Videos: Krishnamacharya's shoulderstand and headstand Vinyasas, Mysore 1938, Chennai 1972 and Madrid 2016

My good friend Óscar Montero has put together some excellent videos of Srivatsa Ramaswami's recent Intensive in Madrid. Ramaswami', here teaching the very same Vinyasa's that his teacher of thirty plus years, Krishnamacharya, practiced and taught in Mysore in the 1930 and 40ss as well as in Chennai from the 1950s and up until the 1980s.

See Óscar blog for his presentation of these videos here

http://www.yogavinyasakrama.com/yoga-krishnamacharya-sirsasana-sarvangasana-vinyasas/

In the 1920s and 30s, while Krishnamacharya's student and assistant, Pattabhi Jois, would lead the boys of the Mysore Palace through the asana sequences familiar to many today as Ashtanga Vinyasa, Krishnamacharya himself would perhaps be in a side room teaching less familiar variations of these asana to students and patients on a one to one basis.

In the 1938 Mysore film footage, (full video in the Appendix to this post) while Krishnamacharya's student, BKS Iyengar, demonstrated jumping from one advanced asana to the next in the style of Ashtanga, Krishnamacharya himself demonstrated headstand and shoulderstand variations.

Krishnamacharya contiued to teach these asana variations throughout his life, including photos of himself, aged 84, demonstrating the vinyasas for the the 3rd edition (1972) of his text Yogasanagalu (Mysore 1941 ), displaying a clear consistency in his teaching throughout his life.

Note: The first full English translation of Yogasanagalu (Mysore 1941) is now available from the free downloads page
http://grimmly2007.blogspot.jp/p/free-downloads.html

Krishnamacharya's student of over thirty years, Srivatsa Ramaswami, continues to faithfully share his teachers asana variations in his Vinyasa Krama workshops and intensives, here, in Madrid this year (2016), sharing many of the shoulderstand variations we see in the 1938 Mysore film footage

Sarvangasana (Shoulderstand ) variations.

See also this post

Krishnamacharya's 1938 Shoulderstand variations.

Sisasana (headstand) variations

see also this earlier post

Krishnamacharya's 32 sirsasana ( headstand ) Variations ?

Overview of Ramaswami intensive in Madrid 2016

including early Krishnamacharya video footage and later photos

Overview of Ramaswami intensive in Madrid 2016

including early Krishnamacharya video footage and later photos

More videos from Srivatsa Ramaswami's 100 hour intensive in Madrid on Oscar's youtube channel

https://www.youtube.com/user/gasofin44/videos

Óscar Montero 

I have a great affection for Óscar, his studio, students and family in Leon, Spain.

Several years ago Óscar got in touch with me, asking to come and practice some Vinyasa Krama with me. In those sessions we would practice together for four hours at a time without a break, exploring and discussing the sequences and subroutines Ramaswami presented in his Complete book of Vinyasa Yoga and Teacher training that I had attended in LA in 2010. 

Later Óscar invited me to Leon, Spain to present my first Krishnamacharya and Vinyasa Krama workshop, he his, students and beautiful family were the the most wonderful generous and kind hosts.

Óscar has since attended several of Ramaswami's workshops including Ramaswami's mammoth Baghavad Gita workshop in Wells. Óscar was key in encouraging Ramaswami to come to Madrid for the first time this year. The course was organized by DharaYoga

Unfortunately I was unable to attend, yet with all the messages of delight from so many friends and attendees along  with the videos Oscar produced, daily I felt almost as if I was.

Thank you Óscar for all the herd work putting these wonderful videos together that I think make the argument for consistency in Krishnamacharya's teaching beautifully.

Óscar's website

http://www.yogavinyasakrama.com/

*

some earlier related posts

Sirsasana Video Library

http://grimmly2007.blogspot.jp/2016/02/sirsasana-headstand-variations-library.html

Krishnamacharya's trickly Eka pada Sirsasana variations from Yoga makaranda Part II

http://grimmly2007.blogspot.jp/2015/03/krishnamacharyas-tricky-ekapada.html

Krishnamacharya's Mysore headstand variations

http://grimmly2007.blogspot.jp/2014/11/krishnamacharyas-1930s-mysore-headstand.html

David Garrigues new book and Video course on headstands

http://grimmly2007.blogspot.jp/2016/02/new-book-and-downloadable-video-course.html

Lotus to headstand

http://grimmly2007.blogspot.jp/2010/08/lotus-to-headstand-from-vinyasa-krama.html

ALSO

Krishnamacharya's alternatives to headstands

http://grimmly2007.blogspot.jp/2014/10/krishnamacharyas-alternatives-to.html

*

APPENDIX

the full 1938 Krishnamacharya, his family and BKS Iyengar film footage.

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2. Sirsasnana #proficientprimaryproject

2. Sirsasana

Sirsasana #proficientprimaryproject 

Sirsasana, no variations.

twenty five breaths, 

two breaths a minute. 

10 sec. Inhalation

5 sec. kumbhaka 

10 sec. Exhalation

5 sec. Kumbhaka 

1. Start with slowing the breath down to 8-10 seconds for inhalation and the same for exhalation.

2. Add 2 second kumbhaka (breath retention) after inhalation (can't employ full jalandhara bandha here with the chin lock so instead, swallow at the end of inhalation to close throat.

3. Once 5 second kumbhaka is comfortable introduce 2 sec kumbhaka after exhalation with Mula and Uddiyana bandha- build up to five second.

Followed by ten minutes of variations in Sirsasana with appropriate breathing.

Appendix

See the proficient primary project page for more

About the Proficient Primary Project

Proficient Primary Project. #proficientprimaryproject

If advanced asana can be endlessly promoted through Instagram then perhaps we can also promote Primary asana and the proficiency we can explore there, in postures that most can approach. 

On Instagram https://www.instagram.com/grimmly2016/

In Krishnamacharya table of asana in Yogasanagalu (Mysore 1941) he included three groups of asana, Primary, Middle and Proficient. Primary and Middle were turned into the Primary and Intermediate (2nd) series by Krishnamacharya's student Pattabhi Jois mostly following the order of the table. The proficient group with other asana Krishnamacharya was teaching at the time came to be taught by Pattabhi Jois as Advanced series A and B (later 3rd,4th, 5th and 6th series). I'm choosing in this project to think of proficiency as an approach to asana rather than a category of asana. Few will manage to practice all the asana Pattabhi Jois and Krishnamacharya presented, Krishnamacharya never thought it necessary that we should ( although perhaps a few of us). Krishnamacharya never it seems intended asana to be fixed in a series, most of us will never complete 2nd series, many will not complete Primary. However if we maintain our practice for a number of years, even if we practice only half the primary group or series of asana along with our pranayama we can still develop proficiency in our asana practice, explore the asana we have in ever more subtlety of breath and bandha and focus. Advanced practice can look like this.

It is not necessary to switch ones whole practice overnight ( if at all) to longer, slower breathing with longer stays and perhaps kumbhaka, resulting in less asana practiced. We might begin with just one asana, a different asana each practice. Regular Ashtanga of course already includes longer stays in finishing.

Sharath - Baddha Konasana

I had thought about making my earlier post on 9 years of home practice  my last (not for the first time) but perhaps this might make a nice direction for the blog, exploring Primary asana and perhaps some more basic Intermediate series/group asana with more proficiency. Not so much getting lost in technique and alignment, which can be yet more distraction but exploring the possibilities of the breath ( it may well be that the breath improves the alignment which in improves the breath).

And perhaps to look again at the so called Ashtanga Rishi approach project, less asana with longer stays but this time with longer, slower breathing and Kumbhaka just as Krishnamacharya presented in Mysore in the1930s when Pattabhi Jois was his student.

Advanced asana aren't intrinsically bad, it depends on our motives and intentions in practicing them, I had as much Asana madness as anyone.

from my previous post....

These (advanced ) asana were fun to explore over a period of three to four year but at some point it may feel time to put the toys away and look for something more. Some manage to do both of course, play/explore/research the more intricate and physically demanding asana ( and Krishnamacharya hoped a few would) and still go deeper into the practice. Personally I just wanted to breathe more slowly, which meant less asana and less asana and at my age meant less of the intermediate and advanced asana.

A hashtag?

#proficientprimaryproject

Update: In response to a question: Can I join the 'project' and use the hashtag? Yes of course , please do, add the hashtag to your own proficient primary photos/videos 

Uddiyana bandha

Most of the pictures I'll be posting in the Proficient Primary Project will show a deep uddiyana bandha, this is to draw attention to the focus on the breath (long and slow) and in particular the kumbhaka (retaining the breath in or out). Such a dramatic Uddiyana bandha as in the photos tends to be practiced on the hold at the end of the exhalation. 

Exhale fully and before inhaling draw the belly, below and above the navel, in and up. Mula bandha will follow. Hold for 2-5 seconds.

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Krishnamacharya's 32 sirsasana ( headstand ) Variations ?

"One day Krishanamacharya was conducting a “rare” demonstration-class where he mentioned that there are thirty-two variations of headstands.  The class was silent.  A.G.Mohan doubted him but did not say anything, however, the muscles in his face betrayed him and showed his feelings. Krishnamacharya looks at him and says:

“What? It looks like you don’t believe me.  Fold that mat and place it here“. He then demonstrated the 32 variations of headstand.  He was 85 years-old."

Krishnamacharya His Life and Teachings by A.G.Mohan.


As well as the headstand variations that Krishnamacharya taught his long time student Srivatsa Ramaswami, I have a large number of photos from the later edition of Yogasanagalu of Krishnamacharya demonstrating headstand variations aged 84. I also have screenshots of Krishnamachary's headstand variation in the 1938 documentary footage as well some of BKS Iyengar, krishnamacharya's student at the time.

I thought it would be interesting to see if I could come up with 32 variations, these may not have been the ones Krishnamacharya demonstrated to AG Mohan, referred to in the quote above but perhaps not so far off.

Going by the 1938 Mysore documentary many if not most of these variations seem to have been floating around back in the 1930s when Pattabhi Jois was a student of Krishnamacharya's at the Mysore palace.


Photos:

Krishnamacharya Yoga Makaranda Mysore 1934.

Krishnamacharya 1938 documentary, Mysore.

BKS Iyengar 1938 Documentary, Mysore.

Krishnamacharya aged 84 Yogasanagalu 4th edition 1984 (original 1941 Mysore).

Also, a few photos of 

Myself demonstrating some of the variations Krishnamacharya taught his long time Student Srivatsa Ramaswami, see Ramaswami's Complete book of Vinyasa yoga.

Myself, demonstrating some of the variations Krishnamacharya gives instruction for in Yoga makaranda Part II

1. Sirsasana

Krishnamacharya Yoga Makaranda Mysore 1934.

2. Akunchanasana left and right

myself demonstrating some of the variations Krishnamacharya taught his long time Student Srivatsa Ramaswami

3. Akunchanasana

Krishnamacharya aged 84 Yogasanagalu 4th edition 1984 (original 1941 Mysore).

4. Janu Sirsasana Akunchasana

Krishnamacharya 1938 documentary, Mysore.

5. Ardha padma Akunchanasana

Krishnamacharya 1938 documentary, Mysore.

6.

Krishnamacharya aged 84 Yogasanagalu 4th edition 1984 (original 1941 Mysore).

7.

Krishnamacharya 1938 documentary, Mysore.

8. Urdva konasana

Krishnamacharya aged 84 Yogasanagalu 4th edition 1984 (original 1941 Mysore).

9. 

Krishnamacharya 1938 documentary, Mysore.

10.

Krishnamacharya aged 84 Yogasanagalu 4th edition 1984 (original 1941 Mysore).

11. Urdva badha konasana

Krishnamacharya aged 84 Yogasanagalu 4th edition 1984 (original 1941 Mysore).

12.  Urdva padmasana

Krishnamacharya aged 84 Yogasanagalu 4th edition 1984 (original 1941 Mysore).

13.

myself demonstrating some of the variations Krishnamacharya taught his long time Student Srivatsa Ramaswami

14.

myself demonstrating some of the variations Krishnamacharya taught his long time Student Srivatsa Ramaswami

15. Akunchita Urdva padmasana

Krishnamacharya aged 84 Yogasanagalu 4th edition 1984 (original 1941 Mysore).

16.

myself demonstrating some of the variations Krishnamacharya taught his long time Student Srivatsa Ramaswami

17. Viparita garundasna
myself demonstrating some of the variations Krishnamacharya taught his long time Student Srivatsa Ramaswami

18.

Krishnamacharya 1938 documentary, Mysore.

19.

Krishnamacharya 1938 documentary, Mysore.

20.

Krishnamacharya 1938 documentary, Mysore.

21. Viparita dandasana

Left

Right - BKS Iyengar 1938 Documentary, Mysore.

Left- Myself, demonstrating some of the variations Krishnamacharya taught his long time Student Srivatsa Ramaswami

22. BKS Iyengar 1938 Documentary

BKS Iyengar 1938 Documentary, Mysore.

23. Urdva dandasana

Krishnamacharya 1938 documentary, Mysore.

24.

Krishnamacharya 1938 documentary, Mysore.

25. Salamba and Niralumba variations making up the seven headstands in the Ashtanga intemediate series.

Krishnamacharya Yoga Makaranda Mysore 1934.

26.

Krishnamacharya Yoga Makaranda Mysore 1934.

27.

Myself, demonstrating some of the variations Krishnamacharya taught his long time Student Srivatsa Ramaswami

28.

Myself, demonstrating some of the variations Krishnamacharya taught his long time Student Srivatsa Ramaswami

29. In this variation the hands are place on the shoulders

Myself, demonstrating some of the variations Krishnamacharya taught his long time Student Srivatsa Ramaswami

30.Variations from Krishnamacharya's Yoga Makaranda part II

Myself, demonstrating some of the variations Krishnamacharya gives instruction for in Yoga makaranda Part II

31.
Myself, demonstrating some of the variations Krishnamacharya gives instruction for in Yoga makaranda Part II

32. Sirsasana Mandala (Left BKS Iynegar 1938)

Left- BKS Iyengar 1938 Documentary, Mysore.

ALSO

Urdva Eka pada sirsasana

BKS Iyengar 1938 Documentary, Mysore.

BKS Iyengar. Leg behind head sirsasana variation

RELATED POSTS

companion, post

Krishnamacharya's 1938 Shoulderstand variations.

Sirsasana Video Library

http://grimmly2007.blogspot.jp/2016/02/sirsasana-headstand-variations-library.html

Krishnamacharya's trickly Eka pada Sirsasana variations from Yoga makaranda Part II

http://grimmly2007.blogspot.jp/2015/03/krishnamacharyas-tricky-ekapada.html

Krishnamacharya's Mysore headstand variations

http://grimmly2007.blogspot.jp/2014/11/krishnamacharyas-1930s-mysore-headstand.html

David Garrigues new book and Video course on headstands

http://grimmly2007.blogspot.jp/2016/02/new-book-and-downloadable-video-course.html

Lotus to headstand

http://grimmly2007.blogspot.jp/2010/08/lotus-to-headstand-from-vinyasa-krama.html

ALSO

Krishnamacharya's alternatives to headstands

http://grimmly2007.blogspot.jp/2014/10/krishnamacharyas-alternatives-to.html

Krishnamacharya aged 84 Yogasanagalu 4th edition 1984 (original 1941 Mysore).

Read More