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

    śikṣaṇa

    Devanāgarī: शिक्षण Translation: teaching, instruction in; the act of learning, acquiring knowledge Related concepts:rakṣaṇa, cikitsā, krama, prauḍha

    Appears in


    Click here for complete Saṃskṛta Index

    Commentaries around

    “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

    “Even in the case of Śikṣaṇa Krama the ancient teachers had steps in the teaching:

    • Yukta Śikṣaṇa
      The teaching must be appropriate to the intelligence of the individual.
    • Grahaṇa Śikṣaṇa
      Also able to absorb correctly what you have understood.
      You must test them, confuse them to see if they have.
    • Yukta Smaraṇa
      The teacher should find out how much the person remembers
      what they have understood.
    • Yukta Abhyāsa
      Is how much a person practices what he is given.
      To see if he has learnt, understood and practiced.
    • Yukta Anu Bhāva
      Even practice can be mechanical, even if it is regular.
      So how much you have learnt from the practice.
      What it has taught you.
    • Yukta Pracāram
      Finally, you ask the person to transmit what they have received.

    The transmission shows the Siddhi of the Sādhana.
    This is viniyoga.
    These outlines are valid whether Śikṣaṇa or Rakṣaṇa Krama.
    If what is given is mechanical it is not viniyoga.
    That is why the viniyoga spirit is very important these days.”
    – TKV Desikachar France 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

    “Some views say don’t teach children.
    However Śikṣaṇa Krama is only suitable for children.
    Not adults who have become brittle.”
    – TKV Desikachar France 1983

    “Śikṣaṇa Krama – do something perfectly or correctly.
    Anything is taught to achieve perfection in the practice of Āsana and Prāṇāyāma.
    In other words teaching children and healthy people where you can take risks with no problems.
    Not a valid approach for groups.
    We need to use intelligence and Viveka,
    not follow the idea of no pain, no gain to become painless,
    or to get to a point without suffering.”
    – TKV Desikachar France 1983

    “General outline on Cikitsa Krama.
    More sophisticated than Śikṣaṇa Krama.
    Already when you know an object it is seen differently by different people.
    So when I offer a healing object it is seen as a cause of disease by others.
    One mind can influence minds differently,
    because different minds receive things differently.”
    – TKV Desikachar France 1983

    “The traditional model, Śikṣaṇa, for Yoga was to stay in a posture,
    Krishnamacharya introduced movement in the postures.”
    – From study notes with TKV Desikachar England 1992

    “There are two categories of practice, the Śikṣaṇa Krama way, according to the rules,
    or the Cikitsā Krama way, the application or adaptation of a posture
    to suit a particular person or a particular situation.
    Where postures need to be adapted to suit particular bodies and their limitations.
    The authority for the postures comes from the teacher,
    although some rules are indicated in the texts.”
    – From study notes with TKV Desikachar England 1992

    “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

    “Cikitsā Krama is to gather dissipated Prāṇa.
    Rakṣaṇa Krama is to conserve gathered Prāṇa.
    Śikṣaṇa Krama is to intensify conserved Prāṇa.”
    – 108 Yoga Practice Pointers

    “Cikitsā Krama is to gather dissipated Agni.
    Rakṣaṇa Krama is to conserve gathered Agni.
    Śikṣaṇa Krama is to intensify conserved 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

    “The longer term measure of our Prāṇāyāma potential is determined by
    our skilful efforts with all four components of the breath in Āsana.
    For example can we maintain 8.8.8.8. in Parśva Uttānāsana or 12.6.18.12 in Mahā Mudrā?
    These days though, it seems that there is not much place for or interest in the use of Kumbhaka and breathing practices, if used at all, appear to be mainly Cikitsā or about recovery, or at best Rakṣaṇa or constitutional, rather than Śikṣaṇa and developmental.”
    – 108 Yoga Planning 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 Teaching Path Pointers

    Links to Related Posts:

    • A fundamental facet in the principles of Āsana, Mudrā and Prāṇāyāma practice……
    • Prāṇāyāma was taught according to the principles of Cikitsā, Rakṣaṇa and Śikṣaṇa……
    • The teaching of Krishnamacharya around Āsana included an in-depth appreciation of the Lakṣaṇa……
    • The Viniyoga of Inversion as an Āsana or as a Mudrā……

    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.