“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

“The power of the breath,
the power of the senses and
physical strength of the body are each distinct properties.
They should not work against each other
but rather contribute to each others well being.”
– T Krishnamacharya on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 30

“Impurities in the heart cause mental agitation
– anxiety, lack of direction, anger.
This agitation, in turn, affects the body,
sometimes making it impossible to sit still even for a few minutes.”
– T Krishnamacharya on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 31

Karuṇā
“Cultivating a feeling of compassion
towards our bodies and minds,
whatever state we find them in.”
– Paul Harvey on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 33

“Each person possesses a body.
Encased in the body, as it were,
he goes through pain and pleasure.
The pain and pleasure through the body arises
because of contact with the external world.
However such variations of pain and pleasure
do not happen to one absorbed in Īśvara.”
– T Krishnamacharya on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 50

“When something is understood differently from what it truly is, it is called Avidyā.
What is changing is taken to be non-changing. For example the mind.
What is subjected to decay is assumed to be pure. For example the body.
What is leading to suffering is taken to be the source of pleasure.
What is not conscious is assumed to be conscious.
All these errors in perceptions have many possibilities.
But the ultimate stage of Avidyā is to assume that we are the Masters, not Īśvara.”
T Krishnamacharya on Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 5

“The movement of life is a pilgrimage of the body
and cannot be accomplished without action.”
– TKV Desikachar on Bhagavad Gītā Chapter Three verse 8

“Just because a person is not practicing Dhyāna,
but only Āsana,
we cannot say he is not practicing Yoga.
In a body, each limb belongs to the body.
Similarly, practice of Āsana is indeed
practice of Yoga to that extent.”
– T Krishnamacharya 1984

“If we are doing Āsana and the mind continues to wander,
we are not doing the Āsana, only our bodies are doing them.”
– TKV Desikachar Religiousness in Yoga Chapter Seven Page 91

“Some standing postures develop the legs, such as Ardha Utkaṭāsana (half squat).
This posture is like weight lifting.
Other postures like Vīrabhadrāsana (standing,
bending backward with one knee bent) will also help.
The principle is we must bring action to the area of the body we wish to improve.”
– TKV Desikachar Religiousness in Yoga Chapter Seven Page 106-7

“While we use the breath for the body in Āsana,
in Prāṇāyāma we accept the posture and forget the body.
The only requirement is that we must be comfortable and keep our backs straight.”
– TKV Desikachar Religiousness in Yoga Chapter Nine Page 117

“This is what I mean by having Prāṇa inside the body.
When this is the case,
a person is not affected by the whims and opinions of others.”
– TKV Desikachar Religiousness in Yoga Chapter Eleven Page 148

“Many people have this problem of maintaining attention during the practice.
You can place your attention on a particular part of the body
but there must be something happening, a movement.
Thats why the best movement is the breath.”
– TKV Desikachar Religiousness in Yoga ‘Various Approaches to Yoga’ Chapter Seventeen Page 237

“For Yoga Teachers it is
important to understand
the movement of the mind
as well as of the body.”
– TKV Desikachar on Sāṃkhya and Yoga

“There are categories of Sādhana relating to Body, Breath, Senses and mind.”
– TKV Desikachar France August 1983

“Continuing the idea of Śikṣaṇa,
it is possible to put further categories into Sādhana.
It is important,
as often people have little distinction between exercise and Yoga.
According to texts and great masters Sādhana is not just at the body level,
but at the Indriya level, the mind level and possibly even further.”
– TKV Desikachar France 1983

“As teachers we can only confine ourselves
to diseases where we have a role to play.
These are diseases where the mind is involved.
We work with diseases where a relationship
exists between body and mind.”
– TKV Desikachar France 1983

“To experience the intention behind
the Bandha, the body must be prepared.
For example if the pulse remains increased
after their use, it is an indicator that we are not ready.
If excessive tension is felt in the areas where they are used,
then an indicator that we are not ready for Bandha in Mahāmudrā.”
– 108 Mudrā Practice Pointers

“When using Mṛgi Mudrā to control the nostril flow in Prāṇāyāma,
the ring finger and thumb remain as if glued onto the nostrils,
with one nostril being fully closed and one nostril partially closed,
with adjustments to the pressure according to technique and ratio.
Even when using Ujjāyī within techniques such as Anuloma Ujjāyī,
the finger and thumb remain as if sealed on the sides of the nostrils.
Externally it’s as if there is nothing to observe in terms of the body.
Internally there is a vibrant flow within the dynamics of the breath.”
– 108 Prāṇāyāma Practice Pointers

“Nyāsa –
The Art of drawing the Mantra into the Heart through the Body.”
– 108 Chanting Practice Pointers

“Āsana is an interface between the body
and the systemic energy processes.
Prāṇāyāma is an interface between the
systemic energy processes and the psyche.
Dhyāna is an interface between the psyche
and the awareness that pervades our sense of being.”
– 108 Yoga Practice Pointers

“Yoga is more about exploring
the movement of the mind, whilst
Āsana is more about exploring
the movement of the body.
The vehicle common to exploring both
is the movement of the breath.
The yoking of all three is towards the goal of
experiencing the source of all movement.”
– 108 Yoga Practice Pointers

“Is it a misdirection within Āsana from talking
about effects on the body as if on the spine?
Thus too much focus on talking about effects on the body
and not enough on looking at the actual effects on the spine?”
– 108 Yoga Practice Pointers

“Constancy of the body
reveals the inconstancy of the breath.
Constancy of the body and breath
reveals the inconstancy of the mind.
Constancy of the body, breath and mind
reveals the constancy of awareness.”
– 108 Yoga Practice Pointers

“According to the teachings of Krishnamacharya and Desikachar,
Āsana involves extending the length of the breath beyond the body,
rather than the extending of the body beyond the length of the breath.
The purpose is to facilitate the field of Prāṇa accumulating in its intensity.”
– 108 Yoga Practice Pointers

Links to Related Posts:

• Āsana is not just another form of exercise……
• Question to Krishnamacharya – “Can you explain the concept of Vinyāsa and Pratikriyā Āsana?”
• Know your breath and its unique characteristics in Āsana and you will……
• Sound – A Means Beyond Āsana and Prāṇāyāma……
• The Viniyoga of Āsana Part 6 of 15 – Planning an Appropriate Āsana Practice
• The Viniyoga of Āsana Part 7 of 15 – Different Types of Postural Activity in Āsana Practice
• The Viniyoga of Inversion as an Āsana or as a Mudrā……
• Yoga Practice is about a re-turning towards our inner life……