Vyasa and Ganesa - August 2017 Newsletter from Srivatsa Ramaswami

I am in Los Angeles teaching a 50 hour 10 day program on Bhagavatgita in the teaching of Krishnamacharya to a compact nice group. I have six more days to go. I am also teaching in the evenings a 20 hour 10 day program on core vinyasakrama asana program. In September I am scheduled to teach a 15 hr Samkhya Karika program at Chicago Yoga center  Sep 15/17 , 2017
http://www.yogamind.com/workshop-ramaswami-samkhya_2017.shtml

Vyasa and Ganesa

Above: My interpolation into Ramaswami's newsletter of the opening Vyasa/Ganesha scene from Peter Brooks' delightful Mahabharata.

Vyasa is the name associated with much of ancient Sanathana dharma in India. Vyasa as Vedavyasa is credited with codifying and compiling the four major vedas the main text (grantha) in ancient India. The name Vyasa is also associated with the 18 puranas or mythology that in the form of divine stories  explains the dharma of the vedas. Then he is also credited with writing an important itihasa called the Maha Bharata believed to be the longest epic ever written. Itihasa would mean a historical account --iti (thus) ha (surely) Asa (it was) indicating that Mahabharata is a historical account of the Chandra or moon dynasty. Vyasa himself is an important player in the Mahabharata. After what happened to the kauravas and pandavas in the Kurukshetra war, Brahma is said to have approached Vyasa to write the story of Mahabharata so that human beings will have an authentic account of this phenomenal historic happening and also let people learn dharma from this story. When he then decided to write the whole story he found it would be an extraordinarily voluminous work and he thought if he could dictate the story  at the rate of speaking and if one wonderful person would write it down, it could be save time and also he could keep pace with the thought flow. Then he approached the lovable Lord Ganesa the elephant headed son of Siva/Parvati. Ganesa agreed but he put forward a condition. He said that Vyasa should dictate continuously without a break. It suited Vyasa well but he put forward a counter condition. Vyasa said that Ganesa should understand the real import of the matter and not merely take down without understanding. Ganesa who is also known as fire of wisdom by Tirumular agreed immediately.  And then the great epic work started. Every now and then Vyasa would introduce a verse which required some reflection on the part of the Ganesa and as Ganesa would ponder over the sloka, Vyassa would compose the next bunch of verses. These occasional speed breakers came to be known as Vyasa's secrets.

There is a Sanskrit word

प्राज्ञ prājña. 

This can be split as pra+ आज्ञ ājña or pra+अज्ञ ajña  pra would mean  thorough and jña would mean one who knows. The prefix 'aa' would mean ''complete".

So प्राज्ञ prājña would mean one who has thorough and complete knowledge. The other split of the word would  pra + अज्ञ ajña. अज्ञ ajña is jña with the prefix 'a' 'a' means not whereas aa is complete.

So प्राज्ञ prājña could mean a highly wise person or a consummate idiot depending how the word is split.

In Sanskrit at the ending vowel of pra and ajña will become prājña and pra+ ājña also will also be prājña. Ganesa will have decided quickly if the word prājña meant a wise man or an idiot.

There are several instances where the slokas require some reflection to understand the sloka.
In the Bhagacat Gita which is a part of the Mahabharata, here is an interesting half sloka

करमण्यकरम यः पश्येदकर्मणि च कर्म यः

Karmaṇyakarma  yah paśyed yakarama  yaḥ akarmaṇi ca karma yaḥ

It would mean “One who can see non action in action and action in inaction ….

What does it mean?

The truth that the Self Is action less is clearly taught in smriti sruti  and surely by reason. It is however a deep rooted habit of the mind  to connect action with the action less Self even as it is contrary to the real nature of the Self. So it is said that even wise are deluded as to what action is and what non action is. Action pertains to the physical body (sarira) but man falsely attributes action to the Self and imagines “ I am the agent , the action is mine and I shall reap the fruits of my action”. (Karmaṇyakarma  yah paśyet )Similarly he falsely imputes to the Self the cessation of activity in the state of nirvikalpa Samadhi or nirodha Samadhi which pertains to the citta and not the self. The cessation of activity of the citta is itself an activity as the active citta has to perform an action of stopping to come to a state of non action. So the knowledgeable one is said to see that the Self which is non acting appears  to act due to erroneous perception. Likewise the citta  which is usually active reaches a non acting state of nirodha or brahma nirvana or karmani akarma

Srivatsa Ramaswami


http://groups.google.com/group/vinyasa-krama

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Origin - May 2017 Newsletter from Srivatsa Ramaswami

I am scheduled to teach just three programs in 2017. One is a 50 hr Complete Bhagavat Gita program at LMU, Los Angeles, then a 15 hr Samkhya Karika program at Chicago Yoga Center and a 100 hr Vinyasakrama TT program at One Yoga, Montreal, Canada. For links to these please visit the Events page in my website www.vinyasakrama.com/Events. I may not teach these topics again in America.

Origin

Not very long ago some scientists observed that the universe was expanding, the galaxies were drifting further. This led them to work backwards in time, a rewind of the evolution movie, which resulted in the theory that the universe originated from a tiny but extremely dense and extremely hot phenomenon

a singularity. Some say that all that we have in the universe-- trillions of tons of matter trillions BTUs of energy were contained in this undifferentiated minute singularity of infinite density and unimaginably hot. Mathematicians found the limit of this to be just a dot, a point without occupying any space but existent. Then the big bang theory is explained. It is said to have started happening some 13.7 billion years ago. It started creating space, expanding and cooling from its original extremely hot conditions. Particles and atoms formed and after a very long time about 4.6 billion years ago the earth was formed, then about a billion years later life first appeared in the form of a single cell bacterium. It happened due to a unique combination atoms, matter. Then life evolved, replicated and different species came into existence. It is estimated that there are about 8.7 million different species that came about.

Then when and how consciousness came about. Did it evolve when life appeared? What is consciousness? It is the awareness of one's own existence sensations, thoughts etc. There is still a lot of study going on to find out when and where this consciousness came about. It is generally considered to be an evolute of matter an adjunct faculty of the brain and nervous system.

The Samkhyas and Yogis also consider that space was created. They also looked back in time and found that the universe evolved out of again an unmanifest non dimensional entity called pradhana or mula prakriti. Pradhana would mean principal, unique or the origin. So the origin of the universe was according to Samkhyas an unmanifest entity very much like the scientist' s singularity. Here the mulaprakriti was homogeneous (samya), still made up of tamas which can be source of matter, rajas source of energy very much like the big bang singularity. But according to Samkhyas the evolution was not chaotic or random but orderly. That order is represented by the guna called satva. So mulaprakriti or pradhana was the source of the universe in an unmanifest form containing the source for matter, energy and having cosmic order.

The Samkhyas also took care to explain the evolution taking into consideration certain important factors. They had to explain how the one prakriti split up into subject and object as we experience. They enumerated that the universe was made of 23 evolutes arising out of the one singularity the mula prakriti. They described both the microcosmic and macro cosmic evolution. The subject is made of a template of 11 indriyas along with intellect and ego known as a subtle body or sukshma sarira whereas the objective universe was made of 5 tanmatras (light particles, sound waves etc) and 5 bhutas like space etc. Thus they theorized that the evolution had two streams. Even before space was created the singular mulaprakrity changed into the 18 subtle evolutes before the 5 gross elements evolved. They considered life itself as the activity (vritti)of the subtle body

What is of interest here is that the Samkhyas even as they found the universe was subject to change-- evolving and also transforming- found that there was one aspect that does not change over time. They recognized that consciousness or awareness does not change over time and unlike the common perception that consciousness is but another aspect of life, concluded that it is not a product of the evolving and changing prakriti. They showed that the awareness in us does not change all through life, during childhood, then adulthood and old age, the same awareness experiences all the changes one goes through in life. The same consciousness is witness to the waking experiences and during dream the same consciousness experiences dreams completely disconnected the waking experiences. So is with deep sleep. So just as they went back in time for the manifest universe and the manifest individual which ended up evolving from mulaprakriti, they went back in time for consciousness. Because there is no change in it all through the life they concluded the consciousness which is the essential non changing characteristic of individual beings should be same at the origin also. So they postulated two singularities, one the mulaprakriti which would change and evolve and then the individual unchanging consciousness which essentially is the self.

Vedanta which is the subject matter of the upanishads, seems to agree with the above two in that the whole universe evolved—from a singularity but that is Brahman. Brahman is an entity of consciousness which can never undergo any change, it is like the individual atman of the samkhyas. Vedanta differs from Samkhya in that Vedanta does not subscribe to the ;dual' singularities But this is universal consciousness from which the universe evolved. While the singularity of science is matter and energy, that of Vedanta is just consciousness. The actual evolution is described variously by different upanishads but the origin is Brahman. How can ever changing matter/universe evolve out of non changing consciousness? The advaitins of Vedanta agree with this objection but say that the evolved universe is just an illusion and there has been never a real creation.

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Ageing - March 2017 Newsletter from Srivatsa Ramaswami Plus links to some other posts on ageing.

"Surely healthy lifestyle, yoga practice will certainly help slow the the ageing process but one has inevitably to come to terms with the process of ageing". Ramaswami

My photo choice not Ramaswami's.
Krishnamacharya at 84 - see http://grimmly2007.blogspot.jp/2015/02/krishnamacharya-practicing-at-84.html post
Photos from krishnamacharya's Yogasanagalu see my Free Download page

Right now I am teaching a 15 day 100 hr Teacher Training program in Vinyasakrama Yoga. 60 hrs of asana vinyasas, 20 hrs of pranayama,yoga for internal organs and introduction to dharana meditation and then a 20 hr component of Yoga Sutras constitute the entire program. This is being organized by Yiga Vahini in Chennai. Last year I did the same program for Yoga Vahini in Chennai. I will be doing the same 100 hr Vinyasakrama Yoga program for Yoga Institute in Sydney Australia from April 22nd of this year. The registration is open. Here is the link
http://yogainstitute.com.au/april-22-2017-100hr-advanced-vinyasakrama-yoga-training-program/

Ageing

Changes take place all the time. Patanjali recognizes three changes or transformations called parinama-s.One is changes in a person due to circumstances called avastha parinama. Then the changes that come about due to efflux of time called lakshana parinama. Then of course transformations brought about by specific individual efforts on oneself. These specific activities which help to brings about fundamental changes of dormant but inherent qualities or dharmas are called dharma parinama-- like with yogic practice one is able to transform a habitually distracted mind to a mind or chitta which can remain in a state of intense focus called ekagrata. This transformation is called ekagrata parinama.

Everyone goes through the changes brought about by time.These changes or avastha parinama are seen over a period of time. Black hair turns grey or thins.The skin loses moisture slowly and becomes wrinkled. Muscles lose their tone and start sagging. Ageing signs are unmistakable

Just as changes are visible, there are invisible changes taking place inside the body with time. My Guru would say that several internal organs including the heart tend to get displaced from their positions over a period of time and these changes and regular inversions(sirsasana, sarvangasana) would help to slow down the descent of these organs. But one also would understand that the changes to the various vital organs may be retarded by Yoga and healthy lifestyle but can not be prevented altogether.

Cells age and become less efficient. Further old cells die and may not be replaced. This leads the vital organs to function less well. In some organs some cells die but are not replaced and thus render it less efficient. The intercostal and other accessory muscles of breathing including the diaphragm become weak. The lungs also become weak and unable to fight infections like pneumonia, pleurisy etc. The kidneys tend to shrink and this leads to many complications. The heart and the blood vessels start losing their elasticity. There is an all round decline in health as one ages. Surely healthy lifestyle, yoga practice will certainly help slow the the ageing process but one has inevitably to come to terms with the process of ageing.

There are several systems that are said to be helpful in coming to terms with the process of ageing and the inevitable termination.The Vedic philosophies Samkhya, Yoga and Vedanta reveal the stunning truth about the real self. The real self which is unwavering consciousness or awareness and in the midst of the ageing of all parts of the body it remains without an iota of change, they declare. That is the truth about oneself and they commend that one start considering the atma as the self and not the decaying body. Thus while all parts of the body decay, the core of each one -the self- does not undergo any change and thus is immortal. Could this awareness be a way to meet the depressing changes of old age and the inevitable end to the body?

Srivatsa Ramaswami
--
http://groups.google.com/group/vinyasa-krama

See my Ramaswami Resource Page at the top of the blog

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See also my Iyengar post on ageing...  

On yoga practice and ageing

My page at the top of the blog....

Ashtanga and Ageing / Maturity : Flexibility within the system of Ashtanga

And perhaps my previous post on the goal of Ashtanga yoga..., another reminder that asana is but one limb and though we may continue practicing (some) asana throughout our life, for health and fitness, discipline..., as a support for our concentration practice, as we age we may wish to add more focus, give more attention, to the other limbs and the goal of Ashtanga, though we may only travel so far.

Yoga teaches itself, or should.

but why wait until we are ageing?

*

Below my earlier post on Krishnamacharya practicing at Eighty-four,. Krishnamacharya taught an integrated practice, not only asana. Below the aspect of Krishnamacharya practice that we can see, we might wonder at his internal practice after sixty, seventy years of practice, the aspects (limbs) of yoga we can't see.

Krishnamacharya practicing at 84

Photos from krishnamacharya's Yogasanagalu see my Free Download page

What does practice look like after 70 years?

Krishnamacharya's Yogasanagalu ( Link to translation) was originally published in 1942, these photos are from the 3rd edition 1972

 

*

Or perhaps practice after 70 years just looks like this...

from Breath of Gods

*These pictures were taken for and added to the 1972 edition of Yogasanagalu putting Krishnamacharya at 84. Krishnamacharya was first taught asanas by his father from when he was six.

See the follow up post here

Krishnamacharya seems to have practiced along with his students.

Yesterday I posted 120 odd pictures of Krishnamacharya demonstrating asana from the 3rd edition of his second book Yogasanagalu, he was 84 at the time. The pictures were remarkable, how did he manage to stay that strong, that flexible, his eldest son Desikachar gives us a clue,

".....Of course, he was also doing Āsana for three to four hours daily in addition to his Prāṇāyāma. His practice was extremely rigorous and that may account for his being able to handle these large quantities of spicy and sweet foods.”

and the third post in this series

Krishnamacharya's own asana and pranayama practice Plus Krishnamacharya's Life saving practice.

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Brahmavit - February 2017 Newsletter from Srivatsa Ramaswami

Brahmavit

Who obtains (aapnoti) the highest?
One who knows the Brahman
Who or what is that Brahman?
It is pure awareness/consciousness(jnana) unaffected by time (satya) and space (ananta)
Where can one find it?
In one's own lofty space in the heart cave, snugly residing.
What does one get when one finds It?
The satisfaction one may get by enjoying everything one desires/wishes...all at once, he being one with that Brahman.

How is that Brahman the greatest (Param)?
From that Brahman-- that Atman one is-- was born Akasa or space. Then came from that Akasa, Vayu or Air (or matter in the form of gas), thence came, agni or fire (or matter in the form of energy) thence came in succession, aapaH or water (matter in the form of liquid), then prithvi or earth (or matter in solid state). From earth evolved plants and from plants came food and then all creatures including the human being. So Brahman is the source of everything and the human being is the essence of food.

Well how to find and know the Brahman in this huge creation?

One can start with oneself. The human body has five parts or gross aspects. They are the head, the right wing or arm, the left wing or left arm, then the torso and finally the tail or the lower extremities. These are the five parts that are visible.

Ok Where is the Brahman in this body?
You have to get to the subtler levels of one's being.and transcend them.
Which one is next?
In the same mould as the physical body there is a subtler subsystem called the body/sheath of life force or Prana. This Prana sheath can be seen as made of five parts prana, apana, vyana udana and samana forming the five different parts of the life foce body.

Can you locate Brahman/Atman in this sheath?
No we have to get to a further inner sheath inside this life force or prana body. And that is the sheath of the mind. Or the body of the senses as mind controls all the senses. And subtler than that is the body of senses or mind is the body of intellect. Even that is visualized as having five parts or aspects. Firstly
earnestness/faith is the head, as one starts an inquiry with faith or sharddha . Then the right wing is what is right or ritam/dharma. Then the intellect has the left wing as truth as one finds truth only by employing buddhi or intellect. Then adesa or determination is the torso as that is the result of deep analysis and contemplation of buddhi. Then buddhi is based on or sustained by Mahat or universal intelligence.

So then we can determine the existence of Brahman and Atman by using one's intellect. Is it right?
Yes by patient contemplation and meditation.
Then one can realize the Brahman?
Yes and the Upanishad also explains the state of one's mind in that state
How so?
It gives an opportunity for the seeker to have a feel for the experience one gets after this determination.
The next subtle sheath referred to is the sheath of bliss/happiness. It has also five parts. In it Joy or priya is the head. When one reads about Brahman a certain joy arises in the mind of the sadhaka. It is called priya. Then understanding it with the intellect leads to two more endearing feeling, happiness (moda) and then extreme happiness (pramoda). And finally when the sadhaka realizes the Brahman one experiences unalloyed bliss or Ananda. Thereafter one loses the separateness from Brahman and becomes Brahman which is support of this sheath and every other sheath and everything else.

Can anyone achieve this. Has anyone attained this state?
Yes the Upanishad itself says that Bhrugu the son of Varuna with the prodding of his father was able to realize the Brahman. The Taittiriya Upanishad explains the step by step approach followed by Bhrugu with extreme concentration and how he realized the Atman/Brahman. And Brugu is venerated as one of the seven greatest vedic sages (sapta rishis)

Based on Taittiriya Upanishad.  ( LINK Taittiriya Upanishad pdf )

Srivatsa Ramaswami
http://groups.google.com/group/vinyasa-krama

*

In January 2017, I taught a 10 day 50 hour program on Bhagavat Gita for yogabhyasis based on my study with my Guru Sri Krishnamacharya. It was organized by Saraswati Vasudevan under the banner of Yoga Vahini Chennai. Very dedicated and patient group indeed.

Then I spent 6 days at Mini Shastri,s OmYoga Shala in New Delhi teaching Core Vinyasakrama and varied pranayamas to some very dedicated yogabhyasis. They did 120 pranayamas one day 80 in the morning and another 40 in the afternoon. And then many performed 32 suryanamaskaras to the chanting of suryanamaskara (aruna) mantras from yajur veda. Very dedicated participants

In February I am scheduled to teach a 15 day 100 hour TT program in Vinyasakrama Yoga at Yoga Vahini Chennai. The same program I will be doing at Yoga Institute in Sydney in Australia in April/May 2017. The registration is still on for the Sydney program Here is the link

http://yogainstitute.com.au/april-22-2017-100hr-advanced-vinyasakrama-yoga-training-program/

Srivatsa Ramaswami

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Yoga 2017 - January 2017 Newsletter from Srivatsa Ramaswami

WISH YOU A HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS 2017.

In January 2017 I am scheduled to teach a 50 hr 10 day program on Bhagavatgita for Yoga Practitioners at Yaga Vahini, Chennai starting Jan 2nd. Then I will be teaching a 33 hr Core Vinyasakrama asana and pranayama program by the end of the month at OmYoga in New Delhi.

Yoga 2017

January 1 of every year is Yoga Day for many people. It is a priority in the list of new year resolutions. Some yoga schools encourage many to start yoga by offering introductory yoga classes for free or at an attractive discount. Many people who either left yoga or yoga had left them, restart yoga on this informal yoga day. What about those for whom 'Everyday is Yoga Day?' Can January 1 be a different yoga day?

Many diligent yoga practitioners who faithfully follow a standard routine all along may start looking for more or modifications of the yoga practice. Many practice a standard routine of a few vinyasa sequences and asnans. They may consider slowly introducing a very important aspect of yoga which is acclaimed by both Hatayogis and Rajayogis and that is pranayama. Those who have been practising yogasanas for a period of time say a few years and those who have been teaching for some time the same set of asanas and sequences may consider introducing pranayama into their practice and teaching. In fact Pranayama is a very important part of both Hata yoga and Rajayoga. Pranayama is hatayoga according to some old time experts. While asanas and vinyasas are generally very useful for the skeletal system, pranayama is especially useful for cardiac and pulmonary functions. Specific pranayama have unique benefits. Nadishodhana helps the upper respiratory portion, ujjayi directly helps the trachia and bronchial portions of the respiratory tract, then bhastrika is a robust exercise for the lungs. Kapalabhati helps to improve the tone of the diaphragm and also improves vital capacity. It helps to lower tamas in the system and makes the mind clear and fit for finer aspects of yoga practice. If one is already doing Pranayama with asanas, learning the bandhas and mudras may be considered. They add to improve the functioning of the abdominal and pelvic organs. Pranayama and mudras bring about significant physiological improvements.

If one practices complete hatayoga—asana vinyasas, pranayama and mudras then for the new year one may consider setting foot on antaranga sadhana as described by Patanjali. Choose a simple dharana practice, a mantra, an icon or chakra meditation if you and your teacher are upto to it. A good hatayoga preparation will be helpful in achieving siddhi in antaranga sadhana. Then those who merely practice meditation without hatayoga preparation may learn a few asanas and a good pranayama practice so the system is better equipped for meditation. There is enough to learn in yoga so that one may maintain interest in yoga day, everyday.

May be you would like to get into the theory or philosophy of yoga during the new year. It is a powerful unique philosophy that some find really liberating. Learning the Yoga sutras sutra by sutra could be a very absorbing one in the year of yoga. Learning to chant the sutras could be an additional effort in Yoga Sutra study. After one learns to chant yoga sutra and also learn the meaning of each sutra word by word, it may be a rewarding practice to chant each sutra and contemplate on the meaning of the sutra, as Patanjali says about Japa on pranava. There he suggests chanting “OM” and follow it by contemplating on the meaning of pranava as he himself describes in the sutras. In a similar fashion in Sutra Study, the chanting and contemplation could be an absorbing new Yoga year.

If you have already done all these you may want to study the sibling philosophies especially Samkhya, its text Samkhya Karika. It opens the door for the Yogi to comparative study of all the various sibling vedic philosophies especially vedanta as enunciated by the upanishads, the gita and the brahma sutras. One can start with yoga day, extend it to yoga year and then possibly yoga life

Sri Krishnamacharya was a life long Yogi.
He taught Yoga that would last a lifetime.

Wish you a happy Yoga Year

Sincerely
Srivatsa Ramaswami


http://groups.google.com/group/vinyasa-krama

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Guna Physiology - Newsletter from Srivatsa Ramaswami December 2016

December 2016 Newsletter from Srivatsa Ramaswami--Guna Physiology

 I am planning to go to India for three months from mid December. During 2017 I have scheduled two main programs . A 100 hour TT Vinyasakrama Yoga program which I will be doing in Chennai (Yogavahini, Feb 2017), Sydney Australia (Yoga Institute, April 2017) and Montreal, Canada (Oneyoga Sep 2017). I will also be doing a 50 hr Bhagavatgita for Yogis program at Chennai (Yogavahini Jan 2017) and  Los Angeles (LMU Aug 2017). A couple of shorter programs are also scheduled. A 5 day program of Core Vinyasakrama (Omyoga New Delhi Jan 2017) and a weekend Samkhyakarika program in Chicago (Chicago Yoga Center Sep 2017). For more details 

www.vinyasakrama.com/Events

Guna Physiology

सत्वं लघु प्रकाशकं इष्टं उपष्टम्भकं चकञ्च रजः

गुरुवरणकमेव तमः प्रदीपवच्चार्थतो वृत्तिः

satvaṁ laghu prakāśakaṁ iṣṭaṁ upaṣṭambhakaṁ cakañca rajaḥ

guruvaraṇakameva tamaḥ pradīpavaccārthato vṛttiḥ

The usual way  of describing prakriti or universe/nature is by the characterization of the constituent three gunas, satva rajas and tamas. Samkhya, Yoga and Vedanta all subscribe to the three gunas view of the Universe. In Bhagavat Gita the Lord goes to great extent to describe the manifestation of the gunas in different evolutes of prakriti. Iswarakrishna in his immortal work Samkhyakarika describes the gunas succinctly. Satva is lightness or buoyancy at the physical level and clarity or illumination at the mental level. Rajas is excited activity at the physical level and restlessness at the mental level. Tamas though is feeling of heaviness at the physical level and engulfing  darkness at the mental level. These three work in unison like a oil lamp or a candle with a wick functions. 

The Gita goes into great detail to describe the functioning of the Gunas in various aspects of  human activity.  I have written about it in an earlier article. The Gita urges everyone to become Rajasic if one is tamasic, then become satwic from being Rajasic and ultimately transcend all the three gunas. The Yoga system helps to achieve this goal systematically, sequentially. By asanas and pranayama according to yogis one can bring both Rajas and Tamas under control and then slowly strengthen the satvic aspect of one’s personality possibly by meditation

The gunas at the physiological level are related to the condition of the nervous system. There are two of them, the central nervous system, and the autonomic nervous system which again is made up of the parasympathetic and then the sympathetic nervous systems. The dominance of one of these systems leads to the preponderance of one of the gunas. The parasympathetic of which the vegas is an important part  is usually associated with low energy, phlegmatic, dominance of Kapha dosha and supports tamas. A high tone of this system is known as vegatonia could lead to some functional disorders.  It is katabolic. While vegatonia can be reduced by pranayama, many times one finds that the participant is so much low in energy that he or she would not be able to do any form of yoga. So if Tamas is very dominant one would like to increase Rajas so that one can start the process of yoga. Just as Lord Krishna would say ‘become rajasic if you are tamasic, one would do something to get some energy flowing. How to do that?

It is done by improving the tone of the sympathetic nervous system. A low tone of the  sympathetic and a high tone of parasympathetic , this imbalance leads to extreme lack of energy and laziness or tamas with disastrous long term consequences. How to improve the tone of the sympathetic?

Yoga comes out with a unique procedure or karani called sirsasana or head stand. If one would stay in sirsasana for a required amount of time,  the viscous cerebrospinal fluid slowly empties into the periphery of the brain. There are ventricles or openings in the brain and in the third ventricle in the recess is placed the pituitary gland. In sirsasana, the CSF fills this ventricle and exerts some pressure on the gland which helps to slightly increase its hormone secretion. It empties into the surrounding CSF. Then when one comes out of the pose, the hormone gets into the circulation and stimulates the adrenal gland. The adrenalin so produced excites and improves the tone of the sympathetic  nervous system. This will help to bring in some rajas and energy to the yagabhyasi. So if one is extremely tamasic such people will lack the energy and motivation to do pranayama to remove tamas. When I was studying with Sri Krishnmacharya, for a period of time I used to go for my asana classes in the evening after work. I used to feel tired especially in the hot humid Madras conditions. If he sees me very tired he would ask me first thing after the prayer to stay in headstand for a while. It used to be very relaxing for the whole body, the joints and the tired muscles. At the end of the sirsasana practice one would feel relaxed and little more energetic and can go on to do the asanas and vinyasas.

But then there are some who have high sympathetic tone or what you may call Rajasic or pitta dominated. Such people will have to use up the extra energy and asanas in general are supposed to help in reducing or utilizing the extra energy. 

‘Asanena rajo hanti says an Upanishad‘. There is another important asana which will help in reducing the rajas by improving the tone of the parasympathetic of which the vegas is an important part. The vegal nerve emanates from the occipital region of the brain The back portion of the brain is on the ground in Sarvangasana and the CSF is supposed to empty into the fourth ventricle which is in the occipital region and stimulates the vegas nuclii. So a proper balance between Sirsasana and sarvangasana would bring about the required equilibrium between the sympathetic and the parasympathetic nervous systems or bring about a parity between Rajas and Tamas physiologically.

Ultimately Yoga requires one to improve satva as it is the most desirable quality. The procedure that is used by Yogis to suppress Tamas and simultaneously increase satva is pranayama. Satva indicates a proper functioning of the brain and the central nervous system whereas Rajas and Tamas may be related to the functioning of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. It is an ingenious approach of yogis to increase satva or bring the central nervous system under good control. Breathing is usually under involuntary mode. Sympathetic acts during inhalation and the parasympathetic is active during exhalation. So normal breathing is involuntary. The central nervous system consists of the brain and the spinal cord and is responsible for out thinking and all activities we do voluntarily including meditation. In voluntary breathing which is pranayama, the breathing is brought under the central nervous system-- there are two centers of breathing one voluntary and the other involuntary. By doing pranayama, the yogi is able to work with the central nervous system and increase the dominance of satva. Pranayama on one hand helps to reduce tamas and increase satva, as Patanali puts it “ tatah kshiyate prakas aavaranam and dharanasu ca yogtataa manasaH”

So Tamas Rajas and Satva dominate the three nervous systems the parasympathetic, the sympathetic and the central nervous system. And the Hatayogis bring about the required changes of the gunas by manipulating the tone of the three systems by unique yogic procedures of Sarvangasana Sirsasana and Pranayama.

http://groups.google.com/group/vinyasa-krama

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Texts for Yoga Students - Ramaswami's October 2016 newsletter PLUS a Krishnamacharya reader

Ramaswami with with his teacher of over thirty years T. Krishnamacharya

योगः कर्मसु कोशलम्

yogaḥ karmasu kouśalam

Texts for Yoga Students

Sri Krishnamacharya, apart from Hatayoga (asanas, pranayama, mudras and health applications of Hatayoga) also taught chanting several chapters of the Yajur Veda. In addition he taught several original texts for Yoga students. During the course of three decades of study with him I had the opportunity to study several of the texts which he considered useful for Yoga students. . I have of late been offering some of these texts for yoga teachers and students who would like to broaden their base with more textual studies

1. 　Perhaps the most important text would be the Bhagavatgita. A couple of years back I taught the whole text verse by verse at Steve Brandon's Harmony Yoga in Wells, UK. It was a 13 day,70 hr program. Subsequently I taught several chapters of it at Sarah Mata's Studio in Los Angeles. Bhagavatgita even as it is known as a Brahma Vidya is considered a Yoga Sastra, My Guru would draw many parallels between Yoga Sutra and the Gita. This program can be done in about 50 hrs in ten days for interested yoga students

2.　The Yoga Sutras is a unique text of Maharshi Patanjali and is a masterpiece. Yoga students interested in the philosophy of yoga should study this text. I have had the privilege to teach this subject several times as part of my 100 and 200 hr Teacher Training programs. This can be taught sutra by sutra in 20 hrs.

3.　After we completed the study of YS, my Guru taught us at length the Samkhya Karika, an important text teaching the Samkhya philosophy, a sibling philosophy of Yoga. Several ideas of yoga become clear by studying this wonderful text written by a great scholar/philosopher Iswarakrishna. Some consider him to be an avatara of the great Sanskrit writer Mahakavi Kalidasa. This can be taught verse by verse in about 20 hrs

3.　Hatyogapradipika is a standard text studied by Hatayogis. Written by Svatmarama, it is one of the most studied books by Hatayogis. This (the first three of the four chapters) may be taught sloka by sloka in about 20 hrs,

4.　Sri Krishnamacharya in the course of my long study taught several other texts. He taught Yoga Yagnyavalkya. Though not so well known as Hatayogapradipika, discerning yogis pay attention to the teachings of this text. This can be taught sloka by sloka in about 20 hrs

5.　Upanishad studies were an important part of Sri Krishnamacharya's teachings. Katopanishad was one of the important ones. In fact I learnt the chanting of the entire 3 chapters of Taittiriya Kataka (It takes about 2 hrs to merely chant the whole text), which is said to be the inspiration for the Katopanishad. All the 6 chapters of this upanishad can be taught in a 15 to 20 hr program.

6.Sri Krishnamacharya taught two major upanishads, Brihadaranyaka and Chandogya upanishds. Readings of some of the important Vidyas from these upanished can be material for a short 20 hr progra

7.　Other smaller upanishads that Sri TK taught also may be of interest for serious yoga students--- like Mundaka, Mandukya, Prasna, Taittiriya, Svetasvatara etc.
Adi Sankara's Yoga Taravali is a masterpiece. This can be taught in about 20 hrs.

Sri Krishnamacharya even as he taught Yoga as it is popular in modern times, felt that the yoga students should also have a solid philosophical base and he was always willing to impart such knowledge to his students.

I am now in Madrid, Spain teaching a 100 Hr Certificate TT program in Vinyasakrama Yoga at Dhara Yoga. Yoga students and teachers from different parts of Europe are attending the program, a very talented and dedicated group. It will be over on Oct 8th, 2016



During September 2016 I taught an extended weekend workshop at Chicago Yoga Center in Chicago. There was a 6 hour program on KaTopanishad, in which we could cover the first three of the 6 chapters. I also taught the three chapters of HaTayogapradeepika during the weekend (12Hrs).

Earlier in September I completed the 25 hr Certificate program in Core Vinyasakrama Yoga at Hatha Vinyasa Yoga Schule Institute in Mainz, Germany.

Srivatsa Ramaswami
--
http://groups.google.com/group/vinyasa-krama

Appendix

from my Yoga Reading list page at the top of the blog

http://grimmly2007.blogspot.jp/p/yoga-reading-list.html

A Krishnamacharya Reading list (inc. Pdf Links).

from interviews with Pattabhi Jois

Namarupa Magazine, fall 2004. http://tinyurl.com/o9fz3j9

1.What did Krishnamacharya teach you?

"What my teacher taught me is exactly the same method I am teaching today. It was an examination course of primary, intermediate, and advanced asanas. He also taught me philosophy. For five years, we studied the great texts. He would call us to his house and we would stand outside and wait to be called in. Sometimes, we would wait the whole day. He would usually teach us for one or two hours every day: asanas early in the morning and, around 12 o’clock, philosophy class. He also taught us pranayama, pratyahara [sensory withdrawal], dharana [concentration], and dhyana [meditation]. And, in addition to the Yoga Sutras and Bhagavad Gita, he also taught Yoga Vasishta, Yoga Yajnavalkya, and Samhita. And all in Sanskrit". Pattabhi Jois

T. Krishnamacharya

Following on from my earlier 

Sri K. Pattabhi Jois' READING LIST from from the 'original' Ashtanga diploma syllabus list given to Nancy Gilgoff and David Williams in 1974

I thought it might be useful to make a similar post of a Krishnamacharya reading list.
Below are Krishnamacharya's own works as well as texts (Upanishads, sutras, samhitas etc.) mentioned by Krishnamacharya in his Bibliographies as well as texts Krishnamacharya taught to his student Srivatsa Ramaswami over a thirty year period.
Where possible I've linked to a free downloadable pdf version of the text.

Contents.

1. Main texts by Krishnamacharya

2. Complete list of Books/texts by T. Krishnamacharya

 3. Bibliography from from Yogasanagaly 

4. Bibliography from from Yoga Makaranda 

5. A course of study with Krishnamacharya

Appendix

Thirty Minor Upanishads

I'm adding this post to my Krishnamacharya Resource page and will add any other relevant texts mentioned by his students as I come across them.

1. Main texts by Krishnamacharya

Yoga Makaranda (Mysore 1934)pdf

Yogasanagalu translation (Mysore 1941) (link) 
Note I'm posting the last section of the translation this week ( on pranayama) followed quickly by the full text in book for for free download.

Krishnamacharya's Yoga Makaranada Part II pdf

Krishnamacharya's Salutations to the teacher and Eternal one pdf

Yoga Rahasya 

Selections from chapter 1

http://grimmly2007.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/from-chapter-1-yoga-rahasya-of.html

Selections from chapter 2

http://grimmly2007.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/from-chapter-2-yoga-rahasya-of.html

Selections from chapter 3

http://grimmly2007.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/from-chapter-3-yoga-rahasya-of.html

Selections from chapter 4 

http://grimmly2007.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/from-chapter-4-yoga-rahasya-of.html

Rare photograph of Krishnamacharya assisting.

2. Complete list of Books/texts by T. Krishnamacharya:

from http://krishnamacharya.net/works

unfortunately most of the articles mentioned have not been released

Yoga Makaranda (Mysore 1934)pdf

Yogasanagalu translation (Mysore 1941) (link)

Yoga Rahasya 

Yogavalli

Other works (essays and poetic compositions):

“Yogaanjalisaaram”

“Disciplines of Yoga”

“Effect of Yoga Practice”

“Importance of Food and Yoga in Maintaining Health”

“Verses on Methods of Yoga Practice”

“Essay on Asana and Pranayama”

“Madhumeha (Diabetes)”

“Why Yoga as a Therapy Is Not Rising”

“Bhagavad Gita as a Health Science”

“Ayurveda and Yoga: An Introduction”

“Questions and Answers on Yoga” (with students in July 1973)

“Yoga: The Best Way to Remove Laziness”

“Dhyana (Meditation) in Verses”

“What Is a Sutra?”

“Kundalini: Essay on What Kundalini Is and Kundalini Arousal (sakti calana) Based on Texts Like the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Gheranda Samhita, and Yoga Yajnavalkya”

“Extracts from Raja Yoga Ratnakara”

“Need for a Teacher”

“Satvika Marga” (“The Sattvic Way”; philosophy/spiritual/yoga)

“Reference in Vedas to Support Vedic Chanting for Women” (philosophy/technical)

“Fourteen Important Dharmas” (philosophy)

“Cit Acit Tatva Mimamsa” (philosophy)

“Sandhya-saaram” (ritual)

“Catushloki” (four verses on Sankaracharya)

“Kumbhakonam Address” (catalog)

“Sixteen Samskaras” (rituals)

“Mantra Padartha Tatva Nirnaya” (rituals)

“Ahnika Bhaskaram” (rituals)

“Shastreeya Yajnam” (rituals)

“Vivaaha” (marriage rituals)

“Asparsha Pariharam” (rituals)

“Videsavaasi Upakarma Nirnaya” (rituals)

“Sudarshana Dundubhi” (devotional)

“Bhagavat Prasadam” (devotional)

“Narayana Paratva” (devotional)

“About Madras” (miscellaneous)

3. Bibliography from from Yogasanagaly 

T. Krishnamacharya (Mysore 1941)

I did not attempt a detailed review of all ancient yoga treatises since it will make this book very long and perhaps cause boredom to the readers.  Please forgive.  This writing is mainly based on the following texts:

Patanjalayogasutra

Hathayogapradipika

Rajayogaratnakara

see  also http://www.saujanyabooks.com/details.aspx?id=14489

Yogakuranti (Yoga Korunta- lost?).

Upanishads related to yoga

Learning’s from my Guru and self-experience

4. Bibliography from from Yoga Makaranda 

T. Krishnamacharya (Mysore 1934)

"This text contains the essential concepts from many texts of antiquity listed below.

I have studied the texts listed below under the blessing of a great teacher and have explained the truths contained in them that I have personally experienced. I request that the Lord of the auspicious Karnataka throne, the great Lord and Emperor, the fourth Sri Krishna Rajendra, accept this work and allow my

humble self to fulfil my endeavor and bless me.

More than this, I have nothing to say in this preface.

Bibliography

1. Rajayoga Ratnakaram pdf (in Telugu)

2. Hathayoga Pradipika pdf

3. Yoga Saravalli pdf

4. Yoga Balaprathipikai (?)

5. Ravana Nadi  (Article)

6. Bhairava Kalpam pdf

7. Sri Tattvanidhi (wikipedia- see also Normon Sjoman's Yoga tradition of the Mysore palace)

8. Yoga Ratnakarandam (?)

9. Mano Narayaneeyam Pdf

10. Rudrayameelam (Rudrayamalam) PDF

11. Brahmayameelam Pdf

12. Atharvana Rahasyam (?)

13. Patanjala Yogadarshanam (0nline)

14. Kapilasutram

15. Yogayajnavalkyam

16. Gheranda Samhita pdf

17. Narada Pancharatra Samhita

18. Satvata Samhita

19. Siva Samhita pdf

20. Dhyana Bindu Upanishad pdf

21. Chandilya Upanishad pdf

22. Yoga Shika Upanishad

23. Yoga Kundalya Upanishad pdf

24. Ahir Buddhniya Samhita

25. Nada Bindu Upanishad pdf

26. Amrita Bindu Upanishad pdf

27. Garbha Upanishad pdf

Srivatsa Ramaswami chanting with T. Krishnamacharya

5. A course of study with Krishnamacharya

from My studies with Krishnamacharya - Srivatsa Ramaswami (Namarupa article)

http://www.dailycupofyoga.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/studies_with_tk_ramaswami2.pdf

Ramaswami studied with Krishnamacharya for over thirty years, in this article he relates his studies of asana, chanting as well as some of the many he texts he studied with his teacher

"Normally, I had two to three sessions per week, but there were occasions when I had the privilege of going to him twice a day, for ásana practice in the morning and for chanting or the study of texts in the evening". 

Some texts Ramaswami studied with Krishnamacharya

BrahmaSutras PDF

Samkhya kalika-Kapila pdf

Sad-Vidyá (?)Chándogya Upanishad pdf

Mándukya Upanishad pdf

Taittiriya Upanishad pdf

Prasna Upanishad pdf

Mundaka Upanishad pdf

Isvásya Upanishad pdf

Brhadáraóyaka Upanishad pdf

Svetavatara Upanishad pdf

Kausitaki Bráhmana Upanishad pdf

Bhagavad Gitá, pdf

The Yoga Sutras of Patañjali (Online ) was the centrepiece of our yoga studies.

(Note:I recommend the Bryant and/or Aranya editions)

Another philosophy he was keen to teach was Nyáya and the later version, Tarka. He started teaching..

TarkaSamgraha, pdf a compact text on Vedic logic.

Hathayogapradipika pdf in detail, except portions of the last chapter and some of the third, which he said contained obnoxious practices inconsistent with the teachings of sáttvika yoga and the Yoga Sâtras.

Yogayajnavalkyam pdf in detail.

Some of the other texts that he referred to and taught in portions included

Gheranda Samhita pdf

Siva Samhita. pdf

Yoga Rahasya (Amazon) was not published, but he frequently quoted from the text and after a while taught a few chapters from it.

Ramaswami also mentions elsewhere that Krishnamacharya would teach the Ramayana extensively.

Link to article pdf

Thirty Minor Upanishads

tr. by K. Narayanasvami Aiyar

[1914]

Title Page

Contents

Foreword

1. Mukṭikopanishaḍ of Śukla-Yajurveḍa

2. Sarvasāra-Upanishaḍ of Kṛshṇa-Yajurveḍa

3. Nirālamba-Upanishaḍ of Śukla-Yajurveḍa

4. Maiṭreya-Upanishaḍ of Sāmaveḍa

5. Kaivalya-Upanishaḍ of Kṛshṇa-Yajurveḍa

6. Amṛṭabinḍu-Upanishaḍ of Kṛshṇa-Yajurveḍa

7. Āṭmaboḍha-Upanishaḍ of Ṛgveḍa

8. Skanḍa-Upanishaḍ of Kṛshṇa-Yajurveḍa

9. Paiṅgala-Upanishaḍ of Śukla-Yajurveḍa

10. Aḍhyāṭma-Upanishaḍ of Śukla-Yajurveḍa

11. Subala-Upanishaḍ of Śukla-Yajurveḍa

12. Ṭejobinḍu-Upanishaḍ of Kṛshṇa-Yajurveḍa

13. Brahmopanishaḍ of Kṛshṇa-Yajurveḍa

14. Vajrasūchi-Upanishaḍ of Sāmaveḍa

15. Śārīraka-Upanishaḍ of Kṛshṇa-Yajurveḍa

16. Garbha-Upanishaḍ of Kṛshṇa-Yajurveḍa

17. Ṭārasāra-Upanishaḍ of Śukla-Yajurveḍa

18. Nārāyaṇa-Upanishaḍ of Kṛshṇa-Yajurveḍa

19. Kalisanṭāraṇa Upanishaḍ of Kṛshṇa-Yajurveḍa

20. Bhikshuka-Upanishaḍ of Śukla-Yajurveḍa

21. Naraḍaparivrājaka-Upanishaḍ of Aṭharvaṇaveḍa

22. Śāṇdilya-Upanishaḍ of Aṭharvaṇaveḍa

23. Yogaṭaṭṭva-Upanishaḍ of Kṛshṇa-Yajurveḍa

24. Ḍhyānabinḍu-Upanishaḍ of Sāmaveḍa

25. Hamsa-Upanishaḍ of Śukla-Yajurveḍa

26. Amṛṭanāḍa-Upanishaḍ of Kṛshṇa-Yajurveḍa

27. Varāha-Upanishaḍ of Kṛshṇa-Yajurveḍa

28. Maṇdalabrāhmaṇa-Upanishaḍ of Śukla-Yajurveḍa

29. Nāḍabinḍu-Upanishaḍ of Ṛgveḍa

30. Yogakuṇdalī-Upanishaḍ of Kṛshṇa-Yajurveḍa

Index of Proper Names

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