“People come to study Yoga for many reasons,
however it comes into two groups.
1. They come to learn or study (Śikṣaṇa).
2. They come to us for support rather than to study (Rakṣaṇa).
So the Yoga we offer to the person who is inquiring
is not the Yoga we offer to the person seeking protection.
Therefore one can give the wrong advice (Asat viniyoga) to the right person
and vice versa (Sat viniyoga).
This can do more harm than if the person had not come.
The intention must be right as must be the execution.”
– TKV Desikachar Switzerland 1978

“Preventive health is a self-discipline and only a minority
seeks Yoga as a preventive measure to prevent illness.
Most people seem to seek Yoga only for therapy.
But it must be remembered that the essence of Yoga is discipline.
Essentially it is the discipline of the body,
it is the discipline of the mind and
it is also the discipline of the spirit.
But prevention does not interest people
even though it is of obvious importance.
People get interested only when they are in trouble.
So we now need to develop strategies
using the salient principles of Yoga practice,
so that it can be adapted to people with specific problems.”
YOGA: SURGERY SANS INSTRUMENTS
– Interview with TKV Desikachar from ‘The Hindu’ 1998

“The teacher decides which of the Tri Krama is the best for the student:
Śikṣaṇa Krama requires a perfect knowing to transmit a strict practice,
without any compromise, as it should be in Vedic chanting for example.
Rakṣaṇa Krama is aimed at protection and preservation;
it promotes continuity in any levels like health, abilities, knowledge, etc.
Cikitsā Krama looks for adaptation, healing, recovering…”
– TKV Desikachar speaking with his senior Western students London 1998

“Preventive health is a self-discipline and only a minority
seeks Yoga as a preventive measure to prevent illness.
Most people seem to seek Yoga only for therapy.”
– TKV Desikachar 1998

“Within the application of Cikitsā Krama
Śavāsana is a position for relaxation.
Within the application of Rakṣaṇa Krama
Śavāsana is an Āsana for resting.
Within the application of Śikṣaṇa Krama 
Śavāsana is an Āsana for observation.”
– 108 Postural Practice Pointers

“Prāṇāyāma, the same as with Āsana and Dhyānam,
was taught according to the core principles within
Cikitsā Krama, Rakṣaṇa Krama and Śikṣaṇa Krama.
Thus we have breathwork practice possibilities
ranging from Cikitsā, using simple ratios to settle
an irregular breathing pattern or pulse fluctuation,
to Rakṣaṇa, with a visible competence and fluidity
within a range of basic techniques and mild ratios,
to Śikṣaṇa and a skill base encompassing all techniques,
and ratios and especially, the application and integration of
Kumbhaka with long holds both after the inhale and the exhale.”
– 108 Prāṇāyāma Practice Pointers

“These days, it appears that
there is not much place for, or
interest in the use of Kumbhaka
within the practice of Prāṇāyāma.
If used at all it appears to be mainly
Cikitsā or about recovery, or at best about
Rakṣaṇa or constitutional support, rather than
Śikṣaṇa and a personal developmental exploration.”
– 108 Prāṇāyāma Practice Pointers

“What defines the transition between
Cikitsā Krama, Rakṣaṇa Krama and
Śikṣaṇa Krama is the desire to practice
Prāṇāyāma for the sake of Prāṇāyāma,
rather than for purposes such as recovery, or
preventative health, or constitutional support,
or reducing agitation, or promoting relaxation.
Exploring Prāṇāyāma as Prāṇāyāma offers the
potential to propagate a fresh perspective into
the relationship between Prāṇa and  Nirodha.”
– 108 Prāṇāyāma Practice Pointers

“What can define a transition between
Cikitsā Krama, Rakṣaṇa Krama and
Śikṣaṇa Krama in terms of the breath?
Is it that in Cikitsā Krama, the priority is
within Āsana practice and establishing a
core relationship with using the breath?
Whereas, in Rakṣaṇa Krama, the priority
is within Āsana practice, and developing
the core relationship, primarily with the
exhale and secondarily with the inhale?
Whereas, in Śikṣaṇa Krama, the priority is
within Prāṇāyāma practice, and developing
the core relationship, primarily with the exhale
and the inhale, and secondarily with the holds?”
– 108 Prāṇāyāma Practice Pointers

“What can define a transition between
Cikitsā Krama, Rakṣaṇa Krama and
Śikṣaṇa Krama in terms of Prāṇāyāma?
Is it that in Cikitsā Krama, the priority is
establishing an Āsana practice with the aim
of developing a core relationship with Ujjāyī?
Whereas, in Rakṣaṇa Krama, the priority is
establishing a Prāṇāyāma practice with the aim
of developing a core relationship, primarily
with Anuloma and secondarily with Pratiloma?
Whereas, in Śikṣaṇa Krama, the priority is
developing a core relationship, primarily with
Nāḍī Śodhana and secondarily with Sūrya Bhedana?”
– 108 Prāṇāyāma Practice Pointers

“Cikitsā Krama is to stabilise dispersed Prāṇa.
Rakṣaṇa Krama is to conserve stabilised Prāṇa.
Śikṣaṇa Krama is to intensify conserved Prāṇa..”
– 108 Yoga Practice Pointers

“Cikitsā Krama is to gather dissipated Agni.
Rakṣaṇa Krama is to strengthen gathered Agni.
Śikṣaṇa Krama is to utilise strengthened Agni.”
– 108 Yoga Practice Pointers

“Cikitsā Krama is to replenish depleted Ojas.
Rakṣaṇa Krama is to nurture replenished Ojas.
Śikṣaṇa Krama is to garner nurtured Ojas.”
– 108 Yoga Practice Pointers

“Dhyāna Sādhana was taught
according to the principles of
Cikitsā, Rakṣaṇa and Śikṣaṇa Krama,
with meditational practices ranging from
pacification to protection to empowerment.”
– 108 Yoga Teaching Path Pointers

“You apply therapeutics through Cikitsā,
but not protection or preservation.
This is the role of Rakṣaṇa.”
– 108 Yoga Teaching Path Pointers

“The principles of Cikitsā, Rakṣaṇa and Śikṣaṇa Krama
are more applicable to the ‘mindset’ of a person,
rather than looking through the ‘fitness’ of their body.”
– 108 Yoga Teaching Path Pointers

“My Āsana study with Desikachar was shaped around forming
a deep appreciation of specific core principles that underpin
the planning and practice of Āsana and their application to
the individual student’s constitution, psychology and need.
Amongst these dozen or so core principles,
the first group when looking at any Āsana in depth,
were the concepts of Nāma, Rūpa and Lakṣaṇa, or the
name, form and characteristics of that particular Āsana.
Obviously, the Nāma is a useful tag point for identification
and the Rūpa is vital as a reference point for the Sat Viniyoga,
or right application of the Āsana within overall considerations of
initial direction and outcomes through such as the Śikṣaṇa Krama,
Rakṣaṇa Krama or Cikitsā Krama application of the forms used.
However, I do feel these days that our understanding in Āsana
practice is more dominated by the Nāma and the Rūpa with
little emphasis on the Lakṣaṇa or inherent characteristics of the
Āsana and how understanding this aspect can have a profound
effect on the approach, application and outcome of the overall or
accumulative impact of the Āsana within the student’s practice.
The teachings of Krishnamacharya around Āsana included
an in-depth appreciation of the Lakṣaṇa, especially around
the thirty or so primary and secondary support Āsana such as
Uttānāsana, Jaṭhara Parivṛtti, Bhujaṅgāsana or Januśīrṣāsana.”
– 108 Yoga Teaching Path Pointers

“The First and Second Chapters of the Yoga Sūtra
can be linked to the teaching concepts of
Śikṣaṇa, Rakṣaṇa and Cikitsā Krama.
In that the Samādhi Yoga in Chapter One
can be seen as apt for a Śikṣaṇa situation,
whereby the primary aim is discernment, as in
exploring what lies within the sense of I-Am.
Whereas in Chapter Two, the Kriya Yoga section
can be seen as being apt for a Cikitsā situation,
whereby the primary aim is recovering, as in
reducing agitation through lifestyle changes.
and the Bāhya Aṅga section of Aṣṭāṅga Yoga
can be seen as being apt for a Rakṣaṇa situation,
whereby the primary aim is establishing stability,
through a formal practice within a Yoga Sādhana.”
– 108 Yoga Teaching Path Pointers

“The First and Second Chapters of the Yoga Sūtra
can be linked to the teaching concepts of
Śikṣaṇa, Rakṣaṇa and Cikitsā Krama.
In that the Samādhi Yoga in Chapter One
can be seen as apt for a Śikṣaṇa situation,
whereby the primary aim is discernment, as in
exploring what lies within the sense of I-Am.
Whereas in Chapter Two, the Kriya Yoga section
can be seen as being apt for a Cikitsā situation,
whereby the primary aim is recovering, as in
reducing agitation through lifestyle changes.
and the Bāhya Aṅga section of Aṣṭāṅga Yoga
can be seen as being apt for a Rakṣaṇa situation,
whereby the primary aim is establishing stability,
through a formal practice within a Yoga Sādhana.”
– 108 Yoga Teaching Path Pointers

“In terms of Prāṇāyāma from
a one-to-one perspective,
we need to consider whether
the practice starting point for
the practitioner is from a Rakṣaṇa,
Cikitsā, or Śikṣaṇa Krama viewpoint.
From  a Rakṣaṇa Krama viewpoint,
the situation we are focusing on initially
is on developing the length of the breath.
From a Cikitsā Krama viewpoint,
the practitioner’s energy and
respiratory capacity may be low,
so the scope for working on the length
of the breath may well be limited.
Therefore a suggested strategy initially,
is to focus on the subtlety of the breath.
Whereas, from a Śikṣaṇa Krama viewpoint,
the potential is there to work and develop
both the length and the subtlety of the breath.
So both options can be explored from the onset.”
– 108 Yoga Teaching Path Pointers

“Rakṣaṇa Krama is  a proactive process
in the intention to engage in how you
you support an absence of symptoms.”
– 108 Yoga Study Path Pointers

Links to Related Posts:

• A fundamental facet in the principles of Āsana, Mudrā and Prāṇāyāma practice……
• Exploring Prāṇāyāma within Cikitsā, Rakṣaṇa and Śikṣaṇa Krama…
• Laṅghana Kriyā has two functional dimensions…
• Nāma, Rūpa, Lakṣana – The Name, Form and Characteristics of Āsana
• Physiological and psychological considerations around the practitioner’s starting point…
• Question to Krishnamacharya – “Can you explain the concept of Vinyāsa and Pratikriyā Āsana?”