Asana and Vinyasa; "So what have I been trying to say...".

Yesterday I posted Ramaswami's full June 2012 Newsletter.


The Newsletter has two sections, below is the second section section which is pretty much a summery of what has gone before and perhaps a nice introduction to the teaching Ramaswami received from his teacher Krishnamacharya.


See the full Newsletterr, link above, for the context


"So what have I been trying to say?


1. Asana in Raja Yoga (Patanjala Yoga) refers to a seated posture in
which the Yogi stays put comfortably and steadily for a long time


2. According to Patanjali and interpreted by Krishnamacharya it is
achieved by Vinyasas done with coordinated /synchronous smooth
breathing and focusing the mind on breath.  While doing the vinyasas,
Sri Krishnamacharya would ask us to breathe with a slight rubbing
sensation in the throat and producing a 'hissing sound' a la cobra—
another aspect of ananta samapatti. As mentioned earlier some
commentators refer to meditating on Ananta (ananta samapatti) and
normally it is done by Sri Krishnamacharya by saying a prayer in
praise of Patanjali at the beginning of a yoga practice session. There
are a few prayers on Patanjali. Sri Krishnamacharya  invariably
chanted the prayers  starting with “yastyaktva rupam..” then “yogena
chittasya..” and “aabahu purusha..” and then “Srimate Anantaya
Nagarajaya Namo Namah” at the beginning of a session while teaching
me, which I follow faithfully.


3. There are hundreds of vinyasas Sri Krishnamacharya taught. To meet
the requirements of different individuals one chooses the appropriate
ones from these. The individual package will depend upon the condition
of the individual and the posture/s one would look to attain siddhi
in. (Here is a commercial. To know and learn more about the myriad
vinyasas, systematically, please refer to my book “Complete Book of
Vinyasa Yoga”)


4. In practice,for the seated asana siddhi, inversions along with the
multitude of vinyasas in them are very helpful to relax and exercise
the lower extremities; so also the joints of the lower extremities
like the ankles, the knees, further up the hips and also the spinal
column. My Guru would ask us to be careful about thighs and waist.
“Never allow the thighs and waist to spread and get out of control”.
“Tape measure these and keep them under control.” And the inversions
with the vinyasas help keep the waistline and thigh size under
control, very essential to achieve seated posture siddhis. Since the
legs play an important role in seated poses these are very beneficial
to attain the sthiratva and sukhatva in seated poses. Further as many
varied vinyasas in scores of other asanas as possible should be
practiced to cover/exercise the whole body comprehensively and with
the bandhas at the end of exhalation and wherever appropriate. Yoga is
considered a sarvanga sadhana or a system that reaches and benefits
all parts of the body including the internal organs. It is achieved by
different vinyasas in different yoga poses, with appropriate breathing
and the bandhas. When a Yogi sits down to start the Pranayama, the
Yogi's whole body should be perfectly prepared with the Vinyasas in
different asanas with smooth mindful breathing. All these to make it
possible for the Yogi to sit comfortably for a long time and
concentrate on the job on hand like Pranayama or meditation and
completely be oblivious  of  the body .


5. A deliberate effort to link the breath with the movement mindfully
(mind/breath unity) will help the asana siddhi as per Patanjali's
instructions


6. Sri Krishnamacharya taught asanas with a proviso that it should not
be strenuous, no strain on the heart. Yoga should be helpful for the
heart by the judicious use of breath (respiratory pump effect) and
varied use of vinyasas (muscle pump effect). It is corroborated by a
verse in Hatayogapradeepika. Quoting Gorakshnatha,  Svatmarama says
“varjayet.......kayaklesa vidhim..” It indicates that the yogi should
avoid procedures that put strain/pain (klesa) on the system. Yoga is
to reduce pain or klesa, both physical(kaya klesa) and
psychological(the pancha klesas). Brahmananda in his commentary
explains kayaklesa that should be avoided will include, bahubhara
udvahana or carrying heavy weights and bahusuryanamaskara or
performing multiple sun salutations. Sri Krishnamacharya taught me Sun
Salutation with appropriate breathing with the movements but it was an
optional small part of the routine . Suryanamaskara chanting however
was an important aspect of the vedic chantings he taught me.


7. He also would say that a serious yogi should be krisa or lean. For
a yogi,heaviness caused by fat or lean (muscle) is not helpful.


8. The asanabhyasa I learnt from my Guru was not merely slowing down
the pace of the asana practice but a deliberate practice to slow down
the breathing rate itself. As against the normal breath rate of about
15 per minute, in Vinyasakrama the breath rate is brought down to
about 6 or less per minute during vinyasa practice for most of the
time. Without controlled breathing, the breath rate in many physical
exercises, outdoor games and gym workouts could be much higher than
the normal rate and is the antithesis of vinyasakrama I learnt from my
Guru consistently for many many years. Sri Krishnamacharya had a clear
preference for slowed breathing and advised his serious students not
to participate in activities that tend to increase the heart rate/
breath rate substantially like running etc. even as he had no
objection to walking as an exercise. This advice was of course for
serious yogabhyasis.


9. I remember that once  there was a talk/demonstration on Yoga by Sri
Krishnamacharya , if I remember correct, at  T S, in Adyar, Madras.
Sri Krishnamacharya spoke for a short while and asked someone in the
audience to come and check his pulse rate. It was about 60 or so. Then
Sri Krishnamacharya, sat up and did some pranayama and bandhas a few
times and asked his pulse rate to be checked. It was around 30. Within
a short duration with Pranayama ( and bandhas) he was able to
amazingly reduce the rate substantially.


10.When I was  young I actively participated in outdoor activities. I
even represented my college in three games, Cricket, Table Tennis and
Tennis (Captain). For a few years I was learning Yoga and also playing
outdoor games and I enjoyed both. But soon I realized the distinct
difference in the philosophy of both. While one--aerobics-- encouraged
free breathing, increased metabolism, substantially increased heart
rate during the physical activity, Yoga, at least the Yoga I learnt
from Sri Krishnamacharya encourages, nay mandates, deliberate slower
breathing, and achieve lower heart rate. I think both systems have
their own idiosyncrasies and distinct advantages. Aerobic kind of
exercises, especially the strenuous ones, may I say, tend to flog the
heart, by increasing the heart rate(sometimes even pounding),  breath
rate all of which of course help to strengthen the heart muscles and
develop collateral blood vessels. But then Yoga virtually accesses,
supports, caresses, gently massages and directly aids the heart in its
function. (For more on this please read my article “Yoga For the
Heart”, in my May 2009 Newsletter
http://groups.google.com/group/vinyasa-krama-announce/browse_thread/thread/b2623b8c86da2286?hl=en
)


11.  So, Yoga may not be practised as a workout with heavy breathing,
profuse sweating and accelerated heart rate . The nicety about
hatayoga is the smooth, long, more complete breathing even while doing
those beautifully flowing vinyasas and asanas and unique Mudras, else
there is physiologically no difference between Yoga and aerobics/
workouts.  And one must admit Sri Krishnamacharya knew a thing or two
about the heart and health. He lived for a hundred years a healthy man
and also, as documented, had shown tremendous control over the heart
and its beat."

Srivatsa Ramaswami.

------------------------------------------

The registration for Ramaswami's 200 hour Vinyasakrama Yoga Program at Loyola

Marymount University starting July 8th 2012 is as usual slow but

steady. Here is the link.

http://www.lmu.edu/pagefactory.aspx?PageID=34949&PageMode=View,