These translations and transliterations are offered to help in learning the dances. Your own realization of the phrase may transcend any and all verbal descriptions. The most important aspect is the feeling they invoke.

ISLAMIC/SUFI (Arabic)

ALLAH: Literally: Oneness or “The One”

ALLAH HO AKBAR: "There is no power save in Allah.” “Peace is power.” “God is the greatest."

ALLAH HUMA SALLE ALLAH, MIFTAHI DARUSSALAMI: "Allah is the opener of all paths to peace."

ALHAMDULILLAH: "All praise to the One Being." Or, "Glory to God."

ANTAL HADI, ANTAL HAQQ: "Thou art the Guide, Thou art the Truth."

AS-SALAAM ALEIKUM, WALEIKUM AS-SALAAM: "Peace be with you; with you be peace.” (call and response)

BISMILLAH ER-RAHMAN ER-RAHIM: "In the name of Allah, who is Mercy and Compassion.”

ESTAFERALLAH: "Allah make pure." Or, "We take refuge in the purifying presence of Allah."

HU: The non-manifest. The sound Sufis use to refer to the Absolute. (Human -- HU-man -- man created in God's image.)

ISHQ ALLAH MAHBUD LILLAH: "God is Love, Lover, and Beloved." Or, "God is all aspects of Love."

LA ILLAHA ILLA 'LLAH HU: Most sacred phrase in Islam. "There is no God but God; none else exists." Or, "There is no reality except the One Reality."

MOHAMMED AR-RASSOUL LILLAH: "Mohammed is the Prophet or Messenger of God."

SUBHAN ALLAH: "All praise to God in His purity."

YA HAYY, YA HAQQ: "O Life, O Truth."

YA RAHMAN, YA RAHMIN: “O Compassionate One, O Merciful One.”

YA SHAFEE, YA KHAFEE: "O Healer, O Remedy."

ZIKR: "Remembrance." The remembrance of perfection, the perfection of remembrance. The practice of repeating aloud some form of the phrase, LA ILLAHA ILLA 'LLAH.

JEWISH (Hebrew)

EV DU HASHEM B'SIMCHA: "Come and serve the Holy One with joy."

HEENAY MAHTOV, UMAH NAYEEM, SHEVET AHEEM GAM YAHAD: Psalm 133: "How wonderful it is for brothers and sisters to live together in peace."

SHABBAT SHALOM: "Greetings of peace to the Sabbath."

SHEMA YISRAEL, ADONAI ELOHAYNU, ADONAI EHAD: Most sacred Hebrew phrase. "Listen, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One."

SHALOM ALEICHEM, ALEICHEM SHALOM: "Peace be with you, and with you be peace."

BUDDHIST

BODHISATTVA: An enlightened one who remains connected to the earth realms in support of all beings traveling toward enlightenment.

GATE, GATE, PARAGATE, PARASAMGATE, BODHISVAHA: "Going, Going, Going Further, Going All Together to Enlightenment. Released!"

KWAN ZEON BOSAI (Korean): Refers to the Bodhisattva of Compassion. In Sanskrit this is KWAN YIN: "She who hears the cries of the world and accords them Mercy and Compassion."

OM MANE PADME HUM: "Hail to the Jewel in the Lotus."

HINDU

GANGA KI JAI JAI, JUMNA KI JAI JAI, KAILASH PATI SHIVA SHANKAR KI JAI JAI: "Hail to the holy Ganges and Jumna Rivers and hail to the sacred mountain, Kailash, the earthly abode of Lord Shiva."

GOPALA, DEVAKI NANDANA: Refers to Lord Krishna in his incarnation as a Goat-herder, a happy, playful love-maker.

HARE KRISHNA: "Praise to Lord Krishna, the God of Love and Divine Ecstasy."

OM NAMO SHIVAYA: "Praise to God in the name of Shiva who is the Lord of the Dance."

OM SRI RAM JAI RAM JAI JAI RAM: "God who at once is Truth and Power, Impersonal and Personal, Victory to Thee, Victory, Victory to Thee."

SIKH

EK ONG KAR SAT NAM, SIRI WAH (e) GURU: "There is but one God, Truth is God's Name, Indescribable is God's Wisdom."

ZOROASTRIAN

AHURA MAZDA: Divine name meaning, "Indestructible Supreme God," or "Lord of Wisdom."

ARMAITI ANAHITA ATAR VAYU: Four angels representing the four elements: earth, water, fire, air.

ASHEM VOHU: One of the most sacred Zoroastrian phrases. It identifies that light of truth found in the human heart (Asha) with the ultimate principle, the source of that light (Vohu).

CHRISTIAN

AVE MARIA GRATIA PLENA (Latin): "Hail, Mary, full of Grace."

KYRIE ELEISON, CHRISTE ELEISON (Greek): “Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy.”

MIR MIRU MIR (Russian): "Peace, Peace on Earth."

UBI CARITAS ET AMOR, DEUS IBI EST (Latin): "Where compassion and love are, there God is also."