“Some factors which a Sādhaka (efficient or skilful person) and
a living master will take into consideration when giving a transmission:
The teacher must recognise whether the student is Bhāva Sādhaka or Abhāva Sādhaka.
Bhāva (move towards) Sādhaka is where a person comes to Yoga with a direct positive attitude. An interest.
Abhāva (move away) Sādhaka is one who is running away from something,
is a vacuum and is looking for something to fill it.
Appears to be strongly positive because they are running away from something.
A person who does not know what to do in life.
They want to do something to keep themselves occupied.
Or running away from something and are looking for something during a transit in life.
Very frustrating for a teacher who spends a lot of time with Abhāva Sādhaka until they find something better.
The teacher may test the student to see the difference. For example cancelling lessons.”
– TKV Desikachar France 1983

“Patañjali has proposed 3 approaches to verify the indications.
Tapas – Process of action
Food, Āsana, Prāṇāyāma.
You will be doing something that you will not be habitually doing.
For example one day no salt, cigarettes, Prāṇāyāma.
Tapas is from the root to create thirst.
It means to deprive.
It will tell us about ourselves.
It will reveal our Saṃskāra and Pariṇāma or changes in ourselves.
From this Tapas we will start to get an indication of our individual nature.
For example active or lazy.
Tapas indicates the the beginning of the Bheda, through the Bhāva.”
– TKV Desikachar France 1983

“Even practice can be mechanical even if it is regular.
So Yukta Anu Bhāva (skilful becoming) is
how much you have learnt from the practice.
What it has taught you.”
– TKV Desikachar France 1983

“Āsana practice should take into account:
– Where we are – Where am I?
– Where are we going – What is my goal?
– What happens afterwards – How do I continue with my life?
There needs to be steps in the sequence to lead to the goal and counter postures
to prepare for life after the Yoga practice, a Vinyāsa.
The postures need to be visualised prior to being executed, Bhāva.
It is important to prepare for life after a Yoga practice
so that a student is fully prepared for life outside the Yoga room.”
– From study notes with TKV Desikachar in England 1992

“Some people use Yoga (or even training for a career as a Yoga Teacher),
to move away from something undesirable for, or in their lives (Abhāva).
Others use Yoga to move towards something desirable (Bhāva) for, or in their lives.
Either can be positive, however good to be clear about our motives,
especially if our relationship with that which we wanted to move away from,
or that which we wanted to move towards,
changes along the way.”
– 108 Teaching Path Pointers

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