re Iyengar yoga - to yogaman

[Guest guest]

Also, I only know that I no longer wanted to practice Iyengar after

my mother died. Suddenly, I felt it was lacking something I need in

general. That has to do with what I experienced as a harshness in

that particular school. That may or may not have to do with lack of

emphasis on breath.

 

, "Mary Ann"

<buttercookie61> wrote:

>

> Hi yogaman:

>

> I have been in classes where rhythmic breathing is taught during

> asana, and I have found it disturbing, though the book you suggest

> sounds interesting. I have enjoyed rhythmic breathing in and of

> itself, but not combined with asana practice so far.

>

> Following are a couple more excerpts from Yoga for the Three

Stages

> of Life by Srivatsa Ramaswami. I quote him here because my

> experiences in yoga bear this out, and apparently, it isn't only

my

> own experience, though of course each of us is different:

>

> "Yet another important factor in asana practice is the use of

breath

> while doing the vinyasas and asanas. Here also, many schools

teach

> yoga without any reference to breathing in asana practice, and

some

> actually discourage the use of the breath, on the plea that the

> practice of breathing is a separate "limb" of astangayoga,

> pranayama. Actual practice shows however, that deliberate

> synchronous breathing with vinyasas is necessary in asana practice

> to attain the results mentioned in various texts. In the

Yogasutras

> (2.46), Patanjali mentions making use of the breath to achieve

> perfection in posture, which entails steadiness and comfort

(sthira

> and sukha). ...."

>

> The author says that in one of Patanjali's yoga sutras, Patanjali

> says the mind should focus on "ananta samapattibhayam." According

to

> Ramaswami, 'this literally means "unbounded" or "infinity,"'

> and '"ananta" also means "breath."' He states: "Thus it is correct

> to say that one should mentally follow the breath while doing the

> movements in the asanas. Close attention to the breath, which

should

> synchronize with one's movements, is samapatti, and breath is the

> connecting link between mind and body."

>

>

>

> , "childofdevi"

> <childofdevi> wrote:

> >

> > Mary Ann:

> >

> > I fully agree that breath is the key for YOU but not necessarily

> for

> > everyone. What I listed below are some characteristics for a

Vata

> > dosha individual; they benefit the most from focusing on the

> breath.

> > At a more subtle level, focusing on the breath is adding to the

> earth

> > element(the sense of smell is associated with prithvi tatwa) in

> the

> > body which is what the Vata type individual is lacking.

> >

> > There may be another book you are interested in since it

> elaborates

> > on a particular topic that no other book on breathing has so far

> > covered. The name is "Rhythmic breathing" published by Kessinger

> > books; it is about 100 years old and was written by a westerner

> who

> > visited India and had some training in yoga.

> >

> > -yogaman

> >

> > , "Mary Ann"

> > <buttercookie61> wrote:

> > >

> > > Hmm, well, I do match that description, and I have thought

that

> > > insight, imagination, and psychic awareness are present in

> all.

> > > I think yoga naturally develops these and other beneficial

> > > aspects of being when the teaching allows / creates room for

> > > and awareness of such other aspects of being. To me, the

> > > breath is key to this, and I don't think Iyengar is interested

> in

> > the

> > > development of such other aspects of being; it's not his

focus.

> > > Yet, it is where yoga will lead, in my experience. And for me,

> to

> > > follow where yoga leads, I needed more/other than Iyengar

only.

> > >

> > >

> > > , "childofdevi"

> > > <childofdevi> wrote:

> > > >

> > > > Mary Ann:

> > > >

> > > > You are probably lean, very insightful, with a poetic

> > > imagination,

> > > > may have difficulty sticking to a rigid schedule and maybe

had

> > > some

> > > > psychic experiences - if all/most are true then it is not

> > > surprising

> > > > that you place such a high importance to focusing on the

> > > breath. I

> > > > honestly do not feel that the division is that vast -

Iyenger

> did

> > > not

> > > > emphasize it, but it is implicit in his books at least.

Breath

> > > focus

> > > > is a great aid to people of a certain constitution, but

others

> > will

> > > > do just as well without focusing on the breath. Just my 2c.

> > > >

> > > > -yogaman

> > > >

> > > >

> > > > , "Mary Ann"

> > > > <buttercookie61> wrote:

> > > > >

> > > > > I feel that the division is so vast between Iyengar yoga

and

> > > yoga

> > > > > that addresses and incorporates the breath and "feeling

> > > realm"

> > > > > (Chakra 2), that yoga - the uniting of two seemingly

> opposite

> > > > > principles - is required to bring these methods of

teaching

> > > yoga

> > > > > together! Isn't it funny that in teaching hathayoga,

they/we

> > > > > separate the elements out into different schools when yoga

> > > itself

> > > > > brings all the elements together?

> > > > >

> > > > >

> > > > > , "Devi Bhakta"

> > > > > <devi_bhakta> wrote:

> > > > > >

> > > > > > Mary Ann wrote: "I have not done 'Power Yoga' because

the

> > > name

> > > > > > itself to me implies less than what hathayoga truly

> offers."

> > > > > >

> > > > > > Beautifully expressed! I agree completely.

> > > > > >

> > > > > > DB

> > > > > >

> > > > > > >

> > > > > > > , "rajeshwari

> > > iyer"

> > > > > > > <rajii31@h...> wrote:

> > > > > > > > wHAT opinion do the reader's share when comes to

> > > POWER YOGA.