Although Krishnamacharya came from a strict Indian tradition……

TK_1980_aged_91

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

read more

So if certain Yoga Sādhana have a place in another culture……

om

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)

Rāmānuja, Yāmunācarya, Krishnamacharya and Viśiṣṭādvaita

Ramanuja_embracing_Lord_Varadaraj

Rāmānuja, was a disciple of Śrī Yāmunācarya. Śrī Yāmuna, composer of texts such as the Gītārtha Saṃgraha, Siddhi Traya and Stotra Ratna, was the grandson of the 9th century sage Śrī Nāthamuni and a forebear of T Krishnamacharya.

Krishnamacharya’s personal devotional philosophy and practices were grounded in the teachings that arose from these great sages and evolved into what became known as Viśiṣṭādvaita or qualified non-dualism (One of the three primary schools of Vedānta).

Rāmānuja agrees with the Advaitin that the scripture
teaches the non-twoness (Advaita) of reality.
But, he denies the Advaitan’s conclusion
that this oneness is attributeless,
pure being or consciousness and that plurality
with regard to soul and material world is falsely
imposed on this one Being due to ignorance.”
Rāmānuja on the Yoga – Dr. Robert C Lester 1976.

T Krishnamacharya – Downloadable Film from 1938

TK_1980a

Tirumalai Krishnamacharya was 50 when the film was made in 1938. He is now seen as one of the the most influential teachers in establishing what Yoga is identified as in today’s society. His students included Pattabhi Jois, BKS Iyengar, Indra Devi, and his son TKV Desikachar.

read more

Yoga Makaranda by T Krishnamacharya

tk_pb_web

Yoga Makaranda

– A Book on  Āsana Practice written by T Krishnamacharya in 1934.

Translated in 2006 from the 1938 Tamil Edition
by Lakshmi and Nandini Ranganathan.
Offered as a freely distributable download.
Download the translation as an Open Source PDF

Vinyāsa Sequences filmed in the KYM‘s original building

Vinyasa sequences published by the Viniyoga Healing Foundation of India

Advanced Vinyasa Demonstration by Lara Abiesheikh – 1

Advanced Vinyasa Demonstration by Lara Abiesheikh – 2