Pratyāhāra – To see without the senses distracting or pulling the mind.
“Pratyāhāra –
to see without the senses
distracting or pulling the mind,”
– TKV Desikachar
Posts archive: T Krishnamacharya & TKV Desikachar’s Yoga Practice & Theory Posts
There is nothing better than Prāṇāyāma for this preparation…..
We cannot say that this Āsana or this Prāṇāyāma can be given……
If a person can’t exhale from the lower abdomen then you can be sure……
”If a person can’t exhale from the lower abdomen
then you can be sure their Mūla is gone.”
– T Krishnamacharya
Begin your practice from where you are……
“Begin your practice from where you are,
finish your practice where you are going.”
– TKV Desikachar Switzerland 1978
Whether or not I like it, I should know where I am……
“Whether or not I like it, I should know where I am.
Otherwise we try to draw the line from where we are not to where we want to be.
Therefore the first point must be understood and then we can go to the next point.”
– TKV Desikachar France August 1983
Śarīrika Sādhana – Keeping the body fit and well……
There are categories of Sādhana relating to Body, Breath, Senses and Mind.
Krishnamacharya also decided that you could be in one posture and do a number of variations.
“Krishnamacharya also decided that you could be in one posture
and do a number of variations.”
– TKV Desikachar England 1992
The traditional model, Śikṣaṇa, for Yoga was to stay in a posture……
“The traditional model, Śikṣaṇa, for Yoga was to stay in a posture,
Krishnamacharya introduced movement in the postures.”
– From study notes with TKV Desikachar England 1992
In Āyurveda, it gives certain behaviour by which we can stay well……
“In Āyurveda, it gives certain behaviour by which we can stay well.
If a person follows the following he will freer of sickness.
Regularly, systematically he eats, rests and exercises adequately.
Both in amount and quality.
Food or Āhāra, along with Vihāra – recreation, rest, exercise, other activities.”
– TKV Desikachar France 1983
I told this person that I had learnt 380 postures in six months……
“I told this person that I had learnt something like 380 postures in six months,
my daughter could do the same thing in three months,
but this was when I did not know Yoga.
It has taken me years to know how to behave with somebody,
and that is probably more Yoga.”
– TKV Desikachar from an interview in the Journal Viniyoga Italia on Yoga and Well Being.
How is Āyurveda linked to Cikitsā or the therapeutic application of Yoga?
Question to TKV Desikachar:
“How is Āyurveda linked to Cikitsā or the therapeutic application of Yoga?”
TKV Desikachar Response:
“There is a lot of difference. As far as Yoga is concerned, we are concerned with the personality of the person, the mental aspect and the higher aspirations of the student.
That is why Yoga has a lot to offer. For the body Āyurveda is the solution. A good combination would be Āyurveda and Yoga.
My father used to do that. He would teach Āsana practice, or Prāṇāyāma or meditation and he would talk about diet and he would also give some Āyurveda medicine.
He was treating not only the body but the whole person with the help of this great combination.”
– Extract from an interview in the Journal Viniyoga Italia on Yoga and Well Being.
Dhāraṇā is the contact, Dhyāna is the communication, further….
In Dhyāna, when we become involved with a particular thing….
“In Dhyāna, when we become involved with a particular thing and we begin to investigate it,
there is a link between myself and this thing; that is,
there is a perception and continuous communication between my mind and the object.
If there is this communication it is called Dhyāna”
– TKV Desikachar Religiousness in Yoga Chapter Eleven Page 155
Dhāraṇā is when we create a condition so that the mind is directed to one point
“Dhāraṇā is when we create a condition so that the mind,
going in a hundred different directions,
is directed to one point.”
– TKV Desikachar Religiousness in Yoga Chapter Eleven Page 154
Progress must be seen as the distance from the starting point……
”Progress must be seen as the distance from the starting point,
rather than the more usual reference of the distance from the finishing point.”
– TKV Desikachar England 1976
Use Samavṛtti in Prāṇāyāma to reduce the power of Rajas & Tamas.
”Use Samavṛtti in Prāṇāyāma to reduce the power of Rajas and Tamas.”
– T Krishnamacharya commentary on Bhagavad Gītā Chapter Five verse 27
Yoga has been adapted to life in the modern day.
- Yoga has been adapted to life in the modern day.
- Any posture far removed from the normal posture is a problem and therefore risky if there is any problem with the body.
- Inverted postures present problems because of the tension that people carry in their necks.
- Postures that create tension should be avoided.
- Moving into the posture after the exhale is an adaptation.
- Krishnamacharya designed aids to help people achieve postures.
- Slow movement has a different action on the muscles, it is harder work.
- The role of Āsana, its purpose and goal must be respected.
- Opposite postures are a handicap but can help us to appreciate something different in a posture.
- We must feel ourselves and what is happening in a posture.
Śikṣaṇa Krama – do something perfectly or correctly……
“Śikṣaṇa Krama – do something perfectly or correctly.
Anything is taught to achieve perfection in the practice of Āsana and Prāṇāyāma.
In other words teaching children and healthy people where you can take risks with no problems.
Not a valid approach for groups.
We need to use intelligence and Viveka,
not follow the idea of no pain, no gain to become painless,
or to get to a point without suffering.”
– TKV Desikachar France 1983