Didn't all those years at Uni teach me nuffin' ? When in doubt always go to the primary sources. In this case that would be Yoga Mala.
'....do Rechaka and Puraka as fully and as much as possible'.
Sri K patatbhi Jois. Yoga Mala p177 ( and elsewhere ).
In fact he says the same thing on pretty much every page of Yoga Mala, Or he might say this...
' ....while in the state, do Puraka and Rechka , slowly and deeply as much as possible'. p68 (and elsewhere).
SKPJ is saying, again and again, long slow breaths....... lots of them.
He stresses engaging bandhas again and again .
He tells you to stay in Sarvangasana
'.... five, ten, fifteen even thirty minutes doing rechaka and puraka deeply.' p 104
And in Shirshasana
'... during which rechaka and puaka should be done slowly and as many times as possible.' p116
In defense it's not all my fault : ) I learnt from books and DVDs where the practice is squeezed into an hour to an hour and a half. Even in Lino's book supposedly authorised he tells you to take five breaths in most of the asana, though he does say 25 in handstand and headstand. And of course when I would read Yoga Mal,a I was usually looking at how to get in and out of an asana and didn't pay enough attention to the breath.
Oh and another thing, Guruji refers to Janu Sirasana as sometimes being called Maha Mudra, given there's A, B and C we spend quite a while there. He also stresses the importance of the order of asanas.
Maybe some of the emphasis has changed over time, but in Yoga Mala it's very close to Vinyasa Krama. The only difference seems to be the range of asanas, sub-routines and sequences. In Ashtanga it's a fixed system in Vinyasa Krama it's a fuller broader range of asanas and routines that can be adapted to the needs of individual practitioners.
I'm wondering if when Krishnamacharya was teaching at the Mysore palace he was teaching a fixed system, the students having to adapt to the system. After he left and was teaching individual students the focus perhaps shifted to adapting the practice to individual. Just a thought.
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And what's more you'll read interviews with Manju recalling how SKPJ practiced a single pose for long periods of time when he and his siblings were children. You will hear anecdotal accounts of how SKPJ instructed pupils to work towards "6 hours Sirsasana". Funny how things change and we are left to piece it all together for ourselves.
Really grateful for your blog, I ordered the book dammit. Thanks!
There's a painting at the British Museum exhibtion, 'Gardens and Cosmos' where a yogi is hanging upside down under a tree as a form of penance. I'm sure he was working towards his 6hrs Sirasana. Made me chuckle.............
It may be nice and great for ego to do 'fancy' postures but it comes back to the breath each time. So easy but a lifetime to master.
AC
Sharath said to us the other day you can stay for an hour in sirsasana if you have time!
Regarding the divergent paths coming from the Krishnamacharya tradition, there's a fasciating interview in one of the old Namarupas - might be online - with Guruji, Iyengar and Desikachar recalling their practice with him.
I'm sure if you'd had a teacher they would have slowed you down right from the beginning, but I love how you realised it in your own way with VK and being struck like that with Yoga Mala.
Sometimes it's nice to just whiz through it though :)
Led with Cary (Fridays 6:30am in case you're interested), the breaths in the postures are very slow but the vinyasas are fast. Except chaturanga, which we sometimes hold forever.
AC is coming Sunday..
I have that article Susan, was reading it the other night must post a link when I get back home. Was looking up some Manju interviews this morning too anon, must catch one of his workshops next time he's in town.
Surprisingly AC the poses I like most from VK aren't that fancy. Love Mahamudra and that lotus with the hands turned backwards on the thighs, sorry forget the name. Very few of the 3rd series arm balances are in there.
Did my first Intermediate for a month this morning, slowed it down to 90 minutes but there's very few asana in 2nd that you really want to stay in for a long time, it's like 1..............2........3...4.5,next.
Six hours in Sirasana, how would one ever get the ironing done. There's an inverted sequence in VK that took me about thirty to forty minutes. Passes quite quickly because your moving into all these different asanas while your up there. Nice sequence actually, could probably stretch it out to an hour but six?
Neil Barker told during his anatomy workshop that shoulderstands and headstands + the whole finishing sequence) are the most important of the practice because these are the asanas when we help our lymphatic system that in the inverted poses should not fight the gravitation. But it takes - if I remember well - 3 minutes the lymphatic system 'turns back' that is why we take 25 breaths in these two asanas. One inhale is supposed to take 6 seconds, one exhale as well = 1 breath takes 12 seconds. 25 breaths = 300 second = 5 minutes. He explained that these two asanas are the king and the queen and without a 30 minutes finishing sequence, the practice is just gymnastic. Since than I never skip it.
I recall reading that article and it reinforced my belief that one can have different interpretation of what is taught and it changes over time. All the more reason to try out different yoga paths. What the heck, 2-3 lovers? The more the merrier!
I came across many of the lotus postures in the VK sequence (via dabbling in Iyengar, shhh) and they're pretty darn enjoyable.
For me, it has to be Virabhadrasana which kicks ass when it's a nice long slow count.
Now if you spent 6hrs in Sirasana there'd be no need to do any ironing or concern yourself with such trivialities, :-)
AC
hi Grimmly
i want to get the book and try it out for sure. i've enjoyed the renewed enthusiasm doing the sequences in MS's book has given my practice, so experimentation with the VK book would impart the same.
do you know that it helps me be understood if i speak with a slight British accent over here? i have to pronounce the t's better. American English is a bit softer than British English, much the same as the difference between Castilian Spanish and Spanish from Latin America. oops, i changed the subject.
cheers,
Arturo
Joanne Darby says she stayed two hours in headstand every day when she was with Guruji in the 70s. AND 10 breaths per posture if you've got the time!
Love these old stories Joy, two hours, that I can imagine building up to but six is just taking it too far. Really must try to catch the a Darby's Workshop I think I said before that his DVD was the one I learnt Ashtanga with. Still think it's the best for beginners.
Breath rate is interesting Nemsissi, In Yoga Mala he just seems to say do it slowly. Ramaswami says this
' ...people who practice these vinyasas often find that their breath rate gradually decreases over a period of time, both during practice and habitually; the mind becomes more calm and joyful as well. there are yogis who can do yoga at the consistent rate of about four breaths per minute, even during an hour of practice. Some adepts maintain a rate of two breaths per minute without feeling choked or hurried.'
Our normal breath rate is around 15 breaths per minute.
Susan I spoke with my boss about occasionally working through my lunch and leaving early on Friday. Seems doable so I might be able to catch Cary's led.
Looks like I might see you sunday AC, say hi.
Arturo, I heard that most of the language schools in HK wanted american teachers despite the whole British connection. I really liked spending time there. I must finally sit down and look at those MS sequences, curious as to whether he's gone by poses or sub-routines.
In the first edition of Lino's book he gives a count of 8 breath for each asana. This was changed to five in the second edition.
ahhhh interesting.
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