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The Art of Personal Sādhana

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    viniyoga

    Root: yuj Devanāgarī: विनियोग Translation: employment, use, application; apportionment, distribution, division Similar words:yoga Related concepts:asat, sat, viyoga, śakti, adhyātmika, cikitsā, vinyāsakrama, vinyāsa, pratikriyāsana

    Appears in

    Yoga Sūtra:

    Chapter 3: 6

    Yoga Rahasya:

    Chapter 2: title


    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 (Asat 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

    “This is what Patañjali says in that everything must be given step by step.
    Yoga Sūtra Chapter Three verse 6 reflects this idea.”
    – TKV Desikachar France 1983

    “The Ācārya has to examine the Sat Viniyoga or Asat Viniyoga,
    the right offering or the wrong offering.
    If the teacher is able to solve this problem
    and establish that the students are serious,
    then this is Sat Viniyoga.”
    – TKV Desikachar France 1983

    “To give the right thing to the right person
    at the right time is Sat Viniyoga.
    Don’t look at the file, look at the student!”
    – TKV Desikachar France 1983

    “Sometimes we try to transmit
    what we cherish.
    This is not Viniyoga.”
    – TKV Desikachar France 1983

    “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 (skilful spreading)
    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

    “Even with my students, they teach a posture
    because it has been taught to them.
    Like a rubber stamp.
    This is not Viniyoga.
    People have rigid ideas.
    For example, why Cakravākāsana for this lady
    after Śīrṣāsana, whereas something else,
    say Mahāmudrā for somebody else.
    So it does not follow what is good for me
    is good for everybody.”
    – TKV Desikachar France 1983

    “Viniyoga is an offering.
    Every offering presents two aspects:
    what is offered and the way it is offered.
    Each of these aspects has two sides:
    to give and to receive.
    When there is harmony between these two sides,
    the offering is perfect; it becomes Viniyoga,
    like the Viniyoga of Prasādam in a modest temple in India.”
    – TKV Desikachar 1983

    “It is not possible for everyone to reach the same level of meditation (Dhyānam),
    even meditation should be taught or presented in stages (Viniyoga).
    It should be used at a level suitable to the student and gradually increased,
    start simply and increase in complexity.
    This is dependant on the growth of the student and according to the purpose.”
    – From study notes with TKV Desikachar England 1992

    “The spirit of Viniyoga is starting from where one finds oneself.
    As everybody is different and changes from time to time,
    there can be no common starting point,
    and ready-made answers are useless.
    The present situation must be examined
    and the habitually established status must be re-examined.”
    – TKV Desikachar

    “We should never forget what Patañjali has said –
    Teach according to the strength, resources and weakness of the individual”.
    – TKV Desikachar

    “It is very sad that the style
    has become more important
    than the individual”.
    – TKV Desikachar

    “When considering the Viniyoga of Pratikriyāsana
    within a student’s personal practice,
    it may help to look at the integration of
    their intended role from three perspectives.
    – Firstly their intended role as a counterposture,
    thus more from a physiological perspective.
    – Secondly their intended role as a compensation,
    thus more from a psychological perspective.
    – Thirdly their intended role as a transition,
    thus more from a sequential perspective.
    Appropriate integration of these three
    principles constitute an essential component in
    the Vinyāsa Krama utilised within practice planning.”
    – 108 Postural Practice Pointers

    “When reflecting on the intimacy of the relationship between
    Prāṇāyāma and Āsana experientially, we could consider
    exploring the practice of Prāṇāyāma and its developmental
    conjunction with Āsana, via the following reference points.
    Within the age-old coalescence of Prāṇāyāma and Āsana,
    Prāṇāyāma can have three potential roles in influencing
    the physical, energetic, psychological or emotional
    effects arising from the prior practice of Āsana.
    In this context the application of Prāṇāyāma can be
    from one of three directions. It can be used to either
    pacify, or to stabilise, or to intensify, the various
    experiences arising from the practice of  Āsana.”
    – 108 Prāṇāyāma Practice Pointers

    “One of the key concepts in the Viniyoga of Āsana
    is how to facilitate movement in the spine
    rather than just movement of the spine.”
    – 108 Yoga Practice Pointers

    “The ABC of the Viniyoga of Yoga
    is the bespoke long term cultivation of
    a personalised, pertinent and progressive
    Āsana Practice as a foundation for a separate
    Breathing Practice with its own identity alongside a
    Chanting Practice to honour teachings and transmission.
    Dhyānam is the fabric that time weaves from these related threads.”
    – 108 Yoga Practice Pointers

    “The art of Viniyoga is being concerned with what
    happens during the movements between the Āsana
    rather than just the movements during the Āsana.”
    – 108 Yoga Practice Pointers

    “The art of Viniyoga is about
    how you bring life to the Āsana
    rather than expecting the Āsana
    to bring life to you.”
    – 108 Yoga Practice Pointers

    “The art of Viniyoga is about
    how you bring life to the Mudrā
    rather than expecting the Mudrā
    to bring life to you.”
    – 108 Yoga Practice Pointers

    “The art of Viniyoga is about
    how you bring life to the Prāṇāyāma
    rather than expecting the Prāṇāyāma
    to bring life to you.”
    – 108 Yoga Practice Pointers

    “The art of Viniyoga is about
    how you bring life to the Dhyāna
    rather than expecting the Dhyāna
    to bring life to you.”
    – 108 Yoga Practice Pointers

    “The art of Viniyoga is about
    how you bring life to the Mantra
    rather than expecting the Mantra
    to bring life to you.”
    – 108 Yoga Practice Pointers

    “The Viniyoga of Yoga is a methodology
    that offers a depth of tools, rather than
    just a breadth of tools; however, the tools
    also sit a bit like Russian dolls in that one
    must be opened before the next reveals itself.”
    – 108 Yoga Practice Pointers

    General Guidelines for Practice Planning:
    “In terms of practice planning the spirit of Viniyoga
    is achieved by two broad means:
    1. The selection of practice material that is appropriate
    to the needs and circumstances of the student.
    2. The intelligent use of Vinyāsa Krama.”
    – 108 Yoga Planning Pointers

    General Guidelines for Choosing Āsana:
    “The principles we utilise through
    the Viniyoga of Āsana practice are
    a fair attempt in this direction.”
    – 108 Yoga Planning Pointers

    “The art of Viniyoga is about
    how you bring life to the Yoga Sūtra
    rather than expecting the Yoga Sūtra
    to bring life to you.”
    – 108 Study Path Pointers

    “TKV Desikachar did not teach different people different things.
    Nor did he just teach the same thing to different people.
    He taught different people the same thing in different ways.
    The same could be said of T Krishnamacharya’s teaching.
    Hence the context of the phrase the Viniyoga of Yoga.”
    – 108 Teaching Path Pointers

    TKV Desikachar taught the Viniyoga of Yoga,
    or application of Yoga according
    to state of life, place, time and circumstance
    to optimise the student’s potential within
    that situation as seen from his
    own, forever evolving, innovating and
    maturing, developmental teaching thread.
    – 108 Teaching Path Pointers

    “The art of Viniyoga presumes that
    the five application principles of
    what is being taught,
    why it is being taught,
    when it is being taught
    where it is being taught and especially
    how it is being taught,
    are personally applicable and
    socially relevant to
    who is being taught.”
    – 108 Teaching Path Pointers

    “The Viniyoga of Yoga is about a system to teach to a student,
    rather than about students to teach a system to.”
    – 108 Teaching Path Pointers

    “The Viniyoga of Yoga is the art of
    learning how to practice,
    rather than what to practice.”
    – 108 Teaching Path Pointers

    “Viniyoga is not a term that can be
    applied to group class teaching.”
    – 108 Teaching Path Pointers

    “The Viniyoga of Yoga perspective
    is that the role of Śavāsana is
    its specific use as a transition
    from the fatigue of the Āsana,
    rather than its general use as a
    recovery from the fatigue of life.”
    – 108 Teaching Path Pointers

    “The Commercialised in-Corporation of Viniyoga
    is in danger of becoming a parody of
    the Personalised incorporation of Viniyoga.”
    – 108 Teaching Path Pointers

    “It is ironic when a collective term used to describe
    an approach to teaching an individual,
    becomes an individual term used to describe
    an approach to teaching a collective.”
    – 108 Teaching Path Pointers

    “Sat Viniyoga
    is about learning to do more with less.
    Asat Viniyoga
    is about learning to do less with more.
    Whether Āsana or Students!!”
    – 108 Teaching Path Pointers

    Links to Related Posts:

    • Āsana and Mudrā Glossary
      – Grouped into Standing, Kneeling, Lying, Inverted, Backbend, Seated & Sitting
    • Glossary of Prāṇāyāma & Bandha Practice Techniques
      – Grouped into Primary, Secondary & Ancillary Techniques
    • Collected Posts on Vinyāsa Krama
    • Collected Posts on Pratikriyāsana
    • A fundamental facet in the principles of Āsana, Mudrā and Prāṇāyāma practice……
    • cYs Practitioner Training Programme Retreat Extract 1 – Self Planning & Self Practice
    • cYs Practitioner Training Programme Retreat Extract 2 – Self Planning & Self Practice
    • cYs Practitioner Training Programme Retreat Extract 3 – Self Planning & Self Practice
    • cYs Practitioner Training Programme Retreat Extract 4 – Self Planning & Self Practice
    • Discuss the different aspects of Vinyāsa Krama in Prāṇāyāma…
    • How do we apply Viniyoga to students already set in a particular mode of Āsana practice?
    • I feel reflecting on the recent three posts on Īśvara Praṇidhānā……
    • Know your breath and its unique characteristics in Āsana and you will……
    • Principles behind why Krishnamacharya only taught adults 121……
    • Teaching 121 lessons remained at the heart of Krishnamacharya’s and Desikachar’s priorities
    • The breadth, depth and potential of Desikachar’s teachings on practice……
    • The teaching of Krishnamacharya around Āsana included an in-depth appreciation of the Lakṣaṇa……
    • The Viniyoga of Yoga is about Relationship……
    • T Krishnamacharya’s accomplishments should not be defined just by his more well known characterisations……
    • Viniyoga Vignette 1 – Antar and Bāhya Kumbhaka in Āsana
    • What is the meaning and origin of the concept of the Viniyoga of Yoga?
    • Yoga as a View, Practice and Tool – Part Three
    • Yoga can be a mystery to be resolved or a question to be solved……
    • We need to consider the process that surrounds one’s Āsana practice…

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    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.
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