Commentaries around
“Abhyāsa or Practice is,
the effort to remain within
the stillness of the present.
Vairāgya or Dispassion is,
the absence of thirst towards
the dance of the past.”
– Paul Harvey on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 12
“According to Patañjali, the process of Abhyāsa needs
to be in place before Vairāgya is a viable reality,
as one is an increasingly subtle developmental process
arising from the initial engagement with the other.
Hence Abhyāsa is the attentive and consistent effort
to remain there and Vairāgya is our relationship with
what arises from and within our effort to remain there.
Here is a psychological drama where the internal play
of our neuroses acts itself out on the stage of the mind.
Though at least, with our efforts with Abhyāsa, the inner
audience can look at the play, rather than from the play.
Until we embrace the skills to remain there consistently,
we cannot consistently engage within the very erratic
relationship we have with the neurotic characters
that populate the drama/mystery/romance plays we
stage on a daily basis in our mind, as if a plat du jour.
Essentially until we choose to desist from not stopping,
we cannot begin to observe how much movement there is.
Thus, firstly there needs to be a consistent effort at
Abhyāsa Dhyānam, then we have the developmental
correlative of Vairāgya to help contend with what arises.”
– Paul Harvey on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 12
“In Sūtra 1.13 Patañjali succinctly
defines the aim of Abhyāsa as
the effort to remain there.
What is the ‘effort‘ mentioned here?
Where is the ‘there‘ mentioned here?”
– Paul Harvey on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 13
“In Sūtra 1.14 Patañjali outlines qualities he feels are
important in cultivating the intention within Abhyāsa.
What are these qualities and how can we
realise them within our efforts to remain there?”
– Paul Harvey on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 14
“What is the nature of the Dṛśya or what can be perceived?
It has three qualities; it reveals, it acts, it has substance.
It has many components, the objects known and the means to know them.
They serve two roles.
When in strong association with the perceiver they produce pleasure or pain –
when this association is absent they let the perceiver visualise its own nature.
Experience of pleasure or pain is by the perceiver.
Freedom from them is also its fundamental situation.
This freedom is no different from Mukti.”
– T Krishnamacharya on Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 18
“In the Sthiti Krama the most important Yoga Sādhana
for the householder, according to me, is Prāṇāyāma.”
– From T Krishnamacharya’s composition,
the Yoga Rahasya Chapter Two verse 45
“Sthiti Krama –
Having grown, not to become old too soon,
let us maintain a status quo.
Sthiti Krama is for a person who has responsibilities, marriage, work.
No longer a full time student.
Still time for Svādhyāya.
Preservation of what you have received as a student.
So Sthiti Krama very critical in one’s life.
The difference is that you have your own responsibilities.
You cannot forsake them to study this or that.
Considered important because it is a challenge from 25-60 to sustain this position.
Because it is very difficult, there is a great excuse for escaping Svādhyāya.
We must do it to handle or approach problems around us – children, students, etc.”
– TKV Desikachar France August 1983
“According to Manu’s authority on behaviour,
in Kālī Yuga Saṃnyāsa is not possible!
Sthiti Krama is a transition to the next stage
where you begin to accept the inevitable.
There is a great Saṃskāra of youth.
We then accept that there will be a setting of the Sun.
You eat less, reflect more, you think of God.
This is Saṃhāra Krama.”
– TKV Desikachar France 1983
– Āsana only Planning Questions
“Design an Āsana practice that supports
– 12 Breaths 1.1.2.1 in Sthiti Paścimatānāsana.”
To Download or View this Question as a PDF Study Sheet
– Yoga Practice Planning and Theory Questions – Collected & Collated
– Āsana only Theory Questions
“Develop the concepts of Sṛṣṭi Krama, Sthiti Krama and Anta Krama
and what is their significance in relationship to the practice of Āsana?”
To Download or View this Question as a PDF Study Sheet
– Yoga Practice Planning and Theory Questions – Collected & Collated
“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 Teaching Path Pointers
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