The Āsana are presented in Vinyāsa Krama, the way it was…

“The Āsana are presented in
Vinyāsa Krama, the way it was
taught to children in the Yoga Śāla.
This should not create the impression
that T Krishnamacharya taught
in this manner to everyone.”
– TKV Desikachar Introduction to Yoga Makaranda

read more

The whole process of observing others and observing oneself is entirely different……

tkv_6a

“The whole process of observing
others and observing oneself
is entirely different.
Often we confuse the two.
Ideally, when we observe others,
we should forget about ourselves.
– TKV Desikachar 1981

The practices dealing with the body and the breath are known as Āsana and Prāṇāyāma…

“The practices dealing with the body and the
breath are known as Āsana and Prāṇāyāma.
They are interlinked, in Āsana the body is
the focus and the breath serves this focus.
In Prāṇāyāma the regulation of the breath is the focus,
the body is prepared adequately via Āsana for this
regulation to materialise without any resistance.”
– TKV Desikachar Madras 1996

Krishnamacharya’s understanding of Cikitsa or Yoga therapy…

“Krishnamacharya’s understanding of Cikitsā
or Yoga therapy and the arrangement and
sequencing
of postures, along with modifying
the posture and using different breathing
patterns, plus the use of sound and different
Bhāvana or mental foci was profound.
This allowed for many possibilities to be
offered, for a great number of students
with problems, from a range of relatively
few postures and breathing techniques.”
– TKV Desikachar Madras 1996

In the Yogavallī, T Krishnamacharya’s commentary on the Yoga Sūtra…

sraddha

“In the Yogavallī, T Krishnamacharya’s commentary on the Yoga Sūtra,
Śraddhā has been seen in a different, very interesting way.
In it, he has said that Śraddhā is a symbol for a special meditation
and he calls this meditation, Ahaṃ Graha Upāsana.
Ahaṃ is the I, Graha is to grasp and Upāsana is to stay near.
Where a person wants to grasp the true nature of the I,
it is called Ahaṃ Graha Upāsana.”
– TKV Desikachar on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 20

T Krishnamacharya Yoga Sūtra Study Quotes Collected and Collated
TKV Desikachar Yoga Sūtra Study Quotes Collected and Collated

Use Āsana for problems of the body and Prāṇāyāma for problems of the mind.

‎”Use Āsana for problems of the body and
Prāṇāyāma for problems of the mind.”
– T Krishnamacharya

Preventive health is a self-discipline and only a minority…

Preventive health is a self-discipline and only a minority
seeks Yoga as a preventive measure to prevent illness.
Most people seem to seek Yoga only for therapy.”
– TKV Desikachar 1998

We can really see the weaknesses of a body when a person is becoming tired…

“We can really see the weaknesses of a body when a person is becoming tired. Sometimes we have to bring the body to its limits for physical or psychological weaknesses to appear.

This need not take a long time; we just have to put the person in an unusual position. Someone who can easily sit in Daṇḍāsana, for example, could be asked to lean backward.

Someone who can do Utkaṭāsana could be asked to squat with one foot slightly in front of the other, comparing the two sides.

Breathing can also be used. It is possible to save time by asking someone to add special breathing requirements to their Āsana. They will be concerned about these and problems in the body may appear faster. For example repeating Uttānāsana twelve times with a 15″ inhale.”
– TKV Desikachar

Śavāsana is the road between cities…

Śavāsana is the road between cities‎”Śavāsana
is the road between cities.”
TKV Desikachar England 1976

Meditation can’t be taught, but can be learnt.

dhyanam

Meditation can’t be taught,
but can be learnt.”
– TKV Desikachar on Yoga Sūtra Chapter Three verse 2

To raise the awareness of the pupil to Dhyāna, the teacher must instruct the pupil during Āsana practice.

“To raise the awareness of the pupil to Dhyāna,
the teacher must instruct the pupil during Āsana practice.”
– T Krishnamacharya 1984

Just because a person is not practicing Dhyāna, but only Āsana……

“Just because a person is not practicing Dhyāna,
but only Āsana,
we cannot say he is not practicing Yoga.
In a body, each limb belongs to the body.
Similarly, practice of Āsana is indeed
practice of Yoga to that extent.”
– T Krishnamacharya 1984

It must be remembered that Śīrṣāsana is one form of the Viparīta Karaṇī Mudrā……

“It must be remembered that Śīrṣāsana is
one form of the Viparīta Karaṇī Mudrā.
For those who cannot do Śīrṣāsana
or any other inverted posture,
alternatives do exist.
Mahāmudrā is one such alternative
which would yield similar benefits.”
TKV Desikachar KYM Darśanam February 1994

Prāṇāyāma must be properly instructed……

Prāṇāyāma must be properly instructed.
The posture used, seated erect for example,
is also important.
The duration and regularity in terms of time
is also as important as proper instructions.”
– T Krishnamacharya commentary on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 34

T Krishnamacharya Yoga Sūtra Study Quotes Collected and Collated

Āsana offers a purpose more than just physical……

Āsana offers a purpose more than just physical.
Āsana offers a link of the mind to the physical.
Āsana introduces the concept of Dhyāna as a practice.
Āsana seeks to minimise the Saṃskāra
or habitual patterns which dull the mind.
In doing so it seeks to increase our sensitivity to ourselves,
what is around us and its corresponding influences,
and to what sustains us.”
– TKV Desikachar