and ghee; it is said to promote calm and clarity.

Rajasic and tamasic foods

Rajasic foods are excessively spicy, sour, salty, fried and stimulating; tamasic foods are stale, reheated, fermented or over-processed, including alcohol and tobacco. Both disturb practice.

Brahma muhurta

The pre-dawn period of roughly 90 minutes before sunrise, traditionally regarded as the best time for asana, pranayama and meditation because the mind is calm.

Dinacharya

The Ayurvedic and yogic daily regimen: rising early, elimination, oral and nasal hygiene, asana, pranayama, meditation, bathing, and regular meals and sleep.

Trayopastambha

The three pillars of health in Ayurveda: ahara (food), nidra (sleep) and brahmacharya (regulated sexual conduct). Dinacharya organises all three in daily life.

General adaptation syndrome

Hans Selye's three-stage stress model: alarm, resistance and exhaustion. Prolonged exhaustion is linked to illness and burnout.

Eustress versus distress

Eustress is positive, motivating stress; distress is prolonged negative stress. Yoga mainly targets distress by modulating the sympathetic response.

Yoga nidra

A guided systematic relaxation practised in shavasana, using rotation of consciousness and breath awareness. It produces deep rest and lowers stress markers without sleep.

Demonstration in class

Showing the posture while giving short directional cues. Both sides are shown, and the teacher mirrors the class or faces it so students can copy easily.

Teaching sequence order

Centering and prayer, sukshma vyayama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara or dhyana, then shavasana. Intensity rises and then falls to allow relaxation.

Verbal adjustment first

Correct a student with clear words before any hands-on adjustment. Seek consent, avoid sensitive areas, and never force a posture.

Lesson plan components

Date, level, duration, objectives, equipment, warm-up, main asana sequence with counter-poses, pranayama, relaxation, evaluation and home practice.

Common Yoga Protocol duration

About 45 minutes: prayer, loosening exercises, asanas, pranayama, dhyana and shanti path, as published by the Ministry of AYUSH for mass practice.

Viva in practical exam

Oral questioning after the demonstration on definitions, sutras, contraindications and sequencing. Answers must be brief, precise and technically accurate.

Self-assessment in practicum

Reviewing one's own demonstration against the assessment rubric covering alignment, cues, breath, safety and time, then naming strengths and one improvement.