We strongly believe that Mysore course is to accept the needs of the individual and proceed to develop a sequence of practices personalized to the person. Therefore, the word Mysore should not be used exclusively as a place to practice a fixed sequence of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga. Listening to the true voice of our heart, the direction of our teaching is moving towards the personalized practicing.
As far as Yoga is concerned, we are concerned with the personality of the person, the mental aspect and the higher aspirations of the person. We teach asana （yoga postures), Pranayama（developing breath awareness), meditation and also Ayurveda. It's not just the body that we care about but the whole person with the help of this great combination.
In this article we are going to reveal the world's blind believe in the “traditions” of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga. For example: Mysore is equivalent to practicing Ashtanga asanas independently, fixed series, must use sanskrit for counting, must staying in postures for 5 breathings, and must have a weekly led class. What kind of asanas did Krishanamacharya design for Pattabhi Jois, the 18 year old novice teacher at the time?
Having understood the above background of blind beliefs, it is of course of utmost importance to understand the actual teaching concepts of Sri Krishnamacharya.
Yoga practice should be clarity in the usage of all this. If there is absence of clarity, one can harm.
We need to really reflect on it:
‘What I am doin?’
‘Why am I doing all this?’
Without understanding why we doing, what we are doing it can lead to problems.
The name 'Mysore' is not exclusive to Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga;
Mysore is the city in India
where this way of transmitting yoga in an individual group setting was developed.
1925, at this time, the Maharaja of Mysore, Krisnaraja Wadiyar, had come to Banaras to celebrate the 60th birthday of his mother. On hearing of Krishnamacharya, he invited him to come to the Palace at Mysore. The Maharaja was very impressed by the young man’s (age of 37) authority and scholarship. Krishnamacharya became the teacher for the Maharaja and his family.
It was only as late as 1933 that Krischnamacharya, supported by the Maharaja, opened the Yogaśālā (yoga school) in a side wing of the old Maharaja Palace, the Jaganmohan Palace. Krishnamacharya would be in a separate room examining patients while the students including his children would be taught by his assistants.
The Maharaja’s state-of-the-art Yogaśālā functioned to a large extent for the promotion of yoga as a respectable form of indigenous exercise.
1933-1947, Yogaśālā in the palace of Mysore, who were the teaching target?
Children and Teenagers.
The Yogaśālā has been established “to promote the physical well-being of Ursu Boys”. These boys were pupils at the Sri Chamrajendra Ursu Boarding School and seem to have trained with Krishnamacharya and his assistants at the yoga sala as part of their physical education program, , with certificates being awarded for achievement in asana.
For children and teenagers Sṛṣṭi (creation) Krama was the mode of teaching employed. With their high energy, youthful agility and short attention span, the challenging and exciting demands of Sristikrama was considered the best.
“The focus for Sṛṣṭi Krama is to facilitate the growth of the physical body as well as the sharpening of the senses. This is so important in the first stage of life, as it sets the platform for the next stage of life, which is usually the most productive. So if health and senses have a strong foundation, then fulfillment of Dharma becomes much more efficient.”- - - The Yogarahasya of Nāthamuni
“Sṛṣṭi Krama to grow, create, develop – physically or mentally. In some situations Sṛṣṭi Krama is more important. For example in Āsana, ideas of relaxation not valid. So more work, more strength, more activity.” – TKV Desikachar
Sanskrit counting, exactly because the target group of teaching are
the children and teenagers.
All the asana-s taught to children and teenagers were in what is known as vinyasa krama (a series of asana-s logically sequenced and performed one after the other leading to the main posture and back again). When the teacher said ‘Ekam’ (one) they would take the Samasthiti position. On ‘Dve’ (two) they would move to Uttānāsana. On ‘Trīṇi’ (three) they would move to Urdhva Mukha Uttānāsana. On ‘Catvāvi’ (four) they would move to Caturanga Dandasana and so on. The children who got used to this method would know the asana more by the number than by the name of the postures. Every asana was taught in this way, always starting from Samasthiti. Gradually they would know the number of steps in each vinyasa.
Do you have to do a fixed sequence and
where did the Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga sequence originate?
As it turns out, the annual physical examination was divided into three levels.
Once a year the students appeared for an examination. The examination was held at three levels: Prathama, Madhyama and Uttama. Each level had its specified asana-s. On the examination day, Krishnamacharya would ask the students to demonstrate asana in front of a jury. The asana-s had to be performed perfectly and the one who did best was presented the first prize by the dignitary at a public function. On occasions the Maharaja or his representative would preside over such functions. In his approach, Krishnamacharya was following the teachings of Nathamuni who said that children must be taught all the asana-s to give them agility and self confidence. Asana for them (children and teenagers) is śarīra samyama, the mastery of the body.
＊Note: We see it even more explicitly in Krishnamacharya's 1941 book Yogasanagalu, in a table where the postures are listed in primary, middle and proficient groups, the order of the list for primary is uncannily close to the Ashtanga primary series we have now. The list of middle postures is close to our current 2nd series.
Must staying in postures for 5 breathings?
Provide enough time for Krishnamacharya to explain the significance of a posture without taxing the attention of the audience.
The need for a coordinated, high-speed showcase might also explain why, in Pattabhi Jois’s system, postures are usually held only for five (but up to a maximum of eight) audible “Ujjayi” breaths: this would not only allow the models to perfectly synchronize their entry and exit from a pose but would also provide enough time for Krishnamacharya to explain the significance of a posture without taxing the attention of the audience. Significantly, Krishnamacharya’s Yoga Makaranda of 1935 advocates long timings for most poses, generally from three to fifteen minutes, suggesting that the relatively rapid-fire asana sequences inherited and developed by Pattabhi Jois represent a very particularized and specific approach within the broader scheme of Krishnamacharya’s teaching even at this time. T.R.S. Sharma, who does not remember any “five breath” format being taught in the Yogaśālā. On the contrary, Krishnamacharya taught him that “you should gradually stay in the pose for up to three minutes”, a theme that seems more in line with Krishnamacharya’s intention in Yoga Makaranda.
Must a weekly led class? What were the reasons for this?
The Sanskrit counting used to ask children to demonstrate yoga poses.
However, it is a weekly routine in modern yoga schools.
Krishnamacharya was sent all over south India by the Maharaja of Mysore on what was candidly called “propaganda work”.
Krishnamacharya's tour included lectures and demonstrations and he would not stay in a place for more than four or five days. These demonstrations and lectures led people to an awakened interest in the almost forgotten ancient Indian civilisation and culture. His discourses kept his audience spellbound and at the close of each lecture he would perform Yogāsana-s. He would at the end ask for nothing but only two essential conditions. The imperative necessity of undergoing training for a specific period from a guru and the continuance of practice for a reasonable time so that the desired result may be obtained. This continuance of practice alone leads one into experience and understanding. Knowledge alone cannot lead to understanding, but understanding will enrich knowledge. Knowledge though essential, is only a part of life and not its totality. To him experiencing while practicing was important.
One such tour to Pune. T.R.S. Sharma, who was one of the four boys chosen to resent the Yogaśālā, remembers a demonstration in a large hall there, where he and his friends performed asana to thunderous applause. Krishanamacharya would pick the young boy Sharma up while he performed a difficult pose and display him to the audience. Sharma also remembers being impressed at the time that Krishnamacharya lectured in fluent Hindi.
For Pattabhi Jois, an 18 year old novice teacher at the time,
Krishanamacharya also designed a dynamic asana sequence for his requirements.
Pattabhi Jois also participated in a large number of demonstrations, along with senior Pathasala students and a number of Arasu boys. The asanas were distributed beforehand into primary, intermediate, and advanced categories, with the younger boys performing the easiest poses while Pattabhi Jois and his peers demonstrated the most advanced. These sequences were, according to Pattabhi Jois, virtually identical to the aerobic schema he still teaches today: that is, several distinct “series” within which each main asana is conjoined by a short, repeated, linking series of postures and jumps based on the Surya Namaskar model.
It also seems likely, given Krishnamacharya’s commitment to the principle of adaptation to individual constitution, that these sequences were designed for Pattabhi Jois himself and other young men like him. Since Pattabhi Jois’s duties at the Sanskrit Pathasala school (young children of 3 to 12 years age)prevented him from being exposed to the kind of instruction in asana given to T.R.S Sharma and others, his teaching remained confined to the powerful, aerobic series of asana formulated for him and his cohort by Krishnamacharya. These series would eventually form the basis of today’s Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga. What is more, a prescribed sequence where each asana is part of an unchanging order, performed to a counted drill, would have offered a convenient and uncomplicated method for a novice teacher like Jois (who was then eighteen years old). Such a schema would have avoided the considerable complexities inherent in designing tailored sequences according to an individual’s deha, vrttibheda, and manga etc. and would have provided a serviceable teaching format for large groups of boys. While this last reflection is partly supposition, it does offer a plausible explanation of the relative lack of attention to individual constitution in Pattabhi Jois’s system. At least in comparison to the teachings of T.K.V. Desikachar, and other Krishnamacharya disciples such as A.G. Mohan and Srivatsa Ramaswami.
Krishnamacharya's teaching approach and concepts.
●Yoga had to be adapted to the individual and not the individual to Yoga.
T.R.S Sharma is emphatic that Krishnamacharya’s teaching did not necessarily conform to a fixed or rigid order of postures but was undertaken in a spirit of innovation and investigation — an assessment that clearly contradicts Pattabhi Jois’ presentation of these years but which corroborates T.K.V. Desikachar’s observation that at this time Krishnamacharya would modify postures to suit the individual, and would create (or “discover”) new postures when needed.
Similarly, another senior Mysore resident who was personally acquainted with early yogasala students Srinivasa Rangacar, Mahadev Bhat, Keshavamurthy, Pattabhi Jois and others, insists that even at that time Krishnamacharya’s teaching was “based on the constitution” of the particular student, and that,
….there was no such concept as the Primary Series, etcetera. If [Krishnamacharya] saw that a students had good backbends, he used to teach some backward bending postures. If he saw the body was stiff, he would teach mayurasana… there was no such series.
Krishnamacharya divided the practice of yoga into three parts. When one wants to develop muscular power, power to concentrate, power to do difficult postures etc, it was called Śakti Krama, Śakti in the sense of power. The second type of practice that he taught was called Adhyātmika Krama, that is, to go beyond the physical and to understand, say God or oneself. The third type was Cikitsā Krama, yoga for therapy, for this he would modify the asana and breathing so that the problem was reduced. According to him this Cikitsā Krama was to eliminate the impurities in what he calls to Kosā (organs) and Nādī (channels through which energy flows). To keep these Nādīs clear and the energy flow smooth was very important for a yoga student.
The background of each student was taken into consideration so that what was taught would not create a conflict with the student’s background and roots. The starting point was always based on the condition and capacity of the student. Krishnamacharya’s creativity was evident in the manner he would modify even the most difficult asana, pranayama or dhyanam so that they could serve the individual who needed it. Dhyanam according to him was meditating on Īśvara. For this he believed that the person must be qualified and their meant that the body should not be an obstacle and the person must have done sufficient pranayama to have a quiet mind. He would study the persons problems, his capacity and then choose the mantra that had to be taught. He would first do the mantra japam himself assuming that he was the student and only when he thought it would work and was confident, would he teach the student. That is why people have received the same mantra differently from Krishnamacharya. Further, there was always an order in the teaching. The student was progressively led to the realizing of his potential in a manner that was smooth and safe. His teaching methods were designed to bring out the best in the student. The fact that he had practiced and experienced all that he taught made him an authentic teacher.
A.G. Mohan he reminded of an interview with Krishnamacharya when he was 100 years old. In this interview he was asked:
Q: Till what age one can do these advanced practices? These advanced practices are the very difficult asana - Koundinyasana, so on and on, some of those postures.
Krishnamacharya said: ‘Up to age of 16 is fine. If you have total complete Brahmacharya, when you completely refrain from any connection even mental, if you’re able to have Brahmacharya, probably up to age of 32 you can do. But beyond it, is not advisable to do.’
Brahmacharya is very essential. Prevent the distraction of the mind and also use the Veria, which is potency of strength, not just physical but mental.
●To bring about the transformation.
To Krishnamacharya, our evolution is directly linked to our state of mind and capacity to achieve vairagya (detachment). This means that progress on the path of yoga means different things to different persons. He thought the progress should not be obstructed by deliberately setting fixed goals. Yoga serves the individual and does this through transformation rather than by giving information. To bring about this transformation he believed that yoga had to be taught individually. What should be taught, when it should be taught and to whom, were important questions to be answered before making a beginning. The most important question of all was — How can the power of breath be utilized? This was something quite exceptional for nowhere else is the breath given so much importance, and his work has proved that working with the breath does wonders.
●Teacher-student relationships are based on mutual sincerity.
Nowadays, the communication between yoga teachers and practitioners has been degraded to online socializing, often sending messages to the community, which is similar to a feeling of “selling” or “ dragging students around”. Regrettably, the sincere mode of communication between teachers and students has gradually been lost today.
Drawing on Krishnammacharya’s experience with his teacher Rāma Mohana Brahmacārī, he would use teaching methods respecting the belief system of the student whether a Hindu, Muslim, Sikh or Christian. He would build the ideal teacher - student relationship where, communication was total. He adapted the teaching methods according to the need and capacity of each student. This was the only way he taught and the only way he wanted his students to teach. This method of leading the student gently, step-by-step, from the student’s own point was also something he learnt from his guru Rāma Mohana Brahmacārī.
For Krishnamacharya, the attention given to the individuality was itself yoga, to bring together the teacher and the student, to bring together the individual as a whole. The capacity of the student and the time the student could devote to the practice or study, determined how Krishnamacharya would teach. He would do all that was required to bring out the best in the student. His passion to communicate perfectly and see the desired effect on the student was his only aim. He was like a mirror and would reflect the same intensity that the student showed in his desire to learn. His teachings were a demonstration of purity, tolerance, grace, compassion and intense spiritual relationship.
●Should asana vary according to age?
“How the tools of Yoga must be utilized depends on the individual and his or her stage of life. Yoga must only be taught in this manner and must not be standardized for all. Standardization of Yoga is not only useless, but will also lead to dangerous consequences.”- - - The Yogarahasya of Nāthamuni
Yoga Sādhana can be divided into three Krama-s.
“The purpose of these classifications is to promote and maintain health and eliminate illness, taking into consideration the age, capacity and need of the individual.”- - - The Yogarahasya of Nāthamuni
(1) Sṛṣṭi Krama — A person is fit to practice when they can eat by themselves. This is up to the 25 years old. At this stage there is no need for Cikistā, as the Sādhana is done to develop the strength of the body, the senses and the mind. The body should never become weak. However, if the person is sick at that age, one has to follow a combination Sṛṣṭi Krama and Sthiti Krama. In the ancient times up to the 25 years old, a person would be in Gurukulam, which is under the Guru’s care there is not much need for Sthiti Krama. Patanjali has shown many ways for each Sādhana according to the requirement of the individual. It is the responsibility of the instructor to guide the individual.
“The focus for Sṛṣṭi Krama is to facilitate the growth of the physical body as well as the sharpening of the senses. This is so important in the first stage of life, as it sets the platform for the next stage of life, which is usually the most productive. So if health and senses have a strong foundation, then fulfillment of Dharma becomes much more efficient.”- - - The Yogarahasya of Nāthamuni
(2) Sthiti Krama — is from the age 25 to 75, when most of the people are gṛhasthas (being in and occupied with home, family). For the married person, prevention of illness is desirable. However, in reality there is great scope for sickness. The power of the body, the senses and the mind get reduced, the life span is curtailed, and unexpected death is likely. We should make sure that the yoga Sādhana will avoid or correct this for, under no circumstances should one be deprived of good health.
During this time there is also a psychological developmental shift. From Krishnamacharya’s viewpoint, you’ve got the Āsana under your belt, so to speak, and now the priority is to maintain the intensity of your life energy or Prāṇa Śakti. Yoga practice is now prioritised for sustaining more at the level of an energetic, mental and emotional stability. This stage is known as Sthiti Krama where the need is now more energetic and especially psychological rather than physiological.
“For the householder, in line with Sthiti Krama, the most important practice is Pranayama.” – T Krishnamacharya
(3) Saṃhāra Krama — practice from the age of 75 to 100. Only that yoga Sādhana taht will promote Para (spiritual), Apara Vairāgyam(unlimited renunciation), Jnānam(wisdom), and Bhakti(devotion) must be practiced. Moreover, if one practices yogāsana-s, without respecting proper inhalation and exhalation, failure both in terms of immediate and long term benefits will result. The person may also suffer from some ailments.
We work together to bring about a refreshed and positive transformation in life!
Before a student begins practicing yoga, he must ask himself, ‘Is this practice appropriate for me?'
A yoga teacher must always consider his students and ask, ‘Is this practice that I am teaching appropriate for this particular student?’
Underlying all of Krishnamacharya’s teaching was this principle: “Teach what is appropriate for an individual.” (Book: Krishnamacharya his life and teachings)
Our Mysore program listens to your needs, engages in two-way communication, and brings about holistic transformation in your life.
Are you ready for change?
Reference List:
Yoga Body, the origins of modern posture practice by Mark Singleton
Sri Krishnamacharya The Pūrnācārya by KYM Chennai
Krishnamacharya his life and teachings by A.G. Mohan
The Yogarahasya of Nāthamuni by TKV. Desikachar
Yogasanagalu by Krishnamacharya
Yoga Makaranda by Krishnamacharya
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