“Once again, let me remind you that Dhyāna is:
1. The ability to establish a contact with an object.
2. The ability to prolong this contact so as to create a link both ways.”
– TKV Desikachar Madras December 19th 1988
“Since Dhyāna cannot occur without an object of concentration,
there must be an area where you fix your mind.
So, first you have to fix or bind your mind
on a particular place, a chosen object;
this is known as Deśa Bandha.
And second, the mind should establish a relationship with
this object which should last, at least, for a moment.”
– TKV Desikachar Madras December 19th 1988
“Perhaps the best explanation of Dhyāna is given by Patañjali in the Yoga Sūtra Chapter Three verses One and Two, where he states that one must first fix the question (Dhāraṇā) and then link to it (Dhyāna).
One who is not able to fix the question is not able to succeed in Dhyāna.”
– TKV Desikachar Madras December 19th 1988
“We need to begin with a definition of Dhyāna.
Dhyāna involves an individual and a question or object.
On a simplest level, what happens between the individual and that question or object is the beginning of Dhyāna.
It can be any question, but it must be one question.
There must only be one channel between the “I” and the question, not multi-channels.
The “I” must temporarily drop the other interests and there must be a question.
There is no Dhyāna if there is no question or object.”
– TKV Desikachar Madras December 19th 1988
“In the Vedic tradition, meditation
– the need to reflect on something in order to understand it better
– is necessary for happiness.”
– TKV Desikachar Madras December 19th 1988
“Dhyāna means ‘to look for something new on a specific subject’.
– TKV Desikachar Madras December 19th 1988
“Even in the case of Śikṣaṇa Krama the ancient had cautions.
The teaching must be appropriate to the intelligence of the individual or Yukta Śikṣaṇa.”
– TKV Desikachar France August 1983
“Some views say don’t teach children.
However Śikṣaṇa Krama is only suitable for children.
Not adults who have become brittle.”
– TKV Desikachar France August 1983
“In Mīmāṃsā (a philosophical system to interpret the Veda, especially the Brāhmaṇa and Mantra, with the object of correctly performing the Veda rituals) there is a word called Prayoga (connection).
The same Mantra has to be recited differently for different rituals.
Or different Mantra in the same ritual.
So even here different applications are needed, the ancients recognised this.
There is a verse which says that if the Mantra is not used correctly it has the opposite effect and destroys or boomerangs.
Instead of doing good it will harm.
This is Mithyā Prayoga (wrong connection) with an opposite effect.
Having spoken of viniyoga (appropriate application), now looking at important points the old teachers used to convey these ideas.”
– TKV Desikachar France 1983
A Yoga Practice given to TKV Desikachar when 25 years old by his father T Krishnamacharya.
“Of the Four Aspects of the breath which is more important,
(such as) holding after inhalation by will and so on?”
– TKV Desikachar Switzerland 1978
“It is necessary to have a competent and accessible teacher.”
– From study notes with TKV Desikachar England 1992
T Krishnamacharya at 91
“Although Krishnamacharya came from a strict Indian tradition,
he liberated the restrictions.
He segregated his personal beliefs from his teaching
and his interest in the different texts on Yoga and Vedānta.
It isn’t necessary to be a Hindu to practice Yoga,
the Hindu text, the Brahma Sūtra refute Yoga.
In the Yoga Sūtra of Patañjali God is not emphasised.
Hindus have taken advantage of Yoga,
Brahmin rituals use Yoga breathing,
even if it is only symbolic and they use Mantra.
Krishnamacharya didn’t mix the different teachings,
he didn’t start a class with prayers when he worked with foreigners.”
– From study notes with TKV Desikachar England 1992
“So if certain Yoga Sādhana have a place in another culture we must consider whether this symbol (Om) has a place with people who don’t understand it.”
TKV Desikachar – Lecture on September 5th 1983 in Zinal, Switzerland (Fuller notes on this lecture yet to be posted)
Vinyasa sequences published by the Viniyoga Healing Foundation of India
Advanced Vinyasa Demonstration by Lara Abiesheikh – 1
Advanced Vinyasa Demonstration by Lara Abiesheikh – 2
