Nāma, Rūpa, Lakṣana – The Name, Form and Characteristics of Āsana…

Āsana practice also implies as well as practicing,  we need to know something about the Āsana we are going to work with as we introduce, persevere and develop and especially personalise our practice. Hence we have to both practice but also have some theoretical background in order to context an Āsana in itself and in relationship to both other Āsana and to Yoga.

Thus, guided studies through all the aspects involved in Āsana practice and teaching within the field of Āsana involved firstly, as an adjunct to embracing a personal practice, getting to know one’s tools in terms of what. In other words, how to use them without any particular consideration of who, or even why.

This learning into what are the tools we use in Yoga practice and how we learn to apply them on a personal basis, as a novice musician might with regard to their art, were essential first steps. These steps into what and how also preceded learning on how to apply these tools as a Yoga teacher. Even here though, should we be interested in imparting Yoga to others, is it to a person or group wishing to explore and learn the principles as well as the practice?

In other words, being involved with a student wanting to learn Yoga for Yoga, rather than the more usual demand of coming to Yoga for X, Y or Z.  The first aspect within this approach to Yoga as Yoga is study around the definition, meaning and context of Āsana as a primary tool. This first step encompasses the concepts of Nāma, Rūpa and Lakṣaṇa or  what is the name, form and characteristics of the Āsana we wish to engage with.

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108 Sūtra Study Pointers – 155 – Pratyāhāra is both a Sādhana and a Siddhi…

Pratyāhāra is both a Sādhana and a Siddhi.
In that, it is a Siddhi of Prāṇāyāma,
as well as a Sādhana for Dhāraṇā.
– Paul Harvey on Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 55

Paul’s Yoga Sūtra Keywords – Collected & Collated into Chapters
Paul’s Yoga Sūtra Questions – Collected & Collated into Chapters
Paul’s Yoga Sūtra Reflections – Collected & Collated into Chapters
TKV Desikachar Yoga Sūtra Quotes – Collected & Collated into Chapters
T Krishnamacharya Yoga Sūtra Quotes – Collected & Collated into Chapters

Notes from a lecture by TKV Desikachar – ‘Is Veda a Religion?’

The Brahma Sūtra is the source of Hinduism or Hindu Philosophy or Vedānta.

It acknowledges the Veda as the source of its teachings,
hence the term Vedānta, within which there are three main streams:

1. People who believe in One
(Advaita or school of non-dualism advocated by Śaṅkara)

2. People who believe in One with certain characteristics
(Viśiṣṭādvaita or school of qualified non-dualism advocated by Rāmānuja)

3. People who believe in Two and they cannot be reconnected
(Dvaita or school of dualism advocated by Madhva)

So Vedānta is one product of the Veda but their are five more

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To practice Dhyānam there are two questions…

“To practice Dhyāna
there are two questions
we need to ask,
Can I hold an object?
Can I sustain that hold?”
– TKV Desikachar on Yoga Sūtra Chapter Three verse 2

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

108 Postural Practice Pointers – 48 – In supporting the cultivation of the subtler aspects of…

In supporting a cultivation, within or through Āsana,
of the subtler aspects of Bāhya Aṅga Sādhana, such
as Pratyāhāra, it can be a more helpful marker to be on
the lookout for sensory incontinence, rather than say,
being more preoccupied with physical choreography.

Such as how we can unconsciously leak, through randomly
opening the eyes or vaguely keeping the eyes open, when
transiting into or changing sides around such as seated Āsana.

For example, arriving into or departing from a choreographically
demanding asymmetrical Āsana such as Ardha Matsyendrāsana.
In other words, remaining alert and using the space between the
breath when moving from or returning to its link Āsana, Daṇḍāsana.

Another example is the potential for sensory incontinence when
moving into or out of or especially when changing sides, with
more popular or familiar seated Āsana such as Janu Śīrṣāsana.

Link to Series: 108 Postural Practice Pointers

Āsana and Mudrā Glossary
– Grouped into Standing, Kneeling,
Lying, Inverted, Backbend, Seated & Sitting

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

108 Yoga Study Path Pointers – 36 – Haṭha Yoga is about the vitality of our Prana…

Haṭha Yoga is about the vitality of our Prāṇa.
Rāja Yoga is about the clarity of our Citta.
Krishnamacharya’s teachings reflect their
relative importance, in the correlation and
integration of both within our Yoga Sādhana,
as beacons for our outer and inner journey.

Link to Series: 108 Yoga Study Path Pointers

Design and Experiment with a Practice around Parivṛtti Trikoṇāsana and Jaṭhara Parivṛtti…

Design and Experiment with a Practice around Parivṛtti Trikoṇāsana and a modified Jaṭhara Parivṛtti, practising Parivṛtti Trikoṇāsana dynamically 6 times alternating before staying 3 breaths each side and repeating Jaṭhara Parivṛtti 6 times alternating before staying 6 breaths each side.

The Vinyāsa Krama or planning steps in the practice will be for a total of 70 working breaths.

– It will be based around Āsana especially Parivṛtti Trikoṇāsana and Jaṭhara Parivṛtti.
– In this instance, the practice will not include any Mudrā, Prāṇāyāma or Dhyāna.
– In the planning structure, any link Āsana such as Samasthiti, Śavāsana, Vajrāsana, do not count in the breath tally.
– Make notes on what you have discovered from this practice
– Justify to yourself your choice of supporting or compensatory Āsana within the scheme.
– This planning question was first proffered within Study and Practice Courses whereby the student’s responses would be shared during the next meeting along with being offered a sample response.
Accordingly, I will post this example by adding it as a PDF resource to this post after some time.

To Download or View this Question as a PDF Study Sheet

To Download or View a Sample Practice Response as a PDF

Yoga Practice Planning and Theory Questions – Collected & Collated

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

If there is no Dhāraṇā, there is no Grahaṇa…

“If there is no Dhāraṇā,
there is no Grahaṇa or grasping.
Mind itself cannot do Dhāraṇā.
Something else is required.”
– 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

Who is going to decide the place…

dharana

DeśaPlace
BandhaFixing
Who is going to decide the place,
and who is going to say go there?
Or something else is telling the
mind to go there and stay there?”
– 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

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

A busy mind is always telling you where to go…

dharana

‎”A busy mind is always telling you where to go.
A quiet mind can be told where to go.”
– 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

Vibhūti – Something special within each of us…

Vibhūti
Something special
within each of us,
as in Aiśvaryam.”
– TKV Desikachar on Yoga Sūtra Chapter Three

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

The only change in this process is time.

“The only change in this process is time.”
– T Krishnamacharya on Yoga Sūtra Chapter Three verse 12

T Krishnamacharya Yoga Sūtra Study Quotes Collected and Collated
TKV Desikachar 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

To derive Siddhi through Saṃyama Dhāraṇā or…

“To derive Siddhi through
Saṃyama Dhāraṇā or
Savikalpa Samādhi,
Dhyānam and Samādhi
have to be practised.
These practices should
also be practised
according to one’s capacity.”
– T Krishnamacharya on Yoga Sūtra Chapter Three verse 6

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

Design and Experiment with a Practice around Parivṛtti Trikoṇāsana and a modified Jaṭhara Parivṛtti…

Design and Experiment with a Practice around Parivṛtti Trikoṇāsana and a modified Jaṭhara Parivṛtti, practising Parivṛtti Trikoṇāsana dynamically 8 times alternating and repeating Jaṭhara Parivṛtti 4 times alternating before staying 2 breaths each side.

The Vinyāsa Krama or planning steps in the practice will be for a total of 60 working breaths.

– It will be based around Āsana especially Parivṛtti Trikoṇāsana and Jaṭhara Parivṛtti.
– In this instance, the practice will not include any Mudrā, Prāṇāyāma or Dhyāna.
– In the planning structure, any link Āsana such as Samasthiti, Śavāsana, Vajrāsana, do not count in the breath tally.
– Make notes on what you have discovered from this practice
– Justify to yourself your choice of supporting or compensatory Āsana within the scheme.
– This planning question was first proffered within Study and Practice Courses whereby the student’s responses would be shared during the next meeting along with being offered a sample response.
Accordingly, I will post this example by adding it as a PDF resource to this post after some time.

To Download or View this Question as a PDF Study Sheet

To Download or View a Sample Practice Response as a PDF

Yoga Practice Planning and Theory Questions – Collected & Collated

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

Those mental activities responsible for unhappiness…

“Those mental activities
responsible for unhappiness
become rare and ineffective.
Whenever the person desires,
he can be completely absorbed
in his object of contemplation.”
– T Krishnamacharya on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 18

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