Centre for Yoga Studies http://www.yogastudies.org The Art of Personal Yoga Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:51:09 +0000 en hourly 1 How to respect the tradition and at the same time…… http://www.yogastudies.org/2012/02/how-to-respect-the-tradition-and-at-the-same-time/ http://www.yogastudies.org/2012/02/how-to-respect-the-tradition-and-at-the-same-time/#comments Fri, 03 Feb 2012 07:00:32 +0000 paul http://www.yogastudies.org/?p=2930 "How to respect the tradition and at the same time, to live and teach in the present situation?". - TKV Desikachar Speaking at a ten day meeting with his 16 senior Western students from 8 countries in London June 8th 1998]]> “How to respect the tradition and at the same time, to live and teach in the present situation?”.
- TKV Desikachar Speaking at a ten day meeting with his 16 senior Western students from 8 countries in London June 8th 1998

]]> http://www.yogastudies.org/2012/02/how-to-respect-the-tradition-and-at-the-same-time/feed/ 0 We should not teach in the same way than has been done in the past…… http://www.yogastudies.org/2012/02/we-should-not-teach-in-the-same-way-than-has-been-done-in-the-past/ http://www.yogastudies.org/2012/02/we-should-not-teach-in-the-same-way-than-has-been-done-in-the-past/#comments Thu, 02 Feb 2012 06:57:02 +0000 paul http://www.yogastudies.org/?p=2928 "We should not teach in the same way than has been done in the past. What we teach should be more relevant to the present situation." - TKV Desikachar Speaking at a ten day meeting with his 16 senior Western students from 8 countries in London June 11th 1998]]> “We should not teach in the same way than has been done in the past. What we teach should be more relevant to the present situation.”
- TKV Desikachar Speaking at a ten day meeting with his 16 senior Western students from 8 countries in London June 11th 1998

]]> http://www.yogastudies.org/2012/02/we-should-not-teach-in-the-same-way-than-has-been-done-in-the-past/feed/ 0 Saṃkalpa is mainly the intention to do something…… http://www.yogastudies.org/2012/02/2927/ http://www.yogastudies.org/2012/02/2927/#comments Wed, 01 Feb 2012 06:50:50 +0000 paul http://www.yogastudies.org/?p=2927 "Saṃkalpa is mainly the intention to do something, to be serious about my goal; it is something I feel I must do. Saṃkalpa must be on both parts: student and teacher, like when we chant 'saha nāvavatu...'. Saṃskāra means the purification, like cleaning a vessel before I use it for another purpose. It's a kind of viyoga or separation. It concerns how I prepare for the situation. The Saṃskāra is an effort in both directions: student and teacher. Saṃyoga means there is a good exchange; something begins to happen, something is given and something is received. The best teaching has all three of these." - TKV Desikachar Speaking at a ten day meeting with his 16 senior Western students from 8 countries in London June 15th 1998]]> “Saṃkalpa is mainly the intention to do something, to be serious about my goal; it is something I feel I must do. Saṃkalpa must be on both parts: student and teacher, like when we chant ‘saha nāvavatu…’.
Saṃskāra means the purification, like cleaning a vessel before I use it for another purpose. It’s a kind of viyoga or separation. It concerns how I prepare for the situation. The Saṃskāra is an effort in both directions: student and teacher.
Saṃyoga means there is a good exchange; something begins to happen, something is given and something is received.
The best teaching has all three of these.”
- TKV Desikachar Speaking at a ten day meeting with his 16 senior Western students from 8 countries in London June 15th 1998

]]> http://www.yogastudies.org/2012/02/2927/feed/ 1 The East is not going to solve your problems in regard to spirituality…… http://www.yogastudies.org/2012/01/2925/ http://www.yogastudies.org/2012/01/2925/#comments Tue, 31 Jan 2012 08:16:28 +0000 paul http://www.yogastudies.org/?p=2925 "The East is not going to solve your problems in regard to spirituality. You must find by yourselves and take responsibility about this too. What you will do depends on the strength of your spirit. It is not a question of technology. If you are split, your students will be too. This area requires reflection from each one of us and our group." - TKV Desikachar Speaking at a ten day meeting with his 16 senior Western students from 8 countries in London June 18th 1998 ]]> “The East is not going to solve your problems in regard to spirituality. You must find by yourselves and take responsibility about this too.
What you will do depends on the strength of your spirit. It is not a question of technology. If you are split, your students will be too.
This area requires reflection from each one of us and our group.”
- TKV Desikachar Speaking at a ten day meeting with his 16 senior Western students from 8 countries in London June 18th 1998

]]> http://www.yogastudies.org/2012/01/2925/feed/ 0 The Bhagavad Gītā seen through Three Hexads http://www.yogastudies.org/2012/01/the-bhagavad-gita-seen-through-three-hexads/ http://www.yogastudies.org/2012/01/the-bhagavad-gita-seen-through-three-hexads/#comments Mon, 30 Jan 2012 19:16:34 +0000 paul http://www.yogastudies.org/?p=2924 According to Yamuna (the grandson of Nathamuni and forebear of Krishnamacharya) in his commentary to the Bhagavad Gītā, the Gītārtha Saṃgraha, this famous Hindu text should be considered as having three sections or hexads of six chapters each. The first hexad is around our relationship with ourselves, the second hexad is around our relationship with God (as seen through Hinduism) and the third hexad is around our relationship with the world.]]> According to Yamuna (the grandson of Nathamuni and forebear of Krishnamacharya) in his commentary to the Bhagavad Gītā, the Gītārtha Saṃgraha, this famous Hindu text should be considered as having three sections or hexads of six chapters each.

The first hexad is around our relationship with ourselves, the second hexad is around our relationship with God (as seen through Hinduism) and the third hexad is around our relationship with the world.

]]> http://www.yogastudies.org/2012/01/the-bhagavad-gita-seen-through-three-hexads/feed/ 1 The Siddhi (accomplishment) depends on the Bhāvanam (cultivation). http://www.yogastudies.org/2012/01/the-siddhi-accomplishment-depends-on-the-bhavanam-cultivation/ http://www.yogastudies.org/2012/01/the-siddhi-accomplishment-depends-on-the-bhavanam-cultivation/#comments Mon, 30 Jan 2012 08:58:34 +0000 paul http://www.yogastudies.org/?p=2923 "The Siddhi (accomplishment) depends on the Bhāvanam (cultivation)." - TKV Desikachar]]> “The Siddhi (accomplishment) depends on the Bhāvanam (cultivation).”
- TKV Desikachar

]]> http://www.yogastudies.org/2012/01/the-siddhi-accomplishment-depends-on-the-bhavanam-cultivation/feed/ 0 Conscious breathing is one of the greatest tools to influence…… http://www.yogastudies.org/2012/01/conscious-breathing-is-one-of-the-greatest-tools-to-influence-the-effect-of-the-postures-without-changing-the-posture/ http://www.yogastudies.org/2012/01/conscious-breathing-is-one-of-the-greatest-tools-to-influence-the-effect-of-the-postures-without-changing-the-posture/#comments Sat, 28 Jan 2012 07:42:17 +0000 paul http://www.yogastudies.org/?p=2919 "Conscious breathing is one of the greatest tools to influence the effect of the postures without changing the posture." - TKV Desikachar]]> “Conscious breathing is one of the greatest tools to influence the effect of the postures without changing the posture.”
- TKV Desikachar

]]> http://www.yogastudies.org/2012/01/conscious-breathing-is-one-of-the-greatest-tools-to-influence-the-effect-of-the-postures-without-changing-the-posture/feed/ 0 There is an image in the world today that the guru has a following and…… http://www.yogastudies.org/2012/01/there-is-an-image-in-the-world-today-that-the-guru-has-a-following-and/ http://www.yogastudies.org/2012/01/there-is-an-image-in-the-world-today-that-the-guru-has-a-following-and/#comments Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:14:42 +0000 paul http://www.yogastudies.org/?p=2916 “There is an image in the world today that the guru has a following and his students follow him like the Pied Piper. This is not good. The true guru shows you the way. You go your way and then you’re on your own, because you know your place and you are grateful. I can always thank my guru naturally and enjoy the relationship, but I do not have to follow him around, because then I am not in my own place. Following the guru’s destination is another way of losing yourself. The yoga concept of svadharma means “your own dharma” or “your own way”. If you try to do somebody else’s dharma, trouble happens. The guru helps you find your own dharma.” TKV Desikachar]]> “There is an image in the world today that the guru has a following and his students follow him like the Pied Piper. This is not good.
The true guru shows you the way. You go your way and then you’re on your own, because you know your place and you are grateful.
I can always thank my guru naturally and enjoy the relationship, but I do not have to follow him around, because then I am not in my own place.
Following the guru’s destination is another way of losing yourself. The yoga concept of svadharma means “your own dharma” or “your own way”.
If you try to do somebody else’s dharma, trouble happens.
The guru helps you find your own dharma.”
TKV Desikachar

]]> http://www.yogastudies.org/2012/01/there-is-an-image-in-the-world-today-that-the-guru-has-a-following-and/feed/ 0 Kriyā Yoga – Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 1…… http://www.yogastudies.org/2012/01/kriya-yoga-yoga-sutra-chapter-two-verse-1/ http://www.yogastudies.org/2012/01/kriya-yoga-yoga-sutra-chapter-two-verse-1/#comments Sun, 22 Jan 2012 07:04:25 +0000 paul http://www.yogastudies.org/?p=2915 Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 1 tapaḥ svādhyāya-īśvara-praṇidhānāni kriyā-yogaḥ | “The activities of Yoga are self-discipline, self-study and respect for the divine.” The three upāya (to go near) to take control of our inability to see things clearly......]]> Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 1
tapaḥ svādhyāya-īśvara-praṇidhānāni kriyā-yogaḥ |
“The activities of Yoga are self-discipline, self-study and respect for the divine.”

The three upāya (to go near) to take control of our inability to see things clearly.

1. tapaḥ – Recognising that changing certain things enables us to see. So to create conditions so that you recognise yourself.

2. svādhyāya – Working in the direction of rectification. The means that will help us examine ourselves.

3. īśvara praṇidhānāni – To accept certain realities. We may fail, things may go wrong, so to develop a certain sense of interested detachment (I have done my best). To act to the best of your ability and don’t be attached to the results.

Notes from my studies with TKV Desikachar.

]]> http://www.yogastudies.org/2012/01/kriya-yoga-yoga-sutra-chapter-two-verse-1/feed/ 2 Recognising AND accepting one’s Duḥkham (Suffering) is the first…… http://www.yogastudies.org/2012/01/2911/ http://www.yogastudies.org/2012/01/2911/#comments Sat, 21 Jan 2012 06:59:09 +0000 paul http://www.yogastudies.org/?p=2911 "Recognising AND accepting one's Duḥkham (Suffering) is the first Prajñā (insight). Once you have accepted this you are free to find out where it is coming from." (Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verses 15-27) - TKV Desikachar January 9th 1999]]> “Recognising AND accepting one’s Duḥkham (Suffering) is the first Prajñā (insight).
Once you have accepted this you are free to find out where it is coming from.”
(Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verses 15-27)
- TKV Desikachar January 9th 1999

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