The concept of the viniyoga of Yoga is a fundamental hallmark of the teachings of T Krishnamacharya and TKV Desikachar. It is the application (viniyoga) of Yoga to the person rather than the person to Yoga. It requires a profound understanding of only 3 numbers in order for it to work as intended by Krishnamacharya and Desikachar
– 121.
Courtesy – Paul Harvey Yoga Quotes Page
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Some excerpts from an article by Paul Harvey outlining the viniyoga (application) of prāṇāyāma from a Rāja Yoga and a Haṭha Yoga perspective.
“In the Rāja Yoga approach, as delineated in texts such as the Yoga Sūtra, the practice of Prāṇāyāma is focused around developing and refining the principles of attention, timing and number of breaths.
The fruits of this approach are a reduction in confusion (Yoga Sūtra C2 v52) and fitness for the first steps in the meditative process (Yoga Sūtra C2 v53) towards cultivating an experience of being filled with a subtle sense of stillness (Yoga Sūtra C1 v3).
“In the Haṭha Yoga approach, as delineated in texts such as the Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā, the practice of Prāṇāyāma is focused around developing and refining the principles of using two primary channels (īḍā and piṅgalā) through a variety techniques to effect a śodhana (clearing of blockages) of the nāḍī (channels for prāṇa).”
“…..the practice of Prāṇāyāma links the student to the more refined aspects of dhāraṇā (concentration) and dhyānam (meditation) as a seated practice.”
Read full article. The article is also available as a downloadable PDF, courtesy of Dharma Downloads
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“Yoga is a journey from dependency to independence”
(TKV Desikachar from “What are we Seeking”)
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Some excerpts from an interview with TKV Desikachar, at a symposium on “Yoga and the XX1st Century, South of France, 1999.
“In Yoga we have this fundamental idea – anything that disturbs a person, including illness and disease, can be helped if we can act on the mind. What is so special about yoga is that it gives us a way to strengthen our mind. When the mind gets stronger, we can face illness and we feel healthier.”
“…..ancient yoga texts have said that disease and mind are interrelated. If we are sick, our mind is disturbed. If the mind is agitated, we become sick. I am happy that modern science has recognised this. There is no incompatibility here.”
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The following post on Paul Harvey’s cYs Journal include insightful answers to questions typical of the type that are often asked in relation to Yoga.
A few months ago Paul was asked to provide ‘expert quotes’ in response to three questions for a media article by a freelance journalist for MSN on a Yoga related issue. Paul’s reflections below taken directly from the cYs Journal page.
Q1. What are some examples of illnesses or ailments that can improve or be cured with the use of Yoga?
“It is not possible to give examples of illnesses or ailments that can be improved as it all depends on the matrix of the person who may also have certain combinations of problems. A student with cancer may improve or a student with a history of colds may experience little change.
The viewpoint of Yoga is to look at people as individuals and work from there rather than the more usual view of making lists of problems with flash card like answers to a specific problem. e.g.. Sciatica, High Blood Pressure, Insomnia, Osteo-arthrosis, Chron’s Disease, etc.
Yoga says that we are all individuals who also have from time to time chronic or acute illnesses or ailments. In this view one hallmark is that the practice must be adapted to the individual and their current situation and immediate potential rather than expecting the individual to adapt to the practice.
This means that two individuals with the same symptoms may need very different approaches to practice and lifestyle choices because of their history, mindset and opportunity and intentions for implementing change.
Yoga also tells us that nothing is destroyed so nothing is ‘cured’. We can perhaps reduce the symptoms to the point where they are dormant. Given the right sun, soil and moisture they can ‘sprout’ again. So cure is not a term that can be applied.
Yoga Psychology says being symptom free also implies that we still have to take care as the seeds can be re-activated given the right stimuli.”
Q2. Is there a certain type of Yoga which is more beneficial, when it comes to health, than other types?
“Any approach to Yoga which facilitates meeting with a student, developing an understanding of their unique background, looking at the opportunities for change which exist for the student in the immediate and near future, being able to propose a personalised practice appropriate to their situation and meeting regularly to both review and progress the practice according to the experiences and feedback from the student.
This is really only realisable through 121 lessons, though not of the type offered by many which are comparable to a group class for one. A more comparable example would be to consulting a homeopath, or acupuncturist, or medical herbalist, or counsellor, where there is time, attention and personalised support and treatment offered.”
Q3. Is there a certain type of Yoga that can prove especially beneficial to those with asthma, and if so, why is this type of Yoga particularly good?
“As the physical basis of asthma is experienced through its effects on the breath, any approach that sees the breath as the canvas on which the pictures of the poses are painted could be helpful. Along with an approach that has the integral and intimate use of the breath in practice as a first priority, the study and application of the principles of Yoga Psychology would be very relevant to working with issues that could well underpin the students history of symptoms and personal experiences.”
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Image: Paul Harvey’s Yogastudies.org
Most common questions on Yoga relate to the health benefits associated with practicing Yoga, together with questions around how Yoga practice differs from conventional exercise.
Answers to these questions have been researched and are presented in a detailed article published on the IAYT (International Association of Yoga Therapists) website, providing interesting reading.
In terms of the health benefits the information is grouped under physiological benefits, psychological benefits, and biochemical effects. It is based on the regular practice of traditional āsana (yoga postures), prānāyāma (breath), and dhyāna (meditation).
Yoga Compared to Conventional Exercise
Yoga |
Exercise |
| Parasympathetic nervous system dominates Subcortical regions of brain dominate Slow dynamic and static movements Normalization of muscle tone Low risk of injuring muscles and ligaments Low caloric consumption Effort is minimized, relaxed Energizing (breathing is natural or controlled) Balanced activity of opposing muscle groups Noncompetitive, process-oriented Awareness is internal (focus is on breath and the inifinite) Limitless possibilities for growth in self-awareness |
Sympathetic nervous system dominates Cortical regions of brain dominate Rapid forceful movements Increased muscle tension Higher risk of injury Moderate to high caloric consumption Effort is maximized Fatiguing (breathing is taxed) Imbalanced activity of opposing groups Competitive, goal-oriented Awareness is external (focus is on reaching the toes, reaching the finish line, etc.) Boredom factor |
There has been an enormous increase in the number of Yoga classes on offer in Dublin over the past number of years. Classes on offer vary in terms of ‘style’ and vary also in terms of the level of training and experience of the teacher.
How does a prospective student choose between the myriad of ‘styles’ ‘venues’ and ‘teachers’ on offer?
Begin with what you wants to achieve by attending a class. Is it to improve general health and wellbeing, is it to increase in fitness levels, for strength and flexibility. Is it to achieve a reduction in the symptoms of stress, anxiety, or depression. is it to help deal with a specific back issue or other health issue.
Review the training background of the teacher. Where did they complete their training? How many years of training have they had? Is the training accredited and are they now accredited to teach? I recommend a minimum of 3 years teacher training.
Having no governing body for Yoga in Ireland, professional Yoga trainings will generally be accredited with the BWY British Wheel of Yoga or EUFNY the European Union of Yoga Federations.
The ‘types’ or ’styles’ of yoga classes on offer include the following (in alphabetical order):
Ashtanga
Set sequences. Pathabi Jois
Bikram
Hot studio, very physical and aerobic. Very little emphasis on breath and students ability to perform difficult postures. Very popular at the moment.
Hatha
This is a term that refers to the physical side of Yoga, asana. All Yoga classes on offer could be describes as hatha Yoga classes
Ivengar
Strict alignment. BKS Ivengar, brother in law of T Krishnamacharya
Viniyoga
Characterised by emphasis on breath, integration of the breath with the movement. Dynamic and static movement. Classes at the Winton Practice. TKV Desikachar. Makes Yoga practice strikingly accessible for people. Innovative in its approach.
Viniyoga is not so much a style as it is a methodology for developing practices for individual conditions and purposes. This is the approach developed by Sri. T. Krishnamacharya, teacher of well-known contemporary masters B.K.S. Iyengar, K. Pattabhi Jois and Indra Devi, and continued by his son, T.K.V. Desikachar. Key characteristic of the asana practice are the careful integration of the flow of breath with movement of the spine, with sequencing, adaptations and intensity dependent upon the overall context and goals. Function is stressed over form. Practices may also include pranayama, meditation, reflection, study and other classic elements. Personal practices are taught privately. Given the scope of practice, the inherent therapeutic applications and the heritage of the lineage, the training requirements for teacher certification are extensive.
Vinyasa Flow
Flowing movement
Yoga Room Rathgar
Yoga classes recommencing on Wednesday 4th and Monday 9th May at at the Winton Practice, Rathgar. Times are 6:30 & 8:00 each evening.
Classes are suitable for both beginners and continuers.
“If we wish to change, to grow, and to pursue the path towards freedom, we must start from where we are right now.”
A.G. Mohan
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“The whole definition of Yoga is, whatever quiets the mind, do it”
TKV Desikachar
Excerpts from an article by Paul Harvey published in cYs Journal exploring the wisdom of the Yoga Sūtra and the application of this wisdom to our everyday lives.
Yoga Sūtra I 5
The activities are fivefold and from them arise disturbance or composure.
“The mind is its own place, and in itself, can make heaven of Hell, and a hell of Heaven….”
John Milton
The starting point for these deeper teachings is that all actions, including re-actions, can be a point of learning and growth even if the insight arises after the event. It is inevitable that our personal buttons, or old unhelpful and often repressed memories, will be pushed by ourselves, though we might project it onto others with such neat phrases as “look what you made me do!” Within this triggering process old patterns surface bringing with them unhelpful and defensive or aggressive attitudes which can leak into our responses. So rather than the ideal of foresight with skilful responses being in place and in readiness whatever the situation, we have the more realistic possibility of progressive levels of learning options starting with hindsight as our guide for insight.
“Yoga is so much more than mere physical postures. Sound, breathing exercises, meditation, personal attitudes are as much a part, if it concerns healing. The method has to be adapted to each person individually.”
Important new guidelines were issued in July 2011 outlining the amount of exercise adults and children need to do to stay healthy. They are based on a comprehensive review of the latest scientific evidence regarding physical activity and health. The new guidelines include the following points:
• The intensity at which we exercise is key, heartbeat must be raised
• The more exercise you do, the better
• Sedentary time (time spent sitting down to watch TV, use a computer, etc) is bad for your health
The guidelines, which are now much more in line with those used in the United States, also include recommendations for muscle-building and bone-strengthening, for which lifting weights and Yoga are recommended activities.
For more detailed information
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I like this post from ‘Paul’s Musings on Yoga Today’. Paul was recently asked to provide ‘expert quotes’ in response to three questions for a media article by a freelance journalist for MSN on a Yoga related issue. The questions are questions that are often asked in relation to Yoga. His reflections are thought provoking and reflect the intelligence and solid principles underpinning the application (viniyoga) of Yoga.
“It is interesting these days that as a Yoga teacher the question I am more likely to be asked is ‘What kind of Yoga do you do?’ rather than ‘What is Yoga?’. It’s either that we think we already know what Yoga is or, more likely, that the view is becoming lost within the myriad of ways in which Yoga is offered.”
From an article by Paul Harvey published in cYs Journal
Gary Kraftsow talk at Yoga Journal Conference 2011
Excerpts from an interview with Gary Kraftsow by The Sacred Cow on Yoga therapy, and, in particular, the application of Yoga therapy for anxiety and depression.
“Yoga therapy can be used for a full breadth of conditions from back pain to cancer or clinical depression. It’s very effective for structural problems and physiological problems, but it also has great teachings on how to work with cognitive, mood, and behavioral disorders. The whole text of Patañjali is fundamentally about transformation of mind.”
“Yoga therapy empowers people to begin the healing process and transform themselves.”
The principle that supports the teaching of Yoga according to the needs and circumstances of the individual has long been referred to as ‘viniyoga’.
The term ‘viniyoga’ became associated with TKV Desikachar’s method of teaching Yoga.
This method was used in order to make the depth and essence of Yoga accessible to Western students.