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Catching heels again in Kapo...Now what?

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Haven't done an asana post in ages, so here goes. Let's see if I remember how to do these, an intro, a picture, a video, a couple of lines, a quote....


Thought I'd lost my heels in Kapo for good ( I mention this  in this post on 'Surrendering up' ), how many times have I said that? I notice I said it back in July last year, catching them for the first time in three months.

My excuse this time was that I've spent what, half a year working on Krishnamacharya's approach to asana in Yoga Makaranda, slow breathing, ( 8-10 seconds inhalations and 8-10 second exhalations with kumbhaka ( breath retention) where appropriate), long stays etc.

Breathing has been so slow that I found I had to practice half, even a third of a series or sequence and even then still had to cut postures out of standing ( although I'd cut different postures on the following day).

No Kapo for ages.

When I did start practicing kapo again recently I was barely catching my toes and that was OK but, that said, heels do matter in kapo. I'm not so bothered anymore about getting my ankles back but heels make a nice handle for bring yourself into a nicely stable posture, comfort and steadiness are the name of the game.

So I was pleasantly surprised that my kapo was feeling so good yesterday ( I'm back doing the first half of 2nd series in a Vinyasa Krama approach, IE. Bow and Meditative sequences), that I thought I could reach back a little... and there they were, my heels, right where I left 'em. I tried to work on the slow breathing I'd been playing at with my toes kapo and it seemed pretty good that I thought I'd film it this morning and double check.

I managed five slow breaths....at least I thought they were slow but I was actually only in the posture for 30 seconds, you do the math....not so slow after all.

Not sure if I'll be catching the heels from the air again any time soon but still.

Here's the video.


More of a Vinyasa Krama ( Meditative/ Vajrasana sequence) approach to this Kapo although a little speeded up. The postures after Kapo usually come earlier in the sequence but I;m using them here as counter postures.

So now what?

Ankles?  calves?  knees!

Or 10 breaths, 20, 25, making them slower, deeper, fuller?

I'm reminded of  Ramaswami writing on utkatasana

Bandhas, Breathing and making the most of Utkatasana

"When one is able to stay in the posture (utkatasana) for three to six breaths, then one should slowly increase the time to complete a stipulated number of breaths. Thereafter, one should remain in the posture for a predetermined number of breaths chosen by the practitioner or teacher, or for a fixed persiod, say three to five minutes. Then one's practice should be aimed at reducing the number of breaths while remaining in the posture for the same duration. for instance one may take a total of twenty breaths while in the posture. Later on, it may be possible to remain in the posture steadily and comfortably (sthira and sukha) for five minutes with perhaps only ten breaths. This is one method for attaining asana siddhi (perfection in posture) that one can test of oneself. Having achieved this level of comfort in the posture, one can then introduce the band has, which will increase the time taken for each breath".
Yoga for the Three Stages of Life. S. Ramaswami.P 127

How about a new project, working on longer stays and slower breathing in Kapotasana. Prashant Iyengar has his Trikonasana, perhaps I should work towards an Alpha and Omega of Kapotasana. I have another video on here somewhere of a 25 breath Kapo (see below) in the  25-50 breaths a posture Rishi series, the stay was about a minute and a half. Which frankly seems a little laughable to me now as I write this, 25 breaths in 90 seconds, supposedly we tend to breath 12-15 breaths a minute in regular day to day breathing. Iyengar does say ( Light on Yoga), however, that breathing will be short in Kapotasana due to the constriction of the diaphragm.

A provisional aim then, is to build back up to that length of stay but reduce the number of breaths to as few as possible.

http://grimmly2007.blogspot.co.uk/2012/01/ashtanga-rishi-approach-2nd-series.html

If you get the time over the weekend take a look at Ramaswami's newsletter posted yesterday. A good intro to the Philosophy behind Ashtanga, and what's going on with cittavritti, it's all about mental and physical space.
http://grimmly2007.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/ramaswami-on-physical-and-mental-space.html

And see the free download from namarupa of Ramaswami's article on Mudra
http://www.namarupa.org/volumes/i16-vol04/i16-v04-04-SrivatsaNews01.pdf

Seems Ramaswami is going to be a regular contributor to the magazine.

"Included in this volume is a free download about Mudra by Srivatsa Ramaswami. We hope to make Srivatsa Ramaswami's articles a regular feature going forward."

Robert Moses & Eddie Stern
Publishers
Namarupa, Categories of Indian Thought

Emergence du Yoga by Krishnamacharya's Son T. K. Shribashyam

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T. K. Shribashyam's website  http://www.yogakshemam.net/English/homepage.html

I was sent a few pages of the French edition of  T. K. Shribashyam book, Emergence du Yoga ( Thank You E.)

"...it has been recently published from France and its English translation is under preparation".

Looks interesting, a curious layout of 58 Daily practise suggestion(?) ( see pictures 12 + 13 below) that seem familiar from the Life Saving practice presented in the recent Movie on Krishnamacharya, The Breathing God, already out in German and due out in English this year. I've included Chiara's English translation of the Life Saving practice at the bottom of the page, this book has another 57 of these!

There's also appear to be substantial sections on Pranayama and Mudra ( as well as some practice suggestions focussing on Mudra, concentration on particular Chakra ) as well as the Origin/ History of Yoga and what seems to be a large section on Prana.

On page 71, the general guidelines for practice, we get an outline of the structure to a 45 minute practice is presented.

1 Pranayama : Ujjayi Anuloma, Ujjayi Viloma, Ujjayi Prathiloma or Sitali ( no doubt depending on the season) 12 breaths in either of those or perhaps a combination.

2. Standing asana 6 breaths

3.  Asana on the back ( Supine?) 6 breaths

4.  Asana on the belly ( Bow posture(s) 3 breaths

5.  Shoulderstand  12 breaths

6.  Headstand 12 breaths

7   Shoulderstand  variation(s) 12 breaths

8.  An Asana on the belly ( no doubt as counter to the shoulder stand) 3 breaths

9.  Seated asana ( to reset the internal organs after inversions?) 6 breaths

10.  Mudra 12 breaths

UPDATE: And what of this?


An outline of Krishnamacharya's own practice?

Apercu des séances pratiques de mon père- Overview practice sessions of my father

Kapala bhati- 32 breaths

Ujjayi Anuloma - 6 cycles A.K. (antha-kumbhaka = holding at top of inhalation) 5 seconds, Concentration Kanta 

Utthita pada Angushta Asana - 6 breaths B.K. (Bhya-kumbhaka = holding at end of exhalation) 5 seconds, Inhalation concentration: Mula  and Kanta , Exhalation Concentration: Kanta 

Bhujanga Asana - 3 breaths, Concentration: bhrumadhya 

Sarvanga Asana - 12 breaths, Concentration: kanta

Shirsasana Asana - 12 Breaths, Concentration: lalata 

Ardha padma hala asana - 3 breaths

Hala asana  - 3 breaths

Karna Pida Asana - 3 breaths

Adho Mukha padma Asana - 3 breaths, Concentration: Kanta 

Ardha baddha Padma Paschimathana asana - 3 breaths, inhalation Concentration: nabhi, Exhalation Concentration: Kanta 

Badha Kona Asana - 12 Breaths, Inhalation Concentration: Mula and Shirsha Exhalation Concentration Mula 

Basti ( pranayama) 60 cycles

Nadi Shodana ( pranayama) - cycles, Abhyantara Vritthi
---------------------------
Notes

Concentration points?
Bandhas of Chakras? 
Mula = mula bandha or muladhara Chakra
Kanta = throat, so jalandhara bhnada or the throat chakra
Bhrumadhya and lalata are around the middle of the brow, between the eyebrows, 'third eye' are suggesting Anja chakra
Shirsha? Shushumna?

Kumbhaka - breath retention
A.K. (antha-kumbhaka = holding at top of inhalation)
B.K. (Bhya-kumbhaka = holding at end of exhalation)

I practiced it this morning, quite a profound practice. I started with the pranayama, added in my usual ten minute VK tadasana sequence and the Yoga Makaranda approach to suryanamaskara, with the staying in each posture for three to five breaths inc. kumbhakas, then carried on with the routine above. I included a couple of extra Vinyasa Krama subroutines as I had the time but otherwise stuck to Krishnamacharyas practice.
-----------------------------

Really looking forward to getting my hands on an English Translation.
















11 Overview practice sessions of my father



Tenir l'Inde secrète entre ses mains. Découvrir, comprendre, approcher la philosophie la plus profonde du yoga, issue d'une tradition plusieurs fois millénaire, sans modification aucune dans sa transmission d'un maître à l'autre et pourtant toujours adaptée au disciple qui s'y intéresse.

Il ne s'agit pas d'un enseignement secret car interdit, ou réservé aux plus savants, aux plus érudits. Il est question ici d'une dissimulation hors de toute coquetterie esthétique et élitiste. C'est une dissimulation accessible au curieux, au chercheur, à l'effort. Pour être retenu avec toute sa valeur, cet enseignement se mérite parce qu'il se trouve.

Ce livre expose une pratique de plus en plus partagée, en plein essor, à la vue de tous ceux qui s'interrogent sur la meilleure façon de vivre dans un environnement difficile et agressif. Et pourtant, ce livre parle d'une chose précieuse, d'une richesse rarement exposée : l'origine d'une science précise qui s'adresse à notre corps, notre mental, notre âme.

L'occasion vous est offerte aujourd'hui de découvrir le trésor enfoui derrière les pratiques posturales et respiratoires, hautement détaillées par ailleurs. Vous allez percevoir la quintessence extraite des usages et expériences : c'est l'émergence du yoga expliquée par un grand maître.

            Patrice Delfour

Google translation of the above.

India keep secret his hands. Discover, understand, approach the deeper philosophy of yoga, following a tradition of several thousand years, without any change in its transmission from one master to another and yet always adapted to the disciple who is interested.

It is not a secret teaching as prohibited or restricted to the most learned, the most learned. It is a question here of a cover out of coquetry aesthetic and elitist. It is a curious concealment accessible, researcher at the effort. To be retained with all its value, this teaching because it is worth.

This book presents a practical increasingly shared booming in the sight of all those who are wondering about the best way to live in a difficult and aggressive. And yet, this book is about a precious thing, a wealth of rarely exposed: the origin of a precise science that speaks to our body, our mind, our soul.

The opportunity is offered to you today to discover the buried treasure behind postural and breathing practices, highly detailed elsewhere. You will perceive the essence extracted uses and experiences: this is the emergence of yoga explained by a great master.

             Patrice Delfour


And some more samples for the French reader that can also be found on this page http://www.yogakshemam.net/French/EmergenceDuYoga_Infos.html




From the jacket of the Movie on Krishnamacharya, Breath of the Gods ( thank you to Chiara for the translation). See my previous post Pimping up Krishnamacharya's Life saving yoga 

"Starting from the 50s more and more visitors came from the West to Krishnamacharya in Madras, to learm Yoga from him, the 'teacher of teachers'. Krishnamacharya developed for them a specific sequence that he named 'Life saving yoga session'. Yoga to extend life, the name did not fail to work. Krishnamacharya's idea was to use this sequence to lead Westerners to an unconfessional and undogmatic experience of the Divine, since their pluralistic culture would not permit an automatic access to religious matters.
The sequence, which was not taught anymore after Krishnamacharya's death and which was taught by his son TK shribayam to director Jan Schmidt-Garre after years of acquaintance during the filming of 'Der atmende Gott', is here disclosed in its original form.
Characteristic of the later Krishnamacharya and of the 'Life saving Yoga session' is the connection of postures, breathing and concentration in the sense of the orientation of the gaze and awareness of a focal point. Only when these elements form an organic connection can Yoga happen, according to Krishnamacharya

1. sit for 30-60 seconds with crossed legs in Padmasana. Concentration on Nasagra (point of the nose)

2. 16-24 Kapalabhati breaths (breath of fire, energeti inhale and exhale)

3. 12 breaths of ujjayi anuloma. Inhale: ujjayi, with slightly constricted throat, to drwa air into the lungs. Exhale: the hand forms a claw with thumb, ring- and little-fingers with which one nostril is alternately kept closed. Exhale very slowly through the open nostril, without ujjayi, beginning with the left

4. 3 breaths in matsyasana. Legs are closed in the lotus position

5. 3 breaths in bhujangasana. Start with open eyes and during the progression of movement, which start with the forehead, close the eyes. Concentration on Bhrumhadya (between the eyebrows)

6. 12 breaths in sarvangasana. The chin is closed in front of the straightened body. Hands close to the shoulderblades, concentration on Kanta (throat)

7. 12 breaths in sirsasana. Concentration on Nasagra (tip of the nose)

8. 3 breaths in halasana. Arms on the floor, hands clasped, palms towards the outside

9. 3 breaths in bhujangasana. Again start with open eyes and close them during the movement. Cncentration on Bhrumadhya (between the eyebrows)

10. 12 breaths in Maha-mudra (one-sided forward bend) six times on the left, then six times on the right. With the first inhale bring the arms over the head, with hands clasped, palms up. With the exhale get into the posture. Concentration on navel

11. 12 breaths in paschimottanasana, preparation and in maha mudra. The hands clasp the big toes, the back stays straight, neck and back form a lune. Concentration on the navel.

12. 30-60 Bastri breaths (rapid alternate breathing) in padmasana. The right hand builds a clasp as for anuloma ujjayi. Inhale and exhale through the left nostril, then change the grip and rapidly inhale and exhale through the right nostril. No ujjayi. end with an exhale from the left nostril and without pause move ot a long inhale in nadi shodan. Concentration on Nasagra

13. 12 breaths in nadi shodan (alternate breathing). Inhale very slowly from the half-closed left nostril, exchange grip ad after a short pause exhale very slowly through the half-closed right nostril. After a short pause inhale very slowly through the half-closed right nostril, change grip and after a short pause exhale through the half-clodes left nostril. No ujjayi. The left hand counts the breaths, with the thumb gliding over the twelve parts of the four fingers, from the third falanx of the little fingers in the direction towards outside to the point of the index finger. Concentration on Hrudaya (heart)

14. Prayer. Concentration on Hrudaya (heart)

In the coming book fom Shribashyam "How Yoga really was" this and similar sequences are explained in detail

*Thank you again to Chiara fro the translation from the German.

Here are some print out practice sheets.




Krishnamacharya own practice?

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from the French edition of  T. K. Shribashyam book, Emergence du Yoga

See yesterday's post for more on Emergence du yoga

Update on the contents of Emergence du yoga from the French Amazon page

254 pages
CONTENTS:
The origins and philosophy of Yoga
33 photos of Sri T. Krishnamacharya
131 photos Krishnamacharya students
89 asanas
13 mudras
58 pranayamas practical sessions
11 sessions of mudras
13 sessions of pranayama

-----------------------

My own approach to the sequence below (practiced it yesterday) was to use the asana mentioned as signposts and, given that I had the time available, add Vinyasa Krama variations/subroutines to the those postures but spending longer in the key posture to focus attention and concentration as indicated. I've always tended to fall back into the Ashtanga framework in my Vinyasa Krama practice, this is an alternative that I'm finding interesting. Perfect too for a second, evening practice.


An outline of Krishnamacharya's own practice?

from the French edition of  T. K. Shribashyam book, Emergence du Yoga
My Translation and Notes

1.



Apercu des séances pratiques de mon père- Overview practice sessions of my Father


Kapalabhati (see notes below) - 32 breaths
-
Ujjayi Anuloma (see notes below) - 6 cycles A.K. (antha-kumbhaka = holding at top of inhalation) 5 seconds, Concentration Kanta (throat) 
-

Utthita pada Angushtasana - 6 breaths B.K. (Bhya-kumbhaka = holding at end of exhalation) 5 seconds, Inhalation concentration: Mula  and Kanta (throat) , Exhalation Concentration: Kanta (throat) 

Bhujangasana - 3 breaths, Concentration: bhrumadhya (between eyebrows)


Sarvangasana- 12 breaths, Concentration: kanta (throat)


Sirsasana  - 12 Breaths, Concentration: lalata (center of forehead)


Ardhabadhahalasana - 3 breaths

Halasana - 3 breaths

Karnapindasana- 3 breaths





 Adhomukhapadmasana (but on belly) 
3 breaths, 


Concentration: Kanta (throat)

Ardhabadha padma paschimotanasana - 3 breaths, inhalation Concentration: nabhi (navel), Exhalation Concentration: Kanta (throat)


Badhakonasana - 12 Breaths, Inhalation Concentration: Mula and Shirsha Exhalation Concentration Mula  

-

Basti ( pranayama) 60 cycles

-

Nadi Shodana ( pranayama) - cycles, Abhyantara Vritthi

Pranayama Notes from Yoga makaranda ( Part II)

NOTES 
from P R A N A Y A M A  -  An Absolute necessity in YOGA
... by  T.K.SRIBHASHYAM, Nice, FRANCE

UJJAYI ANULOMA: Inhalation (PURAKA) through both nostrils in UJJAYI, Exhalation (RECHAKA) through Left Nostril, without ujjayi, Inhalation through both nostrils in Ujjayi, and Exhalation through the Right Nostril, without Ujjayi.  These two breaths making one Cycle of Ujjayi Anuloma. 

SHITHALI:  Slightly open the mouth, bring out the tongue, fold it lengthwise, to make it resemble a tube, Inhale (aspire) through the mouth.  At the end of the Inhalation, draw back the tongue, close the mouth, and Exhale through Ujjayi, by both the nostrils. 

UJJAYI VILOMA:  Inhale through the Left Nostril, without using Ujjayi, Exhale through Ujjayi, with both the nostrils open.  Inhale, again through the Right Nostril, without using Ujjayi, and Exhale through Ujjayi, with both the nostrils open.  This forms one Cycle. 

UJJAYI PRATHILOMA:   Inhale through Ujjayi, Exhale by the Left Nostril, Inhale by Left Nostril, Exhale by Ujjayi, Inhale by Ujjayi, Exhale by Right Nostril, Inhale by Right Nostril, and  Exhale by Ujjayi.  These 4 breaths make one cycles, and to be of any value, a minimum of 4 cycles or 16 breaths is needed.         

-

We now come to the Pranayama that has already been reviewed under the 3rd Category (SURYA BHEDHANA).  Technically speaking, this Pranayama is the same as the one we studied before.  But in this category the aim is to render Prana its natural and original function of being in close association with ATMA, and to show ATMA the path of the Supreme soul (PARAMATHMA) or the Creator.  (It is here that we understand the meaning of Prana Aayama: extending Prana towards the Creator).  In this Surya Bhedhana, concentration is an essential factor.  The concentration during Puraka (Inhalation) is used in such a way as to centralise all the mental faculties including the sensorial ones in HRUDAYA, to stabilise them in HRUDAYA during Antah Kumbhaka, so that cleared of all influences with regard to the external world, the mind reflects  itself, during Rechaka, its Original Nature of revealing the qualities of Atma.
     
      This Pranayama is also called ABHYANTARA VRITHI (or the Inner Movement), because the Sense and the Mental activities instead of going outward, turn inwards.  In this Pranayama, the Concentration Points applied are: Naasagra, Bhrumadhya, Lalaata, Kanta, Kurma Nadi and Hrudaya.

As for NADI SHODHANA, it is always a Pranayama of the end of the session.  For convenient practice of Nadi Shodhana, one should have had some practice of Ujjayi Anuloma, Sarvanga Asana, and if possible Shirsha Asana.  The action of this Pranayama, without Kumbhaka, is not so much on the biological changes in the body.  Its action is more on the clarity of sense perception, removal of sense confusions, attentiveness of the mind.  It should not be practiced when there is nervous irritability, emotional shock, or fear of spiritual sentiments, particularly  in those who do not believe in the value of a Divine Support, or where there is excess of fatigue.  Suitable Pranayama should be practiced at first to improve one's condition before working on Nadi Shodhana.  It is always conceivable to have done either Badha Kona Asana or Maha Mudra or Paschimathana Asana as the last Asana before doing Nadi Shodhana.
3.    NADI SHODHANA with Bahya Kumbhaka influences more the mental plane.  When we talk of mental plane, we talk of the emotions (ANUBHAAVA) and sentiments (STHAAYI BHAVA), having their physical or physiological response.  A disturbed mind, is the mind whose natural functions are overtaken by emotions or sentiments.  As long as these persist, mind will not be clarified, and without a clear mind (MANASSHUDHI) it is not possible to have an insight.
      Nadi Shodhana with Bahya Kumbhaka breaks the link between the emotions, sentiments and their physiological response.  So its action is more on the interrelation between the physical mode of emotions, and the emotional or sentimental impulse.  It goes without saying that this Pranayama comes in the end of a session, that the duration of Bahya Kumbhaka should not exceed on fourth the time of Puraka, that the conditions mentioned for Nadi Shodhana (without Kumbhaka) apply here as well.

Krishnamacharya on the Chakras.

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This post follows on from yesterdays post on Krishnamacharya's own practice where he employs the chakras as concentration points.


CHAKRAS
In the previous post outlining Krishnamacharya's 'own' practice Krishnamacharya is employing chakras as concentration points, as focus of attention (as well as directing prana). I've tended to avoid anything to do with the chakras for long enough, turned off by the New Age Chakra picture books that swamp the bookshelves (always used to find them overflowing into the Philosophy Section in Bookshops). 



Even Catkras!
Still, perhaps it's time  to take a long overdue look at the Chakra model, if only to employ as concentration points rather than falling into the whole Kundalini rabbit hole

found image HERE
Concentration is the name of the game and putting to one side the blockages of the flow of prana ( I struggle with the concept of prana too but explore it as a model) the Chakras are interesting as points of focus. Visualisation is a useful tool in directing attention thus the more we develop the image the more useful it can be, the colours the petals, the mantras, I can see the value value of all these and it's worth exploring.

LINK includes sound files for Bija mantras

Here's Krishnamacharya himself on the Chakras in his Yoga Makaranda  (parts I and II) and Yogasanagalu. In the first part he employs Ten, in the second part the more common Seven.

Krishnamacharya on the Cakras ( Chakras) from Yoga Makaranda

Asana practice renders correct blood circulation. The snayus (ligaments) and various parts of the body will function at the perfect, ultimate level. It also causes all types??? of internal circulation to function properly. We all know the connection between good blood circulation, good nadi granthi, healthy body and good health. Hence it is not necessary to further emphasize the benefits of practising asana daily for at least a few minutes. What more does one need after seeing this? Only after acquiring these benefits can one expect to look forward to others.

Because of the power of pranayama practice, one develops strength in the bones, the bone marrow and the heart; one develops the brain, the head, the anna kosam, the fat layer, the mana kosam, the strength of breath and prana, and longevity; it sharpens the senses, strengthens the intellect and the voice and purifies the blood. All these are important factors necessary for the maintenance of health. Those with strong bones, vitality, nerves, and tendons will lead a healthy long life. Lack or weakness of viryam leads to lack of strength which leads to the atrophy of bones. Such a condition leads one to suffer from tuberculosis. Whoever has no impurities in their blood will never develop any disease, and their body will develop a kind of glow. How can darkness reside where there is sunlight? Hence all Ayurveda texts speak specifically on the importance of good blood circulation and bone strength for good health. If the blood is not clean, then the nadi cakras will not function (rotate) properly. We have observed the wheels of trains, electrical gadgets and such machines. If even one wheel malfunctions, all the activities of the machine stop and the gadget breaks down. Similarly when any one of the nadi cakras contained in the machine that is the body malfunctions or is spoiled, we will not derive any of the benefits of good health. Hence good blood circulation is essential for the proper functioning of the nadi cakras.

1.2 Cakras
In the machine that is our body, there are ten cakras — namely 
1. muladhara cakra, 
2. svadhishtana cakra, 
3. manipuraka cakra, 
4. surya cakra, 
5. manas cakra, 
6. anahata cakra, 
7. visuddhi cakra, 
8. ajn ̃a cakra, 
9. sahasrara cakra, 
10. brahmaguha (lalata) cakra.

1. Muladhara Cakra
This cakra is next to the rectum. If, due to the strength resulting from practising pranayama with a focus on this cakra, caitanya is attained in this cakra, then this will strengthen the viryam (sexual vitality). When the viryam is kept under control, the body becomes tough. If anybody acquires caitanya in this cakra, they will become virile.

2. Svadhishthana Cakra
This svadhishthana cakra lies two angulas above the muladhara cakra. If by doing pranayama abhyasa according to the krama and rules caitanya is attained in this cakra, then this will destroy all diseases. There will be an astounding increase in good health. Any amount of physical work can be done without any fatigue. Even enemies will admire and adore one who has caitanya in this cakra. Violence will run away and hide from him. Even a tiger and cow will live in peaceful coexistence in his presence.

3. Manipuraka Cakra
This is situated exactly in the navel. If, due to the strength of pranayama practice, caitanya is attained in this cakra, then the practitioner will never encounter any physical or mental afflictions. These afflictions will flee his presence. One who has acquired caitanya in this cakra will be able to face any disaster or accident with mental fortitude. Not only that, he will develop divya drishti. He will experience the bliss of identifying atman as a separate entity from the body. This cakra is situated in the middle of all other cakras. The main function of this cakra is to ensure that all organs or parts of the body function at their proper strength. Good health is possible only when all the organs are strong. Any disease in any organ indicates ill health.

4. Surya Cakra
This cakra is situated in the third angula above the navel. Pranayama prac- tised with an equal ratio of exhalation and inhalation (recaka and puraka) with a focus on this cakra gives rise to caitanya in this cakra. Caitanya in this cakra purifies all the nadis of the stomach. One who has acquired caitanya in this cakra will not suffer from any diseases of the stomach, nor from any mahodaram and will acquire eternal good health, amazing vitality or shine, and long life. The pranayama practitioner will attain free move- ment of this cakra which will be visible by rapid increase in the digestive power. Special caitanya or insight will develop on practising bastra kevala kumbhaka pranayama. This is not possible to attain from practising other types of pranayama with a focus on this cakra. These will just lead to the ordinary benefits.

5. Manas Cakra
This is close to the anna kosam. Caitanya in this cakra is attained by a sustained practice of kevala kumbhaka pranayama. The main function of this cakra is to increase the power of intuition and to expand the intel- lect. This is because practising kumbhaka pranayama purifies (cleanses) the brain. There is a special connection between the brain and the manas cakra.

6. Anahata Cakra
This is situated in the hrdaya (heart) sthana. There is a special connection between this and the heart. Pranayama abhyasa with recaka and puraka kumbhaka of different ratios (raising and lowering the ratios) with a focus on this cakra will give rise to a steady state of caitanya in this cakra. This state of caitanya in this cakra removes weakness of the heart and will give extraordinary strength. All the activities associated with the heart are carried out due to the strength of this cakra. We all know that in this world, life is possible only as a result of the strength of the functioning of the heart. Hence if this cakra is kept in a correct state and moves freely, emotions like affection, devotion, gn ̃anam, etc. — such superior states of mind (bhavas) will arise in the heart. If this cakra malfunctions or becomes impure and moves in a constricted fashion, then murder, theft, adultery, unchastity and other such inferior emotions will arise in the heart. By correct pranayama practice, the speed of the cakra increases and this gives rise to an expanded intellect and the person will be inspired to become more involved in good works. Any pranayama practised against sastra will weaken the movement and speed of the cakra and will destroy or weaken the heart.

7. Visuddhi Cakra
This is situated in the throat region. That is, it is situated in the region below the neck, above the sternum, in between the two bones where there is a soft area (gap) the size of the middle finger. If caitanya is achieved and held in this cakra due to the strength of pranayama, the practitioner gets svara vign ̃anam (knowledge of sound). If cittam can be controlled to focus on this cakra, the practitioner will lose all thoughts of this world (lose consciousness) and will be able to see the divine paramatma in all his glory through the light of the self. If one controls the movements of the citta and attains caitanya in this cakra through the strength of kumbhaka, he will attain a steady state of youth and enthusiasm. By achieving this caitanya through krama, these benefits can be experienced to the extent desired.

8. Ajn ̃a Cakra
This cakra is situated between the two eyebrows. If caitanya can be held (focussed) here, one acquires the power to control everybody. Through the movements of recaka and puraka in the nadis of the two nostrils, if one practises pranayama by keeping the breath in the nostrils and circulating and moving the prana vayu, then the nadis below the nostril get purified. One develops a divine lustre, one is able to see the atman and through this blessing will be able to see all the events that are occurring around the world without moving from their position. Caitanya citta vritti in the ajn ̃a cakra is extremely helpful for a long life.

9. Sahasrara Cakra
This is directly above the throat or palate. The greatness of this cakra is beyond description. Every part of the body is associated to (depends on) this important point. If one enhances the caitanya in this sahasrara cakra through the strength of practising puraka in complete pranayama abhyasa, this will result in the rapid movement of this cakra which will in turn give any skill or power that you wish for.

10. Brahmaguha (Lalata) Cakra
This cakra is situated above the forehead. Pranayama practice will cause the prana vayu to move through the susumna nadi and this prana vayu should be held here through the skill of kumbhaka. If such a practice is followed, one acquires the power to change one’s own destiny. One cannot describe the greatness of this procedure. It can only be learned through experience.

The caitanya sakti in every cakra can be only achieved through the strength of the practice of pranayama. Once the caitanya sakti is attained, the movement of the cakra becomes great. At this time, one begins to immediately experience the many benefits mentioned earlier. If pranayama is practised under proper guidance for one or two years following the sastras, cakra sakti will blossom and the many benefits will be attained. But this pranayama must only be practised along with asana and while observing the yama and niyama. If practised in this way, the pranayama sakti will blossom and move in all the important regions of the body and in the ten cakras and give great strength and benefits. One who is not skilled in the yama, niyama and asana will not receive any benefits. By correct practice and effort, the cakra sakti expands and all the mentioned benefits are attainable.
----------------------------

Krishnamacharya on the chakras from Yoga makaranda (part II)

We have mentioned that there are seven CAKRAS supporting the HRIDAYA. They are:

1. MULADHARA CAKRA - between the root of the reproductory organs and anus.

2. SVADHISHTANA CAKRA -at the origin of the reproductory organ - between Muladhara and Manipura.

3. MANIPURA CAKRA - at the navel

4. ANAHATA CAKRA - at the heart

5. VISUDDHICAKRA - at the base of the throat

6. AGNA CAKRA - between the two eyebrows

7. SAHASRARA CAKRA - situated at the crown of the head.

The 7 Chakras are active in three ways.

AAVRITTI,
PARIVRITTI,
SAMVRITTI

AAVRITTi is due to Puraka, Rechaka and Kumbaka.

PARIVRITTI is due to the proper control of the three Bandhas - MULA, JALANDHARA and UDDIYANA.

SAMVRITTI is due to the variation in the length of the Rechaka and Kumbakha in Pranayama.

The 7 Chakras mentioned above and the Manas are not visible to our naked eye. Joy and sorrow are feelings palpable only to the mind and for that reason, we do not deny their existence. So also certain changes inside our body have to be personally felt and they are not capable of physical demonstration. Even the modern advanced appliances like the x-ray can not reveal the existence of the feelings of the mind and the changes in the CAKRAS. But Samyamam mentioned in the Yoganga discovers the feelings and changes in one’s own mind and in others.

------------------------------

From Yogasanagalu

Although it can not be observed by the main sense organs, the jeeva or soul that is hidden within the body and experiences countless suffering and joys according to followers of Visishtadwita and Dwita philosophies, in the mind as per Sankhya followers, reflection of jeevatma according to some yogis and Advita followers.  The mind (its ability to experience) with attributes of wanderings and restraint by way of the heart (called Dahara and Kuhara) is rooted above and below in the following chakras:

Mooladhara chakra - below the navel and above the reproductive organs
Swadishtana - between mooladhara and manipuraka
Manipuraka - exactly on the navel (belly button)
Anahuta - middle of the heart
Vishuddi chakra - below the neck
Agna - between the eye brows
Sahasrara - crown of the head

Encompassing these seven chakras (nadi granthis) are 1. Avrutti, 2. Parivruti and 3. Samvruti.

The movement (activation) of these chakras are caused by the greatness (power) of pranayama and the variety of rechaka, puraka and kumbhaka
---------------------

For more on the Chakras, have a look at Simon Heather's article 'Origin of the Chakras' which fishes out references to them in the Upanishads.

http://www.simonheather.co.uk/pages/articles/origins_of_the_chakras.pdf

Simon quotes extensively from the Yoga Kundalini Upanishad, which is quite marvellous, I was reading it just recently and was quite blown away. The Yoga Kundalini Upanishad is an excellent primary source for information on Prana, Bandhas, Chakras, Pranayama etc. See the link below for a downloadable pdf and a useful introduction

http://fractalenlightenment.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/yoga-kundalini-upanishad.pdf

This next one, an article by BNS Iyengar, Chakras Bandhas And Kriyas is just great, had me laughing out loud and really wishing i could go to Pune (mock-terrified at the same time).

http://yogaroomretreats.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/ChakrasBandhasAndKriyas-BKSI9.pdf

Here's a link to a pdf of the old Theosophical Society book on Chakras by C.W. Leadbeater

http://www.anandgholap.net/Chakras-CWL.pdf

And a Chakra meditation from the Swamiji website. Explore them in this way in a separate meditation practice to fix the images and sounds and then look at bringing them into your asana practice.

http://www.swamij.com/chakra-meditation.htm

also..

The Serpent Power: The Secrets of Tantric and Shaktic Yoga by Arthur Avalon

International Association of Yoga Therapists list of articles relating to Chakaras

http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4952587430321350992#editor/target=post;postID=8140639069994186373

Manju Jois Bundle, DVD, Training manual and chanting CD - first look

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The Manju Jois 'Bundle' arrived from Ashtanga.Com.

Took Six days from confirmation of order to delivery, USA to UK. Only regular first class post too, not express or anything special.

I've been thinking very seriously about taking Manju's workshop this year, thought I'd take a look at his kit. Only thing is, I'm so into my practice as it is at the moment with it's slow, slow breathing that I don't really have much inclination to do a straight Ashtanga anymore.

At least I didn't......


So very quick first thoughts, another fuller review to come.

BOOK - Ashtanga Yoga Training Manual Manju Jois and Greg Tebb ( this is was designed with Manju's TT's, Intensives and workshops in mind.


A little disappointed in the quality, bit cheaply produced it has to be said, although I like the layout (mostly, at times things get a little bunched up). Good to have a ring binder although it's not as strong as the one on David Swenson's book, get the feeling it would be falling apart towards the end of a workshop.

I was hoping for something a little special, a little different ( not sure what I was hoping for exactly) but it's just the pose and the instructions/count etc. which seems pretty standard. I mentioned I like the layout, pretty much a posture a page with a space for notes. I'm going to scan mine and then paste in Krishnamacharya's instructions for the same postures for comparison, should be interesting.

The nice touch is the quotes from Hathayogapradipka, Geranda Samhita, Yoga Rahasya etc.

One interesting thing to pick out, in the majority of postures we find, as in the page above for Janu Sirsasana

"Dasha diirgha rechaka puuraka" - 10 long inhalations and exhalations.


DVD - Ashtanga Yoga Workshop (*90 minutes)
*2 min for opening chant and 15 minutes in padmasana chanting rather than Savasana at the end of the practice so about 75 minutes for the actual primary series


This was a nice surprise. It has Manju Leading a class with the chant but get this, everybody repeats every word of the count including the names of all the postures, great way to learn and practice the count.

I'd heard Manju did this on his workshops, really looking forward to practicing along with it.

I mentioned that in the book we find...

"Dasha diirgha rechaka puuraka" - 10 long inhalations and exhalations.

I checked the video to see how long we get for those ten, long, inhalations and exhalations, about 25-30 seconds, give or take a second or two. Interestingly, Manju doesn't count the breaths ( leaving that up to you) I liked that, it means I can get three longish, half decent breaths in but somebody else might choose, five shorter ones...or ten pants.

Here are some comparisons to put it in perspective, all for when in Janu Sirsasana at dwe ( this is hardly fair though as the time varies slightly in the different postures, especially in the led classes of Manju and his father ( it's guess work in Led), for example Manju left them in the preceding posture for 30 seconds), the demo's are a different case. gives an idea though of the general pace of the practice.

David Robson - 40 seconds!
Richard Freeman - 29 seconds
Manju Jois - 25 seconds
Lino - 24 seconds
John Scott - 20 seconds
Kino - 20 seconds
Sri K. Pattabhi Jois - 20 seconds
David Swenson - 19 seconds
Sharath - 13 seconds

What me?
Grimmly - 90 seconds, but that's really only because of the 10 long inhalations and exhalations.

So the stay in the actual posture is generous but overall it's taken pretty fast and you have to go some to keep up, 75 minutes isn't long, the last fifteen minutes of the DVD's 90 Minute run time is taken up with chanting.

UPDATE: A comment came in from Sereaux on Dave Robson's Drum Beat Primary


"I've been practicing periodically to David Robson’s mp3 Ashtanga Yoga’s Primary Series to the Steady Beat of a Drum. It goes to a 4 second inhale and a 4 second exhale – so 5 breaths equates out to 40 seconds. Not quite 90, but nearly double the others. It has helped to keep me to recognize when and where I’m rushing – also helped me stay focused on the breath. I always tend to rush the inhale. All Sanskrit counting. Whole practice takes 109 minutes with opening chant, 3 Sury A, 3 Sury B, and only two paschimottanasana variations.
Sereaux"



Chant CD - Shanti mantras





Consists of the opening and closing chant and then the Shanti mantras, at slow and regular speed. Nice and clear, I could practice with these although I prefer Ramaswami's traditional way of teaching chants.


There's also a pdf with the chants and translations.

Was a little underwhelmed when I first opened the box but am getting quite excited now to getting stuck in and even more tempted by the thought of a his workshop.

Carbon Monoxide in the home Shala and facing Winter practice from AYA2

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Warning they stuck on my Boiler
So all these years I've thought I'm getting nice and healthy with my practice and it turns out I've been practising in the home shala next to a boiler spewing out Carbon Monoxide, well perhaps not spewing.... chucking? churning? pumping?...how about just dumping a lethal gas into my practice space.... nice. OK, perhaps it's only a trickle or the gaseous equivalent of trickle but still ( no idea how much or for how long but the deposits look pretty bad).

Carbon Monoxide deposits
Scary thing is that I lay down for savasana with my head right next to the boiler and more often than not fall asleep for a few minutes listening to Ramaswami's chants....luckily, I've been waking up, some are not so lucky, forty deaths a year in the UK... they just don't wake up again.



Get your boiler checked and/or one of these Carbon Monoxide detectors


Still no Central heating- laying down in Savasana my head is this end right next to the boiler.

Luckily the ruddy thing blew up a couple of days before Christmas which meant the the landlord had to bring somebody in, seems it's supposed to be checked yearly, by Law. While the boiler guy was checking it out the thing went up in flames because it hadn't been cleaned ( dust/cobwebs), I heard the WOOSH and saw the guy shaking the flames off his hand and arm and running outside to turn the gas off at mains, sure can move for a big guy.

I say luckily but it's meant I've had no heating Since Christmas although in the new year ( Yep, Christmas and New Year without any heating) the landlord came around with a couple of heaters, practice is .......tolerable.

Do I sound irritable? It's because I'm sick with some virus or other and even with all these layers, a hat, scarf, dressing gown, two duvets, an electric blanket and space heater, I'm still shivering. Aching all over but tempted to shove all four space heaters and radiators in the shala and practice like a mad thing to try and get a sweat up, get rid of this bug once and for all.

M. will call up as soon as she reads this saying "DON'T YOU DARE!"

: )

Stil, I think I have it bad but I'm in the UK and it's only a balmy -1, in Ann Arbour it's around -60 or something, at least it sounds that way from the AY:A2 post.

Angela is very much on form in this one...

How to practice when hell’s freezing over
by Angela

"1.

One easy way to stay in your practice when there is resistance is by deciding to be awesome. The dead of winter can be a kind of hero’s journey. And you can use it to discover – and to decide – what you are made of.

The dark side of being a hero is that any stories about how hardcore it is to do what we do will just have to get dismantled later. If it gets you across the squalls of February to think like a badass, ok. But leave the sleek fire-powered Batman wetsuit on the shore when you get to the other side. That thing will get hard to carry, especially when saturated with last season’s stories".


There are another TEN, tips, hints, suggestions, whatever you want to call them, in her list HERE

Me, I'm going to throw the poncho around my shoulders, sit up in bed and get on with some serious pranayama. Supposedly Krishnamacharya melted snow with his pranayama practice near Lake Mansarovar at the foot of Mt. Kailash in the Himalayas.



...after a nap perhaps.

Kumbhaka and Zen centering practice from Zen Flesh Zen bones

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Why was Krishnamacharya so concerned with exploring Kumbhaka in all asana and what was the 'Buddhist Yoga' he supposedly studied in Burma?

"He mastered Hindu Yoga in the Himalayas and Buddhist Yoga in Burma, then part of India. Later, he went to Cashmere to study Sufism".  Sri T. K. Sribhashyam (Krishnamacharya's son)

Some refer to Vipassana as Buddhist Yoga practice, with it's focus on the breath.

And what of Krishnamacharya's intepretation of YS II-47

II- 47. By relaxation of effort or by a [mental] state-of-balance with reference to Ananta

As Ramaswami states 
 "Krishnamacharya interprets this sutra differently than other teachers..."

"There is another interpretation of the word ananta. The...meaning comes from the word "ana" which means to breathe. Ana means preach. for example, prana, apana, vyana, and so on. They all come from the root ana, to breath. So, here ananta refers to the breath. Ananta Samapatti is to focus your attention on the breath. Anatasamapatti is to focus your attention on the life force which is the breath." p97-98
A Brief Introduction to yoga philosophy, based on the lectures of Srivatsa Ramaswami  by David Hurwitz.

In the example practice of his father's presented in Emergence du yoga T. K. Sribhashyam draws attention to the concentration points (chakras) that krishnamacharya would employ during kumbhaka


Apercu des séances pratiques de mon père- Overview practice sessions of my father

Kapala bhati- 32 breaths

Ujjayi Anuloma - 6 cycles A.K. (antha-kumbhaka = holding at top of inhalation) 5 seconds, Concentration Kanta 

Utthita pada Angushta Asana - 6 breaths B.K. (Bhya-kumbhaka = holding at end of exhalation) 5 seconds, Inhalation concentration: Mula  and Kanta , Exhalation Concentration: Kanta 

Bhujanga Asana - 3 breaths, Concentration: bhrumadhya 

Sarvanga Asana - 12 breaths, Concentration: kanta

Shirsasana Asana - 12 Breaths, Concentration: lalata 

Ardha padma hala asana - 3 breaths

Hala asana  - 3 breaths

Karna Pida Asana - 3 breaths

Adho Mukha padma Asana - 3 breaths, Concentration: Kanta 

Ardha baddha Padma Paschimathana asana - 3 breaths, inhalation Concentration: nabhi, Exhalation Concentration: Kanta 

Badha Kona Asana - 12 Breaths, Inhalation Concentration: Mula and Shirsha Exhalation Concentration Mula 

Basti ( pranayama) 60 cycles

Nadi Shodana ( pranayama) - cycles, Abhyantara Vritthi

Thank you to J.G for reminding me about this book, Zen Flesh, Zen Bones which I must have read over twenty years ago. He drew my attention to the translation of an ancient Indian text, Centering, which Paul Reps the compiler of the book describes as a 4000 year old teaching from India, offers what some consider to be the roots of Zen.


LINK TO AMAZON



Centering Practices:
112 ways to open the invisible door of consciousness.
Transcribed by Paul Reps. From Zen Flesh, Zen Bones

The first 15 below on Kumbhaka and Pratyahara. See THIS link for the full 112
http://www.spiritual-learning.com/centering-reps.html

Zen is nothing new, neither is it anything old. Long before Buddha was born the search was on in India, as the present work shows.
Long after man has forgotten such words as Zen and Buddha, satori and koan, China and Japan and America - still the search will go on, still Zen will be seen even in flower, and grass-blade, before the sun.
The following is adapted from the preface to the first version in English of this ancient work.


DEVI SAYS:
O Shiva, what is your reality?
What is this wonder-filled universe?
What constitutes seed?
Who centers the universal wheel?
What is tbis life beyond form pervading forms? How may we enter it fully, above space and time, names and descriptions?
Let my doubts be cleared!

SHIVA REPLIES
[Devi, though already enlightened, has asked the foregoing questions so others through the universe might receive Shiva’s instructions. Now follow Shiva’s reply, giving the 112 ways.]

1. Radiant one, this experience may dawn between two breaths. After breath comes in (down) and just before turning up (out) — the beneficence.

2. As breath turns from down to up, and again as breath curves from up to down— through both these turns, realize.

3. Or, whenever inbreath and outbreath fuse, at this instant touch the energyless energy- filled center.

4. Or, when breath is all out (up) and stopped of itself, or all in (down) and stopped—in such universal pause, one's small self vanishes. This is difficult only for the impure.

5. Consider your essence as light rays rising from center to center up the vertebrae, and so rises livingness in you.

6. Or in the spaces between, feel this as lightning.

7. Devi, imagine the Sanskrit letters in these honey-filled foci of awareness, first as letters, then more subtly as sounds, then as most subtle feeling. Then, leaving them aside, be free.

8. Attention between eyebrows, let mind be before thought. Let form fill with breath- essence to the top of the head, and there shower as light.

9. Or, imagine the five-colored circles of the peacock tail to be your five senses in illimitable space. Now let their beauty melt within. Similarly, at any point in space or on a wall — until the point dissolves. Then your wish for another comes true.

10. Eyes closed, see your inner being in detail. Thus see your true nature.

11. Place your whole attention in the nerve, delicate as the lotus thread, in the center of your spinal column. In such be transformed.

12. Closing the seven openings of the head with your hands, a space between your eyes becomes all-inclusive.

13. Touching eyeballs as a feather, lightness between them opens into heart and there permeates the cosmos.

14. Bathe in the center of sound, as in the continuous sound of a waterfall. Or, by putting fingers in ears, hear the sound of sounds.

15. Intone a sound, as a-u-m, slowly. As sound enters soundfulness, so do you.

continue reading the rest of the 112 ways here
http://www.spiritual-learning.com/centering-reps.html


--------------------------------
further reading
Sandhinirmocana Sutra
The Scripture on the Explication of Underlying Meaning. Front Cover. John P. Keenan
http://bibleoteca.narod.ru/Samdhinirmocana-sutra.pdf

Exploring David Robson's Learn to float drum mp3

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A post coming (perhaps tomorrow) on David Robson's Learn to float led Primary that I'm calling
'Be careful what you ask for' 

...but first just the drums mp3

1. Regular
A basic Suryanamaskara/Sun Salutation following along with David Robson's regular Sury, one round of the drums for inhalation (4 seconds) one for exhalation (4 seconds) .



I'm actually struggling a little here to synch in with the drums. I haven't been practicing regular sury's
for some time, mainly sticking with a couple of the long breath Yoga Makaranda Versions. Found it tricky to get a full exhale before the next drum cycle began. This was the first one of theseafter the Makaranda version below, by the time I reached the sury B's I'd gotten the hang of it.

For the drums see David Robson's page http://learntofloat.com/products/lear...
"Follow Matthew Stephens hypnotic, subtle drumming to sharpen your focus and time your breath as you practice. At a steady one beat per second, this 80 minute track is a wonderful tool for self-practice and for teaching.

2. Yoga Makaranda ish
Krishnamacharya Yoga Makaranda'ish approach to suryanamaskara, focussing rather on the stages, each asana. ( I have mild Osteoarthritis, this helps me get started in the morning) One inhalation to two rounds of the drums (8 seconds), and two rounds of the drums for exhalation (8 seconds), the appropriate kumbhaka will have one round of the drums (4 seconds). I stay in most of the asana stages of the sury for two breaths along with their kumbakhas.



I refer to these as Yoga Makaranda ish because Krishnamacharya doesn't seem to have been keen on sun salutations in practice. He does however include all the stages of the sun salutation in Yoga Makaranda but looks at them as individual asana, each stage has a particular kumbhaka and some include long stays. I just practice them in the regular sequence but keep the kumbhakas and stay in each stage/asana for more breaths than usual, In Uttanasana B above I'm staying for two breaths plus kumbhakas after inhalation but I'll usually stay for five breaths same as downward dog above. For some reason Uttanasana B stretches out my back better than anything else, allowing me to get on and practice as normal.

'Be careful what you wish for', David Robson's learn to float led Primary with Drums mp3

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http://learntofloat.com/products/learn-to-float-primary-series-mp3

I posted on Manju Jois' workshop DVD last week and mentioned how his stay in the postures was quite generous by Ashtanga Led (DVD/audio media at least) standards, 25-30 seconds. Best of all he didn't speak the count during the posture which meant that for me I could get three long, full breaths in. Somebody else could take five or perhaps ten speedy ones. Manju indicates 10 breaths in his book (which would be a fraction over two seconds a breath, a second each for inhalation and exhalation in this led).

"Dasha diirgha rechaka puuraka" - 10 long inhalations and exhalations. Manju Jois

For me the DVD was let down though by the racing between postures, you might have stayed in the asana for a fairly reasonable length of time but then it was straight out, lift up, jump back, jump though and straight back into the next posture, less than 20 seconds between Mari C and the joint intensive Mari D.

In this DVD though, Manju is teaching the Sanskrit count, he calls the posture, the drishti and each stage of the count and the class responds, so you need to keep up.

I've always found the speedy transition a little nuts, some of these postures are very risky for the joints, care needs to be taken. You can do that of course in your self practice but in led it can be a worry. I wonder what the ratio of injuries between self practice and led are (putting the cranks to one side). You don't have to race along with everyone else of course, you can take your time, take an extra breath or two to get into the posture say but before your know it the rest of the class is jumping back to the next asana and you've only just made it in to the previous.

I'm only going by the DVD's and Audio's of led as well as Sharath's live feed from Jois Yoga, where to be fair he waited for most to catch up in some of the trickier postures.

But it's an issue and I'm not the only one to raise it.

The vinyasa count of course, outlined by Krishnamacharya and employed by Jois, is really only tied to the breath, to the inhalations and exhalations. There's no reason for you not to take an extra breath or two where necessary as long as you pick the count up on the correct inhalation or exhalation. This in effect is what happens while in the posture, doesn't matter if you take, there three breaths, five, eight, ten or spend fifteen minutes in the posture as long as you exit the asana at the right count of the vinyasa.

I got rid of all the general faffing about between postures in my practice a couple of years back, but I did have operations on my knees in the past, and tend to go easy, with my left knee especially, in any half lotus postures, need an extra breath to take it in and out of a posture, sometimes two, I don't count that as faffing ( an example of faffing would be digging out your belly button fluff in baddha konasana B).

So what would I wish for in an Ashtanga practice? 

Slower breathing

which would result in...

More time in asana

More time between postures

But of course that takes the run-time up.  It's all about compromise, either we compromise the breath and breathe more quickly or less fully or we sacrifice time in postures, or we race through the Vinyasas risking injury....or we practice less postures, half, perhaps a third of a series which has been my solution thus far.

What do I wish for? A middle ground, something that would allow me to practice the full series without compromising the breath too much or risking injury.

Be careful what you wish for.

On the Manju led DVD post I received a comment from Sereaux

"I've been practicing periodically to David Robson’s mp3 Ashtanga Yoga’s Primary Series to the Steady Beat of a Drum. It goes to a 4 second inhale and a 4 second exhale – so 5 breaths equates out to 40 seconds. Not quite 90, but nearly double the others. It has helped to keep me to recognize when and where I’m rushing – also helped me stay focused on the breath. I always tend to rush the inhale. All Sanskrit counting. Whole practice takes 109 minutes with opening chant, 3 Sury A, 3 Sury B, and only two paschimottanasana variations".
Sereaux"

4 seconds inhale, 4 seconds exhale, not my usual eight for each but twice Sharath's two second inhalation, 2 seconds exhalation on his DVD, his audio and JoisYoga web feed).

I say my breath these days is 8 seconds for the inhalation and exhalation but there are also the natural kumbhakas between the breath so an 18 to 20 second breath. That's through most of the standing and finishing sequence and the less challenging postures. In the binds it's substantially less, 8-10 second breaths, closer to David Robson's timing.

Just under two hours too, allowing time for some Pranayama etc. in the morning.

And this is consistent at every stage of the practice, while in the asana, while jumping back and through and even in the lift up before jumping back. Every single inhalation and exhalation four seconds each, regulated by the beating of the drum.

It's still straight into the next posture on the breath but with five full breaths on the count you can afford to take an extra breath to get into and out of the posture and still end up with a half decent stay in the asana

Dreams come true right?

Dreams but also nightmares.

So what was it like practising with David Robson's Learn to Float primary with drums MP3?

I found it hard through much of PrimaryStanding to sync in with the drums, I'd prefer it just a little slower or more of a pause in between for the natural kumbhaka. I could live with five seconds a lot more easily. Still you get used to it and I see why he's produced it as he has for the beat. If you make the exhalation less thin you can still exhale fully and have time to give the bandhas an extra tweak.

Here's the suryanamaskara video from yesterday it was the second sury of the morning and perhaps you can tell I'm struggling a little to sync but it's getting there. This isn't from the Led Primary with David's sanskrit count but from just the drum version, but you get the idea.



It's OK and notice that David takes the full five count in downward dog, he actually takes the full five count in every posture except finishing, where you get the 8, 10, 15 count variations depending on the posture.

Why should you be careful what you wish for?

Utthita hasta padangusthasana sequence! The full five count at every stage and on both sides.

Now Sharath, kind, gentle Sharath spends almost exactly three minutes on this sequence (includes both sides), 24 seconds with the head down in Utthita hasta padangusthasana and 19 seconds in Utthita eka padasana, I know it feels longer right.

David Robson is almost twice that. Forty seconds in Utthita hasta padangusthasana and the same in Utthita eka padasana, by the last count my leg had dropped to about a foot from the floor.

Nightmare.

Navasana?

Same thing, Sharath a breezy 2 minutes

David Robson's ruddy drums a gluteus maximus clenching four minutes.

After Supta Kurmasana he keeps you at each point of the transition for the full four seconds too, could have done without that.

And so it goes on Supta bandhasana, urdhava dhanurasana, Uttana padasana thankfully he only does a ten count in utpluthi rather than twenty-five but it's still two and a half minutes.

Admittedly I was just getting over flu and haven't done a full primary for awhile but it was challenging...and some.

Which was good because I was exploring this to sweat out the last of the flu and get some strength back.

That it did.

And I loved it. Most fun I've had in Primary in a long, while. Loved the drums, loved the consistency and rhythm of the practice, my love affair with Ashtanga isn't over yet it seems.

Here's a taste of the Led primary with drums audio, I dubbed it over the video from yesterday to give you an idea. had to tweak it ever so slightly.

I like Davids presentation of the count here too, it's a nice package and I hope he brings out a DVD of this, it should be the standard.

Haven't checked out his floating dvd's, with the osteoarthritus it takes me 'till the last couple of Sury B's for the back to loosen up enough for those but I imagine it's worth a punt.

The plain drum mp3 is even better you can adapt that to your own needs. The video below is the Krishnamacharya Yoga Makaranda'ish approach to suryanamaskara from yesterday, focussing rather on the stages, each asana. ( I have mild Osteoarthritis, this helps me get started in the morning) One inhalation to two rounds of the drums (8 seconds), and two rounds of the drums for exhalation (8 seconds), the appropriate kumbhaka will have one round of the drums (4 seconds). I stay in most of the asana stages of the sury for two breaths along with their kumbakhas.

Not expecting anyone to watch all of these videos but a couple of seconds of each will give enough of an idea of the approach.

With just the drums I can explore the breath a little more in certain key postures and still keep pretty much on track for a full series.

Here's the link again to David's shop
http://learntofloat.com/products/lear

Update:
Here's an example of trying to get into Marichi D in that 4 second window, I end up taking two breaths and that's still a rush with my knees.



See also David's article on Elephant 'Correct vinyasa is jolly hard' where he mentions the problem with getting in to Mari D on the breath

Just to be clear I'm writing about to different products in this post. They're both called 'Learn to float' but that's basically a brand based on David's first DVD where he taught Learning to float; Jump back and through( 'The brand' is one of the things that's made me a little ...uncomfortable with David in the past, Kino too but that's just me and my own issues with money/business etc. However, being good in business is often an indication that somebody is as good at listening as they are at marketing which often amounts to the same thing).

David Robson's

Learn to Float Primary Series MP3 $9.99

David Robson leads you through Ashtanga Yoga's Primary Series to the steady beat of a drum. The class is led according to the traditional Sanskrit count, as taught by R Sharath Jois in Mysore, India. The vinyasa count is set to the hypnotic beat of a drum, which supports and deepens the focus on breathing through the practice. The recording is organized into chapters, allowing you to practice just the standing poses, half or full Primary Series. The teaching in this recording is intended for those who have some experience and familiarity with Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga.
Note that this is audio only, no video included.

and the

Learn to Float Drums MP3 $4.99

Follow Matthew Stephens hypnotic, subtle drumming to sharpen your focus and time your breath as you practice. At a steady one beat per second, this 80 minute track is a wonderful tool for self-practice and for teaching.
Note that this is audio only, no video included.

And seeing as this is turning out to be more about David than me practicing with just some drums in the background here's a little Video on David Robson and his Ashtanga program in Toronto

'Be careful what you wish for' Part II - 2nd series with Drums

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Yesterday I posted about David Robson's Learn to Float Primary series with Drums, this morning I thought I'd give it a try with 2nd series. As well as the Led Primary, David has an MP3 of just Mathew Stephan's drums, perfect.

This is actually for the led primary but it has a picture of Mathew
Perhaps the drums come into their own even more here. The full count in Pasasna and keeping the breath nice and regular with the beat is challenging, even more so with the Salabhasanas and Dhanurasanas, kind of realise how much I must cheat. And then there's Kapotasana, the Charcone of Ashtanga 2nd, again tricky to keep the breath full and regular here but the beat helps. I've only just started going this deep again recently so found it particularly challenging to stay the full five and then for another five in B, in fact I think I might have come up one early. David needs to come out with a Led 2nd series with drums.



( If you crank up the sound you can hear the breath, get it back in sync around 1:13)

I only practiced 2nd up to and including the twists so I could move on to my more involved finishing and pranayama. Oh the drums are nice for dropping back and coming up too.

Tried the drums with the pranayama as an experiment but it got in the way of my mantra, became irritating so knocked it on the head. You can see from the video below that it doesn't really work out, not sure how to sync it, how many rounds an exhale or for the kumbhaka etc, bit of a mess which is why I'm not posting it on youtube just putting it straight on the blog (which means it wont show up on iPad etc just on your desk or laptop).


You can get an idea of where I am in the breath cycle by the deep uddiyana on the kumbhaka around two minutes in and the second one at 2:55. You can see it's going wrong by the sharpish intake of the breath at the end, following the beat rather than my body and getting the rhythm all wrong, not ideal here.
My regular pranayama is a 1:4:2:1 of nadi shodhana. A 5 second inhalation 20 second hold with mantra, 10 second exhalation, 5 second hold. I'm comfortable with that and tend to do twenty minutes in the morning and evening. The four second beat doesn't fit that very well so I ended up getting confused, two rounds of the drum for the inhale, distracted from the rhythm of the mantra by the drums, then exhaling ended up being around three rounds of the drums and no idea what was going on with the retention...

It could probably work if I thought it through
Inhale - 1 round of drums
hold -    4 rounds of drums
exhale - 2 rounds of drums
hold -    1 round of drums

still a 1:4:2:1 ratio
See my pranayama page at the top of the blog http://grimmly2007.blogspot.co.uk/p/pranayama.html
Learn to Float Drums MP3

"Follow Matthew Stephens hypnotic, subtle drumming to sharpen your focus and time your breath as you practice. At a steady one beat per second, this 80 minute track is a wonderful tool for self-practice and for teaching.
Note that this is audio only, no video included".

One more with Drums, playing with some Vinyasa Krama like Asymmetric subroutines.

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Relates to the previous two posts. One on David Robson's learn to float drums Primary and the other on using just the drums in 2nd series.

This one is playing/exploring some Vinyasa Krama Asymmetric subroutines with the drums. Normally I'd do less postures and stay longer. Only bothered filming the right side, camera's a pain and only record 10 minutes at a time so excuse the dodgy editing.

Actually it's terrible editing, was in a bit of a rush too and didn't get to watch it back. Considering this is supposed to be a post featuring the drums you can hardly hear them.

Ramaswami talked about how in certain postures many kinds of movements can be down. So in Ardha badha padmasana we can include forward bends, twists to both sides, a side bend, back stretch and even an utpluthi arm balance. I've taken this a little further and included some of the, Bow, Supine, shoulderstand and headstand variations of the basic posture.

I  read in T. K. Shribashyam's ( Krishnamacharya's son) Emergence du Yoga about some concentration points I hadn't come across before. Rather than just the chakras there's also Janga (head of thighs) which is what I wanted to explore here. Also Galpa ( Ankles), Shroni ( middle of pelvis), Pada Angustha (big toes) and of course Mula,(perinium).

The video starts off jumping into a seated asymmetric sequence. I'd already practiced some Sury's, regular standing postures then Vrikmasana it's vinyasas and Ardha baddha padmottanasana with it's squat and utpluthi vinyasa before moving on to Paschimottanasana, Maha mudra and Janu sirsasana. it was after the first Ardha  padmasana that I decided to practice it with the drums and film it.



Options for the second side are to switch sides after each subroutine, after the sequence, inverted, seated for example  or  at the end. You could also do one side one day, the other side the next.

Approaching this again I think I'd do both sides of the main seated Asymmetric versions, then the supine versions leading into Shoulderstand then the bow posture and headstand before finishing off with the more mediative postures like Bharadwajasana and Mahabandha.

How useful were the drums here? Less useful than in Ashtanga Primary and 2nd. I was mostly using two rounds of the drums for inhalation and the same for exhaling, sometimes three rounds on the forward bends where in VK the exhalation is often longer. Also the point of this practice was to explore the concentration points above, Janga (head of thighs)  in particular, the drums were a little distracting. 

Showing in London Feb 2013 - Breath of the Gods. Documentary on Krishnamacharya

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English version


Fall 2013: DVD and download release (French version) with many bonus tracks
Summer 2013: DVD and download release (English/Italian/Greek version) with many bonus tracks
Summer 2013: Theatrical releases in France, Canada and in the US
23.4.2013: Robert Burns Centre Film Theatre, Dumfries, Scotland
From 22.3.2013: Dukes @ Komedia, Brighton


Breath of the Gods – A Journey to the Origins of Modern Yoga, Jan Schmidt-Garre, 2011
Breath of the Gods – A Journey to the Origins of Modern Yoga, Jan Schmidt-Garre, 2011

Breath of the Gods – A Journey to the Origins of Modern Yoga

22 February 2013 - 28 February 2013
£10 / £8 concessions / £7 ICA Members
A feature-length documentary including rare historical footage as well as lavish reenactments, featuring yoga legends B. K. S. Iyengar, Pattabhi Jois, T. K. Sribhashyam and T. Krishnamacharya.
Modern yoga, in the form practiced daily by tens of millions of people around the world, goes back directly to the god Shiva according to Indian tradition. At the same time, however, modern yoga originated in the early 20th century, a creation of Indian savant T. Krishnamacharya (1888-1989). Krishnamacharya's life and teachings are seen through the eyes of the film's director Jan Schmidt-Garre on his search for 'authentic' yoga. His journey leads him from the legendary students and relatives of Krishnamacharya's to the source of modern yoga, at the palace of the Maharaja of Mysore. From Pattabhi Jois, Jan learns the 'Sun salutation', from Iyengar the 'King of Asanas', the headstand, and finally, Sribhashyam reveals to him his father's secret 'Life Saving Yoga Session'.
Sunday 24 February
Special Q&A with director Jan Schmidt-Garre.
Breath of the Gods – A Journey to the Origins of Modern Yoga, dir. Jan Schmidt-Garre, Germany/India 2011, 105 minutes, cert. TBA

Calendar


DateTimeVenueBook
Friday 22/02/20134:00 pmCinema 2Book
Friday 22/02/20138:45 pmCinema 2Book
Saturday 23/02/20134:00 pmCinema 2Book
Saturday 23/02/20138:45 pmCinema 2Book
Sunday 24/02/20134:00 pmCinema 2Book
Sunday 24/02/2013
Director Q&A
8:45 pmCinema 1Book
Tuesday 26/02/20138:45 pmCinema 2Book
Wednesday 27/02/20138:45 pmCinema 2Book
Thursday 28/02/20138:45 pmCinema 2Book
Our cinema programme is frequently updated with new screenings, so please check our listings regularly.
----------------------

DVD coming out in English in the Summer

BREATH
OF THE
GODS

A JOURNEY TO THE ORIGINS OF MODERN YOGA
A JAN SCHMIDT-GARRE FILM











Synopsis from the movie's website
Modern yoga, that is, the form practiced daily by tens of millions of people around the world, goes back directly to the god Shiva according to Indian tradition. At the same time, however, modern yoga originated in the early 20th century, a creation of Indian savant T. Krishnamacharya (1888-1989). That story is far less known and is what this film is all about.

Krishnamacharya’s life and teachings are seen through the eyes of the director Jan Schmidt-Garre on his search for authentic yoga. His journey leads him from the legendary students and relatives of Krishnamacharya’s to the source of modern yoga, at the palace of the Maharaja of Mysore. From Pattabhi Jois Jan learns the “Sun salutation”, from Iyengar the “King of Asanas”, the headstand, and finally Sribhashyam reveals to him his father’s secret “Life Saving Yoga Session”.

A feature-length documentary including rare historical footage as well as lavish reenactments.

35 mm, 105 minutes

Director: Jan Schmidt-Garre
Director of Photography: Diethard Prengel
Producers: Jan Schmidt-Garre, Marieke Schroeder
Production Company: PARS Media
With backing from FilmFernsehFonds Bayern, German Federal Film Fund, MEDIA

Featuring yoga legends B. K. S. Iyengar, Pattabhi Jois, T. K. Sribhashyam, and T. Krishnamacharya

Over 60,000 admissions in Germany

www.parsmedia.com

-----------------------------

My quick review of the German DVD from a few months ago



A very quick, for now, review of the German film on Krishnamacharya, Der Atmende Gott, (The breathing God  or the Breath of God). Think of this as a first look, M. is coming back from Japan this afternoon so I wont sit down to watch it through properly with a pencil until Tuesday.

The main question if your not a German speaker is, should you wait until Spring for the English version or go over to Amazon.de and snap yourself up a the German Edition.

Well I don't speak German, a few words here and there perhaps, but I'm delighted with it and glad I got my hands on a copy. First thing I did was slip in the 'extras disc' where we find a fuller treatment of some of the interviews in the main film. Here for example was AG Mohan giving a short lesson, in English, on the breath including kumbhaka, wonderful.

On the whole most of the interviews are in English except, disappointingly, those with Sri k Pattabhi Jois,which might be a deal breaker if your an Ashtangi, you may want to wait for the English subtitle edition.

Perhaps only a third of the film, if that, is in German, you'll get the hang of most of it and of course you can always put your german edition on Ebay when the English edition comes out.

The Movie itself was beautiful as we can see from the trailer's.


A feature-length documentary including rare historical footage as well as lavish reenactments.
35 mm, 105 minutes
Director: Jan Schmidt-Garre
The old 1938 Black and White movie was it seems the centre piece of the movie but as far as I could tell there were no missing frames from the Youtube version we're familiar with.

There are some beautiful 'mock-up's of the demonstrations Krishnamacharya would give with some of his students. There's a scene of this on the trailer but there are a couple more on the movie. Some phenomenal back bending and a wonderful moment were one of the students jumps in to prepare for Eka pada sirsasana (leg behind head), nods his head to one side and takes the leg behind his head without using his hands.

A few things that have stuck in my head

Some kids performing a few postures in the Mysore palace, in the style of Krishnamacharya's early classes, staying in posture while one of the boys chants a 20 second mantra.

An interview with a student on how Krishnamacharya would conduct a class, starting with pranayama, at least with this student.

Also a flick through a photo album showing Krishnamacharya with hands on adjustment just as Pattabhi Jois used to do, so Krishnamacharya was, it seems, very much hands on in the early days.



Oh and the scene related belo, again in the Mysore palace was just wonderful

"Shubha, the youngest daughter of Krishnamacharya had guided us through her persinal practice. This had enormous beauty and intensity. This personal demonstration represented for me the essence of Yogaand I knew that this would be one of the high points of the movie". from the interview below with Rebecca Fajnschnitt

I was pretty much hanging on every word by Krishnamacharya's son Sri T.K. Sribhashyam, delightful man.

Oh and in the 'Life saving practice' on the DVD cover (see translation below) where it shows that Krishnamacharya was very much concerned with Drishti, he doesn't write about it that much in Yoga Makaranda and I'd often wondered if it was something that Pattabhi Jois had expanded on. Tristana is very present here.

More to come on the movie in a future post and a proper review, this is just a taster.

Nice intro to the movie in English on this Blog
Yoga In India

The English introduction to the movie from the movie's homepage
http://www.breathofthegods.com

And the German page
http://www.deratmendegott.de

A link to Amazon.de
Amazon.de.
--------------------------

The DVD Cover




Thank you so much to Chiara for the translation of the cover art.

The Breathing God
Rebecca Fajnschnitt speaks to director Jan Schmidt-Garre

Q: In your movies you have s far dealt with the performing arts - opera, theater, dance - What made you interested in Yoga?

A: It is not so different. My movies deal with the artistic process. How art is generated, how can plain materials, or tones and forms, change and become spiritual? And this happens in Yoga as well. The body is the material ad can equally become fully spiritual

Q: As in dancing?

A: This is the exterior side, yes. A yoga sequenca can posess a dance-like quality, when in the rythm you learn to breathe properly and maintain the correct concentration. Similarly it can happen that it is just a sport and nothing more, like in figure-skating and yet some athletes can turn it into dance. As in sport as in Yoga I am interested in the 'B-note'!

Q: and what is the interior side?

A: when I practice yoga and breathe correctly, I can experience a fusion of spirit and body which is rather unique. Te body becomes spiritual and the spirit embodied. This is what I learnt about Yoga, which makes it to me different from all other physical activities

Q: I have the feeling that you made the movie to be able to practice with the great masters..

A: Obviously it was important to me that the great masters woudl be seen in action and not just as interviewees. Therefore I had to find a way to bring them to teach. I did not particularly want to be in front of the camera, but at the same time I wanted to show a student who would not be 25 years old end extremely flexible, but someone like me, that you woudl not immediately trust being able to do these things. I wanted to show that yoga was thought for everybody

Q: your movie shows contemporary India and the India of the 30's. Is yoga not much older than that?

A: of course, it is a very old discipline. But we do not know much about the physical yoga before the 20th century. Te philosophical tradition is very well documented, but the practice is not. And this goes together with the fact that physical yoga had a very bad reputation towards the end of thr 19th entury. It was thought a a practice by weird charlatanes, with their contortions and alms. But Krishnamacharya was the first to 'rehabilitate' the physical aspect of yoga and bring a new dynamic form which had a tremendous following and led to the growing boom that we see today. We also have the paradox that a thousands year old discipline was decisively influenced by a single man!

Q: how did you as a Wstern director get close to this foreign culture?

A: it was clear from the start that I had to be careful not to have a naive portrayal of this fascinating oriental world and the original pictures that I saw as a foreigner - and cameraman. Perhaps I can explain a bit about the choice of the music: I always find it a bit annoying that when we shoot movies on foreign culture we work with the music of these cultures, of which as Westerners know very superficially. But I know very well the music of my part of the world and I can use it almost as my voice. I used piano music from the 20s and 30s where musicians tried to reproduce an Oriental longing using Western techniques. This is also my job as director.

Q: do you have the 'oriental dream' as director?

A: many directors think that they can offer exptic pictures to the viewer and that will be it. For the director the pictures represent his oriental longing, but not for the viewer. Then the smells, the sounds of the place, the experiences before and after the film shooting are missing. So these have to be built, in order for them to be experienced by others than the director.

Q: and how do you do that?

A: I need to find the right context for the scenes, so they maintain their power. For example Shubha, the youngest daughter of Krishnamacharya had guided us through her persinal practice. This had enormous beauty and intensity. This personal demonstration represented for me the essence of Yogaand I knew that this would be one of the high points of the movie. And as I went back home to work on the movie, I did not want to loose the magis I had experienced. I thought that I coudl do this by placineg the scene at the very end of the movie, this would be its right place. And now it worked!

--------------------------


"Life saving yoga session"

Starting from the 50s more and more visitors came from the West to Krishnamacharya in Madras, to learm Yoga from him, the 'teacher of teachers'. Krishnamacharya developed for them a specific sequence that he named 'Life saving yoga session'. Yoga to extend life, the name did not fail to work. Krishnamacharya's idea was to use this sequence to lead Westerners to an unconfessional and undogmatic experience of the Divine, since their pluralistic culture would not permit an automatic access to religious matters.
The sequence, which was not taught anymore after Krishnamacharya's death and which was taught by his son TK shribayam to director Jan Schmidt-Garre after years of acquaintance during the filming of 'Der atmende Gott', is here disclosed in its original form.
Characteristic of the later Krishnamacharya and of the 'Life saving Yoga session' is the connection of postures, breathing and concentration in the sense of the orientation of the gaze and awareness of a focal point. Only when these elements form an organic connection can Yoga happen, according to Krishnamacharya

1. sit for 30-60 seconds with crossed legs in Padmasana. Concentration on Nasagra (point of the nose)

2. 16-24 Kapalabhati breaths (breath of fire, energeti inhale and exhale)

3. 12 breaths of ujjayi anuloma. Inhale: ujjayi, with slightly constricted throat, to drwa air into the lungs. Exhale: the hand forms a claw with thumb, ring- and little-fingers with which one nostril is alternately kept closed. Exhale very slowly through the open nostril, without ujjayi, beginning with the left

4. 3 breaths in matsyasana. Legs are closed in the lotus position

5. 3 breaths in bhujangasana. Start with open eyes and during the progression of movement, which start with the forehead, close the eyes. Concentration on Bhrumhadya (between the eyebrows)

6. 12 breaths in sarvangasana. The chin is closed in front of the straightened body. Hands close to the shoulderblades, concentration on Kanta (throat)

7. 12 breaths in sirsasana. Concentration on Nasagra (tip of the nose)

8. 3 breaths in halasana. Arms on the floor, hands clasped, palms towards the outside

9. 3 breaths in bhujangasana. Again start with open eyes and close them during the movement. Cncentration on Bhrumadhya (between the eyebrows)

10. 12 breaths in Maha-mudra (one-sided forward bend) six times on the left, then six times on the right. With the first inhale bring the arms over the head, with hands clasped, palms up. With the exhale get into the posture. Concentration on navel

11. 12 breaths in paschimottanasana, preparation and in maha mudra. The hands clasp the big toes, the back stays straight, neck and back form a lune. Concentration on the navel.

12. 30-60 Bastri breaths (rapid alternate breathing) in padmasana. The right hand builds a clasp as for anuloma ujjayi. Inhale and exhale through the left nostril, then change the grip and rapidly inhale and exhale through the right nostril. No ujjayi. end with an exhale from the left nostril and without pause move ot a long inhale in nadi shodan. Concentration on Nasagra

13. 12 breaths in nadi shodan (alternate breathing). Inhale very slowly from the half-closed left nostril, exchange grip ad after a short pause exhale very slowly through the half-closed right nostril. After a short pause inhale very slowly through the half-closed right nostril, change grip and after a short pause exhale through the half-clodes left nostril. No ujjayi. The left hand counts the breaths, with the thumb gliding over the twelve parts of the four fingers, from the third falanx of the little fingers in the direction towards outside to the point of the index finger. Concentration on Hrudaya (heart)

14. Prayer. Concentration on Hrudaya (heart)

In the coming book fom Shribashyam "How Yoga really was" this and similar sequences are explained in detail

-----------------------------




Krishnamacharya in Mysore : Excerpt from Krishnamacharya's first Biography by Mala Srivatsan

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Showing in London Feb 2013 - Breath of the Gods. Documentary on Krishnamacharya (links to previous post on the movie)

Krishnamacharya (top left) under pictures from Yoga Makaranda, in the Sanskrit College Yoga Shala , Mysore

from The Hindi on the release of Krishnamacharya's Biography in 1997


  [THE HINDU]

Friday, April 11, 1997
SECTION: Entertainment


Dedicated to great Yogi

Date: 11-04-1997 :: Pg: 25 :: Col: a

About 90 years ago, 16 year old Krishnamacharya of
Mysore had a dream in which he was directed by Yogi
Nathamuni, a ninth-century South Indian Vaishnava saint,
to go to Alwar Tirunagari in Tamil Nadu. The boy went to
the place and at the premises of a temple of Lord
Vishnu, saw an old man seated under a tamarind tree. The
boy asked him where he could see Yogi Nathamuni. The
latter pointed to a particular direction, which the boy
followed till he reached a mango grove by the side of
the river Tamaraparani.

As Krishnamacharya was very tired and had not eaten, he
fell unconscious. He went into a trance and found
himself in the presence of three sages. Saint Nathamuni,
who appeared in the centre of the trio, explained the
``Yoga Rahasya'' to him. A few hours later, he opened
his eyes to find nobody there. The mango grove had also
disappeared. It was then that he realised that he had
received the ``Yoga Rahasya'' directly from its author
and his ancestor, Yogi Nathamuni.

That teenage boy later went on to become an eminent
teacher- practitioner of Yoga.

The ``Yogacharya'' T. Krishnamacharya was not just an
exponent on Yoga but was a versatile personality. He was
a great scholar in religion, the Vedas, the Upanishadas,
Carnatic music, Ayurveda and astrology. An expert in
many languages, Krishnamacharya who lived between 1888
and 1989, influenced the thinking in various fields such
as Vedanta, Karma and Ayurveda. He wrote many books in
Sanskrit, Kannada and Telugu.

An `acharya' of a high Krishnamacharya said emphasise on
the basic methods of teaching _ ``Desa'' (place),
``Deha'' (constitution), ``Kala'' (time), ``Vrtti''
(Avocation), ``Marga'' (interest) and ``Shakti''
(capacity). His prescription to teachers was: ``Teach
what is inside you, not as it applies to you, to
yourself, but as it applies to the other''.

To make his life and teachings widely known, the
Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram (KYM), a 21-year-old
institution named after him to teach Yoga, has brought
out a publication to mark his 108th anniversary.

Releasing the publication at a function held at the
premises of KYM on Tuesday, Mr. C. Subramaniam, former
Maharashtra Governor, praised Krishnamcharya for
propagating and imparting, what he called, the science
of Yoga. Describing Yoga as a great heritage of the
country, he said in the present days of constant
controversies and confrontations, people required it
much more now than at any other time.

Calling upon people to practise Yoga, Mr. Subramaniam
said any amount of reading about it could not fetch the
full benefits and significance of Yoga. As it would help
people realise their talents, the study of Yoga should
be included in school curriculum, the former Governor
said.

Receiving the first copy of the book, Mr Govind
Swaminathan, veteran advocate and one of the students of
Krishnamacharya, reminisced about the days when he was
taught Yoga. He said it was a leveller of one's ego and
it would make those who practised it self-disciplined
persons.

Mr. T.K.V. Desikachar, son of Krishnamacharya and
Managing Trustee of KYM, said the publication was
compiled on the basis of writings of the Yoga exponent
and many oral narrations. Mrs. Mala Srivatsan, Executive
Trustee of KYM, who compiled the publication, said a
section of the book contained `Ashtothrams' (108 hymns
in praise of the ``Yogacharya'').

T. RAMAKRISHNAN
---------------
Unfortunately long out of print

Krishnamacharya in Mysore
from Yogacarya Krishnamacharya - The Purnacarya. Edited by Mala Srivatsan
The first biography of Krishnamacharya










Marla Srivatsan, Editor of the Biography

More from the biography on these posts




A big thank you again  to Eric Shaw for sending me a copy of the book and to whoever passed the copy on to him.


Remember



Discernment YS 2.26 : Ashtanga-ulous article by Chad Hurst.

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"The unimpaired discriminative enlightenment is the means of liberation" Vyasa





http://seansturm.wordpress.com/2009/10/29/throwing-shadows-on-the-wall/
YS. 2.26 Clear and Distinct (Unimpaired) Discriminative Knowledge is the Means of Liberation
(viveka khyatih aviplava hana upayah)

viveka-khyatih = discriminative knowledge (viveka = discriminative, discernment; khyatih = knowledge, correct cognition, clarity, awareness)

Discriminative knowledge arises from first listening to the Shastras or scriptures and becoming firmir and clearer through reasoned contemplation. It goes on developing gradually as one practices the different exercises of Yoga.  
p199 Yoga Philosophy of Patanjali Swami Hariharananda Aranya.

Nice article from Chad Hurst on discernment. Reproducing the first couple of paragraphs here. Full article can be found at the link below 

http://www.missionashtanga.com/blog/

Ashtang-ulous!


Earlier this week, I noticed that a bunch of my yoga friends on Facebook were commenting on some notes from a conference led by Sharath Jois.  Sharath was giving a talk partly on sirsana (headstand).  According to the notes that were so generously shared with all of us by Megan Rileysirsana not only benefits circulation, but it “help[s] to draw our Amrita Bindu, these golden drops of nectar that, over time, fall down into our digestive fire, back to the head.  [Amrita Bindu] drops as we age, and keeping it from burning away will keep us looking youthful and bright.” 
When I read this, my first reaction was, “Come on?  A golden nectar that keeps us looking youthful and bright?  What’s this?  Sounds superstitious to me.”  I could understand how a headstand could alter circulation, facilitating the return of pooled blood into the heart, but no science books that I’d come across had located or described golden drops of nectar within the head that when preserved through inversions keep us young, if not immortal, and radiant.
And yet, over the years of being a student of this tradition, I’ve come to realize that it might not be useful to just blatantly disregard the teaching just because it doesn’t fit within my immediate understanding of reality.  I’ve grown so much over the years as a human being and yoga student by grappling with concepts within the tradition that initially seemed foreign, otherworldly, and, at times, magical.  When I’ve applied a practice of openness, curiosity, and experimentation to the teachings, I’ve tended to learn more and, at the same time, grow more.  This isn’t always easy for me to do. In fact, this notion of Amrita Bindu is part and parcel of various aspects within the tradition that, even to this day, still trip me up.  Examples include:
  • Ashtanga comes from an ancient text, The Yoga Korunta, written by Vamana Rishi, and is 5000 years old.
  • It is ‘incorrect method’ to alter sequencing, modify the poses, or include props into The Practice other than adjustments.
  • Do not practice on moon days because injuries on these days take twice as long to heal.
  • When taking padmasana (lotus posture), the left leg should always be on top of the right.  This clears the liver and spleen, straightens the spinal column, and helps the aspirant to maintain strength.
  • Yoga students should eat primarily milk, ghee, and chapatis in order to develop strength because they promote a sattvic (clear) mind and strong body. Avoid eating many vegetables.  Do not eat garlic, onions, tomatoes, or any meat.
  • Drink coffee before practicing yoga because coffee is prana (life force).
  • Don’t wash or wipe your sweat off  but massage it into the body after practice in order to make the body strong and light.
  • Men and women should only have sex:1) at night 2) when the man’s left nostril is open 3) when the woman is between the fourth and sixteenth days of her menstrual cycle 4) only for the sake of having children 5) only when lawfully wedded.
  • Never breathe through the mouth because it creates heart troubles.
  • When you make the Darth Vader sound associated with Ashtanga breathing–also known as ujayi pranayama, but technically within the Ashtanga tradition, the term ujayi is restricted to a form of pranayama practiced separately from asana practice– you increase internal heat, which thins the blood and purifies it.
  • Mula bandha should not be restricted to asana (posture) practice alone but should be practiced while walking, talking, sleeping, and eating in order to maintain mind control.

Not Saying, “Yes” But Not Saying, “No,” Either

On first blush, a lot of the rules mentioned above seem a little dogmatic; at times, occult; and, in almost all cases, exotic.  I want to suggest that as Western educated yogis that we both refrain from blatantly disregarding them, and at the same time, not thoughtlessly absorbing them.  Instead, I think it’s important that we learn to develop the practice of applying critical thinking....
Article continues here....http://www.missionashtanga.com/blog/



So discernment in our practice, in the practice of our practice but also in our thinking about the practice,  in my Critical thinking is there thinking going on or am I merely being critical....

But there are bigger fish to sauté.

I love the picture at the top of the page and it's Platonic allusions.

Is it a duck a rabbit or a shadow on the wall of a cave...and what of Ludwig himself?

Ramaswami translates YS II-26 as... (comments are from Pam Hoxsey's notes from Ramaswami's Yoga Sutra course)

"II-26 Unwavering discrimination is the way to destroy ignorance.

Notes: untangling a thread requires constant attention to keep things separated (this is an example given).

A story or myth in India says that a swan is able to separate milk from water and keep the milk only. This would be like separating the true self from the mind and keeping the self only

Another example of attention is a mother who is working in her home, but whatever work she is doing, her mind is on her baby at all times.

Also when you attend continuously, the mind will be changed. Like the balance of a seesaw that goes where the weight is.

in other words, right now the balance is tipped heavily towards the mind's wrong thinking. But if we attend to our true nature, eventually the balance is tipped and we become weighted in the other direction (freedom - "kaivalya") Then freedom is maintained".

Patanjali's Yoga Sutras : Based on the teaching of Srivatsa Ramaswami by Pam Hoxsey

"The unimpaired discriminative enlightenment is the means of liberation" Vyasa

Updated: The Breath in Pranayama and Yogasana : Krishnamacharya

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Continuing with Krishnamacharya Week while looking forward to the English version of the Krishnamacharya documentary, Breath of the Gods, showing this week in the UK.

22.2.2013: Theatrical release in the UK: ICA, London - http://www.ica.org.uk/36553/Film/Breath-of-the-Gods-A-Journey-to-the-Origins-of-Modern-Yoga.html

See Earlier post

In a late interview Sri. K. Pattabhi Jois points out that Krishnamacharya is standing on him while in Kapotasana in the above picture
Tradition and Lineage (?)

Pattabhi Jois first saw Krishnamacharya demonstrating yoga asana in 1927, "...jumping from asana to asana", Pattabhi Jois was 12 at the time. Krishnamacharya agreed to give the boy lessons and continued to do so for the next two years until Pattabhi Jois ran away from home, aged 14, to study Sanskrit.

Pattabhi Jois caught up again with Krishnamacharya, in Mysore in 1932 while attending another Yoga demonstration, he was 17 and began to take lessons with Krishnamacharya once again.

Krishnamacharya wrote his Yoga Makaranda in 1934 'over a couple of days' suggesting the method of practice outlined in the book was well established (as also suggested by Jois' comment that Krishnamacharya was "jumping from asana to asana" seven years earlier). In this text we find the key elements of Ashtanga Vinyasa, the linking of breath to movement, the Sanskrit count of the movements associated with each asana, the use of Ujjayi breath, bandha control and drishti (gaze).

Yoga Makaranda was Krishnamacharya's first book and was published by the state and given freely to the schools and colleges to promote 'authentic yoga practice'. Yogasanagalu (1941) was published, again by the state and for free distribution to schools, and is perhaps a more accessible treatment of yoga practice. Both books were written by Krishnamacharya while teaching the young Pattabhi Jois.

After over twenty to thirty years of intense study and practice this is what Krishnamacharya wanted the state to know and understand about authentic yoga practice.


---------------------

The breath in yogasana in Krishnamacharya's Yogasanagalu (1941)

"In pranayama practice (yogangabhyasis), inhalation and exhalation motion is performed using both nostrils, trachea, tip of the tongue, between two lips and in between two rows of teeth.

Normally during yogasana practice, inhalation and exhalation is performed via the trachea deeply, subtly and with sound.  This is common practice with everyone.  This type of breathing is called “anuloma ujjayi” and quoted in -


मुख॑ स॑यम्य नाडीभ्या॑ आक्रुष्य पवन॑ शनैः॥
यथा लगति क॑टात्तु ह्रुदयावदि सस्वनम्।
पूर्वावत्कु॑भयेत्प्राण॑ रेचयेदिडया ततः।
श्लेष्मदेषहर॑ क॑टे देहानलविवर्धन॑।
गच्छतातिष्टता कार्य॑ उच्छामोख्यन्तु कु॑भक॑।

Mukham samyamya nadibhyam aakrushya pavanam shanih
yatha lagati kantattu hrudayavadi sasvanam
poorvavathubhayetpranam rechayadhidaya tatah
shleshmadeshaharam kante dehanalavivardhanam
gacchatatishtata karyam ucchamochyamtu kumbhakam

(Hatayogapradipika, 2, 51, 52, 53)


Translation

51. Having closed the opening of the Nadi (larynx), the air should be drawn in such a
way that it goes touching from the throat to the chest, and making noise while passing.
52. It should be restrained, as before, and then let out through the Ida (the left nostril). This removes slesma (phlegm) in the throat and increases the appetite.
53. It destroys the defects of the nadis, dropsy and disorders of Dhatu (humors). Ujjayi should be performed in all conditions of life, even while walking or sitting.
from this online translation

Bending the head (face) forward, pressing the chin to the chest tightly, through both nostrils via the trachea all the way down to the chest, making a slight hissing sound, take a deep inhalation (first timers as per their capacity) slowly without difficulty exhale through the left nostril.  This is called gurumukha.

This will eliminate the kapha (phlegm) from your throat and make you hungry.  Eliminates impurities from the nadis, stomach, lungs, excretory organs, kidnyes, and bone joints.  Also prevents jalodhara and mahodhara ailments.  This can be practiced sitting, standing, walking and lying down".
T. Krishnamacharya Yogasanagalu


-----------


"...In yoganga sadhana we don’t see these (above mentioned) irregularities and with regular practice all organs will become strong.  How is that?  When practicing asanas, we need to maintain deep inhalation and exhalation to normalise the uneven respiration through nasal passages.

 In yoga positions where eyes, head and forehead are raised, inhalation must be performed slowly through the nostrils until the lungs are filled.  Then the chest is pushed forward and puffed up, abdomen tightly tucked in, focusing the eyes on the tip of the nose, and straighten the back bones tightly as much as possible.  This type of inhalation which fills the lungs signifies Puraka.

In yoga positions where eyes, head, forehead, chest and the hip are lowered, we have to slowly exhale the filled air.  Tucking in tightly the upper abdomen, the eyes must be closed.  This type of exhalation is called Rechaka.

Holding the breath is called Kumbhaka.



-----------------

"...Therefore, how many vinysas for asanas? Asana position comes at which vinyasa count?  When do you perform rechanka and puraka?  When to do antah kumbhaka and bahya kumbhaka?  What are its benefits?  For yoga practitioners 
iyoga instructors.  Yoga practitioners may be divided approximately on the basis of body type and the same instructor can teach them. In the same way, practitioners with common disease types may be divided and treated (with yoga). Yoga sadhana is without risk compared to many of the body exercises that require equipment.  Yoganga sadhana must be done standing, sitting, sideways and upside down.
All these types of asanas are given in this edition.  Interested practitioners and instructors must study carefully, practice and teach. Many asanas are also printed for ladies.  From this, we can get an idea of our ancestors behaviour".



-----

"...The movement (activation) of these chakras are caused by the greatness (power) of pranayama and the variety of rechaka, puraka and kumbhaka". 


Examples of usage of Kumbhaka (Breath retention) in asana in Krishnamacharya's Yoga Makaranda (1934)


In the examples below I am quoting just those elements of the asana description where the kumbhaka is explicitly noted. In #2 Parvottanasana, for example, just the Antara Kumbhaka, the breath retention after the inhalation, is mentioned before the fold into the full expression of the posture.Likewise in #8 Paschimottanasana, the same Antara Kumbhaka before the fold is mentioned.

"When practising asana, the breath that is inhaled into the body and the breath that is exhaled out must be kept equal. Moreover, practise the asana with their vinyasas by breathing only through the nose". p27

"Brahmana kriya means to take in the outside air through the nose, pull it inside, and hold it in firmly. This is called puraka kumbhaka.
Langhana kriya means to exhale the air that is inside the body out through he nose and to hold the breath firmly without allowing any air from outside into the body. This is called recaka kumbhaka".
p27-28

"In each section for each particular asana, we have included a description and an enumeration of its vinyasas. The vinyasas in which the head is raised are to be done with puraka kumbhaka and the ones in which the head is lowered must be done with recaka kumbhaka. Uthpluthi (raising the body from the floor with only the support of both hands on the floor is called uthpluthi) should be done on recaka kumbhaka for a fat person and on puraka kumbhaka for a thin person...." p28

ASANA

1 Uttanasana
"Following the rules for tadasana (yogasana samasthiti krama) (Figure 4.1, 4.2), stand erect. Afterwards, while exhaling the breath out slowly, bend the upper part of the body (that is, the part above the hip) little by little and place the palms down by the legs. The knees must not be even slightly bent. Raise the head upwards and fix the gaze on the tip of the nose. While doing this, draw in clean air through the nostril, hold the breath firmly and maintain this position. This is called sahitha kumbhaka...." p51

2 Parsvottanasana
"...Standing in tadasana krama, draw in clean air through the nose and practise kumbhaka...." p59

3 Prasarita Padottanasana
"...Stand in tadasana krama. Jump the legs apart, placing the feet 3 mozhams apart on the ground. Practise jumping and placing the feet at the correct distance all in one jump. While jumping, either puraka kumbhaka or recaka kumbhaka can be done...." p61

4 Ardhabaddha Padmottanasana
"From tadasana, do puraka kumbhaka. After this, choose either leg and place its foot on top of the opposite thigh. Slowly, little by little, move the foot up until the back of the heel is pressed against the lower abdomen. Whichever leg is raised, move the same hand behind the back and clasp the big toe of that foot (from behind the back). Keep the other hand in tadasana sthiti and do puraka kumbhaka. After this, slowly exhale through the nose and bend the upper part of the body forward down to the floor. Place the palm down by the foot and keep it firmly pressed against the floor. Release the breath out completely, and without inhaling, practise kumbhaka and lower the head, placing it on top of the kneecap of the extended leg...."p61

6 Urdhvamukhasvanasana
"This has 4 vinyasas. Vinyasas 1, 2, and 3 are exactly as for uttanasana. The 4th vinyasa is to be done following the same method as for caturanga dandasana. But in caturanga dandasana, there are 4 angulas of space between the body and the floor everywhere. In this asana, the palms and toes are as in caturanga dandasana. However even while keeping the lower part of the body from the toes to the thighs just as in caturanga dandasana, raise the upper part of the body. Make sure that the navel rests between the hands and do puraka kumbhaka...." p65

8 Pascimattanasana or Pascimottanasana
"...This asana has many kramas. Of these the first form has 16 vinyasas. Just doing the asana sthiti by sitting in the same spot without doing these vinyasas will not yield the complete benefits mentioned in the yoga sastras. This rule applies to all asanas.
The first three vinyasas are exactly as for uttanasana. The 4th vinyasa is caturanga dandasana, the 5th vinyasa is urdhvamukhasvanasana, the 6th vinyasa is adhomukhasvanasana. Practise these following the earlier instructions. In the 6th vinyasa, doing puraka kumbhaka, jump and arrive at the 7th vinyasa. That is, from adhomukhasvanasana sthiti, jump forward and move both legs between the arms without allowing the legs to touch the floor. Extend the legs out forward and sit down. Practise sitting like this with the rear part of the body either between the two hands or 4 angulas in front of the hands. It is better to learn the abhyasa krama from a guru. In this sthiti, push the chest forward, do puraka kumbhaka and gaze steadily at the tip of the nose...." p69

11 Janusirsasana
"...This form follows the hatha yoga principles. Another form follows the raja yoga method. The practitioner should learn the difference. First, take either leg and extend it straight out in front. Keep the heel pressed firmly on the floor with the toes pointing upward. That is, the leg should not lean to either side. The base (back) of the knee should be pressed against the ground. Fold the other leg and place the heel against the genitals, with the area above the knee (the thigh) placed straight against the hip. That is, arrange the straight leg which has been extended in front and the folded leg so that together they form an “L”. Up to this point, there is no difference between the practice of the hatha yogi and the raja yogi.
For the hatha yoga practitioner, the heel of the bent leg should be pressed firmly between the rectum and the scrotum. Tightly clasp the extended foot with both hands, raise the head and do puraka kumbhaka. Remain in this position for some time and then, doing recaka, lower the head and place the face onto the knee of the outstretched leg. While doing this, do not pull the breath in. It may be exhaled. After this, raise the head and do puraka. Repeat this on the other side following the rules mentioned above.
The raja yogi should place the back of the sole of the folded leg between the scrotum and the genitals. Now practise following the other rules described above for the hatha yogis. There are 22 vinyasas for janusirsasana. Please note carefully that all parts of the outstretched leg and the folded leg should touch the floor. While holding the feet with the hands, pull and clasp the feet tightly. Keep the head or face or nose on top of the kneecap and remain in this sthiti from 5 minutes up to half an hour. If it is not possible to stay in recaka for that long, raise the head in between, do puraka kumbhaka and then, doing recaka, place the head back down on the knee. While keeping the head lowered onto the knee, puraka kumbhaka should not be done..." p79-80

12 Upavistakonasana
"This has 15 vinyasas. Recaka kumbhaka is its primary principle...." p83

13 Baddhakonasana
"This has 15 vinyasas. The 8th vinyasa is the asana sthiti. The 1st to the 6th vinyasas are like the 1st till the 6th vinyasas for pascimottanasana. In the 7th vinyasa, just like the 7th vinyasa for pascimottanasana, keep the hands down and bring the legs forward in uthpluthi. But instead of straightening them, fold the legs and place them down on the ground. Folding them means that the heel of the right foot is pasted against the base of the right thigh and the heel of the left foot is pasted against the base of the left thigh. When the legs are folded in this manner, the soles of the feet will be facing each other. Hold the sole of the left foot firmly with the left hand and hold the right sole firmly with the right hand. Clasping the soles together firmly, do recaka kumbhaka, lower the head and place it on the floor in front of the feet..."
 p85-86

14 Supta Padangushtasana
"...The first krama for this has 21 vinyasas. Through the 6th vinyasa, it is exactly as for pascimottanasana. In the 7th vinyasa, lie down facing upwards instead of extending the legs and sitting as in pascimottanasana. While lying down, the entire body must be pressed against the ground. The toes must point upwards and the back of the heels must be stuck to the ground. This is also called savasana by other schools. This is the 7th vinyasa for supta padangushthasana. In the 8th vinyasa, slowly raise the right leg straight up. Hold the big toe of the right foot with the fingers of the right hand, do recaka kumbhaka and remain in this position for as long as possible. .."p86

17 Utthitahasta Padangushtasana
"...First, push the chest forward and stand erect with equal balance. While standing this way, make sure that the head, neck, back, hips, arms and legs are aligned properly and gaze at the tip of the nose. The feet must be kept together. Now, raise one leg up slowly and maintain this position with the extended leg kept straight out in front at the height of the navel. The knee should not bend and the leg must be kept straight for the entire time that it is being raised. After the leg has been raised about 3/4 of the way without any assistance, take the first three fingers of the corresponding hand (the same as whichever leg was raised) and tightly clasp the big toe of the raised foot. Remain in this position for some time. Keep the other hand on the hip. Inhalation and exhalation of the breath must be slow and of equal duration. One says the sthiti is correct if there is the same measure of distance between the standing leg and the raised leg. In this there are many other forms.
After staying in this sthiti for some time, take either the face or the nose towards the knee of the raised leg and place it there. Recaka kumbhaka must be done in this sthiti. That is, expel the breath completely from the body, maintain this position and then without allowing any breath into the body, bend the upper body. Now carefully pull in the stomach as much as one’s strength allows and hold it in. Stay in this sthiti for at least one minute..." p99

18 Baddhapadmasana
"...Place the right foot on top of the left thigh and the left foot on top of the right thigh. Take the hands behind the back and tightly clasp the big toe of the right foot with the first three fingers of the right hand and tightly clasp the big toe of the left foot with the first three fingers of the left hand.
Press the chin firmly against the chest. Keep the gaze fixed on the midbrow. Sit down, keeping the rest of the body straight. This has the name baddhapad- masana. This asana must be repeated on the other side (that is, first place the left foot on top of the right thigh and then the right foot on top of the left thigh) in order to exercise both sides of the body.
This has 16 vinyasas. The 8th and 9th vinyasas are the asana sthiti. The other vinyasas are like pascimottanasana. Study the pictures (Figures 4.52, 4.53) and learn how to keep the gaze. In this asana, one must do puraka kumbhaka..." p103

25 Marichasana
"This has 22 vinyasas. This needs to be done on both the left and the right sides. Study the sannaha sthiti (the preparatory state) of marichasana in the picture. This sthiti is the 7th vinyasa.
The right-side marichasana paristhiti is shown in the second picture. Maricha Maharishi was known for bringing this asana to public knowledge and hence it is named for him.
Stay in the 7th vinyasa for some time doing puraka kumbhaka. After this, do recaka and come to the 8th vinyasa. Stay in this position for as long as possible. In case your head starts reeling (you get dizzy), come back to the 7th vinyasa, do puraka kumbhaka, close the eyes and remain here for some time. The dizziness will stop.
The 9th vinyasa is like the 7th vinyasa. The 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th vinyasas are like the 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th vinyasas of janusirsasana.
The 14th vinyasa is marichasana sannaha sthiti on the left side. This is demonstrated in the 3rd picture. The 15th vinyasa is the left-side marichasana paristhiti. This is demonstrated in the 4th picture. In the 14th vinyasa do puraka kumbhaka and in the 15th vinyasa do only recaka..." p115

26 Niralamba Sarvangasana
"This has 14 vinyasas. The 8th vinyasa is the asana sthiti. The form depicted in the picture is the 8th vinyasa. This is niralamba sarvangasana paristhiti. In order to get to this sthiti, slowly raise the arms and legs either together or one-by- one in the 7th vinyasa . Do only recaka at this time. Never do puraka kumbhaka..." p115

27 Ekapada Sirsasana
"This has two forms: dakshina ekapada sirsasana and vama ekapada sirsasana. Both these forms together have 18 vinyasas. The first picture depicts dakshina ekapada sirsasana and the second picture vama ekapada sirsasana. The 7th and 12th vinyasas are the asana sthitis of these different forms. For this asana, you need to do sama svasauchvasam (same ratio breathing). In the 7th vinyasa, the left leg, and in the 12th vinyasa the right leg, should be extended and kept straight from the thigh to the heel. No part should be bent.
Keep the hands as shown in the picture. In this sthiti one needs to do equal ra- tio breathing. When the hands are joined together in ekapada sirsasana paristhiti, one must do puraka kumbhaka. One must never do recaka..." p120

29 Yoga Nidrasana
"This has 12 vinyasas. The 7th vinyasa is yoga nidrasana sthiti. The first 6 vinyasas for kurmasana are the first 6 vinyasas for this. In the 7th vinyasa, sit like you did in dvipada sirsasana and instead of keeping the two legs on the back of the neck, first lie back facing upwards. Then lift the legs up and place them on the back of the neck.
In dvipada sirsasana, we joined the hands together in prayer and placed them next to the muladhara cakra. In this asana, following the krama, take the shoul- ders (that is, the arms) on both the left and right sides over the top of the two thighs, and hold the right wrist tightly with the fingers of the left hand beneath the spine. Study the picture.
In the 7th vinyasa, after doing only recaka, arrive at the asana sthiti. Then, one should do puraka kumbhaka and lie down...." p123

32 Bhairavasana
"This has 20 vinyasas. The 8th and the 14th vinyasas are the right and left side asana sthitis.
From the 1st until the 7th vinyasa, follow the method for ekapada sirsasana. In the 8th vinyasa, instead of keeping the hands at the muladhara cakra (as in ekapada sirsasana), hug both arms together tightly as seen in the picture and lie down looking upwards. While remaining here, do puraka kumbhaka, raise the neck upwards and gaze at the midbrow...". p129

33 Cakorasana
"This has 20 vinyasas. This is from the Kapila Matham.
After observing that this follows the form of flight of the cakora bird, this came to be called cakorasana. In the Dhyana Bindu Upanishad, Parameshwara advises Parvati that “There are as many asanas as there are living beings in the world”. We readers must always remember this. The 8th and 14th vinyasas are this asana’s sthitis. The 7th and the 13th vinyasas are like the 7th and the 13th vinyasas of ekapada sirsasana. In the 8th and the 14th vinyasas, press the palms of the hand firmly into the ground, do puraka kumbhaka, raise the body 6 angulas off the ground and hold it there. Carefully study the picture where this is demonstrated. Keep the gaze fixed on the midbrow. The other vinyasas are like those of bhairavasana..." p131-132

37 Trivikramasana
"This has 7 vinyasas. From the 1st to the 5th vinyasas and then the 7th vinyasa, practise following those for utthita hasta padangushtasana. Practise the 2nd and 7th vinyasas as shown in the picture (study it carefully) and remain in these positions. The 2nd vinyasa is the right-side trivikramasana sthiti. The 6th vinyasa as shown is the left-side trivikramasana sthiti. The picture shown here only demonstrates the left-side trivikramasana. It is important that equal recaka and puraka kumbhaka must be carefully observed while practising this asana. Keep the gaze fixed on the midbrow. Both legs must be held straight and must not lean or bend to any side...".
p136

38 Gandabherundasana
"This has 10 vinyasas. The 6th and 7th vinyasas show the asana sthiti. The first picture shows the 6th vinyasa and the second picture shows the 7th. In the 4th vinyasa, come to caturanga dandasana sthiti and in the 5th vinyasa proceed to viparita salabasana sthiti. In the 6th vinyasa, spread the arms out wide, keeping them straight like a stick (like a wire) as shown in the picture. Take the soles of both feet and place them next to the ears such that the heels touch the arms and keep them there.
Next, do the 7th vinyasa as shown in the second picture. This is called supta ganda bherundasana. In this asana sthiti and in the preliminary positions, do equal recaka puraka kumbhaka. Keep the gaze fixed on the midbrow. This must not be forgotten". p142

Krishnamacharya, Sanskrit college, back left under picture frame of postures from Yoga Makaranda
Examples of usage of ujjayi and Kumbhaka in asana in Krishnamacharya's Yoga Makaranda (Part II?) date unclear (also called Salutations to the teacher and the Eternal one) 

"In SIRSHASANA, normally no kumbhakam need be done (in the beginning), though about two seconds ANTHAR and BAHYA kumbhakam automatically result when we change over from deep inhalation to deep exhalation and vice versa. During the automatic pause, kumbhakam takes place. When after practice has advanced and kumbhakam is deliberately practised, ANTHAR kumbhakam can be done up to 5 seconds during each round and BAHYA kumbhakam up to 10 seconds.
In SARVANGASANA, there should be no deliberate practice of ANTHAR kumbhakam, 10
but BAHYA kumbhakam can be practiced up to 5 seconds in each round.
These deep breathings along with the asana help in slowing down the breathing rate with a consequent elongation of life. Sayanacharya prescribes that the number of deep breaths one should practice per day should not be less than 320. This number could be spread out during the day-some may be done along with asana in the morning and evening, some along with pranayama, morning, noon, evening and at midnight, or whenever some spare time is
found".  p10-11


"VAJRASANA (b)
"...Take deep inhalations and exhalations with hissing sound in the throat with holding
in of breath after inhalation has been completed. It is important to do both types of Kumbhakam to get the full benefit from this asana. The total number of deep breaths should be slowly increased as practice advances from 6 to 16". p25

29. BHARADVAJASANA
"...Take deep inhalations and exhalations with holding in of breath and holding out of
breath. Both types of kumbhakam are necessary. The total rounds of deep breaths may be slowly increased as practice advances, from 12 to 48." p30




35. BADDHA PADMASANA

"...Take deep breaths. The deep breaths in this asana can with advantage be with control both after inhalation and after exhalation i.e., both ANTHER AND BAHYA Kumbhakam. The retention of breath, in the beginning stages, should not be more than 5 seconds after inhalation and not more than two seconds after exhalation. The breathing in and breathing out should be as thin and as long possible, with rubbing sensation in the throat. The number of rounds can be as many as it is conveniently possible without strain". p40


"...Another variation which is effective combination of Ekapadasarvangasana-front with Karnapidasana. In this variation, one leg is kept upright and stretched, the other leg is taken behind the head as in Halasana and then the knee bent and brought back near the ear as in Karnapidasana. In the final position the thigh should press the abdomen. Repeat with the other leg.
In all these positions pranayama is to be done with holding out of breath after exhalation. Pranayama will have therefore periods of both Anther and Bahya kumbhakam. These two periods will be equal and be for 2 or 5 seconds. The number of bending of each leg will be as a maximum. The number of each leg should be the same so that both sides of the body may be equally exercised.
The above variations of the asana are according to RAJA YOGA. According to M
ATSYENDRANATH, GORAKHANATH and others of the Hatha Yoga school, a more strenuous variation of Karnapidasana is prescribed in the case of those suffering from stomach complaint"s. p44  


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Notes


Yogasanagalu Asana table (1941), Primary, Middle and Proficient groups









Kumbhaka
Antah kumbhaka (purakha kumbhaka) = retention of the breath after inhalation
Bahya kumbhaka (recaka kumbhaka= retention of the breath after exhalation
Ubhya kumbhaka = retention of the breath after both inhalation and exhalation

*In the Primary group in the Yogasanagalu table kumbhaka is indicated explicitly in only three postures, baddha padmasana, uttanasana and sethubandasana. In the earlier Yoga Makaranda (1934) however, kumbhaka is indicated other primary postures. This may be that while learning the Primary asana we may forgo kumbhaka in most of the primary postures until gaining familiarity and a degree of proficiency with those asana when we would then begin to work in the kumbhaka. this may be made clearer as the translation continues.

There is a stronger focus on kumbhaka in the middle and proficient groups

Kumbhaka (mentioned explicitly) in the Yoga Makaranda Primary asana
Tadasana (here implies samasthiti )- purakha kumbhaka
Uttanasana -purakha kumbhaka (we can perhaps presume that all the uttanasana variations would also include antha kumbhaka EG. padahastasana, parsvauttanasa
na, prasaritapadauttanasana.
Ardha baddha padma uttanasana - recaka kumbhaka
Urdhavamukhssvanasana - puraka kumbhaka
Adhomukhssvandasana - recaka kumbhaka
Paschimottanasana - purkha kumbhaka (recaka kumbhaka implied ?)
janusirsasana - purka kumbhaka & Rechaka kumbhaka
Upavistakonasana "recaka kumbhaka is the central principle for this posture"
badhakonasana - recaka kumbhaka
Suptapaddangusthasana- recaka kumbhaka
utthitahastapadangusthasana - recaka kumbhaka
Bhujapidasana - recaka kumbhaka
marichiyasana - recaka kumbhaka ?



4.30 Am outside KPJAYI Mysore waiting for Friday led

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This for all the Mysore/Shala inclined Ashtangi's who still visit here occasionally and have put up with my nonsense for so long.

Love the anticipation of this, the excitement...perhaps a little dread... solo home practice may be for me but I kinda get it.



Thanks to Goran for the fb share.

Back when my back was playing up more, especially in the mornings, I used to do my ashtanga in the evenings after work. To help with the transition from work mind to practice mind I got into the habit of playing Bhagavan Das' Love songs to the Dark Lord, only music I've ever been able to listen to during practice. Anyway one of the tracks came up on shuffle at work this afternoon and I had a Pavlovian craving for a straight, hot sweaty full on Primary with the album on in the background.


So while I sup my Nespresso and the home shala warms up a couple of degrees ( A radiator, Space heater and a four bar halogen heater currently surrounding my mat) I thought I'd share the above video and this awesome video of Kali ma



Espresso drunk, see if I can still do this.....


Update: That was fun, Friday Straight Primary is back on the menu I think. I did do those relatively straight Primary's with David Robson's drums a couple of weeks back, after I was sick, kind of blurred as I was still only half with it. Interesting doing Primary again now having mislaid four or five kilo over the last six weeks (since switching to eating only once a day). My weight seems to have settled and levelled out but I'm lighter and leaner than I was, does make a difference in Ashtanga especially for the binds and lifting up to jump back, very light and floaty.

Hidden Asana: The Asana before the Asana

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Continuing with Krishnamacharya Week while looking forward to the English version of the Krishnamacharya documentary, Breath of the Gods, showing this week in the UK.

I'm going tomorrow afternoon, but in the evening showing however there will be Q&A with the Director






Notice the bhrumadhya-drishti above, one of the' vital' marma points, an internal drishti employed here during kumbhaka....another Rabbit hole

Asana having been perfected, suspension of either of the processes of drawing in external air and exhaling internal air constitutes a pranayama.(Yoga Sutra: 2.49)

Now this could mean that after perfecting ALL the asana, all 84,000 of them...

But it could also mean that after you have perfected, mastered or to use Krishnamacharya's term, become proficient in an asana you can begin to explore the suspension of the breath in the asana.

It can of course also mean both and more besides.

Is this what Krishnamacharya was up to in Yoga Makaranda (1934) with his stress on the kumbhaka's within the asana?

Uttanasana
"Following the rules for tadasana (yogasana samasthiti krama) (Figure 4.1, 4.2), stand erect. Afterwards, while exhaling the breath out slowly, bend the upper part of the body (that is, the part above the hip) little by little and place the palms down by the legs. The knees must not be even slightly bent. Raise the head upwards and fix the gaze on the tip of the nose. While doing this, draw in clean air through the nostril, hold the breath firmly and maintain this position. This is called sahitha kumbhaka...." p51 Yoga Makaranda

One of the things Krishnamacharya does a lot in Yoga Makaranda is to explore the pose before the pose, the posture before the posture.

In uttanasana above, before folding all the way down into the full expression of the posture he will raise the head up, fix the gaze and at the end of the full inhalation , suspend the breath, kumbhaka.

The asana before the asana.

And this happens a lot, in purvottanasana too, before the fold, there's the full inhalation and kumbhaka.

Paschimottanasana, the janu sirsasana's in fact any forward bend there could be another asana before the asana, no wonder there were 84,000+.

We know this of course in Ashtanga, we transition into each asana through upward and downward dog, at each stage the breath is full. In the David Robson Primary with drums I explored recently there was no escaping it, each movement, each breath for the same regular cycle of the beating of the drum.

Ashtanga Vinyasa may have misplaced Krishnamacharya's kumbhakas but we shouldn't be in such a rush to get into the next posture. Savour that preceding inhalation, milk it for all it's worth, let it lead the body whether it's helping us to stretch up off the heads of our femurs and out of our pelvis in preparation for a forward bend or perhaps in a twist, lifting and twisting with the breath opening up ever further on the chariot of Vayu.

Hint: Those tricky postures that we struggle with, 9 times out of 10 the secret is in the preceding breath, the preparation.

In exploring Yoga Makaranda I've been paying more and more attention to those preceding inhalations and their kumbhakas, staying three five, ten breaths sometimes in that posture before the posture....

the asana before the asana.

And why not, the Sanskrit vinyasa count is intended to focus attention on the inhalations and exhalations, the matching stages of the vinyasa, The count is put on hold as we move into the full expression of the asana, that's why Pattabhi Jois, Sharath, your teacher etc. switch to English to count the number of breaths you stay in the posture before picking up the Sanskrit count as you exit the asana.

There is NO reason why you shouldn't put the count on hold at any stage of the vinyasa, because each of those stages is an asana in and of itself. That's perhaps why, in Yoga Makaranda Krishnamacharya breaks down each stage of the lead in and out of an asana and treats them as stand alone asana.

You might not feel happy about exploring kumbhaka in asana but there's no reason why you can't explore a couple of extra breaths at different stages of the vinyasa. Done absentmindedly, or while distracted or in hesitation it's just faffing about...but done mindfully it's the hidden asana.

REVIEW: Breath of God, Documentary on T. Krishnamacharya

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Waiting for the boiler guy as well as my new 'free upgrade' high speed modem from Virgin to arrive, so time for a long post on the Krishnamacharya movie Breath of God.


http://www.breathofthegods.com

One of my favourite things about the movie was the music, took some hunting but I found it on Youtube.

Song of India from Sadko by Rimsky-Korsakov, sung by a very young Jussi Bjoerling in 1936



Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji's magical Pastiche on the Hindu Merchant's Song from 'Sadko' by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. Played by Marc-André Hamelin.



The movie begins with the director and Ashtangi/ indiologist Alex Medin, who many of you may know if you run in Ashtanga /Mysore circles, looking for the village in which Krishnamacharya was born. The land was owned it seems by Krishnamacharya's family but the village moved on account of large termite mounds.

The movie then includes a clip from the old 1938 Black and White film footage of Krishnamacharya and family demonstrating asana, with some captions I haven't seen before that may have been added.


His daily regime, hmmmmmm.

Here's the full movie from Youtube.
In Breath of God, different clips from this were inter cut throughout the film



After the clip the movie moves to Mysore where Alex tells the Director, Jan Schmidt-Garre, that its Guru Purnima, the day to honour your guru and also the late Sri k Pattabhi Jois' birthday.

This leads into a section on Pattabhi Jois as the first known student in Mysore of Krishnamacharya. There are some scenes of him leading Primary inside the Shala and talking about Krishnamacharya and how tough he was as a teacher. Alex brings him the old Mysore photo below and he identifies himself as the boy in kapoatasana that krishnamacharya is standing upon. He also points out Krishnamacharya's first son at the frount in Supta Trivikramasana and his best friend, Mahadeva Bhatt, supposedly one of the best practitioners at the shala, who we find out ran away from the shala, there's still a hint of sadness When Pattabhi Jois relates this..


Pattabhi Jois, sitting on his big chair in the shala then takes the director through Suryanamaskara A and B (just the three of them in big shala) and then tries to make him get into lotus. I keep expecting Jan's knee to pop out here, thankfully he gives up and says he can't do it...."practice practice practice and it is coming", says Jois.


---------------------

Next we move to Pune and some wonderful scenes with Iyengar who pretty much steals the movie. We see him first in his shala practicing along with everybody else, hanging on some ropes in a backbend, a phenomenal man.

Again, more stories about how terrifying Krishnamacharya was but also how important he was for changing the perception of Yoga in India.

Iyengar mentions,

"When I came to Pune in 1937, I was seventeen and a half years old at that time, though I was with my  Guru for two years he must have taught me in all only about fifteen or twenty days not beyond"

Some nice Iyengar clips here from the 1938 movie above, Iyengar practicing Ashtanga


He also says that he was relieved to leave Mysore for Pune, 'a caged tiger escaping his cage'. He says that it was worse for him because he was family ( he mentions too that his brother ran away from the shala, I hadn't heard of Iyengar's brother before).

Back to Mysore and a scene of the Director and Alex in a busy restaurant. Alex sketches out Krishnamacharya's main students and family. This turns out to be the framework for the movie as Jan visits  many of the family members and students to gain a better understanding of Krishnamacharya's teaching.

Alex " If you seek out all these people who are still alive and try to get information from them I think you will get much more of value, true source of information about the life and teaching of Krishnamacharya".

Thank you for that Alex, nice plan.

AG Mohan doesn't appear in the main movie but has a few scenes in the extras DVD. Desikachar is sick and Ramaswami probably in the US.


KM= Krishnamacharya
PJ= pattabhi Jois (first student 1927)
BKS = BKS Iyengar (student from 1934)
ID = Indra Devi = (1947)

Krishnamacharya's six children  ( all learned Yoga from their father)
p = Pundarikavalli
A = Alamelu
S = Srinivasa Tatchar
D = Desikachar
S = Sribhashyam
S = Shubha

R= Ramaswami
AG = AG Mohan

The director asks if there is one true Yoga pointing out that Pattabhi Jois had said that yoga hasn't changed for 5000 years but that Iyengar's teaching is very different from Pattabhi Jois.

-----------

The next section of the movie is introduced by telling us that the yoga school was opened in Mysore in 1933/34 and that the Mahārāja took lessons there every morning with family, cousins etc.

He goes to the original site with Alex and some other of Pattabhi Jois older Indian students, Pattabhi Jois arrives later, looking quite frail, he was to pass away shortly afterwards.

This is an excellent scene. The school/shala ( now a Catholic elementary school) seems to have been outside. I'd always assumed that in the picture of the Mysore students (above), they had come outside just for the picture but it seems this is actually a picture of where practice took place.

The current director of the Sanskrit college explains that going by the official records the school was opened for "the Arasu boys, the caste, community, belonging to the royal family.

That's the Ashtanga vinyasa developed for young boys bit, it's there in black and white, right in the records....however we also hear elsewhere from Pattabhi Jois that he first saw Krishnamacharya giving a demonstration in 1927, where he was jumping from asana to asana. Jois was so impressed he secretly became Krishnamacharya's student for two years (that's not in the movie however).

Some interesting scenes in the Sanskrit college with the director looking at some of the records concerning the school. It seems there was the School inside the palace for the more immediate family members in the mornings and then the school outside for the wider members of the caste in the evening. Pattabhi Jois, Iyengar etc. practiced in the evening outside.

Now we have the first 'reconstruction scenes', little clips of demonstrations given by Krishnamachary'a students but actually actors. OK, kinda nice, but irritating too as it's not made clear that these are reconstructions, M. was a little confused. The captions too are the same as in the original movie suggesting all the captions in both movies were added by the director.


The next section of the movie introduces Krishnamacharya's youngest son TK Shribhashym. Sitting together in the Mysore palace. Shribhashym tells Jan that Krishnamacharya modified the asana practice for the more vigorous, sportsman Maharaja and close members of his family, this was taught inside the palace itself in the mornings. He suggests here that the style of practice was modified for the martial concerns of the Maharaja (given the uncertain times), a vigorous Vinyasa Krama to make the family fitter and faster) which we now know as Ashtanga vinyasa.

hmmmm.


TK Shribhashym: "You have a series of asanas and then you have an asana where you have to stay, you come back to the original position. Normally in the Vinyasa Krama that my Father was teaching, you start in a standing position, I mean normally because there are many methods. So from standing you reach the asana, you stay in that asana, and then you come back to the standing position in a reverse order. That's why we call it Vinyasa Krama".


I loved the next bit, TK Shribhashym flicking through the original Yoga Makaranda, would be wonderful to get my hands on an original edition of this, of Yogasanagalu too (sigh)


Jan : "What do you think, what's the origin of the Asanas"

TK Shribhashym: It's not so obscure you know...there were very few yoga teachers in those days who could teach so many asansas but when you read Mahabharata, Ramayana, any other book you find yogis practicing and doing penance in these asana and my father, maybe, might have just indexed them in his mind and when he taught, he would teach them. because when my father taught us asanas he would always teach us the origin, from which book it came".

Nice story from Ramnayana here about shirsasana

Jan meets the oldest daughter Alamelu and the short interview is inter cut with the scene of her demonstrating in the old B and W 1938 movie with her sister. The screen shot of the movie above is of the two of them.

Brief mention of Krishnamcharya as a great scholar of the different Indian philosophies as well as going to the Himalayas to study yoga with Rama Mohan Brahmacharya, where he supposedly learnt three thousand asanas. Curiously this isn't dwelled upon in the movie.

We get a look at Krishnamacharya's old house where Krishnamacharya had planted seven coconuts trees to represent the seven planets, this is in Mysore where he taught his children.


More from the interviews with Krishnamacharya's daughters, such strong, smart wonderful woman in the Krishnamacharya household.
---------------------

Now we come to perhaps my favourite scenes from the movie, about an hour in. These take place in the Sanskrit college in Mysore that Krishnamacharya taught at. 

'To understand where yoga comes from you have to see where my father taught' TK Shribhashym

There's a scene where TK Shribhashym is  doing acroyoga with, I'm guessing, one of his own sons, just as Krishnamacharya had done with his sons in the 1938 movie. That's followed by a group of boys practicing Ardha baddha paschimottanasana while chanting a mantra.

Krishnamacharya would supposedly have the boys stay in a posture while chanting a mantra, perhaps 108 names of God.....Long stays!


This is followed by a quite powerful scene where three men are practising in the Sanskrit college, led by TK Shribhashym. They are practicing adhomukhapadmasana, laying on their frount in padmasana, plus some other postures, paschimottanasana for example, their breathing long and slow. On the breath retention, the kumbhaka, I assume they are mentally chanting a mantra. The scene ends with them practicing  pratyahara.

M. was quite struck by this scene, mentioned there was a certain, almost ...ordinary...everydayness  about it.  As if this is a daily ritual, no big fuss and bother the way we make about our practice, an extension of their puja almost and just regular clothes too, no Lululemon or Nike here. And yet it's powerful, the breathing, the concentration, the focus, the way all this is incorporated into their daily lives.


I think she was wrong about the clothes ( although correct with regards to the boys) but right in regards to the puja aspect. These men are freshly bathed and robed, there is a devotional aspect to their practice.

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The next section of the movie talks about how inclusive Krishnamacharya was in his teaching and particularly towards women.

"What men learn, woman have tried to learn also". TK Shribhashym

We have another highlight here, Krishnamacharya's youngest daughter, the really quite wonderful Shubha, sharing the practice her father had taught her and that she still practices every morning. The full practice is included on the DVD extras again shot in the Sanskrit college.


"Unless you have a coordination of breathing and movement your not doing any yoga...coordination of breathing and movement...an maximum level of coordination" Shuba

Another of those curious reconstructions, but this one with a quite remarkable Buddhasana where the young man almost puts his leg behind his head without hands.



------------------------

Then it's back to Pune and more wonderful scenes with Iyengar. A little uncomfortable viewing here though as Iyengar relates how his Guru never gave him any guidance but just said do this asana, now this. He relates the story, that he's written about before, where he is forced to do Hanumanasana for the first time in a demonstration and tears a hamstring (which took two years to heal). He says that the reason he was told to do it rather than the other senior students present (he mentions Pattabhi Jois) was that he was family and Krishnamacharya could speak more firmly towards him.

This is part of the reason that Iyengar was so dedicated to uncovering the secrets of asana practice and discovering how best to practice them and more importantly how to teach them.

Jan: "So you taught yourself"?
Iyengar: " I was the student myself, I was the guru myself......the dialogue was between me only".

Jan (director) asks if he had a mirror, Iyengar laughs and says he didn't have enough to eat everyday let along enough to buy for a mirror.

"My friend, when I could not get even one meal for even two days or three days where is the mirror...tell me".

Instead he would experiment on himself, why this leg felt better than this one, what if I try it like this or like this...

'Instinctive intelligence.... let me think, let me work..."

I think I mentioned here once before that I thought Iyengar was the ultimate home yogi.

A wonderful scene.

Followed by more of Iyengar teaching, the subject and object of rotation....of backbends..

As I said, Inyengar steals the show somewhat.

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The movie switches back to Mysore. Pattabhi Jois has passed away and there a few moments with Sharath sitting on the stage next to guruji's chair, saying that his Grandfather's last wish was to die at home in his room and not in a hospital and that his wish came true, there's a pause at the end that's really quite moving.

A scene of Alex doing some of 3rd series inter cut with Patabhi Jois talking about citta vritti nirodaha, about controlling the mind as the goal of Yoga.

----------------------

Back again to Pune where Iyengar teaches Jan how to do shirsasana, headstand, something he's never been able to do before.

Iyengar's secret is to keep the forearm just behind the wrist in contact with the floor/mat, not to raise it at all.

Iyengar high-five's Jan - Another great Iyengar scene, lol.

Followed by a little criticism of Vinyasa Krama which here he's using I think to refer to Ashtanga.

His yoga he says reaches all the skin, every pore, every muscle and bone

"It's wholeistic I said wholistic W-H-O-L-E istc...because it is WHOLEistic it is Holistic"

"Where as other things, for example Vinyasa krama (here he means Ashtanga), there is no holisticity in it...., it's a part, you move certain parts in certain...positions...so it is not holistic. So by staying in the asana you develop that...that wholeness....of attending from the consciousness to the skin and from the skin to the consciousness, receiving and acting and that's why it's a holistic practice that makes one to be holy at that time"


he was quite amused by this explanation Whole-Holistic-Holy : )
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A beautiful sunset scene, set to the Pastiche by Hamelin (above), in Mysore, Krishnamacharya supposedly said that you should try and observe the sun set every night.

Stunning shot of the Mysore palace at night.

The director relates how the Yoga Shala was closed after India's independence and the struggles of Krishnamacharya's family and how Krishnamacharya reluctantly left to move to Chennai.

A nice walk around one of Krishnamacharya's first houses in Chennai, tiny place with a small room where only perhaps two students could practice at a time. 


I felt watching this that I didn't have an excuse not to teach in my own home shala.

Jan talks about how Krishnamacharya still sought to promote yoga when in Chennai, lecturing while his sons stayed in posture. He mentioned how Krishnamacharya oldest son now lives in seclusion in a temple.

Another nice scene with a former student of Krishnamacharya who had photo's taken during one of his lessons. Here we see Krishnamacharya employing adjustments something I hadn't thought he tended to  engage in.



Jan and Shribhashyam visit a temple that Krishnamacharya used to visit. Pointing at a small picture Shribhashyam explains that the origin of asana.


Shibrhashyam: "I would say it's the first Yoga asana in our mythology...in the vedic times or even in mythological times, when we said asana, which is the position of God, this is the first one that we refer to. that's why he's called yoga narashima. That is, Narashima who is in meditation"

Jan " The sitting God, the Breathing God, it was breathing we participate in when we do yoga, is that the source"?
-----------------------

A beautiful scene from a home movie of Krishnamacharya in his 80's sitting on a swing reading at their final house

It was at this time in Chennai that Krishnamacharya was practicing what he referred to as 'The life saving session' and that he supposedly practiced up until his death.

The movie ends with Shribhsyam leading Jan through the Life saving sessions, again while in the Sanskrit college. The full sequence is on the DVD extras.

See this post for the life saving practice and at the end of this post

The last word from TK Shribhsyam

"Yoga is coming from a country in which God is very important, ever present in our life. So in one way it's easy for us to think of god, to keep him in our mind in whatever we do. But in the west it's not so. And as my father did not want to impose his personal religious beliefs to you he had to find a way in which he, let us say, develop in you the thirst for God or creator...

The more you practice this session, the more you come to shirsasana and sarvangasana, bhujangasana, you reduce your mental activities and since you've already reduced your sense perceptions from the external world your emotional activities also come down and you end up with maha mudra and paschimottanasana, which look like yoga postures but where the concentration is so deep that you are...already, knowing what the peace of mind is. And it finishes, naturally, with concentration on the spiritual heart. That is where, whatever our religion is we consider our soul resides. So, with a peaceful mind and the mind directed at the heart naturally you have a glimpse of what your own spiritual life is, even if it is for a few seconds. By practice you learn to live (experience this?) for a long time
TK Sribhashyam


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And here's the movies own trailer



I believe the English version DVD comes out in the summer.

NOTES

Alex Medin mentions Srivatsa Ramaswami as another student of note of Krishnamacharya.
See this article from Namarupa
My studies with Sri Krishnamacharya by Srivatsa Ramaswami
http://www.namarupa.org/magazine/nr06/downloads/05_NR6-Srivatsa.pdf

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Chiara's translation of the Life Saving practice

"Life saving yoga session"

Starting from the 50s more and more visitors came from the West to Krishnamacharya in Madras, to learm Yoga from him, the 'teacher of teachers'. Krishnamacharya developed for them a specific sequence that he named 'Life saving yoga session'. Yoga to extend life, the name did not fail to work. Krishnamacharya's idea was to use this sequence to lead Westerners to an unconfessional and undogmatic experience of the Divine, since their pluralistic culture would not permit an automatic access to religious matters.
The sequence, which was not taught anymore after Krishnamacharya's death and which was taught by his son TK shribayam to director Jan Schmidt-Garre after years of acquaintance during the filming of 'Der atmende Gott', is here disclosed in its original form.
Characteristic of the later Krishnamacharya and of the 'Life saving Yoga session' is the connection of postures, breathing and concentration in the sense of the orientation of the gaze and awareness of a focal point. Only when these elements form an organic connection can Yoga happen, according to Krishnamacharya

1. sit for 30-60 seconds with crossed legs in Padmasana. Concentration on Nasagra (point of the nose)

2. 16-24 Kapalabhati breaths (breath of fire, energeti inhale and exhale)

3. 12 breaths of ujjayi anuloma. Inhale: ujjayi, with slightly constricted throat, to drwa air into the lungs. Exhale: the hand forms a claw with thumb, ring- and little-fingers with which one nostril is alternately kept closed. Exhale very slowly through the open nostril, without ujjayi, beginning with the left

4. 3 breaths in matsyasana. Legs are closed in the lotus position

5. 3 breaths in bhujangasana. Start with open eyes and during the progression of movement, which start with the forehead, close the eyes. Concentration on Bhrumhadya (between the eyebrows)

6. 12 breaths in sarvangasana. The chin is closed in front of the straightened body. Hands close to the shoulderblades, concentration on Kanta (throat)

7. 12 breaths in sirsasana. Concentration on Nasagra (tip of the nose)

8. 3 breaths in halasana. Arms on the floor, hands clasped, palms towards the outside

9. 3 breaths in bhujangasana. Again start with open eyes and close them during the movement. Cncentration on Bhrumadhya (between the eyebrows)

10. 12 breaths in Maha-mudra (one-sided forward bend) six times on the left, then six times on the right. With the first inhale bring the arms over the head, with hands clasped, palms up. With the exhale get into the posture. Concentration on navel

11. 12 breaths in paschimottanasana, preparation and in maha mudra. The hands clasp the big toes, the back stays straight, neck and back form a lune. Concentration on the navel.

12. 30-60 Bastri breaths (rapid alternate breathing) in padmasana. The right hand builds a clasp as for anuloma ujjayi. Inhale and exhale through the left nostril, then change the grip and rapidly inhale and exhale through the right nostril. No ujjayi. end with an exhale from the left nostril and without pause move ot a long inhale in nadi shodan. Concentration on Nasagra

13. 12 breaths in nadi shodan (alternate breathing). Inhale very slowly from the half-closed left nostril, exchange grip ad after a short pause exhale very slowly through the half-closed right nostril. After a short pause inhale very slowly through the half-closed right nostril, change grip and after a short pause exhale through the half-clodes left nostril. No ujjayi. The left hand counts the breaths, with the thumb gliding over the twelve parts of the four fingers, from the third falanx of the little fingers in the direction towards outside to the point of the index finger. Concentration on Hrudaya (heart)

14. Prayer. Concentration on Hrudaya (heart)

In the coming book fom Shribashyam "How Yoga really was" this and similar sequences are explained in detail

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GUEST POST: Yoga Gypsy - How I Help Perpetuate The Modern Yoga Narrative

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Not exactly a guest post but reading this frank and honest post from La Gitane, a practicing yoga Teacher herself, over at YOGA GYPSY http://yogagypsy.blogspot.co.uk, gave me pause and has left me wondering all week to what extent I too perpetuate(ed) an asana fixation and how one goes about teaching/encouraging an integrated AND BALANCED practice in the present climate.

After experiencing a transformation of sorts, physically at least as well as an opening to ideas I wouldn't perhaps have considered, I began to question the asana focus of my own practice. I would practice less asana so I could practice more slowly and with longer fuller breaths leaving time for pranayama and mediation but I would often feel at the end that, I kinda hadn't really had a proper practice.

It's taken a long while to get over that and accept that perhaps less is more (and I expect a relapse any day). It's not just Ashtanga of course, Iyengar too is fixated on asana, Bikram, Power yoga, Vinyasa flow, Gym Yoga in general, no doubt. And Ramaswami's Vinyasa Krama too, more balanced perhaps with it's stress on an integrated practice, on including pranayama and meditation as well as pratyahara, chanting and the study of the texts of yoga Philosophy, but with so many sequences and subroutines, a whole book devoted (The Complete Book of Vinyasa Yoga ) to them, it's been hard to cut back and settle on just a handful of postures and only one or two subroutines at most.

Ramaswami's first book, Yoga for the Three Stages of Life has a much better balance in this sense and is one of the best book on Yoga I've read (series of posts to come on each chapter). Ramaswami writes that in a daily, one hour class/lesson/session with his teacher of over thirty years, Krishnamacharya, they would perhaps spend half an hour on asana.

See also this newsletter from Ramaswami
Asana and Vinyasa : Ramaswami's June 2012 Newsletter

and this one which includes my TT course essay 'Asana madness'

August 2010 Newsletter from Srivatsa Ramaswami—2010 VK-TT Program Feedback

This is not intended as a criticism of any one style but is more concerned with the raising of a questions concerning our fixation on postural yoga.

Anyway, I asked La Gitane if it was OK to repost from her blog here.

Click on the title below to go to the actual post and read comments.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2013

How I Help Perpetuate The Modern Yoga Narrative


Someone marvellous shared this funny little graphic on Facebook, and it made me laugh out loud. Which is it's own form of yoga, by the way.  It also made me think, on a deeper level, about that question of why we go to yoga, and how what was once an exclusive and sacred (not necessarily good things) discipline of spiritual seeking has become boiled down in our minds to one word: "flexible".  Whence this post....


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Now that yoga is fantastically popularised and pretty much mainstream, the average modern yoga student probably isn't familiar with the roots of yoga, beyond knowing that it originated in India a long time ago (like, when movies where still in black and white? ;) ). Many probably remember from their parents' generation of yoga that it had some kind of a spiritual component, but our generation doesn't like having "foreign" spiritual ideas thrown at us when we go to a public space. We prefer billboards, commercials and glossy magazines telling us what the world is all about, thanks, telling us what to value, and what we are worth. We fervently defend our right to not to learn about alternative philosophies unless we deliberately choose to (it's such a chore), as opposed to considering it our right (duty) to deeply examine the many facets of an issue before making a decision. No, we prefer to make decisions first, generally in the time it takes to "like" something on facebook, and our world rewards us for having the strength of character to simplify life into clear-cut dichotomies upon which we can make snap decisions and express strong opinions. (Is it any wonder politics is f$^@#*ed??)

In any case, I won't be the first or the last writer to comment on the disconnect between the roots of yoga as an integrated practice (mind - body - breath) and the narrative of modern postural yoga. Nor will I be the first or last to conclude that hey, to each their own, and if more people are doing yoga, then great, and there's nothing wrong with just doing asana to stay healthy (or bend yourself into a pretzel, or just feel good) and that being the end of it.

And to be honest with myself, and you, as a yoga teacher I play my own part in perpetuating the dominant narratives about yoga. In my classes, I teach 95% asana and only 5% pranayama. Sometimes I teach "fancy" postures. My cues and explanations focus mainly on the physical body, peppered with frequent reminders to breathe, and smile, and "be present". Most of my students, even my long-term ones, don't know about the koshas, or thedoshas, or prakriti and purusha, or moksha, or any of the other fundamental building blocks that shape the yogic worldview.

Yet not only do I know a bit about these concepts, but I relate to them, enjoy thinking and talking about them, and believe they offer a valuable perspective, one that is much needed in the modern world. So why do I help perpetuate the modern yoga narrative in all its bland, asana-focused-ness?

The truth is, I'm lazy. There is only so much time in a yoga class, and I have a cleverly designed sequence to get through, and still leave time for a long savasana.

The truth is, I'm concerned what my students will think. I believe they come to yoga expecting a work-out, and generally a tough one, at that, and I'm afraid that if I don't give it to them, they won't come back, they won't like me.

The truth is, my students paid for an asana class, not a philosophy class, and that's what I feel like I need to give them.

The truth is, I had to sign a contract agreeing not to preach my own personal philosophiesduring yoga class. Really. I did.  Edited to add: this is fair enough! It would be wrong to use my privileged position as a yoga teacher to tell others what to think or believe. But, where is the line between discussing yoga philosophy and "preaching a personal belief"? Some people are offended at even the use of sanskrit in a yoga class - in any case, it makes me nervous.

The truth is, my own practice is pretty much asana dominated, my meditation and pranayama having somehow slipped out and not quite been put back in.

And so I go, and I teach, and I practice, and I perpetuate the modern yoga narrative, all the whileknowing that it doesn't satisfy me.

*It doesn't satisfy me.*

But I smile and stand in front of a class, and perpetuate the narrative, because that is what's expected (obligated?) of me and because that's what I know how to do.

Yet I believe that there is a space in a yoga studio for honest conversation. A space for education that goes beyond the physical. For the exchange of points of view, the discussion of complex concepts that can't be resolved in the time-it-takes-to-click-like-on-facebook.

A space where people are willing, have the courage, are thirsty to go beyond the physical and examine, re-examine, their relationships with themselves and the world. 

I believe in that space - and that I can play a part in creating it. That I must help to create it, each time I step onto the mat.

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A big thank You to La Gitane for allowing me to repost this.

See also my collegue in exploring Krishnamacharya's Yoga Makaranda practice dtw on his blog Krishnamacharya Yoga Journal

This blog post in particular


Prasādana ('to become clear') - March 2013 Newsletter from Srivatsa Rāmaswāmi--

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For the month of April I will be teaching a 45 hour program at Ricky Tran's Krama Yoga near Dallas Texas. Here is the link

My other programs for the year are detailed on my website

PRASADANA
Prasāda is a word in normal usage even now in India, in almost all the Indian languages. It indicates something purified/sanctified. It indicates something offered to the Lord and then distributed among the devotees in temples. My Guru would say that food prepared as per ācāra (tradition) should be then offered to the Lord. Thus consecrated, the food becomes sātwic and then one should partake of the Lord's prasāda.

Many Indians have the name Prasad or Prasāda both as first name and also family name. Names like Sivaprasād, Muraliprasād, Deviprasād are quite common. It indicates that they are born with the grace of the personal deity like Siva or Vishnu. God's grace is prasāda

The generic meaning of the word is 'to become clear'. This term is especially relevant to the mind or citta. Prasāda of the citta would mean the clearing of the muddle of the mind. Those specific yogic activities that were prevalent in olden times were termed 'cittaprasādana' or those that enable the muddied (vikshipta) mind to become clear. Patanjali mentions a few of these well accepted yogic procedures of his time as "cittaprasādana” and "sthiti nibandana" or those that help to clear the mind and keep it stable, basic requirements for yoga sādhana..
A superior yogi (uttama adhikāri) may be alone most of the time, in deep samadhi, blissfully oblivious to the maddening world around her/him. However he is not a misanthrope. He would be happy if others could be happy like her/him. Like Sage Viswāmitra he would like to be the friend of the Universe, helping others with the yoga that helped him. One method adapted by yogis is to develop an attitude of "maitriyādi", friendship, and other attitudes towards others. This particular approach recognizes four attitudes of the yogi and classifies other people into four groups. The four attitudes are friendship (maitri), compassion (karuna), mudita (sense of appreciation) and upekshā (avoidance). The word upeksha is iiksha or seeing and upa meaning aside. So upekshā would be ”looking away".

A Yogi may not be gregarious but usually is friendly. But then he would choose his friends. A businessman is likely to prosper if he has friends from the Chamber of Commerce, but it is not the best Sangha for a serious yogi. A yogi's friends should promote contentment which are the vibrations that emanate from a sukhi or someone whose mental environment is agreeable. A contented mind produces a favorable 'state of mind' and an unagitated mind is home for contentment (santosha). A yogi would do well to seek the friendship of such people, such a satsangha would be the most desirable for him. Then, secondly, a Yogi is also compassionate. Just as a compassionate wealthy person would be happy to give away charity, a yogi would like to give what he has, that is yogic knowledge and experience. As Patanjali indicates in II-15, a viveki, like the consummate yogi, is able to see a lot of unhappiness among all the beings. He would endeavor to remove the unhappiness among human beings by imparting the appropriate yogic knowledge and practices to the second group of people called dukkhis or sufferers. He is thus compassionate (karuna).
He is not morose, he quietly rejoices (udita) on seeing good people doing good karmas,punya karmas. There is a sense of appreciation of good people and their good karmas. Not all good people are appreciated by the general populace, many are even jealous of them. But the Yogi has the right attitude towards good people and good deeds, which after all helps the Yogi maintain a good internal environment.

The last group of people are those who indulge in acts that are forbidden, going against basic tenets of good karma (dharma). Theirs is apunya karma. A yogi is advised to maintain an attitude of indifference towards such people and acts. Dharmic people would like to correct them or punish them but the yogi maintains a stoic silence when confronted by such people. If any time they change their attitude and approach him and seek his guidance to overcome their duhkha, he would certainly help them. These four lofty attitudes or tenets of the yogi have to be properly matched with the right group of people which would help the yogi's mind remain very clear, or prasāda. These four properly paired attitudes are called prasādanas. These find reference I understand in some Buddhist literature also and they are called Brahmavihara. In fact reference to these are found even in the puranas. One of the oft chanted prayers is the Lalitā Sahasranāma from the Mārkandeya purāna. Mantra number 570 of the 1008 mantras is ”maitriyadi vāsanā labhyā" which means the One who could be reached by the observance of the traits of maitri and others (karuna, mudita and upeksha). This indicates that even Bhakti yogis would do well to keep their citta in the pristine condition of prasāda with these. It could also be interpreted as 'the One by whose grace the yogi obtains these lofty traits'.

There is another well established, very old system that is credited with citta prasādana or cleansing the mind. Yoga is fundamentally about mind control: citta prasadnāa, citta nibandhana, citta nirodha or whatever, it is about the mind. A normal person is usually under the control of the mind, if it says, "go to Timbaktu" he goes there, the mind controls the person. But a Yogi has his mind under complete control. And that is the main difference between a yogi and a non yogi. In India during the last century there lived a great saint of the Sankara tradition, the Paramacharya of Kanchi. He lived for a hundred years and attained Mahāsamādhi in the 1990s. He was adored, respected and loved by thousands of devotees. He preached, discoursed, discussed several aspects of vedas and vedic life all his lifetime. He brought the vedic concepts,made more complicated by the vedic scholars, down to ordinary people to understand and follow. Some of his discourses and discussions were compiled into a few volumes titled "deivattin Kural" in Tamil or the 'voice of the divine'. An English translation of part of his work is available on line:

There is an episode relating to him. I think once someone asked him about vairāgya and how can an ordinary person understand that. He then requested a sweet dish very popular in South India called wheat Halwa, made of wheat flour, sugar, cow's ghee, saffron, cashews, etc to be prepared and brought to him. It looks like a jelly and is a thousand times tastier. It was brought to him on a plate and kept in front of him. He looked at for ten minutes and then asked the Mutt staff to take it away without touching it. You can resist anything but not Halwa. It was a simple way of showing mind control which ordinary people could understand.

The maitri and other attitudes discussed earlier are said to make the mind crystal clear and bring it under control. The other method is well known Prānāyāma, some specific aspects of it, the quintessence of Hathayoga. Two aspects of prānāyāma, the long complete exhalation and the breath holding after exhalation are considered by Patanjali to be conducive for citta prasādana. After a good inhalation and a short hold, the yogi exhales very slowly. As the exhalation starts the Yogi preferably starts the mulabandha, extends it gradually to uddiyana bandha and then as the exhalation is complete the two bandhas (and the Jalandhara of course) would be in place. One stays in Bāhya kumbhaka for a while before going for the next inhalation. Here the emphasis is on pracchardhana or complete exhalation and vidhārana which may be translated as breath holding after exhalation. Dhāranā would be to hold the breath a la Kumbhaka and the prefix 'vi' would be in this context "without" meaning holding breath 'without'. There is a view that the vedic pranayama and hatayoga pranayama emphasize different aspects of prānāyāma. Normally when one does prānāyāma in vedic rituals and in Sandhyā it is usually inhalation, holding the breath while the prānāyāma mantra is silently recited and then exhalation with very little bāhya kumbhaka, whereas here Patanjali, following the more important hatayoga practice, emphasizes exhalation and bahya kumbhaka. These two procedures will help the Yogi to keep the mind clear like a crystal or cittaprasādana.

My Guru would point out that the Yogasutras are structured to deal with the needed approach to different levels of yogabhyasis,-- what is appropriate to highest group may not be suitable for the beginning level yogi. According to him the first chapter, the Samādhi pāda, addresses the superior yogi, the born yogi, who need not be taught how to get into Samādhi. That capability is taken for granted in the first chapter. The uttama adhikari has already acquired that capability perhaps by the yogic karmas in the previous human incarnations. Such a person can get into Samādhi at the drop of a hat. So the first chapter deals with different types of Samadhi, the sampragnyata, asampragnyata, savitarka and nirvitarka, savichara and nirvichara, sabija and nirbija culminating in Nirodha samādhi. Through samādhi he understands all the prakritic principles, transcends them all to arrive at and directly experience his true nature, pure unwavering consciousness, the purusha. This leads to a state called Kaivalya following a complete transformation of his citta called nirodha parinaāma. This abhyāsa or practice using his Samādhi capabilities and the consequent vairāgya or dispassion towards all the prakritic manifestations is the means. However, during the process, this yogic process, the Yogi, even the highest one, would have to maintain a clear mind or cittaprasāda.

And towards that end Patanjali suggests these two means described above. This is the safety net. The second chapter starts with Kriya Yoga which will help reduce the klesas and prepare one to acquire samādhi skills whereas the more involved ashtānga yoga helps the yogi to attain the samādhi skill needed to achieve kailvalya and put the ashtānga yogi on par with the samādhi yogi of the first chapter. Patanjali also refers to 5 other yoga practices to keep the mind under complete control in the first chapter like "yetabhimata dhyanad va", but we may take it up some other time. It is clear that one has to keep the citta on a leash with the appropriate practices until the citta completely transforms to a nirodha citta. So even the born yogi has his work cut out for him. These two yogic practices described may be attempted by all even as it is mentioned in the first chapter.
Sincerely
Srivatsa Ramaswami

My website

My Newsletters can be accessed

My videosam at Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles. For details here is the link
        
Coming July I will be teaching a 200 hour Vinyasakrama Teacher Training Program a Loyola Marymount Universiy, Los Angeles. Here is my picture taken at the University during the program in 2012

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