Yoga Sampad

Few western yoga schools pay a great attention to the study in detail of the Yoga Scriptures and the Vedic Culture. They also seem to ignore the importance that the tradition gives to these Scriptures as a means of knowledge to reveal the self. A means of knowledge , taken for granted to eliminate the fundamental problem we all face: the ignorance of the self.

The whole tradition is an oral tradition where the student sits and listen, inquire, contemplate and analyse the words of the teacher to dissipate the ignorance of the self. But now, in modern times, and with the inclusion of marketing in all aspects of our life, the most easy way is to sell “yoga” as an array of experiences that leads to some form of sensory, physical or organic pleasure that release us from body-mind pressures oand take us to new dimensions of “spirirtual” bliss and “eternal” freedom. Such “nice” words are now being used  now and it seems that they carry any meaning. Not at all.

Few are those who pay enough attention to the study of the texts and to the teaching methodology that our teachers have passed on us. And what is most surprising is that due to a lack of information and investigation it is firmly believed that the listening, analysis and contemplation of the words in the Scriptures are just a “theoretical” knowledge that has nothing to do with the real knowledge that experience or certain states of mind can produce by themselves.

There is nothing as far from truth as that.  This is a topic we should analyse and discuss  since there is a lot of confusion here about what is the traditional teaching methodology. read more »

In another article I wrote on yoga’s classical definitions. Today I will write on some basic notions of the Iyengar Yoga as I understand what Iyengar Yoga is by studying the BKS Iyengar, Prashant Iyengar and Geeta Iyengar texts. The best one can do to understand what the “Iyengar” Yoga means is obviously to directly ask BKS Iyengar himself, study with the Iyengars, visit the Institute and to read his books.

As per yoga’s definitions, speaking about the Iyengar Yoga is complex as it is a very broad matter which covers all human being aspects and from different angles and perspectives such as philosophy, art, science, psychology and religion.

The term “Iyengar”

The term Iyengar is an affectionate term given by some of the B.K.S. Iyengar’s students to make it different from other Yoga schools. B.K.S. Iyengar himself does not use such term but regards it with some surprise or even fun.

Iyengar Yoga is Patañajali’s Yoga

What B.K.S. Iyengar understands, teaches and practices is simply Patañjali’s classical teaching. He was an Indian Master probably born around the 3^rd century BC and the main exponent of the darśana yoga, one of the six orthodox Hindu systems and doctrines that basically deals on the skill and command over the human mind. read more »

There is a popular believe about the existence of a physical,  mental and spiritual yoga. We need to examine these concepts in order to bring some understanding and clarity about the purposes of aṣṭanga yoga.

A physical yoga cannot exist. There are three reasons for this.

First of all, yoga’s aim, or rather, Patanjali yoga‘s aim, is not to improve our physical well-being but to reach the purification of the individual consciousness as the key column for transforming our view and knowledge of ourselves, of the world and of God.

Secondly, using the physical body does not mean that the pursued target is physical. The physical body is used to reform the boy-mind-senses complex.

The third reason for this is that there is no written support in any yoga fundamental text of the existence of a physical yoga.

What is a physical yoga?

Prashant Iyengar answers clearly to this question. For Prashant Iyengar, we should not confuse the means with the ends
“If we are asked whether the yoga is physical, we must answer with another question: What is physical? The answer is very simple. What is done FOR the body is physical. What is done WITH the body is not necessarily physical. Even if we do something mentally for our body, it is physical. We could do it intellectually, emotionally or mentally. It would still be physical.

What is a mental activity? Something overtaken by the mind is not necessarily mental. We have just agreed that what we do with for the body through the mind is not mental but physical. What is done for the mind is mental. Even if we do something with our body for our mind, it is a mental exercise, a mental endeavour. read more »

This was a brilliant conference in which Geetaji dealt with the process of purification of the yogic practice (sadhana) and the need of creating and keeping proper tendencies (samskaras) to eradicate the afflictions (klesas) that disturb consciousness.
This was the conference that most touched me in the whole week and also the one that made me think about several aspects that I will now try to summarize.
Geetaji started remarking that some people asked her on the difference they see between the study of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras and their own personal practices. It seems that what Patanjali says has little to do with our utthita trikonasanas and the corrections in the asana. It is as if the practice and the theory were two different things.

The importance of the tendencies or imprints (samskaras) in the yoga study
Geetaji states that one can be considered as a yoga practitioner only after 15 or 20 years of regular practice with the aim of leaving the sediments of the good marks and imprints The cumulative imprints and tendencies of other lives are needed if one wants to study yoga.

We all usually mix imprints and tendencies that either get us closer to the yoga path or make us move away from it. If we pay attention to the big yogis and wise men and women we can easily notice that they had clearly marked tendencies since they were very young and know very well what they want, and then they decide and rule out what is not fundamental and makes them move away from the chosen path. This can be checked just by having a look at BKS Iyengar’s life. read more »

This is a summary of what I understood in Dr. Geeta S.Iyengar’s opening speech held in London  on May Sunday 24th, 2009, where BKS Iyengar’s teachings were given imparted during five days.

Geetaji started speaking on the requirements and the needs of the students who attended the convention. Some of the attendants personally knew Geetaji and had attended other conventions or had taken classes with her. Likewise, Geetaji knew some of them but not many others.
In such a big convention (800 people were confirmed to attend it) there are always persons of different levels and comprehension capacities.

Three different type of yoga adepts

Patanjali himself spoke about the four types of students (sadhakas):
- Lukewarm (mrdu). Whoever has a hesitant, undefined practice and cannot get over difficulties or troubles.
- Medium (madhya). This student has a more methodical practice.
- Intense (adhimatra). This is the most determined, meaningful, scientific and conclusive sadhaka.
- Extremely intense (Tivra samvegim). He/she is intense in applying his/her intelligence in the practice (sadhana); there is religiousness and purity in the sadhana. read more »