“Any Abhyāsa is only for the mind,
you cannot go beyond that point.”
– TKV Desikachar on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 2

“Abhyāsa or Practice is,
the effort to remain within
the stillness of the present.
Vairāgya or Dispassion is,
the absence of thirst towards
the dance of the past.”
– Reflections around Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verses 12-15

“In this Sūtra Patañjali states that there are two ways
to discipline the five types of mental activity.
They are Abhyāsa and Vairāgya.
Abhyāsa is practice.
In order to discipline the mind,
we need to develop a mental practice
that clearly reveals the distinction
between the nature of Jīva and Prakṛti.
Vairāgya is to disconnect or sever the link
between the Citta and external objects.
These two, Abhyāsa and Vairāgya,
always go together as a pair.”
– T Krishnamacharya commentary on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 12

“All means by themselves have no direction.
One must fix the direction and make sure it is not lost.”
– TKV Desikachar on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 12

“The phenomenon called Yoga
allows the mind and its functions to orientate in one direction
and receive something from that direction.”
– TKV Desikachar on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 12

“The idea is to bridge the gap that is between what exists and what is desired.
This is what Abhyāsa refers to. This is not exactly practice.
1. We first require an appreciation of what we want to do or learn.
2. We then find out how to travel or go in that direction.
3. We then learn the techniques by which we travel.”
– TKV Desikachar on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 12

“Abhyāsa and Vairāgya
Within the effort of trying to remain there not clinging to what arises
within the effort of trying to remain there not clinging to what arises
within the effort of trying to remain there not clinging to what arises
within the effort of trying to remain there not……..”
abhyāsa vairāgyābhyāṃ tat nirodhaḥ
“By both practice and dispassion that contained.”
Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 12

“Abhyāsa is the practice of reflecting on the difference
between the nature of Jīva and the nature of Prakṛti,
which brings momentary tranquillity to the mind and
eventually leads to complete and sustained mental tranquillity.”
– T Krishnamacharya’s commentary to Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 13

“How do you know the use of the right means is good?”
– TKV Desikachar on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 13

“The spirit of Abhyāsa is to always verify
the best means to go from one step to another.”
– TKV Desikachar on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 13

Meditation is about the quality of the effort rather than the fruit of the time.
– Observation on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 13

“Abhyāsa, when performed with reverence,
without interruption, over a long period of time, will result
in a healthy body, acute senses and extraordinary alertness.
This kind of Abhyāsa is a solid foundation that nothing can disturb.”
– T Krishnamacharya’s commentary to Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 14

“Abhyāsa is the practice that leads to Viveka,
the state which there are no external distractions to prevent clear perception.”
– T Krishnamacharya’s commentary to Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 14

“Looking beyond the superficial to the source,
this is Abhyāsa.”
– TKV Desikachar on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 14

“Satkāra
To feel better about things than in the past.”
– TKV Desikachar on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 14

“You should not get tired of
the means or the practice.”
– TKV Desikachar on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 14

“Yukta Abhyāsa or skilful practice.
How to cultivate as intimate a
relationship with our Practice,
as with our Problems.”
Commentary on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 14

“Having a meditation practice is one thing,
practicing meditation is something else.
Better not to confuse the two in terms of
the gap between intention and outcome.
Meditation is that which might or might not
arise out of our efforts at meditation practice.
The outcome depends on the extent of the intention.”
– Reflections around Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 14

“The starting point for Abhyāsa is not the mind,
it is other than the mind.
The moment the mind takes over you are in difficulty.”
– From 121 Sūtra lessons with Desikachar

“Abhyāsa means constant effort and attention
in order to continue in one direction.
We must never break this process because we
never really know in advance how things might change”
– TKV Desikachar ‘A Session for Questions’
Religiousness in Yoga Chapter Sixteen Page 223

“Yukta Abhyāsa is how much a person practices what he is given.
To see if he has learnt, understood and practiced.”
– TKV Desikachar France August 1983

“The concepts of Abhyāsa (Practice) and Vairāgya (Dispassion)
in Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verses 12-16
are co-essential in the teaching of Patañjali.”
Discuss their relationship and list and comment on the attitudes that support their practice.
To Download or View this Question as a PDF Study Sheet