“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 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