Sri T. Krishnamacharya (1888-1989) Two short biographies

Krishnamacharya seems to have been a one man University, he taught Philosophy, Medicine, Music, Classics, Literature, Theology, Languages and Philology... oh and he taught asana too.

Sri Krishnamacharya my Guru was a well known Yoga Master teaching the well organized comprehensive vinyasakrama yoga system. Equally important was his teaching of many other subjects. He was a well known vedic scholar. He had received diplomas and titles like Veda Kesari (Lion of Vedas), Vedanta Vegeesa (a master exponent of Vedanta philosophy), Samkhya Siromani ( crest-jewel of Samkhya), Nyayacharya ( Master teacher of Nyaya philosophy), Yogacharya (Master teacher of Yoga) and several others. He had learnt chanting of the Krishna Yajur Veda. In addition to teaching yogasana to several students in its art form (vinyasa), therapeutic application (cikitsa krama) he also taught several yoga texts like Hatyogapradipika, Ghrerunda Samhita, Siva Samhita, Yoga Yognyavalkya, several yogopanishads, Suta Samhita, Yoga Rahasya and others. He taught several chapters of yajusrveda chanting. The vedic philosophy texts he taught included the Bhagavat Gita, Yoga sutra, Samkhya Karika, Nyaya Sutra, Brahma Sutra, several vidyas from major upanishads like Taittiriya, Mandukya, Brahadaranyaka, Chandogya and others. As a Vaishnavite scholar he not only practiced Vaishnavism but also taught several works of great visishtadvaita gurus as Ramanuja, Desika and others. He was a bubbling university of vedic subjects. Picture by my nephew Prof.Radhakrishnan
Srivatsa Ramaswami

See also Ramaswami's article for Namarupa magazine.

My Studies with Sri Krishnamacharya

Krishnamacharya then was a well known 

vedic scholar.

He had received diplomas and titles like ...

Veda Kesari (Lion of Vedas), 

Vedanta Vegeesa (a master exponent of Vedanta philosophy), 

Samkhya Siromani ( crest-jewel of Samkhya), 

Nyayacharya ( Master teacher of Nyaya philosophy), 

Yogacharya (Master teacher of Yoga) 

He had learnt chanting of the 

Krishna Yajur Veda.

He taught

yogasana in its art form (vinyasa), 

therapeutic application (cikitsa krama) 

he also taught several yoga texts like 

Hatyogapradipika, 

Ghrerunda Samhita, 

Siva Samhita, 

Yoga Yognyavalkya, 

several yogopanishads, 

Suta Samhita, 

Yoga Rahasya 

He taught several chapters of 

yajusrveda chanting. 

The vedic philosophy texts he taught included... 

Bhagavat Gita, 

Yoga sutra, 

Samkhya Karika, 

Nyaya Sutra, 

Brahma Sutra, 

He taught several vidyas from major upanishads like... 

Taittiriya, 

Mandukya, 

Brahadaranyaka, 

Chandogya and others. 

As a Vaishnavite scholar he not only practiced Vaishnavism but also taught several works of great visishtadvaita gurus as Ramanuja, Desika and others.

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Below is the biography of Krishnamacharya on his third sons, Sri T. K. Sribhashyam's, website

Sri T. Krishnamacharya (1888-1989) 

A symbolic figure of Traditional Indian Culture.

The number 108 is a sacred number in Indian Culture. According to the Veda, when the universe was created, the Creator made 108 divinities to manage the created world. In later mythology, the Gods and Goddesses each had 108 names.

This tradition of Shatanama or garland of names, continues and today this Shatanama is offered on the 108th anniversary of a spiritual Master. In Indian culture, centenarians achieve the status of a God 108 years after they were born because of their experience of life. This 108th anniversary is often celebrated by their descendants who, together with others, join to pay them homage.

This is the case of Sri T. Krishnamacharya, a symbolic figure of traditional Indian Culture and a founding father of the teaching of Yoga to Europeans. Born in southern India in 1888, Sri T. Krishnamacharya belonged to a family of philosophers and spiritual Masters. He was the eldest of five children.

The majority of his studies were done in Varanasi (Benares) and Calcutta, strongholds of traditional Indian philosophy where he quickly obtained the highest distinction in all the branches of Indian Philosophy. He mastered Hindu Yoga in the Himalayas and Buddhist Yoga in Burma, then part of India. Later, he went to Cashmere to study Sufism. He taught Indian philosophy at the Benares University and Calcutta University before accepting the King of Mysore’s invitation to teach Indian philosophy at Mysore Sanskrit College. Like his forefathers, he taught the King and was appointed a philosopher of the Royal Court.

As a Master of Philosophy, Sri T. Krishnamacharya was invited by many Indian Royal Courts and Monasteries to participate in the Philosophical Debates, characteristic of Indian Culture since time immemorial. He emerged victorious, not only in his arguments, but in his ability to explain the application of Indian Philosophy, to the general public in a simple and convincing way. In addition, he had mastered 15 Indian languages, was an astrologer, musician, sportsman and refined cook.

In the 1920s, Sri T. Krishnamacharya began teaching Yoga to the Royal Family and residents of Mysore. With time, he gave increasing importance to the teaching of Yoga. He always integrated the philosophical aspects of Yoga when practising or teaching. Around 1935, Sri T. Krishnamacharya taught his first non-Indian students. These were Europeans, and as their numbers increased, he taught himself English in order to teach them in English. He lived in Mysore till 1954 when he moved to Madras where he lived until his death in 1989.

Sri T. Krishnamacharya had six children, three sons and three daughters. His wife, Srimathi Namagiriammal as well as his children were taught by him. Although his eldest son, Sri T.K. Srinivasan, was well-versed in Yoga, he chose to specialise in Indian Philosophy. Today he is one of the authorities on Nyaya and Mimamsa, two philosophical standards which feature among the most important in Indian tradition. His other sons, Sri T.K.V. Desikachar and Sri T.K. Sribhashyam, gave up their professions to devote themselves to teaching Yoga. Sri T. Krishnamacharya’s second daughter Srimathi Alamelu is one of the first women to whom he taught the Veda.

Sri T. Krishnamacharya taught Yoga to his wife’s brother, Sri B.K.S. Iyengar (born in 1918), when the latter was still a child. Following the ancient tradition, Sri B.K.S. Iyengar lived in his Master’s house. At the age of 15, he started teaching Yoga. Sri T.K. Sribhashyam, born in 1940, was also taught by his father from the very young age. In 1956 he began teaching Yoga with his father in Madras, while still undergoing university studies. Sri T.K.V. Desikachar, completed university before studying under his father in the 1960s. Sri T. Krishnamacharya continued to teach his family until his death.

Sri T. Krishnamacharya never abused his position. He refused the rewards offered by the King and the Royal Courts and lived on the modest income earned as an inspector of a coffee plantation, carrying sand and stone for construction projects and practising Indian Medicine (Ayurveda). He even conceded his rich inheritance to his brother and sisters in order to remain true to his philosophical principles.

He refused distinguished positions offered by Courts and Monasteries in order to maintain his liberty and freedom in teaching. His wife, Srimathi Namagiriammal followed his example and shared his simple life. For Sri T. Krishnamacharya and his children she represented a living philosophy.

While Sri T. Krishnamacharya, was a strict practicing Hindu, he had great respect for all religious, traditional or contemporary thoughts.

His open-mindedness brought him to meet many Spiritual heads of other faiths. Many religious chiefs, head of states, yoga masters and philosophers came to learn under him. He respected their need for confidentiality and never used these relations for his own personal benefit or advantage.

He participated in family life, including domestic activities. For him, everyone was equal and deserved the same attention.

Sri B.K.S. Iyengar, Sri T.K.V. Desikachar and Sri T.K. Sribhashyam are Master’s most intimate disciples. They have been invited the world over to transmit the teaching of Sri T. Krishnamacharya.


All facts about Sri T. Krishnamacharya are based on information furnished by Sri T. Krishnamacharya himself, Smt T. Namagiriammal and the elder members of Smt T. Namagiriammal's family.

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Bringing loving Kindness into our practice. Also, Krishnamacharya Baddha Padmasana/Yoga Mudra instructions.

This is a section on bringing Metta into our practice that was buried away in yesterdays long post on Yoga Sutra 1-33 and the Brahmavihāras

Loving Kindness and Brahmavihāras, the four immeasurables in the Yoga Sutras YS1:33 - Inc. introducing Loving Kindness into our asana practice. Also Krishnamacharya and Buddhism.

Krishnamacharya baddha padmasana

see end of post for Krishnamacharya's baddha Padmasana and yoga mudra instructions.

"...Chin lock, chest forward. In the case of those who are married, the gaze should be to the tip of the nose, and in the case of the others the gaze should be to the midpoint of the eyebrows.

Take deep breaths. The deep breaths in this asana can with advantage be with control both after inhalation and after exhalation i.e., both ANTHER AND BAHYA Kumbhakam. The retention of breath, in the beginning stages, should not be more than 5 seconds after inhalation and not more than two seconds after exhalation. The breathing in and breathing out should be as thin and as long possible, with rubbing sensation in the throat. The number of rounds can be as many as it is conveniently possible without strain". on Baddha Padmasana - Krishnamacharya Yoga Makaranda part II

Question: What does the bhakti mean to a person who has no belief in Isvara?

Krishnamacharya: Love is bhakti for them

During our Practice

In our Ashtanga Vinyasa practice, at some point, we might just forget about the different Drishti (originally there were only two, one in fact, do we really need nine) and focus instead, throughout the practice, on the region of the heart (Hrudaya) "...where our breath begins and where it ends'" 

Place a mantra there

May I be safe from internal and external harm

There are others...

May I be peaceful and happy

May I be healthy and strong

May I take care of myself joyfully.

But it's the first one I like to focus on ( you might find the second works for you but I have a sense that all follows from the first). If and when we experience happiness or contentment there in the heart then we can worry about directing it outwards to others, to all beings, first we need to experience for ourselves what it is we wish to project.

While we're at it we can stop worrying about alignment, as long as we've learned enough not to injure ourselves the breath will take care of alignment. Obsessive alignment is perhaps yet one more distraction we give ourselves

And then stop worrying about the breath, or the bandhas (our breathing naturally slows anyway and subtle bandhas follow long slow breathing) and certainly the count, it too will take care of itself, the heart counts, the breath counts whether we focus on it or not.

Another place to put the mantra, or notice the growing sense of contentment, (joy, bliss, happiness, love however you experience it, for me it's peace, contentment), would be in the kumbhaka.

We can focus on the heart in our pranyama too of course.

We can make loving kindness the focus of our more formal Sit or just set up our seated practice by placing the mantra in the region of the heart, perhaps a vague feeling of contentment will arise there and we can drop the mantra and but remain aware of that experience, vague, occasionally tended perhaps throughout our sit. At the end of our Sit we might direct that contentment outwards, to our loved ones, our friends, acquaintances, to all. In this approach it's nor so much the focus of the meditation but more of a background practice, an alternative perhaps to coming back to the breath.

See also perhaps my earlier posts

On Loving kindness 

Internal drishti points

Kumbhaka

Why the heart region? Here's Krishnamacharya's son T. Sribhashyam, 

"- Hrudaya: the place of residence of God in us. It is a little outside the physiological heart. In the concentration of Mula Shirsha to it automatically by Hrudaya. This is protected from any human emotion. As a state mental Hrudaya is given automatically when the field is free of mental sensations and emotions."

"from Pearl" or the influence of Mudra and Prânâyâma in a spiritual search

Perhaps I would use 'the divine' in place of 'God' , or Bhakti (love) perhaps in line with Krishnamacharya's quote at the top of the post. There tends to be very different initial conceptions of God in the East and West, many of us turn off as soon as we see the word, to be honest I turn off at 'divine' too but it gives me pause. 

The point here is that the heart region, Hrudaya is a tradition focal point associated with a feeling of well being.

Krishnamacharya also felt Hrudaya could be an appropriate focal point for the exhalation in certain asana, pranayamas. I've found this myself in for example Jhana meditation. When shifting attention to an arising pleasant sensation or experience, whether, a warmth, light, colour etc. directing the exhalation there mentally seems to stoke the coals somewhat and keep the experience ( in this case our sense of well being, contentment... happiness).... ticking over. 

See this post perhaps on T. Sribhashyam on Pranayama

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Buddha was smart, oh so smart and he knew us well. Love your neighbor says Jesus, that's nice.... but how exactly, I struggle with kittens. And let alone people, or those whose actions make them seem barely people and make us  question "Oh god ,what are we that we can do such as this". And not just the nauseating harm we can't turn our minds away from but the small creeping harm we subject our most loved ones too, mentally if not physically. How can we love ourselves let alone our neighbors. Buddha was smart, begin with kittens or if kittens aren't your thing then puppies or babies or better still a teacher, someone you love and respect (and question). Identify that feeling and bring that into your heart-region as you set up the mantra, "May my teacher, this person I love and respect be free from internal and external harm". That's a start. At some point, keeping hold of that feeling, use yourself in the mantra, "May I be free from internal and external harm". As that feeling grows becomes stable we can direct it to other, to friends, loved one, those we work with, come in contact with and then those we don't know and finally to those who irritate us, kittens and small children may come in this category. And so it goes, directed out to those we dislike.... fear, those our first reaction is to hate, to all beings, past, present, future... Buddha was nothing if not ambitious. Buddha knew us, he knew we needed training in this and loving kindness towards ourselves and others, maintained throughout a two hour practice is not perhaps a bad start.

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I decided I needed a picture for this post and ended up coming across the wonderful photo of Krishnamacharya at the top of the post. Thought I couldn't leave it at that so fished out krishnamacharya's pictures and instructions for Baddha padmasana and yoga mudra from my earlier post on mudras.

Krishnamacharya on Baddha Padmasana and Yoga Mudra 

from Yoga Makaranda parts I and 'II'

from Yoga Makaranda (Mysore 1934) Part I p103-105

18 Baddhapadmasana (Figure 4.52, 4.53, 4.54, 4.55)

Place the right foot on top of the left thigh and the left foot on top of the right thigh. Take the hands behind the back and tightly clasp the big toe of the right foot with the first three fingers of the right hand and tightly clasp the big toe of the left foot with the first three fingers of the left hand.

Press the chin firmly against the chest. Keep the gaze fixed on the midbrow. Sit down, keeping the rest of the body straight. This has the name baddhapadmasana. This asana must be repeated on the other side (that is, first place the left foot on top of the right thigh and then the right foot on top of the left thigh) in order to exercise both sides of the body.

This has 16 vinyasas. The 8th and 9th vinyasas are the asana sthiti. The other vinyasas are like pascimottanasana. 

Study the pictures (Figures 4.52, 4.53) and learn how to keep the gaze. In this asana, one must do puraka kumbhaka. Only in yoga mudra sthiti should one do recaka. This sthiti consists of two forms — so study the pictures (Figures 4.54, 4.55) carefully.

Benefit: It will cure all diseases of the lower abdomen. Pregnant women should not do this asana.

originally numbered 052

originally numbered 053

originally numbered 054

originally numbered 055

from 'Yoga Makaranda Part II' ( or Salutations to the teacher, the eternal one)

35. BADDHA PADMASANA

This asana is the counter pose to the ARDHA MATSYENDRASANA - Section A, and should be done immediately after that asana.

Technique:

1. Sit upright, with both legs stretched in front. Bend one of the legs, say the right, at the knee and place the foot on the left thigh as high as possible. The heel should be as near the navel as possible. Now bend the left leg at the knee and place the left foot on the right thigh as high as possible, and the heel as near the navel as possible. The knees should be as close as possible and touch the ground.

2. Take the left arm around the back and catch hold of the toes of the left foot by the right hand. Next, take the right hand behind the back and catch hold of the toes of the right foot by the fingers of the right hand.

Note: Which hand is taken round first is important. In the position described above, it will be observed that the LEFT leg is crossed over the right leg, and it is the LEFT arm that is taken round the round back first, to catch hold of the toes. When the asana is repeated on the other side, the right leg will be over the left leg and right arm will be taken round the back first.

3. Chin lock, chest forward. In the case of those who are married, the gaze should be to the tip of the nose, and in the case of the others the gaze should be to the midpoint of the eyebrows.

4. Take deep breaths. The deep breaths in this asana can with advantage be with control both after inhalation and after exhalation i.e., both ANTHER AND BAHYA Kumbhakam. The retention of breath, in the beginning stages, should not be more than 5 seconds after inhalation and not more than two seconds after exhalation. The breathing in and breathing out should be as thin and as long possible, with rubbing sensation in the throat. The number of rounds can be as many as it is conveniently possible without strain. 5. Get back to the position in step (1) and repeat on the other side.

This is one of the asanas specifically recommended for doing Pranayama. When a large number of Pranayamas are done there is a feeling of hunger, but it is a false sensation. Benefits: This benefits all parts of the body, reduces the waistline, strengthens the lungs and the blood vessels.

Yoga Makaranda (part II) p39-40

35. YOGA MUDRA

Technique:

After step (3) described under Baddha Padmasana while exhaling, bend trunk forward, till the head touches the ground.

Take deep breaths as many as is possible without undue strain.

While inhaling raise trunk.

Yoga Mudra should be done immediately after Baddha Padmasana. The above describes the final complete pose and may not be attainable at the beginning but only after considerable practice. In the beginning the trunk should be lowered to the extent that is conveniently possible without undue strain and the final position will become possible in course of line. p40

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See perhaps this earlier post on other Mudras 

http://grimmly2007.blogspot.jp/2012/12/new-halogen-heater-baddha-padmasana-on.html

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Loving Kindness and Brahmavihāras, the four immeasurables in the Yoga Sutras YS1:33 - Inc. introducing Loving Kindness into our asana practice. Also Krishnamacharya and Buddhism.

I've had this post sitting in my draft box for a year or more perhaps longer, occasionally tweaking it, always intending to develop it further....., this will have to do for now.


Question: What does the bhakti mean to a person who has no belief in Isvara?

Krishnamacharya: Love is bhakti for them

Loving Kindness is one of the four Immeasurable in Buddhism and it's there in the Yoga Sutras, 1:33. This sutra is the first of seven contemplation techniques or approaches to meditation.

The final meditation option of the seven is the 'fast track' option of contemplating Ishvara ( the Lord... God, which may mean 'merely' the boundless cradle of awareness in which we reside).

The most seemingly straightforward perhaps (but challenging) of the seven, and no doubt the most familiar, is following the breath.

However, concentration on the four immeasurable, including loving kindness is the first listed. Not the first as in we begin with it or that there is an order or that we have to practice all of them, they are surely options, anyone should be able to find an approach to meditation (Yoga) that works for them (and Patanajali goes into more depth and detail later), but I find it interesting that Patanjali placed it here, right at the beginning.


Brahmavihāras, the four immeasurables in the Yoga Sutras

Yoga Sutras 1-33

maitrî-karuñâ-muditopekæâñâä sukha-duïkha-puñyâpuñya-viæayâñâä bhâvanâtaå citta-prasâdanam

maitrî = friendliness
karuñâ = compassion
mudita = delight
upekæâñâä = equanimity
sukha = happiness
duïkha = distress, pain, suffering puñya = good, virtuous

apuñya = bad, evil
viæayâñâä = object (of experience)
bhâvanâtaï = radiating, projecting
citta = consciousness
prasâdanam = calming, tranquilizing, clarification

Consciousness settles as one radiates friendliness, compassion, delight, and equanimity toward all things, whether pleasant or painful, good or bad.
Chip Hartranft translation

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Consciousness settles....

Ronald Steiner has the full Yoga Sutras along with his commentary on his excellent Ashtangainfo.com

Here's the link to 1:33, I've quoted a couple of sections from his treatment of this sutra below.

MAITRI KARUNA MUDITO PEKSHANAM SUKHA DUHKHA PUNYA APUNYA VISHAYANAM BHAVANATAH CHITTA PRASADANAM ||33||

मैत्री करुणा मुदितोपेक्षाणांसुखदुःख पुण्यापुण्यविषयाणां भावनातः चित्तप्रसादनम् ॥३३॥
maitrī karuṇā mudito-pekṣāṇāṁ-sukha-duḥkha puṇya-apuṇya-viṣayāṇāṁ bhāvanātaḥ citta-prasādanam ||33||

All that is mutable in human beings (chitta) is harmonized through the cultivation of love (maitri), helpfulness (karuna), conviviality (mudita) and imperturbability (upeksha) in situations that are happy, painful, successful or unfortunate. ||33||


"These four basic traits nurture each other, which means that developing one helps to develop all the others.

I always try to accept other people in a loving fashion (maitrī), and particularly when time is at a premium.

If someone needs my help, I try to be there for them (karuṇā). This is part of my job as a yoga teacher and physician. In some cases, this help takes a very concrete form, e.g. when I prescribe a drug or therapy. However, when it comes to personal problems I rarely provide specific answers, but instead try to help the student find their own solution.

mudita means conviviality, which is an important trait for me as a yoga teacher and physician. When I have to give a patient bad news, I nonetheless try to be as upbeat as possible – because after all, how can he be expected to believe in his own recovery if I rob him of all hope from a medical standpoint?
Of the four key traits, I have the most difficulty cultivating imperturbability (upekṣa) – for example being accepting when a close friend lights up a cigarette. I need to exhibit this same kind of acceptance in cases where a patient refuses to undergo therapy that I feel he needs. This ability to accept a person as they are is a sign of a good relationship".
Ashtangainfo.com

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For me this seems to be treating 1:33 kind of like yama/niyama, a general approach to daily life and while I agree completely, cultivate loving kindness, the four immeasurable in all your interactions, I want to go further and remind myself that Patanjali has placed this sutra here among the approaches to contemplation, the meditation techniques and he places it first.

Here's Aranya but notice Vyasa's commentary, "...the mind becomes pure. A purified mind becomes one-pointed, eventually attains serenity"

....and the last line of Aranya's commentary

"These fours practices are called Brahmavihāras by the buddhists and these, they say, lead to the brahmaloka" (Theravāda Buddhists hold that rebirth in the brahma-loka is the reward enjoyed by an individual who has accompanied great virtue with meditation)".


Here's the sutra and Vyasa's commentary along with that of Aranya.

If Aranya's is my Yoga Sutra commentary of choice, Edwin F. Bryant's Sutras comes a close second and many may prefer it. What makes Bryant's edition special is he brings together commentary for all the classic commentators including Aranya. Here hi is on 1:33 by way of a preview, link to Amazon for a closer look below.

Ramaswami reminds us that we take the principle that if something is not expanded on, explained in detail in Patanjali's text, then it's taken as a given and we refer outside the text ( a convenient approach). So to understand Purusha for example we turn to Samkhya on which Patanjali's system, his presentation of yoga, is grounded.

To understand and explore the four immeasurable in more depth we might look to Buddhism. There is an area of study that explores how much Patanajali was influenced by Buddhism and/or whether the Yoga Sutras were a response to the Buddhism prevalent in India at the time of writing, It's there in the text and never more so than here in 1-33

Krishnamacharya too it seems was interested in Buddhism in his early life although for how long a period and to what extent is unknown it seems. 

See this post on my Krishnamacharya blog 

Krishnamacharya and Burmese Buddhist meditation: focal points linked to breath and brought into asana.

Of course you don't have to become a Buddhist to take on board Buddhist Meditation techniques or Buddhist Ethics and Buddhism doesn't hold the patent on Loving kindness, Compassion, equanimity, Joy but they do write about it a lot.

So where can we look for more info on Loving Kindness mediation.... There's Insight meditation of course, Vipassana sites often treat metta, loving Kindness, as a meditation technique, you'll find retreats, workshops, special sessions on Loving Kindnesss...

Check out podcasts from audiodharma, I have a soft spot for those by Gil Frondsal (must have listened to hundreds of dharma talks by him from here and Zencast over the years, always good)

http://www.audiodharma.org/talks/?search=loving+kindness

See too this in depth article from the Berzin archives for sources

Introduction

The four immeasurable attitudes (tshad-med bzhi, Skt.apramana, Pali: appamanna) are:

• immeasurable love (byams-pa, Skt: maitri, Pali: metta),
• immeasurable compassion (snying-rje, Skt: karuna, Pali:karuna),
• immeasurable joy (dga'-ba, Skt: mudita, Pali: mudita),
• immeasurable equanimity (btang-snyoms, Skt: upeksha, Pali:upekkha).

They are also called "the four Brahma abodes" (tshangs-gnas bzhi, Skt. brahmavihara, Pali: brahmavihara) and are found in the various Hinayana and Mahayana traditions of Buddhism, as well as in Bon. Different schools and texts interpret them slightly differently, and certain practices in some traditions change their order. 

During our Practice

In our Ashtanga Vinyasa practice we can just forget about the different Drishti (originally there were only two, one in fact, do we really need nine), focus instead perhaps, throughout the practice, on the region of the heart, where our breath begins and where it ends. 

Place a mantra there

May I be safe from internal and external harm

There are others...

May I be peaceful and happy

May I be healthy and strong

May I take care of myself joyfully.

But it's the first one we want to focus on, if and when we experience happiness there in the heart then we can worry about directing it outwards to others, to all beings, first we need to experience for ourselves what it is we wish to project.

While we're at it we can stop worrying about alignment, as long as we've learned enough not to injure ourselves the breath will take care of alignment. 

And then stop worrying about the breath, or the bandhas and certainly the count, they too will all take care of themselves.

Another place to put the mantra, or notice the growing sense of contentment, joy, bliss, happiness, love, would be in the kumbhaka.

We can focus on the heart in our pranyama too of course.

We can make loving kindness the focus of our more formal Sit or just set up our seated practice by placing the mantra in the region of the heart, perhaps a vague feeling of contentment will arise there and we can drop the mantra and but remain aware of that experience, vague, occasionally tended perhaps throughout our sit. At the end of our Sit we might direct that contentment outwards, to our loved ones, our friends, acquaintances, to all. In this approach it's nor so much the focus of the meditation but more of a background practice, makes a change from merely coming back to the breath.

See also perhaps my post on internal drishti points

Updated: DRISHTI: Overview of Drishtis indicated for the Surynamaskaras by the different authors resp. Instructors ALSO Krishnamacharya's Gaze.

Why the heart region? Here's Krishnamacharya's son T. Sribrashim, perhaps I would use 'the divine' in place of 'God' , or Bhakti (love) in line with krishnamacharya's quote. There tends to be very different initial conceptions of God in the East and West, many of us turn off as soon as we see the word 'god', to be honest I turn off at 'divine' too but at least it gives me pause. 

"- Hrudaya: the place of residence of God in us. It is a little outside the physiological heart. In the concentration of Mula Shirsha to it automatically by Hrudaya. This is protected from any human emotion. As a state mental Hrudaya is given automatically when the field is free of mental sensations and emotions."

"Pearl" or the influence of Mudra and Prânâyâma in a spiritual search

The point here is that the heart region, Hrudaya is a tradition focal point associated with a feeling of well being.

APPENDIX

Krishnamacharya and Buddhism, below is the first part of my post on Krishnamacharya and Buddhism, click on the link to go to the full post with the extra articles mentioned at the end.

Krishnamacharya and Burmese Buddhist meditation: focal points linked to breath and brought into asana.

Carried over from April 2015 my main blog Ashtanga Vinyasa Krama Yoga at Home

"Those who practice yoganga, with the power of vinyasa and pranayama, have the ability to significantly decrease this number (of breaths). While practicing yoga with reverence, one can offer their essence to God during exhalation and during inhalation, imagine/suppose that God is entering your heart.  During kumbhaka, we can practice dharana and dhyana.  Such practices will improve mental concentration and strengthen silence/stillness.  Eliminates agitation and restlessness". 
Krishnamacharya Yogasanagalu (1941)

Now I'm no doubt reading too much into this and making connections where perhaps they aren't any or where none are necessary (these focal points are after all traditional points of mental focus in yoga) Still,  it's been playing on my mind, something about the technique of linking focal points to the breath and bringing them into asana practice. Either way it makes for a good post and a chance to look at this material again.

http://www.longdriveholiday.com/bodhgaya/

For a number of years I've been fascinated by the Idea that Krishnamacharya either went to Burma to study 'Burmese Yoga' or , what now seems more likely studied Buddhism, and Buddhist meditation in the Burmese tradition in particular. I was quite excited then to see this account (below) of Krishnamacharya and his son TK Sribhashyam  visiting the Mahabodhi/Bodhigaya temple, in the recent interview over at Harmony Yoga. Krishnamacharya sits down with some of the elderly monks who are supposedly old friends of his from when they studied Buddhism together. Krishnamacharya then went on to teach his son the differences between pranayama in Hinduism and Buddhism. Wouldn't you have like to be a mosquito on the temple wall for that conversation. What differences in particular did Krishnamacharya explain to his son, Samatha perhaps, mindfulness of breathing? Did any of these practices find their way into Krishnamacharya's own practice and teaching. ?

http://www.longdriveholiday.com/bodhgaya/

Now, I was just reading again Ajaan Lee's book, Keeping the Breath in Mind (free download available HERE - Thank you S.) and looking at this use of focal points (or bases of the mind) in the Meditation practice he presents based on the breath.

from Ajaan Lee Dhammadharo Keeping the Breath in Mind

Lessons in Samdhi

by

"5. Become acquainted with the bases or focal points for the mind—the resting

spots of the breath—and center your awareness on whichever one seems most

comfortable. A few of these bases are:

a. the tip of the nose,

b. the middle of the head,

c. the palate,

d. the base of the throat,

e. the breastbone (the tip of the sternum),

f. the navel (or a point just above it)".

Doesn't that remind you of Krishnamacharya's use of focal points to bring Dharana into his asana practice as outlined by his son TK Sribhashyam in Emergence of Yoga.

BUT Ajaan Lee is of course Thai not Burmese (There is a Thai tradition of focal point/bases for the mind breath meditation- see Dhammakya at the end of post). However, I checked Ajaan Lee's autobiography and it turns out he spent time in Burma and, get this, also India and at Maha bodhi in particular. Was the focal point/bases of the mind approach to Samatha in vogue at mahabodhi at the time Krishnamacharya may have studied there if indeed that was where he encountered Burmese and perhaps Thai Buddhism. Was there a cross fertilisation between this encounter with Samatha and Krishnamacharya's reading of Yoga Yajnavalkya ( see No. 4 below).

http://www.longdriveholiday.com/bodhgaya/

Krishnamacharya was always all about the breath, in Yoga Makaranda he only seems to employ two focal points, the tip of the nose and between the eyebrows, he was however well aware of the employment of the vital points in one of his favourite texts YogaYajnavalkya (includes a pranayama technique where the breath -and prana- moved from vital point to vital point). Krishnamacharya would of course have been fascinated had he encountered a meditative tradition based on the breath that focussed on traditional focal points (those from the heart up are considered to be spiritual focal points rather than those for the emotions or those for the body.

Go to this post on my Krishnamacharya Blog for the articles/further information below

http://krishanamcharysaoriginalashtanga.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/krishnamacharya-and-burmese-buddhist.html

1. First up then the Question and answer from the interview with Sribashyam on Buddhism and Burma.
2. Next a page outlining the focal points in Emergence of Yoga along with an outline of Krishnamacharya's own practice
3. A couple of sections from Ajaan Lees book outlining the Meditation technique  with a link to a free download for the full method.
4. Finally the relevant passages on moving prana from vital point to vital point in pratyahara and pranayama practice found in Yoga Yajnavalkya.