September 2013 Newsletter from Srivatsa Ramaswami—VINYĀSA
Srivatsa Ramaswami
September 2013 Newsletter from
Srivatsa Ramaswami—VINYĀSA
Warm Greetings!
First, a Ganesa prayer ..A short Ganesa
prayer in Tamil which I chant at the beginning of my yoga
practice/class. It is the invocatory hymn from Tirumandiram a very
old Tamil classic written by Tirumular, said to be a contemporary of
Patanjali
http://youtu.be/8AwD2V-OFm8
***I completed teaching the 200 hour
Teacher Training Program at LMU. The participation was very good and
satisfying. Hope some of them would teach Yoga in a comprehensive
manner. I wish all the participants very well.
****During my stay in LA I had the opportunity to give a talk “Linking Asana, Pranayama and Meditation” in the studio of Sarah Mata. Thank you Sarah. Here is video of the talk in two parts—video by Venkatesh Kulkarni—in YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdD1G4xN0fw&feature=c4-overview&list=UUdpNhq6SnkMlKhi34EOIFTg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkDbEc9hMNA&feature=c4-overview&list=UUdpNhq6SnkMlKhi34EOIFTg
***Between May 20 to June 8, 2014 I plan to teach in UK in my friend Steve Brandon's Harmony Yoga. Here is the link
http://www.harmonyyoga.co.uk/ramaswami-uk-visit-2014/
*** Come September, I will be teaching (Sep 20th to 27th 2013) at my friend Suddha Weixler's Chicago Yoga Center. Here is the link
http://www.yogamind.com/workshop-ramaswami-Set20-22_2013.shtml
***Here is my Yoga Sutra chant all the 4 chapters. Recorded for my book about 8 years back when I was about 65 . Please share it with your yoga friends if you like it.
***Two years back when I was in
Chennai, one fine sunny Sunday morning I gave a talk at Ashtanga Yoga
Madras of my friends Srimathy and Ravi. . They gave me the cd with
about 45 pictures of me taken during the talk. Suddenly I thought why
not make a slide show( I had never done that before) of the pictures
and spent some time on this maiden venture. Here is the slide show of
about 45 of my pictures, with wrinkles, warts and all and running for
about 3 minutes.
Here is the link
***In May I was in UK for a program
with Steve Brandon's Harmony Yoga. My friend Ranju Roy for Sadhana
Mala interviewed me and the video (about 27mts) is available at $3.75
to cover the costs (I am not getting paid). Here is the message from
Sadhanaa Mala
“The video is also available on vimeo-on-demand
which is a pay to view site at a cost of $3.75 (all the prices are in
$US, and we have set this as equivalent to about £2.50 in British
Pounds).If people purchase this they can then watch it as many times
as they choose for up to year. This way we hope to produce a series
of interviews (we have one recorded with Sriram already that will be
next to produce) and cover costs. This is available
athttp://vimeo.com/ondemand/ramaswamiinterview
****Peace Chants from Yajur Veda
One of the meanings of the word
Yoga is peace of mind, apart from 'union' (yoga yuktih samadhanam).
Sri Krishnamacharya always used a peace invocation before and after
any yoga, chanting and theory class. He taught me several sections of
the vedas including chanting of them. Out of it, ten vedic peace
chants can be found in this audio. It is about 15 minutes. One or all
of them can be chanted with Yoga practice in yoga studios. Hope you
like the chant. I chanted it several years back for my book. It is
said these vedic peace chants create a peaceful environment and
create in all beings a sense of peace-whether one chants them,
meditates on them or merely listens to them. Feel free to share it
with others or give it to yoga studios for use if you like them. Here
is the link
http://youtu.be/CA6YguVYJ0c
*****A 2 minute slide show of some vinyasakrama yoga jump throuhs, jump arounds
Here is the link
****Rudram Camakam is one of the most popular Vedic chants. Said to be highly pleasant to hear (shravya) it is one of the favorites Siva chants among Vedic scholars. The upload also contains a few other Vedic chants like the trayambaka mantras, sivalinga mantras and rudra gayatri--chanted by Srivatsa Ramaswami
Here is the link for the half hour chant
Vinyāsa is a charming Sanskrit word,
it indicates bringing out the beauty of an artistic activity. Modern
Yogis are familiar with this word which Sri Krishnamacarya used quite
extensively while teaching yoga especially yogāsana. It is from
the root 'ās' meaning 'to place' and has two prefixes 'ni' and 'vi'
having virtually opposite meanings. āsa is to place something like
oneself as in an Asana. The prefix 'ni' indicates something
permanent (nitarām). It actually specifies the parameters. Like how
one sits like in lotus or padmāsana, where the feet are kept in a
particular way and one may not change it. So ni would specify the
parameters. Then 'vi' can indicate in a particular or special way as
the word “visesha' would indicate . However 'vi' also indicates
'variety' as in the Sanskrit word 'vividha' (vi+vidha=manifold).
Since there are many variations possible with the legs kept in
Padmāsana like Parvatāsana, Yoga Mudrā, Urdhvapadmāsana and
scores of other positions still keeping the legs in padmāsana, we
could say 'vi' is variety or variations . So āsa is to place
something, ni indicates the fixity and the parameters defining the
position or posture and 'vi' would indicate the artistic variations
possible without violating the parameters indicated by 'ni' So
vinyasa is vi+ni+Asa. vi could mean in a special way(visesha) or a
variety of special ways (vividha) as my Guru taught us in vinyasa
krama.
The root “ās' would indicate to
place something like oneself. Since we normally place ourselves in a
seated position “ās' came to indicate placing oneself in a seated
position. . So āsana is to sit. āsana also came to be known as the
seat in which one sits. āsana is “āste, āsyate va iti āsanam'
Sitting or that which facilitates sitting like a chair or a throne is
āsana. It also meant the lower posterior portion of the body with
which one sits. An English word indicating the seat area of the body
rhymes with the Sanskrit root “ās”.
Even though āsana would mean a seated position like padmāsana, vajrāsana. virāsana siddhāsana and others, yogis use the word to any yogic posture provided it meets certain parameters, like steadiness (sthira) and comfort (sukha). Some adepts were and are able to stay comfortably and steady for long periods of time even on one leg (like Bhagiratāsana) or on their head (sirsāsana). Likewise the term vinyāsa in yogasāna is used to indicate among other things a posture without a name still meeting the basic parameters. Sometimes an āsana with a name is considered a vinyāsa if it forms part of a sequence—like for instance the well known Suryanamaskāra. Usually it consists of Uttānāsana, utkatāsana (in vinyāsakrama), caturangadandāsana, urdhvamukhasvānāsana, adhomukhasvānāsana and tādāsana. All these āsanas in sun salutation are counted as vinyāsas as they form part of a sequence. Vinyāsas sometimes form part of a lead sequence like getting to Vajrāsana from samasthiti. The sequence is same as in suryanamaskāra until one gets to adhomukhasvānāsana and then gently jumps through to Vajrāsana. (see the video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZvRk16QHD8&list=TLKd00hvlI4mY
There are also a few modifications as
you can see in the video.
. But then Sri Krishnamacharya taught furthermore a number of vinyāsas in classic āsanas like sirasāsana, sarvāngāsana, padmāsana, trikonāsana etc. bringing out the beauty and effectiveness of these wonderful main āsanas. Scores of vinyāsas can be churned out of padmāsana like parvatāsana, yogamudrā, baddhapadmāsana, matsyāsana, utpluti, garbhapindāsana, uttanakurmāsana, urdhvapadmāsana and several other āsanas and vinyāsas. Here is slide show showing many āsanas and vinyāsas of Padmāsana or lotus pose in vinyāsakrama lasting for about 5 minutes. Contains the lead and return sequences, preparatory āsanas and vinyāsas and many āsana (not all) vinyāsas in Padmāsana. Sri Krishnamācāya talks about scores of vinyāsas in Padmāsana, here are a few.
Perhaps one of the best asanas that brings out the beauty of vinyāsas is the tādāsana sequence in which both the feet are kept together(with a solitary exception) but the body is worked around in scores of aesthetic and healthy vinyāsas. See the slide show of tadasana (abt 140 frames in 7 mts) from my book “Complete Book of VinyāsaYoga”
Sri Krishnamācārya in this fashion
mentions about more than 60 vinyāsas each sourced from sarvāngāsana
and sirsāsana. In this way my Guru taught me more than 700 vinyāsas
built around about 150 āsanas. So we may say that one may find
vinyāsas in lead sequences and return sequences and scores of more
emanating from some classic poses. Additionally Vinyāsas become a
very useful to prepare the yogabhyāsi to be able to do more
difficult poses. For instance several vinyāsas like the forward
bends and twists and movements in half lotus and sometimes lotus in
inversions like headstand and shoulder stand would help the abhyasi
to slowly achieve the capacity to be in lotus. Once one gets to such
postures further movements/ vinyasas in those poses helps body make
finer adjustments to reach the final posture. So Vinyāsas help to
achieve the final pose like lotus and remain in it for a long time,
steady and comfortable to be able to do prānayāma and meditation
Sometimes vinyāsakrama is very helpful
in achieving very difficult poses. Take the case of Kapotāsana. This
is progressively achieved by following the sequence done over many
number of days step by step.
Here is the progression of back bend asanas/vinyasas in Vajrasana*.
The counter pose (pratikriya) of Balasana
Half camel/poor man's camel pose.
Ushtrasana (camel pose)
Kapotasana (pigeon Pose)-fingers inward
(niralamba) Kapotasana
ekapada ushtrasana (camel walk)
edapada ushtrasana/kapotasana- fingers inward
see slide show
and here is a related video
As
mentioned earlier some āsanas like sirsāsana, sarvāngāsana,
lotus, trikonāsana lend themselves to several vinyāsas. Sri
Krishnamacārya mentions more than 60 vinyāsas with each of the
the twin inversions and scores of vinyāsas in Padmāsana. Some
vinyāsas like raising the arms in many of these postures are simple
but very effective. Raising the arms and stretching the waist in the
process in Lotus is known as Parvatāsana and my Guru used to ask us
to stay in it for several breaths, even as it would appear
innocuously simple. Such vinyāsas done in many poses like tādāsana
help to stretch the spine, pull up the waist and release the thorax
and additionally the good inhalation helps to expand the chest and
also effectively stretch the thoracic spine and help the nourishment
of the spinal cord. But there are more complex asnan vinyasas , like
garbhapindāsana in lotus or mandala in inversions.
In
my June 2012 Newsletter I wrote about the use of breath in āsanas
and vinyāsas which was the hallmark of Sri Krishnamacārya's
teaching not sufficiently emphasized these days. He even would quote
the Yogasutra “prayatna saitily ananta samāpatibhyam” to
emphasize that even according to YS breath coordination and
synchronization and mindfulness of the breath is sine qua non for
vinyaāsa yogābhysa. Use of breath along with many vinyasa movements
has many advantages. One is able to help increase both the muscle
pump effect and the respiratory pump effect in the circulation of
blood (rakta sancāra) by increasing the venous return of blood which
in turn improves stroke volume and cardiac output thereby reducing
the strain on the heart. A very favorite theme of my Guru was that
the yogic exercises should help the heart and not strain it.. Further
the mind is required to closely follow the breath (while maintaining
the breath-movement synchronization) so much so the mind gets trained
to remain focused. It also enables the yogābhyāsi to practice
prānayāma well as the mind is trained to be with the breath all
through the āsana practice. In other forms of physical workouts,
there is a certain disconnect among the mind, breath and body
(movements) .Further, slow controlled breathing has a relaxing effect
on the system, one of the main goals of Yoga.
The word vinyāsa also would indicate a progression, say from easy movements to more involved postures and vinyāsas. For instance if one wants to practice very involved hip openers like dvipāda sirsasana (feet behind the neck) it is more systematic to work with simpler hip positions and movements like maricyāsana, then janusirsāsana, half lotus, then triangmukha, ākarna dhanurāsana, then krouncāsana. Staying in each of these āsanas and doing several vinyasas like forward bends, turns and twists then back bends will progressively help to open the hips. Additionally hip movements in several beautiful hip openers in inversions like headstand and sarvāngāsana will form a vinyāsa krama approach to more involved poses like dvipādsirshāsana, durvāsāsana etc.
In
fact the entire aṣṭāṅga yoga (classical) is a vinyāsakrama or
a progression. Firmly established in yama and niyamas, āsana
practice helps to have a good control over one's body, reduce rajas
(āsanena raj hanti). Then prānayāma starts working with the mind ,
reduce the tamas (tatah ksiyate prakāsa āvaranam--YS) and prepares
the mind for meditation or antaranga sādhana. Thus prepared one
helps the indriyas to fall in line with a delightful pratyāhāra
practice like shanmukhi mudrā. Then meditation or antaranga sādhana
itself is a progression according to Patanjali. One having prepared
the body and the mind with āsana and prānāyāma may attempt to
teach/learn an activity called one-pointedness (ekagrata) in a step
by step approach, First the mind is given a simple, clean, uplifting
object to think again and again during the short period of mediation
time. If the mind wanders or dozes off, it is brought back to the
same simple object again and again. This is the first stage of
meditation where an attempt is made to break the non yogic habit of
uncontrolled wandering of the mind. Once the mind starts staying with
the chosen object in this first stage called dhāranā, the practice
is continued with more vigour when after some practice the mind stays
with the same object for the entire duration of meditation when it is
called dhyāna which is good enough for most people. Some yogis go on
to intensify their efforts and finally succeed in remaining with the
object even forgetting themselves when they are said to be in
samādhi. It is not possible for anyone to reach samādhi unless one
follows the krama of the various steps or vinyasas of ashtanga yoga
and the inclusive antaranga sādhana.
Vinyāsa
is not exclusively a yoga term, it or its derivatives are used in
several Indian arts like poetry, mantras, classical music. Vinyāsas
are aesthetic variations within the parameters set like raga, tala,
sruti in music, meter in poetry, nyasas like anganyāsa, karanyāsa
matruka nyasa in mantra puja. The word vinyāsa is also used in the
sense of an art form. In Chennai there is an art gallery called
Vinyāsa gallery.
Back
to yoga. My Guru used the vinyāsas very effectively and made yoga
accessible to many others who could benefit by practising yoga, like
the young, the old, the sick, the handicapped, obese, the agitated,
the depressed, the faithful, the non believer and many many more. It
is not possible to make yoga's benefit reach everyone if yoga
teachers would teach only a couple of dozen asanas or half a dozen
inflexible sequences made up of many difficult āsanas and vinyāsas.
He used the enormous resources of Yoga, the hundreds of vinyāsas,
scores of āsanas, a variety of yogic breathing routines/prānayāmas,
traditional philosophy like the yogasutras, upanishads, the Gita,
appropriate mantras and chants, religious practices to the faithful.
He made yoga accessible to almost everyone in whatever condition or
age one may be in. He used Vinyāsas as art form of yoga but also
used them judiciously for varied individual requirements for physical
and mental health. Traditional Yoga is rich, Krisnamācārya's yoga
is very rich indeed.
There are some great yogis who depend entirely
on their personal experience in their teachings, but there are many
more who study a lot and depend upon the texts and sayings of other
yogis present and past to explain yoga to their students.
Krishnāmcārya
was one rare exception who relied on both traditional studies and his
exceptional practice and application. His yoga has therefore a
certain authenticity which my be difficult to match.
Srivatsa
Ramaswami
I have uploaded about 35 videos of vinyasakrama sequences, slide shows, vedic chants I learnt from my Guru and a few talks on Yoga. When you find time see some of my uploads, Thank You
http://www.youtube.com/user/srivatsaramaswami