“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.

“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

“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 use as a recovery from the fatigue of the Āsana,
not its 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:

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• cYs Practitioner Training Programme Retreat Extract 3 – Self Planning & Self Practice
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