“Our journey into and through Yoga
begins with hindsight
and ends with foresight.
The first hindsight is the effect
arising out of an experience
from a lack of foresight.”
– Paul Harvey on Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 16

“The Yoga of cause and effect.
Animate and inanimate.
Spirit and matter”
– Paul Harvey Introduction to Bhagavad Gītā Chapter Two

“Action is best performed when
it is for the good of the society,
with the spirit of dedication to the lord
and with freedom from the attitude of
being the doer and the beneficiary.”
– TKV Desikachar on Gītārtha Saṃgraha of Śrī Yāmunācārya Śloka Seven
(Yāmunācārya commentary on Bhagavad Gītā Chapter Three)

Voluntary Efforts and Involuntary Effects in an Āsana Practice
“As well as the consideration around the use of
Āsana dynamically or statically, there is also,
depending on our background to Āsana practice,
the voluntary effort and the involuntary effects.
According to the impact of this in the background,
certain voluntary intentions can, often unconsciously,
trigger certain involuntary, multilevelled responses.”
– 108 Yoga Planning Pointers
– The Viniyoga of Planning Principles Guidelines – Collected & Collated

Voluntary Efforts and Involuntary Effects in an Āsana Practice
“Thus, this means these effects can also apply to our
attitudes whilst working habitually in a particular Āsana.
For example, an involuntary response as a result of memory.
So we can have a blindness, in that we are unaware of the
position of the arms, legs, or body, as well as in our attitude.
Thus, we need to at least apply movements voluntarily
in our efforts to influence the qualities of the Āsana.”
– 108 Yoga Planning Pointers
– The Viniyoga of Planning Principles Guidelines – Collected & Collated

Voluntary Efforts and Involuntary Effects in an Āsana Practice
“Thus, with these two aspects there can be a lot of variables.
For example, using or not using the breath in Āsana
practice can be either a voluntary or involuntary aspect.
Thus, if you are not used to using the breath in an Āsana
and its quality is affected involuntarily, then we must apply
a voluntary action to improve or sustain the quality of the breath.
Or, if we are used to using the breath, the way we use it
can become fixed and unchanging – an involuntary effect.”
– 108 Yoga Planning Pointers
– The Viniyoga of Planning Principles Guidelines – Collected & Collated

A third factor, that of Respect for Responses
“There is also a third factor besides the relationship
between voluntary efforts and involuntary effects,
namely a person’s response to the notion of effort and effect.
In the travel from our everyday postures to Yoga postures
we need to consider respect for the idea of responses.
We can often ignore the body’s response to our efforts
within our aims and intentions for ideals, such as in Āsana.
Voluntary efforts and involuntary effects are the variables.”
– 108 Yoga Planning Pointers
– The Viniyoga of Planning Principles Guidelines – Collected & Collated

A third factor, that of Respect for Responses
“Responses should be looked at according to
the psychological attitude of the individual.
We need to consider what is the end
and what are the means.
This is also seen as cause and effect.
The responses to the voluntary action
should be considered as a safety valve.
All this assumes we have respect for the individual and
the individual has or develops respect for themselves.”
– 108 Yoga Planning Pointers
– The Viniyoga of Planning Principles Guidelines – Collected & Collated