Centre for Yoga Studies

The Art of Personal Sādhana

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • RSS
Skip to content
  • WELCOME TO YOGA STUDIES
  • PAUL’S YOGA JOURNEY
  • PAUL’S YOGA DIARY
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • RSS
Finding a Yoga Teacher
cYs YOGA PROGRAMMESPersonal & Professional Study
cYs YOGA JOURNALNews Views & Blog Posts
YOGA TEXTS & FREENOTESOnline Translation & Commentary
  • Welcome to Pauls Yoga Texts Freenotes

    • Yoga Texts & Freenotes Overview
    • Online Saṃskṛta Word Glossary
  • Yoga Sūtra Freenotes

    • Yoga Sūtra Freenotes Overview
    • Yoga Sūtra All Verses Online
    • – Yoga Sūtra – Chapter 1
    • – Yoga Sūtra – Chapter 2
    • – Yoga Sūtra – Chapter 3
    • – Yoga Sūtra – Chapter 4
    • Yoga Sūtra PDF Workbooks
    • Paul’s Collected Sūtra Quotes
  • Haṭha Yoga Texts Freenotes

    • Haṭha Yoga Freenotes Overview
    • Haṭha Pradīpikā Verses Online
    • – Haṭha Pradīpikā – Chapter 1
    • – Haṭha Pradīpikā – Chapter 2
    • – Haṭha Pradīpikā – Chapter 3
    • – Haṭha Pradīpikā – Chapter 4
    • Yoga Rahasya Verses Online
    • – Yoga Rahasya – Chapter 1
    • – Yoga Rahasya – Chapter 2
    • – Yoga Rahasya – Chapter 3
    • – Yoga Rahasya – Chapter 4
  • Sāṃkhya Kārikā Freenotes

    • Sāṃkhya Freenotes Overview
    • Sāṃkhya Kārikā Verses Online
    • Sāṃkhya Kārikā PDF Workbook
  • Bhagavad Gītā & Related Texts Freenotes

    • Bhagavad Gītā Freenotes Overview
    • Bhagavad Gītā PDF Workbooks
    • Bhagavad Gītā Verses Online
    • Bhagavad Gītā First Hexad
    • – Bhagavad Gītā – Chapter 1
    • – Bhagavad Gītā – Chapter 2
    • – Bhagavad Gītā – Chapter 3
    • – Bhagavad Gītā – Chapter 4
    • – Bhagavad Gītā – Chapter 5
    • – Bhagavad Gītā – Chapter 6
    • Bhagavad Gītā Second Hexad
    • – Bhagavad Gītā – Chapter 7
    • – Bhagavad Gītā – Chapter 8
    • – Bhagavad Gītā – Chapter 9
    • – Bhagavad Gītā – Chapter 10
    • – Bhagavad Gītā – Chapter 11
    • – Bhagavad Gītā – Chapter 12
    • Bhagavad Gītā Third Hexad
    • – Bhagavad Gītā – Chapter 13
    • – Bhagavad Gītā – Chapter 14
    • – Bhagavad Gītā – Chapter 15
    • – Bhagavad Gītā – Chapter 16
    • – Bhagavad Gītā – Chapter 17
    • – Bhagavad Gītā – Chapter 18
    • Gītārtha Saṃgraha Overview
    • Gītārtha Saṃgraha Verses Online
    • Gītārtha Saṃgraha PDF Workbook
  • Welcome to Yoga Studies

    abhyāsa

    Devanāgarī: अभ्यास Translation: practice Related concepts:vairāgya, sādhana

    Appears in

    Yoga Sūtra:

    Chapter 1: 12 , 13 , 18 , 32

    Bhagavad Gītā:

    Chapter 8: 8

    Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā:

    Chapter 2: 1

    Yoga Rahasya:

    Chapter 1: 89 , 33


    Click here for complete Saṃskṛta Index

    Commentaries around

    “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.”
    – 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

    “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.”
    – 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

    “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 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……

    Share this:

    • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
    • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
    • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
    • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
    • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
    • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
    • Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)
    • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
    • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
    • Click to print (Opens in new window)

    Related

    This glossary with its similar, opposite and related concepts categories, supplemented by textual references and additional commentaries around the key word, is a both work in progress and constantly ever-expanding in terms of further cross-references, textual cross links and commentaries.
    As it continues to develop your comments and suggestions on your experience and how it may be enhanced are very welcome via this link, thank you.
    Proudly powered by WordPress | Theme: cysuk by Underscores.me.
    loading Cancel
    Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
    Email check failed, please try again
    Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.