Question to T Krishnamacharya -
Q: How long should a person stay in an āsana every day?
A: A person must stay in any one āsana for at least fifteen minutes.
From the book ‘Śrī Krishnamacharya – The Pūrnācārya’, published by the KYM in 1997
Category Archives: cYs Journal
How long should a person stay in an āsana……
Also posted in Āsana, Haṭha, News Views & Posts, Pauls Daily Quotes Page, Paul’s Yoga Related Stuff, viniyoga of Yoga
Notes from my personal conversations with TKV Desikachar
Chatting with my teacher during a lesson in the early 1990′s I commented on an observation formed from discussions with my students from a study group I had brought to Madras (Chennai) for a two week seminar during my personal study stay that year (continued).
Continue ReadingAlso posted in Āsana, Haṭha, News Views & Posts, Pauls Musings on Yoga Today, Paul’s Yoga Related Stuff, viniyoga of Yoga
T Krishnamacharya, a Yogi par-excellence……
Quote by TKV Desikachar in Omega Institute, New York in May 2002
“T Krishnamacharya, a Yogi par-excellence, immersed in the ocean of ancient Indian wisdom, understood the wealth of teachings that Yoga had to offer and showed how each practitioner can choose the right means for his or her own development.”
- From a Seminar at Omega around the theme “The Ocean of Yoga – From the Parts to the Whole.”
Also posted in News Views & Posts, Pauls Daily Quotes Page, Paul’s Yoga Related Stuff, viniyoga of Yoga
Gītārtha Saṃgraha of Śrī Yāmunācārya
Śrī Yāmuna was the grandson of the 9th century sage Śrī Nāthamuni and a forebear of T Krishnamacharya. His 32 verse commentary on the Bhagavad Gītā is called the Gītārtha Saṃgraha. It is seen as one of the most elegant and succinct available.
This workbook is offered as an freely available open source study guide for direct (link for further information on Bhagavad Gītā Study Courses) or long distance learning (with future posts offering a verse by verse translation) from my word by word studies over two years in my lessons with TKV Desikachar, with further notes from Desikachar’s study with his teacher T Krishnamacharya.
Personal Commentary to Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā C4 v79
rājayogamajānantaḥ kevalaṃ haṭhakarmiṇaḥ I
etānabhyāsino manye prayāsaphalavarjitān II
“Those who do not know Rāja Yoga and practise only Haṭha Yoga I
Will, in my (Svātmārāma’s) opinion, be fruitless with their efforts II”
Also posted in Haṭha, News Views & Posts, Pauls Daily Quotes Page, Paul’s Yoga Related Stuff
Mahānārāyaṇa Upaniṣad – Ṛtaṃ Tapas as Mantra Practice with translation
Mantra on tapāṣtāṅga or the eight limbs of tapas.
- Tapas is an activity of mind, body or speech which demands a keen concentration of thought or requiring unusual and continuous physical effort.
View or download this Mantra complete with Chant notations as a PDF
View or download other Mantra from this Upaniṣad complete with Chant notations as PDF files
Also posted in Paul’s Yoga Related Stuff, Veda & Yoga Chanting
Bhagavad Gītā Chapter One – Verse 1 sets the story on the field of Dharma…..
Bhagavad Gītā Chapter One – Viṣāda Yoga or the Yoga of Depression
Verse 1 sets the story on the field of Dharma. Dharma is how we act in relation to the present moment and is a product of our Karma. Karma is a force coming from past memories. Thus Arjuna’s Dharma becomes confused because of his Karma.
Also posted in News Views & Posts, Pauls Daily Quotes Page, Yoga & the Bhagavad Gītā
Or linking to what we need to understand to help refine the outcome of our actions.
Bhagavad Gītā Chapter Four – Jñāna Yoga or The Yoga of Wisdom
“Or linking to what we need to understand to help refine the outcome of our actions.”
Karma (Action) is the means to know oneself.
Bhagavad Gītā Chapter Four – Jñāna Yoga or The Yoga of Wisdom – verse 17
“Karma (Action) is the means to know oneself.”
Parigraha – What we get used to expecting around situations.
Bhagavad Gītā Chapter Four – Jñāna Yoga or The Yoga of Wisdom – verse 21
“Parigraha – What we get used to expecting around situations.”
Matsaraḥ or Jealousy – To find fault in others (that does not exist).
Bhagavad Gītā Chapter 4 – Jñāna Yoga The Yoga of Wisdom – verse 22
“Matsaraḥ or Jealousy – To find fault in others (that does not exist).”
Saṃśaya (Doubt) is the Fire that consumes Wisdom.
Bhagavad Gītā Chapter 4 – Jñāna Yoga or The Yoga of Wisdom – verse 40
“Saṃśaya (Doubt) is the Fire that consumes Wisdom.” – Commentary from T Krishnamacharya
What good is the sword of wisdom (jñāna asinā)……
Bhagavad Gītā Chapter 4 – Jñāna Yoga The Yoga of Wisdom – verse 42
“What good is the sword of wisdom (jñāna asinā) to cut away the chains of illusion (avidyā) if the holder is too weak to bear it.” – Quote from T Krishnamacharya
Paul’s Daily Yoga Quotes Page
Personal Commentary to Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā Chapter 3 verse 13
mahākleśādayo doṣaḥ kṣīyante maraṇādayaḥ I
mahāmudrāṃ ca tenaiva vadanti vibudhottamāḥ II
“It dissolves defects like mahākleśa (avidyā) ……… I
For this reason the wise call it the great (mahā) mudrā II”
Also posted in Āsana, Haṭha, News Views & Posts, Pauls Daily Quotes Page, Paul’s Yoga Related Stuff, viniyoga of Yoga
Paul’s Daily Yoga Quotes Page
Personal Commentary to Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā Chapter 2 verse 2
Cale Vāte Calaṃ Cittam – “As is the breath so is the mind.”
Also posted in Haṭha, News Views & Posts, Pauls Daily Quotes Page, Paul’s Yoga Related Stuff, Prāṇāyāma, viniyoga of Yoga
Personal Commentary to Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā Chapter 1 verse 17
Kuryāt Tad Āsanaṃ Sthairyam Arogyaṃ Cāṅga Lāghavan I
“Āsana Practice brings increased steadiness, less illness and a lightness of limb.”
This verse is telling us that development and refinement of and in Āsana is a foundation for or first accessory towards more subtle practices. Don’t confuse the vehicle with the goal. I am reminded of a recent quote from Srivatsa Ramaswami: (continued)
Also posted in Āsana, Haṭha, News Views & Posts, Pauls Musings on Yoga Today, Paul’s Yoga Related Stuff, Prāṇāyāma, viniyoga of Yoga
Āyurveda & Yoga – Prāṇa its Origin, Function & Malfunction – Part 7 of 12
This article intended to introduce Prāṇa, its origin, function and malfunction. However, Prāṇa is such an important part of Yoga and Āyurveda that I have concentrated on presenting some basic ideas on its relationship to the individual, to Yoga and to the understanding of life known as Āyurveda.
Continue ReadingAlso posted in Āyurveda, Pauls Posts & Views, Paul’s Yoga Related Stuff
Personal Commentary to Yoga Sūtra Chapter 3 verse 50
“Not letting go of awareness can be likened to a bird choosing to land in your hand and you trying to hold onto it. Suddenly you have a bird in your hand and the temptation is to close the fingers, however gently, around it. (continued)
Continue ReadingYoga CPD Weekend Workshop October 15/16th 2011 in Bristol
The viniyoga of Āyurveda – Lifestyle Skills & Yoga Teachings
The study and practice of Yoga has, for many centuries, been linked to the study of complementary arts from Indian culture such as Mantra, textual Chanting, Karnāṭaka music or Āyurveda lifestyle skills.
For example, traditionally Āyurveda and Yoga went hand in hand and the importance of understanding the principles of Āyurveda is obvious when exploring Yoga texts such as the Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā.
Also posted in Āyurveda, cYs Announcements, News Views & Posts, Paul’s Yoga Related Stuff
A Yogi is never surprised.
Quoted to me by TKV Desikachar as from his father T Krishnamacharya
“A Yogi is never surprised.”
Continue ReadingAlso posted in News Views & Posts, Pauls Daily Quotes Page, Paul’s Yoga Related Stuff
Yoga is a saṃskāra (preparation) in that……
T Krishnamacharya on Yoga Sūtra C1 v1
”Yoga is a saṃskāra (preparation) in that it equips us to realise our greatest potential.”
Yoga is a saṃskāra (preparation) – a process that……
T Krishnamacharya on Yoga Sūtra C1 v1
“Yoga is a saṃskāra (preparation) – a process that prepares us to realise the things we wish to achieve at various moments in life.”
Another aspect of atha is saṃkalpa……
T Krishnamacharya on Yoga Sūtra C1 v1
”Another aspect of atha is saṃkalpa, which in the Vedic Tradition is the decision to initiate something important and to ensure that it is completed at any cost, without distraction or deviation.”
The term atha signifies auspicious beginning, uninterrupted continuity and an appropriate end.
T Krishnamacharya on Yoga Sūtra C1 v1
”The term atha signifies auspicious beginning, uninterrupted continuity and an appropriate end.”
Pañca Kedar Yatra May-June 2001
A gallery of pictures from a Journey to India in 2001 with family, friends and students to ascend five sacred mountains to the the five sacred temples depicted in the Pañca Kedar myth from the Mahābhārata in the events following the final battle. It is based around the five Pāṇḍava brothers attempt to seek atonement for the Gotrahatya (killing of kinsmen) and Brāhmanahatya (killing of Brahmins) they had just committed during the war. (View with PicLens.)