“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.”
– Paul Harvey on 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 on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 12

“Any Abhyāsa is only for the mind,
you cannot go beyond that point.”
– TKV Desikachar on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 12

“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.”
– TKV Desikachar 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

“In Sūtra 1.12 Patañjali defines Abhyāsa
and Vairāgya in relation to Nirodha.
A question we can explore as
an avenue towards grasping this
Sūtra is, what is the relationship
of these two seeming polarities?
Namely, what are the qualities of
Abhyāsa, in relation to the qualities
of its seeming counterpart, Vairāgya?”
– Paul Harvey on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 12

“Jñāna Dhyānam is the dynamic yoking of
the two qualities of Abhyāsa and Vairāgya.”
– Paul Harvey 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.”
– Paul Harvey on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 12

“According to Patañjali, the process of Abhyāsa needs
to be in place before Vairāgya is a viable reality,
as one is an increasingly subtle developmental process
arising from the initial engagement with the other.
Hence Abhyāsa is the attentive and consistent effort
to remain there and Vairāgya is our relationship with
what arises from and within our effort to remain there.
Here is a psychological drama where the internal play
of our neuroses acts itself out on the stage of the mind.
Though at least, with our efforts with Abhyāsa, the inner
audience can look at the play, rather than from the play.
Until we embrace the skills to remain there consistently,
we cannot consistently engage within the very erratic
relationship we have with the neurotic characters
that populate the drama/mystery/romance plays we
stage on a daily basis in our mind, as if a plat du jour.
Essentially until we choose to desist from not stopping,
we cannot begin to observe how much movement there is.
Thus, firstly there needs to be a consistent effort at
Abhyāsa Dhyānam, then we have the developmental
correlative of Vairāgya to help contend with what arises.”
– Paul Harvey on 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 on 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.”
– Paul Harvey 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 on 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 on 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.”
– Paul Harvey 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.”
– Paul Harvey on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 14

“In Sūtra 1.14 Patañjali outlines qualities he feels are
important in cultivating the intention within Abhyāsa.
What are these qualities and how can we
realise them within our efforts to remain there?”
– Paul Harvey on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 14

“In Sūtra 1.18 Patañjali introduces the notion of Saṃskāra.
What is the relationship of Saṃskāra, as introduced
in this Sūtra, to the outcome of Abhyāsa,
as discussed in the preceding Sūtra?”
– Paul Harvey on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 18

“The Yoga of meditation.
How to practice Yoga.
Types of persons who practice Yoga.”
– Paul Harvey Introduction to Bhagavad Gītā Chapter Six

“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 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

Links to Related Posts:

• Even in the case of Śikṣaṇa Krama the ancient teachers had steps…….
• Question to Krishnamacharya – “Can you explain the concept of Vinyāsa and Pratikriyā Āsana?”
• Sound – A Means Beyond Āsana and Prāṇāyāma……