Yoga can be seen as having three aspects:
- Yoga as Power
Yoga can be used to link the body and the mind. It is the ability to achieve something through intense physical and mental effort.
For instance, to cultivate and maintain a state of concentration or to develop the body and the breath through refinement of various postures and breathing techniques.
The consequences are power over and within the body and the mind. As such, Yoga can be seen as an art and offers a fascinating and helpful pursuit for many people looking to develop these qualities.
However, traditionally this aspect is only a means towards a more important goal.
- Yoga as Self-inquiry
Yoga can also be used as a tool for a deeper understanding of ourselves by inquiring both into and beyond what we view as the everyday self, its actions and its motives.
Here Yoga can be utilised to appreciate and sustain a quality of attention. This attention offers a space that can allow our actions or especially reactions to be less influenced by the more usual patternings within the mind.
With sensitive and consistent attention we can lessen the effects of our conditionings. As a consequence we can experience a deeper sense of well being and have the potential for action with greater awareness within our life, work and relationships
However, we all experience problems, poor health or illness from time to time.
- Yoga as Therapy
Yoga, as a restorative, support and preventative, can be a healing therapy to help us work at changing or anticipating the effects of problems and illness in our lives.
Here the approach must be different for each person as our potential will be affected by the problem, or the problem by our attitude towards working with it.
Also according to traditional Indian medicine those diseases that are chronic and cannot be cured by medicine alone can be helped by using Yoga techniques. So Yoga can support other forms of treatment.
Yoga texts also talk about the benefits of certain postures and breathing techniques.
Utilising these concepts it is possible, within a careful teaching situation and our wish to learn and help ourselves, to introduce practices that both respect the problems or illness and support our intention to reduce their negative effects in the future.
However, Yoga as a therapy also presumes that we are willing to accept responsibility for change within our own situation.
“The patient must be his own doctor, must observe himself,
use his own intelligence, and find the right tools.
Fundamentally, the solution is in the patient’s discernment.
No one can understand for the patient.“
- TKV Desikachar
These three aspects of Yoga, power, self-inquiry and therapy are mutually supportive in helping to maintain physical health, psychological vitality and spiritual purpose within the commitment and challenges of life, work and relationships.
TKV Desikachar's Teaching
Yoga offers many tools including body, breath and voice work, diet, meditation, study and reflection. According to the teaching of Krishnamacharya and Desikachar, Yoga is to be taught in a way appropriate for each person and their situation. Here is where Desikachar discussed the word viniyoga in the quotation below as the appropriate application of Yoga techniques according to the person and the uniqueness of their situation.
"Yoga is a mystery.
It does not mean the same thing to each and everyone.
In spite of the vast field it covers
- curing chronic ailments, extra-sensory perception, etc,
- hardly anyone is able to define it in simple terms.
Where is then the hope of experiencing its true significance?
What about the risks of inappropriate use of Yoga methods and practices?
Why are so many people all over the world taking the word
and the substance of Yoga so lightly, so ridiculously?
Like everything, Yoga must be presented intelligently.
It should be spoken of carefully and offered according to
the aspiration, requirement and the culture of the individual.
This should be done in stages.
Systematic application of Yoga
- be it concerned with physical exercises,
deep breathing, relaxation, meditation,
lifestyle, food, studies - is the need of the day.
This I believe - is what the word VINIYOGA represents."
- TKV Desikachar
Thus the viniyoga of Yoga, or the application of Yoga according to the person and their situation, would be a truer definition to describe the way that teachers trained in these teachings work.
In modern life Yoga can be applied in many different ways, especially:
- To appreciate the intimate relationship between our body, breath and mind.
- To cultivate a quality of attention, clarity and thus skilful actions.
- As a therapy to help our health needs.
- Teaching Yoga with this perspective respects differences in
age, gender, mental and physical health, culture, religion, philosophy and occupation.
Care has been taken to preserve the spirit of transmission which emphasises:
- Adaptation of all aspects of Yoga to our needs and potential, integrating movement,
breathing and attention, for better physical and mental health and awareness.
- A process that moves from a practice adapted to our limitations
towards one that stretches our abilities.
- The precise use of the breath as a powerful tool to influence
a person's mental and physical well being.
- The value of the relationship between the teacher, the teachings and the student and their practice.
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