Posts archive: T Krishnamacharya & TKV Desikachar’s Yoga Practice & Theory Posts
With step by step intelligent application…
Principles behind the Practice of Āsana
“With step by step
intelligent application,
less effort is required.
In other words, effort
that will reduce effort.”
– TKV Desikachar Switzerland 1978
Breath can change the Āsana…
“Breath can change the Āsana,
as in Mahā Mudrā 10.0.10.0,
or the same with 10.0.20.0.”
– TKV Desikachar 1991
Use Standing Asana to examine the body.
Apart from Āsana and Prāṇāyāma there are some special techniques…
To use the breath in Āsana practice is to check change…
Contact with breath is contact with life.
“Contact with breath
is contact with life.”
– TKV Desikachar
Where do Āsana lead us?……
Where do Āsana lead us?
“Where do Āsana lead us?
1. For seated practices
To stay in a stable posture with the spine erect,
for Dhyāna or preparation for Dhyāna.
2. For health
They do something for the energy flow of the body.
3. Ability to master the body
Not necessarily to promote health,
but to show that we can master the body.
Often these are good for health,
though many are only useful as challenges.”
– TKV Desikachar
Observation must have a direction and be complete…
“Observation must have a direction and be complete.
We always have a tendency to tell more than what we see,
which is a mistake.
If we tell somebody that they have a problem,
yet we know that we will not be able to give them a solution
because of a lack of time or any other reason,
maybe we are going to hurt them.
Therefore,
we should first make sure that we have a solution to offer.”
– TKV Desikachar 1981
The breath should be slow, smooth and powerful…
“The breath should be slow, smooth and powerful.
It should be held for 1”-2” after the inhale to prevent contraction.
Retention is also the extension of the hold after the exhale
and it is carried out to retain the state of contraction.
It is necessary to complete an exhale otherwise the inhale will get shorter.
Contraction of the stomach after the exhale will make it more effective.”
– TKV Desikachar England 1992
Using the breath in Āsana makes the Āsana adaptable…
“Using the breath in Āsana
makes the Āsana adaptable.
For example, by varying the
breath we can vary the effect.”
– TKV Desikachar England 1992
Here the word Citta is used rather than Manas…
“Here the word Citta is used rather than Manas.
Citta is not used in Chapter Two,
except with regard to Pratyāhāra in verse 54.
Otherwise the term Manas is used,
as in when the mind is automatically
pulled out by external forces.
Therefore for many of us mind is Manas.
Unless there is a shift from Manas to Citta,
it is not possible to do Dhāraṇā.”
– TKV Desikachar on Yoga Sūtra Chapter Three verse 1
– TKV Desikachar Yoga Sūtra Study Quotes Collected and Collated
– T Krishnamacharya Yoga Sūtra Study Quotes Collected and Collated
The breath presents different possibilities in Āsana…
“The breath presents different possibilities in Āsana.
For example, there can be a refinement of the
posture through developing the breath.”
– TKV Desikachar England 1992
The breath involves the spine…
“The breath involves the spine,
and it brings out changes in
the most vital part of the body.”
– TKV Desikachar England 1992
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
The whole process of observing others and observing oneself is entirely different……
“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
When is an Āsana an Āsana?…
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…
“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