”Sahavāsam (Dwelling Together)
– What you associate with becomes part of you.”
TKV Desikachar January 15th 2000
When less Āsana time than you would like…..
“When less Āsana time than you would like,
better to reduce the number of Āsana,
or the number of repetitions,
or the length of the stays,
rather than, reducing the length of the breath.
Or….. even considering lengthening the breath,
thus even fewer Āsana, all with a longer breath than usual.
Here the Bhāvana could be to observe the effect
of a more spacious than usual Āsana breathing
on a more cramped than usual daily mindset.”
– Paul Harvey
The movement of the breath is a mirror…..
“The movement of the breath is a
mirror to the movement of the mind”
– Hatha Yoga Pradīpikā Chapter 2 verse 2
Yoga is more about exploring…..
To reach a point we have not reached before…..
Yoga
“to reach a point we have not reached before”
-TKV Desikachar
Conscious breathing is one of the greatest…..
“Conscious breathing is one of the greatest
tools to influence the effect of the posture
without changing the posture”
-TKV Desikachar
What is most important is that we live in the present……
“We can speculate on the future.
We can recollect from the past.
But what is most important is
that we live in the present.”
– TKV Desikachar
The mind is part of a team…..
” The mind is part of a team,
along with the body, the breath and the senses.
Everything that we do is a product of that team,
but the mind is generally the boss……..
We know that the state of the mind affects the breath and,
luckily for us, the opposite is also true”
What are we Seeking – TKV Desikachar
…..it is the purpose of Yoga to unify their movement
“While it is theoretically possible for the body, the breath, and the mind to work independently, it is the purpose of Yoga to unify their movement. In our very first practice classes, we will experience this unification. What appears as Yoga to an outsider is mainly the physical aspects of our practice. They will not be aware of how we breathe, how we feel the breath, and how we coordinate breathing with physical movement.”
TKV Desikachar – Religiousness in Yoga, ch2, p13
Duḥkha is a disturbance of the mind…..
“Duḥkha is a disturbance of the mind. While sometimes the words sorrow, misery, and disease are used to define duḥkha, it is best identified as a feeling of restriction.
Somehow something deeply disturbs us and we feel restricted.
This restriction is duḥkha…….
We all aim to remove duḥkha……..
That is what Yoga is trying to do.”
TKV Desikachar, Religiousness in Yoga
Śraddhā is essential for progress whether…..
“Śraddhā is essential for progress, whether in Yoga or any other endeavour. It is a feeling that cannot be expressed or intellectually discussed. It, however, is a feeling that is not always uncovered in every person.
When absent or weak, it is evident through the lack of stability and focus in a person. Where present and strong, it is evident through the commitment, perseverance and enthusiasm the person exhibits.
For such a person, life is meaningful.”
– TKV Desikachar
Sāṃkhya and Change
Sāṃkhya is about living more within that which doesn’t change,
rather than living more within that which does change.
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Some are satisfied with what Āsana brings them…..
“Some are satisfied with what Āsana brings them.
Others are curious as to where Āsana can take them.”
Paul Harvey (yogastudies.org)
Satviniyoga – To give the right thing to the right person…..
“To give the right thing to the right person at the right time is Satviniyoga.
Don’t look at the file, look at the student!”
– TKV Desikachar France 1983 – Paul Harvey
Yoga Practice offers the Soil…..
“Yoga Practice offers the Soil.
Yoga Study offers the Seeds.”
Paul Harvey
cYs Yoga Journal
In this solitude you will begin to understand…..
“In this solitude you will begin to understand the necessity of living with yourself as you are, not as you think you should be or as you have been. See if you can look at yourself without any tremor, any false modesty, any fear, any justification or condemnation -just live with what you actually are.”
J.Krishnamurti
The way you approach the present…..
“The way you approach the present isn’t just determined by the way you approach the past, but by the way you approach the future. The richer conception of the future you have, the richer your life in the present becomes.”
Ken Wilbur
Relationship
“Now where do we begin to understand ourselves? Here am I, and how am I to study myself, observe myself, see what is actually taking place inside myself? I can observe myself only in relationship because all life is relationship. It is no use sitting in a corner meditating about myself. I cannot exist by myself. I exist only in relationship to people, things and ideas, and in studying my relationship to outward things and people, as well as to inward things, I begin to understand myself. Every other form of understanding is merely an abstraction and I cannot study myself in abstraction; I am not an abstract entity; therefore I have to study myself in actuality.” – Freedom from the Known 22
The range of what we think and do is limited by…..
“The range of what we think and do is limited by what we fail to notice. And because we fail to notice that we fail to notice there is little we can do to change; until we notice how failing to notice shapes our thoughts and deeds.”
R.D. Laing
Your vision will become clear…..
“Your vision will become clear only when you can look inside your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams, who looks inside, awakens”
Carl Jung