- Vyana vayu is the prana that surrounds the whole body. Practice in such a way that you are always aware of this vayu. This keeps the mind sattvic while you practice, and makes the practice more than just about the body
- Use uddiyana bandha in asana practice to spread your breath throughout your body.
- Be clear whether you are using the actions in your physical body for the benefit of the physical body, or to benefit the mind, or the breath; Also be aware of the possibility of benefitting your body in how you use your mind when you practice.
- Senses of perception are in between the limbs and the mind. Use your senses of perception as intermediaries between the limbs and your mind.
Nov 8 - Prashant
1. Discern between ‘I’ and ‘mine’ when you practice.
2. Use the breath in different modes, for example, as an agent for acting on the body, for acting on the mind, or as recipient of action performed by the mind and by the body. Prashant calls the breath participant when it is agency or ‘benefactor’; when it is recipient or beneficiary, he calls it ‘adjusted’.
3. We tend to practice only as participants (doers), which over time wears out our bodies. We need to include an equal amount of ‘adjustedness’ in the pose, which means instead of doing, we are ‘done’.
4. There is a rhythm in the shift between using the breath in its participatory role, especially on the strong exhalation (he calls it ‘uddiyanic breath’), and in its role as adjusted/done/beneficiary on the inhalation. The shift is to exhale more forcefully, using the breath to act on the body, then let the breath be done and adjusted while you use the body in its role as agency or participant to maintain the ‘doneness’ of the breath.
5. While going through the rhythm of this cycle, be aware of the difference between your mind, which perceives, organizes and shifts the focus to deepen the embodiment, and your ‘self’, the ‘I’ which is present and unperturbed by the flows within this cycle.
6. Don’t practice 'postures', which is just practicing for the body, but practice 'asanas', which is practicing for your entire embodiment (mind, breath, body, emotions).
Nov 9 - Prashant
A. Sequence: marichyasana III/utthita hasta padangusthasana/rope sirsasana àutthita hasta
padangusthana/rope sirsasana/marichyasana III à rope sirsasana/marichyasana III/utthita hasta padangusthasana à rope 1/supta padangusthasana I/utthita parsva hasta padangusthasana à setu bandha sarvangasana or viparita karani or chair sarvangasana (There are usually three groups doing something different at any given time, and they rotate.)
B. Points
1. He progressed from Monday's idea that the doer is a participant and what is being done is ‘adjusted’ to the idea of ‘being an aspect of’: ‘practice in such a way that the mind is aspected by the breath’ implies a deeper connection between the mind and breath than simply that the breath affects the mind: the mind becomes an aspect of the breath. Similarly, you can practice in such a way that the breath is 'aspected' by the mind, meaning the breath is an aspect of the mind.
2. His focus was specifically on gaining what he called literacy of the mind, reading and writing the qualities of the mind: we can learn to read various qualities of the mind by discerning things like clarity, focus, receptivity, positivity or negativity. We can write into the mind by using asana to cultivate the qualities we wish to have.
3. The mind is like a bank. If we always use our mind to benefit our body, it is like always making withdrawals from the bank. Eventually we will run out of resources, the mind will become ‘bankrupt’. So practice must also make deposits into the mind, to benefit the mind.
4. Throughout the inquiry into the nature and qualities of the mind, whether it is doing or receiving, use the breath (‘uddiyanic’ breath) as a tool to transform the conditions you are observing, in both the body and the mind.
5. The ‘breath-aspected’ mind is different from the normal mind: it is more receptive to change and transformation. The breath is the only thing that is not ours—mind and body are ours, but not the breath. Because of this, we can more easily expand our awareness beyond the confines of our limited ‘self’ if we make use of the breath.
6. The practice is not ‘yog’ unless we are making these kinds of inquiries when we practice. (But there is also a time for resting during practice :)
Nov 11
A. Asana Sequence: upavistha konasana (lift head up and look back, cupped hands behind the hips), bharadvajasana (looking up, more a backbend than a twist), rope 1 (to toes, then knees on bolster and feet completely against wall), marichyasana I twist (also with backbending action), ustrasana, urdhva mukha svanasana, back bend from lower rope (hold upper ropes and arch back, toes up the wall), dwi pada viparita dandasana, supta padangusthasana I, urdhva prasarita padasana with belt, viparita karani/setubandha sarvangasana/janu sirsasana, savasana with legs in swastikasana
B. Points
a. Use conditioned breath to go deeper into the pose (i.e. exhale more deeply, inhale more deeply, using the kriyas, and uddiyana bandha)
b. Connect each action to the breath so that (1) it is ever fresh, like the breath, (2) there is less physical and mental exhaustion, and (3) the actions become more integrated, less need to redo them each time (more like buying car, which you do only every 10-12 years, versus buying a cup of coffee, which you might do every day).
c. ‘Exercise’ the breath, which implies not just ‘activating’ the breath, but it implies repetition of a clear action.
c. ‘Exercise’ the breath, which implies not just ‘activating’ the breath, but it implies repetition of a clear action.
d. By the time we got to last round of dwi pada viparita dandasana, he told us to let the breath romp and roam, to not condition the breath as we were doing previously. In this way we might let go of the tensions and regimentation that keeps us from progressing in our practice.
C. Pranayama:
a. Study the way each of your five senses interacts with your breathing (e.g. ujjayi). Each of them has a direct connection to your sense of I-am-ness (ahamkara, one of the three aspects of consciousness—citta). The senses are like an inner circle of associates that can gain you (your mind) direct access to their master the ‘I’.
b. Eyes: draw inner eyelids down, spread outer eyelids, make hollow the bottom portion of lower eyelids.
c. Mouth: tip of tongue stays away from backs of teeth, spread the tongue; it does not stay on lower palate, but rather stays suspended between lower and upper palates.
d. Ears: listen from the back of ears
e. Nose: inhale from floor of nasal passage, exhale along roof of nasal passage (ok, I am adding this, I don’t recall what he actually said, but…try it J)
f. Skin: soften the skin, let skin of forehead release from hairline toward bridge of nose, from bridge of nose to tip of nose, from cheekbones to lips (again, I don’t recall specifics from Prashant, but what I wrote is from Lois)
Nov 12 – Abhijata 6 – 8 pm Actions: move from part of ribcage that stays back; extend anterior of ribcage
1. Adho mukha svanasana
2. Uttanasana
3. Prasarita padottanasana
4. Parivrtta trikonasana
5. Parivrtta parsvakonasana
6. Adho mukha vrksasana
7. Salamba sirsasana à eka pada sirsasana à parsvaikapada sirsasana
8. Janu sirsasana
9. Paschimottanasana
10. Upavista konasana concave
11. Parighasana
12. Parivrtta upavistha konasana
13. Parivrtta janu sirsasana
14. Upavistha konasana classic
15. Adho Mukha Baddha konasana
16. Kurmasana
17. Paschimottanasana
18. Krounchasana: concave, the classic
19. Ubhaya padangusthasana
20. Paschimottanasana
21. Marichyasana III
22. Ardha matsyendrasana
23. Uttanasana
24. Adho mukha vrksasana
25. Salamba sarvangasana cycle
26. Savasana
Nov 13 – Prashant
A. Sequence: bharadvajasana, rope 1, marichyasana I, rope sirsasana, supta padangusthasana I, salamba sarvangasana, savasana
B. Points:
a. First explore how the ‘pronoun I’ is affected by the body. That is, notice first how much we tend to identify with our body—my arm, my stiff shoulders, my aching back, by tight hips, etc. Practice each pose with the intention of observing how a particular part of the body is affecting and conditioning the sense of ‘I’: as you twist in bharadvajasana, how does the sternum affect the ‘I’ (or the hips, or the back ribs, sacrum, bones, soft tissues, face, etc.)?
b. Changing what aspect of the physical body we choose to ‘aspect’ the ‘I’ with is like wearing different clothes for different occasions. As we change clothes, our mood changes, the way we feel about ourselves changes.
c. Next, as you practice each pose, observe how the mind affects the ‘I’: if mind is doer, or receiver, or it is done, how does the ‘I’ change? And then observe how the breath affects the ‘I’: what is the ‘breath-aspected I’ like? That is, for different qualities of the breath, how does the sense or quality of the experience of ‘I’ change?
d. Finally we come to the point of this exercise, which is to understand and see how quickly and readily the ‘I’ changes in response to what it is we are identifying with, in the moment, whether it is the body, some particular aspect of the body, some aspect of the mind, or the breath. And to arrive at the ‘witness’ which is not the ‘I’. Rather, the witness is the thing that is present throughout all the changes of clothes the ‘I’ goes through. Prashant believes that without this sort of inquiry the practice of asanas doesn’t lead to ‘yoga’ (union/integration).
Nov 15 – Prashant 7 – 9 am
A. Sequence: adho mukha svanasana (long holding, to examine several phases or conditions of practice, see below), salamba sirsasana with variations (parsva sirsasana, parivrttaikapada sirsasana)/rope adho mukha svanasana, salamba sirsasana with variations (eka pada sirsasana, parsvaikapada sirsasana, parsvottanasana, prasarita padottanasana, uttanasana, utthita trikonasana, supta padangusthasana I, hanging sirsasana, janu sirsasana, savasana.
B. Points: asana-s are to be practiced in the way that suits the needs of the moment, and each moment is unique.
a. First practice purely for the physical exercise aspect, and be aware that this is different from practicing as though you are being photographed. If you are not concerned about being photographed you may allow yourself more freedom of movement than otherwise, to attain some physical effect you are aiming for. Compare Guruji’s parsva sirsasana photo in Light on Yoga with what is being taught now—Guruji was going for an internal effect, rather than external (camera ready) symmetry.
b. Now practice specifically in one part of the body (this instruction came in sirsasana variations) for its photogenic quality, then for the physical benefits to that part of the body.
c. Still practice for the physical benefits, but now go for the internal benefits as opposed to the external. For example, practice adho mukha svanasana to exercise the abdominal organs.
d. Use the breath to attain the physical benefits you are intending—uddiyana exhalation (and retention, then maintain the uddiyana kriya as you inhale).
e. Progress now to practicing for the benefits to the breath and to the mind. What qualities of your mind are affected by various physical actions; what qualities of the mind are affected by specific characteristics of the breath? Practice to motivate the mind, and use the motivation in the mind to practice.
f. Recognize that each asana is to be practiced in a way that is context-dependent and purpose-dependent. For example, salamba sirsasana can be practiced for constipation one way, and another way for diarrhea—same pose, different context, and different method. So we shouldn’t be dogmatic about practice each pose in one way only (that is, the camera-ready, perfectly symmetric way…)
g. Also recognize the five elements in the ‘dynamics of practice’ as a context for each practice: drive, motion, motivation, execution, purpose.
Nov 16 Prashant 7 – 9 am
A. Sequence: dwi pada viparita dandasana from chair; rope 1; setu bandha sarvangasana with block; eka pada viparita dandasana from chair, with belt on foot, arms stretching back; eka pada setu bandha sarvangasana with belt around foot; standing back arch; rope 2 (hold ropes high and slide down); ustrasana; urdhva dhanurasana; dhanurasana; salamba sirsasana; janu sirsasana/viparita karani/chair sarvangasana; savasana
B. Points:
a. Same overall sequence of focus, moving from physical aspects of asana-s, to the breath, to the mind. Recall from yesterday—go for efficacy of the physical actions, not the aesthetic value.
b. Highlight this time was letting go of our tendency to put all of our mental energy on our limitations: how much will out condition change simply by putting our focus on something else, some other aspect of the pose, like the breath? Use the breath to change your condition (ache, pain, limitation, etc.). He asked us to consider how eager we would be if he invited us to a picnic or party, how easily we forget our aches and pains then, but how much they come to the forefront of our awareness if he says we are doing kapotasana…
c. Characteristics to cultivate in the mind while practicing asana-s (which he brought up in salamba sirsasana in a more complete way): pensivity, sublimity, reflectivity, profundity, penetration, …
Nov 16 Prashant 6 – 8 pm
A. Sequence: adho mukha svanasana on mat/at wall ropes; salamba sirsasana à parsva sirsasana à parivrttaikpada sirsasana; salamba sarvangasana à eka pada sarvangasana à parsvaikapada sarvangasana; janu sirsasana (throughout reflections b & c below); paschimottanasana; janu sirsasana; adho mukha swastikasana; bharadvajasana; savasana
B. Points:
a. No instruction, except to recall what he has been teaching—if he were giving instruction in salamba sirsasana, what would he be saying? Two points after we come out—(1) avoid your habitual pose, but rather be purposeful in your actions, not mechanical. Why are you turning your thighs in; are you extending your feet, then going to the base, or attending (addressing) the base first, then working your way upwards? (2) give your body a chance to orient itself to the pose before hitting it with all the actions you know--be in fellowship with your body.
b. For the janu sirsasana-s—practice to strengthen the conative power (the ability to do) of the (1) body, (2) breath, (3) mind, taking care to attend to the special (remedial) conditions and limitations of each (except, note that the breath holds a special status in that it has no remedial needs). For example, by the mind’s conative power he means will power.
c. Next, practice to strengthen the cognitive power (ability to know) of each of the (1) body, (2) breath, (3) mind. By cognitive power he means primarily awareness of cause-and-effect: when I perform an action, what is its effect on the body, on the breath, and on the mind? And was the action initiated and performed by my body, my breath or my mind? Develop the intelligence of each aspect of our embodiment. In this regards, note that of the 15,000 million nerve cells contained in the human body, 10,000 million of them are in the brain, and 5,000 million are in the rest of the body. This implies a potential for extensive network of intelligent processing within the human body, apart from the brain.
Nov 18 Prashant 7 – 9 am
A. Sequence: brick setu bandha sarvangasana/chair dwi pada viparita dandasana/rope sirsasana à ustrasana à standing back arch à back arch from rope (rope sirsasana set-up) à dwi pada viparita dandasana from mat à ustrasana à standing back arch à dwi pada viparita dandasana from mat (go to chakra bandhasana to release shoulders, then back to d.p.v.d.) à brick setu bandha sarvangasana à savasana
B. Practice
a. Focus of the class was a ‘conditioning gym for the body’, specifically to perform actions by, for and through the abdomen, in all the poses, using especially the breath; and with more attention to responses rather than the actions.
b. A beginner can only spend a limited amount of time on any given part of the body, and must rotate awareness to touch each part. With experience the vocabulary for each aspect of the practice increases and, along with the greater vocabulary (‘literacy’) the opportunity for greater depth. But that means spending more time with a specific aspect of the asana—for example the abdomen. We spent upwards of 15 minutes in some of the poses today.
c. Emphasis on ‘responses’ rather than ‘actions’. In other words, observe what happens when you exhale deeply, with the uddiyana kriya, and when you retain the exhalation, and further retain the uddiyana kriya while inhaling. What happens in the abdomen, and what happens elsewhere in the body, what happens to the breath, and to the mind?
d. If the focus is on ‘actions’, then ego and pride are built up (‘I do’). If the focus is on ‘responses’, then the witness is fostered and humility arises (‘it occurred, it was done’). First identify the responses, then recognize them (re-cognize), then acknowledge them, and lastly, express gratitude for them, give tribute.
Nov 20 Prashant 7 – 9 am
A. Sequence: rope sirsasana; bharadvajasana; parsva swastikasana; rope 1; supta padangusthasana I; supta padangusthasana II; salamba sarvangasana
B. Points
a. Review of the dynamics of practice: drive, motive, motion, execution, purpose. Identify each of these five aspects in your practice (or, generally, all actions in life can be examined for the identity of these five elements).
b. Centrism: each practice or each action within an asana can be done with a single one of the five elements in the dynamics of practice being the central factor: ‘drive-centric’, ‘motive-centric’, ‘motion-centric’, ‘execution-centric’, or ‘purpose-centric’. For example, you may not have a particular motive for going on a walk, but you go for a walk anyway, and make the motion itself the starting point, so this implies ‘motion-centrism’.
c. Questions that help shape an understanding of the dynamics of practice: what am I doing (and what is being done, which may be quite different from what I think I am doing), how am I doing it (and how is it being done), why I am doing it, where am I doing it, what is being done to (and who)…e.g. is an action being done for the breath or by the breath, and what are its benefits.
d. Cause and effect: principal cause, instrumental cause, incidental cause, primary, secondary; primary effect, secondary, etc.
e. Metaphors: lawyers, making tea: the opposing advocate asks more penetrating questions than the supporting advocate—be the opposing advocate at times in your practice. When you make tea, you must pay attention not only to the proper ingredients, but also their correct proportions, and to the correct process in which to mix those ingredients, otherwise the result is not the one intended. It is the same with asana—different actions, different sequencing, differing amounts of reflection and use of breath all result in different effects.
Nov 22 – Prashant 7 – 9 am
A. Sequence: adho mukha svanasana, uttanasana, rope sirsasana, utthita trikonasana, virabhadrasana III unsupported, with hands supported, with top foot supported; janu sirsasana/setu bandha sarvangasana/chair sarvangasana, adho mukha swastikasana (if did janu sirsasana), savasana
B. Points
a. Focus on a single portion of the body (hips and sacrum/abdominal organs) in utthita trikonasana. For that portion of the body perform actions that benefit that area and observe (1) what the feet, legs, arms, chest, etc., have to do in order to create the intended effect in the hips and sacrum, (2) the actual response in the hips and sacrum to those actions, (3) the actions are specific to the part of the body you are focusing on (and may change if the locus of your attention changes, (4) the way the breath participates in creating the intended changes, (5) the effect on the breath of those changes, (6) the way your mind participates in creating the intended changes, (7) the effect on your mind of those changes, (8) the participation and effects on the “I” of performing the actions on the hips and sacrum (for example, observe how the sense of self is bound up and depends on the intentions directed toward a particular part of the body, the sensations in that part of the body, and on the effects locally and elsewhere in the body—in other words, the sense of “I” is a conditional thing that is not the witness).
b. See especially sutras II.23-25 & III.50,56 for a background for today’s class (and previous classes):
i. III.50 sattva purusha anyata khyatimatrasya sarvabhava adhisthatrtvam sarvajnatrtvam ca: “Only one who knows the difference between the illuminative intelligence and the seer attains supreme knowledge of all that exists and all that manifests.” (B. K. S. Iyengar)
ii. III.56 sattva purusayoh suddhi samye kaivalyam iti: “When the purity of intelligence equals the purity of the soul, the yogi has reached kaivalya, perfection in yoga.” (B. K. S. Iyengar)
c. Find the doing in the doer, the doing and the done: what are the subject (doer), the instrument (doing) and the object (done) doing while something (an action) is being performed?
d. Cause and effect: know what the various causes are: instrumental (done by whom or by what?), material (done through what?), incidental (done in the presence of what agents), assisting (done with the help of what?). For example, when you firm your outer hips in utthita trikonasana, the material causes are the femurs, the pelvis, muscles and ligaments involved in firming the hip joints; the instrumental causes are the specific actions local to the hip joints (e.g. tightening outer quadriceps), as well as the more distal actions that enable the local causes (such as taking the skin on outer edge of foot back toward heel); an assisting cause might be deepening the inner groins.
e. After doing utthita trikonasana many times we went to virabhadrasana III. Prashant gave us plenty of time to struggle there and asked us whether we could maintain a yogic mind in virabhadrasana III. I don’t think mine was very yogic…Not so much that we should avoid practicing virabhadrasana III, but rather to notice the difference, and to not allow the struggle we sometimes experience when we try difficult poses to define our practice. In Prashant’s way of saying it, we think we do advanced poses to go deeper in ‘yoga’, but what defines advanced for him is how deep we can go with the mind. If our faces are contorted with the effort, then likely the mind is contorted and the pose is no longer ‘advanced’.
Nov 23 Prashant 7 – 9 am
A. Sequence: bharadvajasana, parsva swastikasana, rope sirsasana, ardha matsyendrasana, rope 1, supta padangusthasana I & II, utthita hasta padangusthasana I & II, salamba sarvangasana, savasana
B. Points
a. Use of graphical, spiral breathing. Spiral breath: on the inhalation phase of the breath, breath in a large (but partial) amount, then exhale a small amount, and repeat until the end of the inhalation. When you exhale, exhale a large (but partial) amount, then inhale a small amount, continue until the end of the exhalation.
b. ‘Asana’ means ‘seat’, not ‘posture’. There are different kinds of seats, but what is common about all asana-s is they are seats for cultivating transcendence.
Nov 23 Prashant 6 – 8 pm
A. Sequence: adho mukha svanasana, bharadvajasana, marichyasana I, salamba sirsasana à parsva sirsasana à parivrttaikapada sirsasana, marichyasana III, ardha matsyendrasana, parsva virasana, bharadvajasana, salamba sarvangasana, savasana
B. Points:
a. Do preliminary actions and preparations, which consists of preparing the physical body for integration with the breath and mind, recognizing your special conditions, etc. Then use your breath in the following three ways: in the moments before performing an action (like turning), while turning, and after turning.
b. In reference to sutra II.47 (prayatna saithilya ananta samapatthibhyam: “Perfection in an asana is achieved when the effort to perform it becomes effortless and the infinite being within is reached.”), prayatna does not mean ‘effort’ exactly. Prayatna implies specific effort to attain a specific aim. For completeness, recognize that you can perform one specific kind of action or effort with a single aim in mind, one specific effort with several aims in mind, several kinds of actions or efforts with a single aim in mind, and several actions with multiple aims in mind. And of course, for each action there are unintended effects as well as the intended ones.
c. As in the morning class, emphasis on asana as ‘seat’, not posture. Specifically, asana is a seat for cultivating transcendence. To experience asana as a seat, try the following two exercises:
i. In virasana, sit up with the actions appropriate to virasana, then organize the breath and mind to be calm, peaceful, noble. When you turn in parsva virasana, turn without losing these qualities. In other words, the change in physical posture should not distort either the breath or the mind to constitute an asana. Otherwise it is a contortion…
ii. Approaching from the other direction: in bharadvajasana, turn without regard to your state of mind or breath, only to your physical capacity. Observe at your limit the condition of your mind and breath. Are you in a transcendent state? Then slowly back off until the distortion in your breath and mind are gone.
d. Sirsasana and sarvangasana cycles are not the same as ‘variations’. To be a cycle, the mind and breath must remain unchanged from salamba sarvangasana and salamba sirsasana, whereas we can perform variations without regard to corresponding changes in mind and breath.
e. ‘Aspecting’ does not only apply to the practice of asana-s (breath aspecting the mind, body aspecting the breath, etc.), but also to the teacher-student relationship. If the teacher is not affected by the student as well as the student by the teacher, then it is not a good or appropriate relationship. But even though the teacher must change as a result of the interaction with student, the status of the teacher as teacher must not be jeopardized as a result of the interaction. So here Prashant expands further the notion of “I” to show us that our “I”-ness includes our interrelatedness with others. Which I take to mean that Self is something larger and more inclusive than the temporal and localized thing we feel as ‘me’.
Nov 27 Prashant 7 – 9 am
A. Sequence: supta baddha konasana 2x, supta swastikasana, savasana with bolster across thighs, chair sarvangasana, savasana with bolster across thighs
B. Points
a. Practice 3 kriyas while in supta baddha konasana
i. Breath kriya: isolate pelvis, perineum: kriya concomitant with exhalation, after exhalation, during inhalation
ii. Prana kriya: la, le, li, lu, loo, … awakens kriya in perineum
iii. Chakra kriya: lam, lem, lim, lum, …awakens muladhara chakra
b. Graphical breathing:
i. Spiral staircase, going alternatively clockwise and counter-clockwise, while inhaling, and while exhaling (4 variations)
ii. Serpentine movement
c. We attend classes, but we do not appreciate the need for study that is implied by attending an Institute. The subject of ‘yog’ (to be distinguished from ‘yoga’) requires intensive study to clarify the concepts. Once we have understood and embodied the physical actions, then a whole new realm becomes the field of our inquiry, which is the field of pranayama.
d. (Another to say this is...after we have thoroughly studied annamayakosha, then we naturally should proceed to an intensive study of pranamayakosha, then to manomayakosha, etc., until we reach the witness, or the soul. And at each stage in this progression, there is a new language we should expect to become literate in order to continue progressing. The process occurs by identification with one sheath--study and practice..., detachment from that sheath--vairagya, then reidentification with a more subtle sheath , which integrates the previous sheath. What is 'identifying with' is the 'I-maker', ahamkara. Once the 'I-maker' reaches itself, as the most subtle of the pancakoshas, then the witness consciousness can reveal itself as distinct from all the various forms citta can take--see sutras III.50, 56)
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