Vinyasa Krama Yoga Montreal

My teacher Srivatsa Ramaswami sir made a post recently about how imperative Prāṇāyāma practice is in our Yoga Sādhana. We don't just stop at āsana-s, traditionally this is not where practice ends and doing so is insufficient. Both Pātañjalayoga and Haṭhayoga emphasize the importance of Prāṇāyāma practice.

In Ramaswami sir's post, someone asked if Prāṇāyāma causes eye problems. To which I responded and include my response here, based on my learning in Śrī T Krishnamacharya's lineage teachings through Ramaswami sir as well in what is taught in his colleague's teachings, TKV Desikachar in Viniyoga.

It's important to have a teacher, or have attained the experience and self awareness necessary to be able to be sensitive to how we respond to practices and adjust. The best is in working with a knowledgeable teacher who continually checks in and assesses your comfort level versus discomfort, etc, and give you the appropriate practices. Prāṇāyāma does not have to be endless Bhastrikā or holding Kumbhaka for a minute, etc. In fact, most people shouldn't practice Kumbhaka longer than 5 seconds. Sometimes, it is appropriate to only practice 1 or 2 seconds of hold if at all for some people and that is ok and sufficient for them.

Some read Haṭhapradīpikā and get the impression they must practice endless Bhastrikā and long Kumbhaka, but it's all very individual, and even Svātmārāma advises working with a teacher and progressing little by little, Śanaih Śanaih, and according to capacity or Yathā Śakti.

Practice is supposed to make us more sensitive. If we are disconnected, we need to slow down and tune inward more. If one is feeling pressure in the head or eyes from certain Prāṇāyāma practices, then certainly discontinue such practices and investigate, maybe pick more appropriate practices according to your unique humour or Doṣa, etc. Again, practices and techniques ought to be very individual. It isn't about practicing all the techniques necessarily, but rather what is appropriate to us, nor is it about practicing to some arbitrary extreme such as long Kumbhaka, etc, again rather it should be in selecting appropriate practices.

And finally, I conclude by bringing up the ROPE postures of the Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati of Kapālakuraṇṭaka. These are an unusual group of postures, but not completely novel in idea. It relates to the so-called "wrestling pole" in Mallakhamba traditions with practitioners suspending themselves while up on an elevation grasping at a large wooden pole and possibly performing a variety of challenging poses, with alternate practice in rope-climbing as such. Among yogis, it has been known how some yogis would suspend themselves from trees and/or ropes for certain procedures and postures. Here, I include the pictorials as seen in the Śrītattvanidhi that is based upon the 18th century Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati of Kapālakuraṇṭaka (see Norman Sjoman's research, "the yoga tradition of the Mysore palace").

Relevant to the act of hanging from ropes, particularly in inversion can be seen in other artworks. Such as the illustrated 18th century Joga Pradīpyakā of Jayatarāma (Tapakāra āsana 3.178-182), as well as this panel from a 19th century collection of "Ascetics Performing Tapas".

Interesting though unrelated to the rope forms found in the Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati, BKS Iyengar eventually developed his own rope forms in adaptation of his classic āsana-s. Iyengar would say that he was influenced by the yogis of yesteryear who would hang from trees to perform āsana-s such as inversion. Interestingly, Iyengar would call his rope presentations as "Yoga Kuruṇṭa," which he gave the rationale of naming it after so-called wooden puppets or kuraṇṭi. Though the so-called rope postures don't feature extensively in the Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati of Kapālakuraṇṭaka, it is interesting how Iyengar called his work with ropes by a name reminiscent of the author of the Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati. Nevertheless, I include some rope variations of postures as featured in a section of Geeta Iyengar's "Yoga: a Gem for Women," as well as the manner BKS Iyengar would hang from ropes for such a suspended inversion.

Supine āsana-s from the Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati, and compared to supine āsana-s from Vinyāsa Krama: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1DdETMNdfw/

The prone āsana-s in Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati and compared to those in Vinyāsa Krama: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19vZfqL9ku/

Seated group and "piercing the Sun and the Moon" group from the Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati of Kapālakuraṇṭaka, and compared to seated āsana-s from Vinyāsa Krama: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1DiMhTi7PQ/

The standing āsana-s in Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati and compared to those in Vinyāsa Krama: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1B6o454Zp9/

Previous post examining all the āsana-s and Mudrā-s from three Haṭha texts, HP, GS, and HAP: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CPUBf1mrM/

Here is the STANDING group of āsana-s that appear in few key Haṭha treatises. Firstly, we see few standing positions in the 17th century Gheraṇda Saṁhitā, where we have Utkatāsana, Śankatāsana, and Vṛkṣāsana.

Then we look at the 18th century Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati of Kapālakuraṇṭaka, utilizing the related Śrītattvanidhi pictorials to illustrate the sequence (see Norman Sjoman's research, "the tradition of the Mysore palace"), and comparing with pictures from books by Śrī T Krishnamacharya, BKS Iyengar, Srivatsa Ramaswami, AG Mohan, and the research of Jason Birch and Jacqueline Hargreaves, to convey my interpretation of how the verses of relevant āsana-s from the Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati of Kapālakuraṇṭaka might be practiced, or at least in comparing the relevant āsana-s that relate to what we see today.

The Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati of Kapālakuraṇṭaka is relevant to Krishnamacharya teachings in the sheer dynamism exhibited and familiar forms we find in this text, not to mention it is directly relevant as Krishnamacharya was employed by the Mysore Maharaja and otherwise references the Śrītattvanidhi in his 1934 Yoga Makaranda and the Yoga Kuraṇṭi in his 1941 Yogāsanagalu.

I also include my presentation of few standing āsana-s, be they with feet together, or standing on one leg, from the Vinyāsa Krama system of Śrī T Krishnamacharya, for comparison with the standing group otherwise seen in the Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati of Kapālakuraṇṭaka.

Of the three standing groups taught by T Krishnamacharya, whether movements while standing with feet together, standing with the feet apart, and standing on one leg, what perhaps is not represented in the Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati or other earlier Haṭha texts is the group of standing postures in which the feet are apart as in Trikoṇāsana sequence or Vīrabhadrāsana sequence, etc, so-called standing triangles and "warrior" lunges. Academics tend to believe that for lack of evidence of such standing āsana-s in premodern Haṭha texts, that these positions simply were not practiced in premodern India until the influence of western gymnastics on āsana systems of the 20th century Yoga teachers. Nevertheless, the positions found therein are quite basic in the movements possible done whilst standing with feet apart, such as bending to the side, twisting, bending forward, lunging, etc, it is difficult to believe that such positions would simply have not been known in premodern India. Furthermore, there are examples in Indian dance traditions and imagery and iconography of deities that are standing in familiar positions, as well as seen in exercises amongst the Indian martial traditions.

Supine āsana-s from the Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati, and compared to supine āsana-s from Vinyāsa Krama: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1DdETMNdfw/

The prone āsana-s in Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati and compared to those in Vinyāsa Krama: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19vZfqL9ku/

Seated group and "piercing the Sun and the Moon" group from the Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati of Kapālakuraṇṭaka, and compared to seated āsana-s from Vinyāsa Krama: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1DiMhTi7PQ/

The rope postures of the Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati compared to rope postures seen in Iyengar yoga: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1PAxFYHWEn/

Previous post examining all the āsana-s and Mudrā-s from three Haṭha texts, HP, GS, and HAP: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CPUBf1mrM/

In the Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati of Kapālakuraṇṭaka, as I include excerpts from the Kaivalyadhama translation with the Sanskrit verses for reference, along with the pictorials from the Śrītattvanidhi based upon it (see Norman Sjoman's research, "the yoga tradition of the Mysore palace"), you can see transition procedures from standing down to seated, and back up again, which may simply be in squatting down to seated and then with feet on the floor pressing up to come up back to standing. But the procedure in principle reminds in what Śrī T Krishnamacharya outlined in his 1934 Yoga Makaranda in a so-called "classical" manner of entering any of the floor āsana-s be they seated such as Paśchimottānāsana and others or otherwise through a Vinyāsa Krama or particular sequence of sorts, and then outlining how to come back up to standing.

Indeed, the so-called "swing pose" in the Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati of Kapālakuraṇṭaka resembles what we otherwise would refer in Utpluthi and Lolāsana in swinging back and forth like a pendant, essentially the point we see in performing so-called "jump through" movements.

I include my presentation of lead-in and return sequences and their alternate options in coming to seated for the example of Paśchimottānāsana, and back up as seen in Vinyāsa Krama.

Supine āsana-s from the Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati, and compared to supine āsana-s from Vinyāsa Krama: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1DdETMNdfw/

The prone āsana-s in Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati and compared to those in Vinyāsa Krama: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19vZfqL9ku/

Seated group and "piercing the Sun and the Moon" group from the Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati of Kapālakuraṇṭaka, and compared to seated āsana-s from Vinyāsa Krama: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1DiMhTi7PQ/

Previous post examining all the āsana-s and Mudrā-s from three Haṭha texts, HP, GS, and HAP: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CPUBf1mrM/

In examining the "stable" or generally SEATED group of the 18th century Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati of Kapālakuraṇṭaka, through pictorials from the Śrītattvanidhi that is based upon it (refer the research of Norman Sjoman, "the yoga tradition of the Mysore palace"), we see many familiar forms as evidenced in the attached photos from books by Śrī T Krishnamacharya, BKS Iyengar, Srivatsa Ramaswami, Mark Robberds, David Swenson, Philippa Asher, as well as from the research of Jason Birch and Jacqueline Hargreaves, James Mallinson, and others. Incidentally, while this seated group is the 3rd among six āsana groups in the Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati of Kapālakuraṇṭaka, the 6th group that is referred as for the purpose of "piercing the Sun and the Moon" is predominantly of seated āsana-s just as well, and so I include it in the following presentation.

The Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati of Kapālakuraṇṭaka is relevant to Krishnamacharya teachings in the sheer dynamism exhibited and familiar forms we find in this text, not to mention it is directly relevant as Krishnamacharya was employed by the Mysore Maharaja and otherwise references the Śrītattvanidhi in his 1934 Yoga Makaranda and the Yoga Kuraṇṭi in his 1941 Yogāsanagalu.

As it happens, seated āsana-s make up the majority of the āsana-s found in the 15th century Haṭhapradīpikā of Svātmārāma. Just as well, we see few more seated āsana-s and derivatives as documented in the 17th century Gheraṇda Saṁhitā.

I include my presentation of few variations from the asymmetric seated, symmetrical seated, Padmāsana, and Vajrāsana sequences as seen in the Vinyāsa Krama system of Śrī T Krishnamacharya.

Supine āsana-s from the Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati, and compared to supine āsana-s from Vinyāsa Krama: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1DdETMNdfw/

The prone āsana-s in Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati and compared to those in Vinyāsa Krama: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19vZfqL9ku/

The standing āsana-s in Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati and compared to those in Vinyāsa Krama: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1B6o454Zp9/

The rope postures of the Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati compared to rope postures seen in Iyengar yoga: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1PAxFYHWEn/

Previous post examining all the āsana-s and Mudrā-s from three Haṭha texts, HP, GS, and HAP: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CPUBf1mrM/

With relation to the prone position in which earlier this week we examined the different prone āsana-s in the Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati of Kapālakuraṇṭaka and in Vinyāsa Krama, there are a couple of transition movements to and from the prone position outlined in the Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati that are worth noting. In fact, it is also worth noting similar procedures as occur in the Vinyāsa Krama system of Śrī T Krishnamacharya.

The so-called Cakrāsana rolling movement we see today resembles the rolling procedure described in the preceding pictorial from Śrītattvanidhi (see Norman Sjoman's research, "the yoga tradition of the Mysore palace") and description from the Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati of Kapālakuraṇṭaka (included is the Kaivalyadhama translation which features the Sanskrit alongside, though do look up additionally the research from Jason Birch and Jacqueline Hargreaves). It represents an exit out of a supine position in then entering a prone position.

The "sword pose" in the Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati of Kapālakuraṇṭaka is a movement from a prone starting position to then come up to a standing position, essentially an exit out of a prone position to come to a standing position. In the Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati, it may be implied the movement is done quickly like the unsheathing of a sword, but in Vinyāsa Krama such movements are typically done slowly with coordination of each stage of the movements synchronized with long breathing. In fact, if we start from standing and move to a prone prostrate position as an entry to prone essentially, and then follow in such manner in then moving from such a prone position to standing in exiting the prostration and returning to standing, it resembles in principle what is done in the basic Sūrya Namaskāra procedure such as depicted here in the main sequence for Sūrya Namaskāra as occurs in Vinyāsa Krama.

The prone āsana-s in Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati and compared to those in Vinyāsa Krama: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19vZfqL9ku/

How do we transition to the floor and to supine? Vinyāsa Krama and examples from Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1GYkK7vPdZ/

In Vinyāsa Krama and HAP, transitions from supine to standing, standing to supine, supine to prone, and prone up to standing: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18EX4h87Sv/

Supine āsana-s from the Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati, and compared to supine āsana-s from Vinyāsa Krama: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1DdETMNdfw/

Seated group and "piercing the Sun and the Moon" group from the Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati of Kapālakuraṇṭaka, and compared to seated āsana-s from Vinyāsa Krama: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1DiMhTi7PQ/

Previous post examining all the āsana-s and Mudrā-s from three Haṭha texts, HP, GS, and HAP: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CPUBf1mrM/

Here is the PRONE or "head-down" type āsana-s (and Mudrā-s) that appear in few key Haṭha treatises. Firstly, we see overt depictions of prone back arches type āsana-s in the 17th century Gheraṇda Saṁhitā, where we have Śalabhāsana, Makarāsana, a prone position referred as Uṣṭrāsana (though resembling initial stages of what we might call Dhanurāsana), and Bhujāṅgāsana.

Then we look at the 18th century Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati of Kapālakuraṇṭaka, utilizing the related Śrītattvanidhi pictorials to illustrate the sequence (see Norman Sjoman's research, "the tradition of the Mysore palace"), and comparing with pictures from books by Śrī T Krishnamacharya, BKS Iyengar, Srivatsa Ramaswami, Gregor Maehle, and others, to convey my interpretation of how the verses of relevant āsana-s from the Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati of Kapālakuraṇṭaka might be practiced, or at least in comparing the relevant āsana-s that relate to what we see today. Where the supine or "face-up" group seen last week verily included the shoulder-stand, or Sarvāṅgāsana as we refer to it today, one of the inverted or Viparīta Karaṇī Mudrā-s, the prone group of the Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati of Kapālakuraṇṭaka includes arm-balances as well in the headstand or Śīrṣāsana as we know it.

The Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati of Kapālakuraṇṭaka is relevant to Krishnamacharya teachings in the sheer dynamism exhibited and familiar forms we find in this text, not to mention it is directly relevant as Krishnamacharya was employed by the Mysore Maharaja and otherwise references the Śrītattvanidhi in his 1934 Yoga Makaranda and the Yoga Kuraṇṭi in his 1941 Yogāsanagalu.

Few arm-balances, of course, can be seen initially in the 15th century Haṭhapradīpikā of Svātmārāma and earlier, such as in Kukkuṭāsana which is part of the Padmāsana sequence, and Mayūrāsana. Indeed, the inverted Viparīta Karaṇī Mudrā appears in the Haṭhapradīpikā as well, which can be regarded either in the headstand or the shoulder-stand so-to-speak.

The Gheraṇda Saṁhitā additionally has what's referred as Vajroni Mudrā in a handstand, as well as Pāśinī Mudrā which is a leg-behind-the-head position but can be held additionally as an arm-balance by some interpretations.

I also include my presentation of few prone āsana-s, arm-balance variations, as well as Śīrṣāsana variations from the Vinyāsa system of Śrī T Krishnamacharya, for comparison with the prone group otherwise seen in the Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati of Kapālakuraṇṭaka.

Transitions in relation to the prone position: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18Guqgst57/

Supine āsana-s from the Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati, and compared to supine āsana-s from Vinyāsa Krama: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1DdETMNdfw/

Seated group and "piercing the Sun and the Moon" group from the Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati of Kapālakuraṇṭaka, and compared to seated āsana-s from Vinyāsa Krama: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1DiMhTi7PQ/

The standing āsana-s in Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati and compared to those in Vinyāsa Krama: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1B6o454Zp9/

The rope postures of the Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati compared to rope postures seen in Iyengar yoga: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1PAxFYHWEn/

Previous post examining all the āsana-s and Mudrā-s from three Haṭha texts, HP, GS, and HAP: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CPUBf1mrM/

Previously we covered how one might get to and from a supine position as in Vinyāsa Krama, and covered some basic explanations from the Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati of Kapālakuraṇṭaka and with Śrītattvanidhi pictorials as they correspond to the preceding text. The text references a movement of coming to sit from standing, and then coming up to stand, and repeating the process again and again. The text also covers a method of coming from a seated position and lifting up in order to come to lie on ones back in a supine position. What about other possible transitions? The text also outlines exit transitions out of the supine position, for example directly into standing, or perhaps in rolling to a prone position, but also a direct transition from standing to supine. I include transitions that relate in Vinyāsa Krama, as according to my interpretation of the Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati verses.

I include Śrītattvanidhi pictorials as through the research of Norman Sjoman, "the yoga tradition of the Mysore palace," and the Kaivalyadhama translation of Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati of Kapālakuraṇṭaka to have the Sanskrit readily accessible, with special thanks to the research of Jason Birch and Jacqueline Hargreaves.

How do we transition to the floor and to supine? Vinyāsa Krama and examples from Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1GYkK7vPdZ/

Supine āsana-s from the Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati, and compared to supine āsana-s from Vinyāsa Krama: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1DdETMNdfw/

Previous post examining all the āsana-s and Mudrā-s from three Haṭha texts, HP, GS, and HAP: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CPUBf1mrM/

"Wolf pose": https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10159671810892474&id=532427473&fs=1&focus_composer=0

How do we transition to the ground for floor āsana-s, such as supine āsana-s?

In Vinyāsa Krama, it is implied we would start in the standing position known as Samasthiti and transition mindfully, step by step with the proper breathing which is made long and smooth and movements performed mindfully and slowly. There can be a few ways to come down to the ground from Samasthiti to then perform any number of floor āsana-s in this dynamic practice, and once we arrive to the āsana in question, we can perform a series of variations, perhaps repeat the entry and exit into the āsana mindfully with the breath 3 to 6 times, and perhaps then staying in the āsana for 3 to 6 long inhalations and exhalations. Certain key āsana-s and Mudrā positions can be approached in an even longer static hold as Mudrā-s for even more than 12 breaths, developing the capacity to stay in a given āsana for minimum 3-5 minutes (this is usually reserved only for certain key āsana-s and Mudrā-s, such as in Paśchimottānāsana, Śīrṣāsana, Sarvāṅgāsana, and Mahā Mudrā), perhaps eventually approaching a static stay of 10 minutes or more for some in which it is appropriate to stay for so long, though a due counter-pose or Pratikriyā is in order to balance the effects of said āsana.

In any case, after a "lead-in" transition sequence to come to the ground, and after performing the āsana in question or sequence of āsana-s in question, one may then transition through a "return" sequence in more or less reversing the order of entry, to finally come back up to Samasthiti, once again done slowly and mindfully through long breathing as is established in this practice.

The more "classical" way to come down to the ground to, say, the supine position as the starting hub for any number of supine āsana-s, might involve moving with the breath from Samasthiti, Tādāsana/Ūrdhva Hastāsana, Uttānāsana, Utkatāsana, walking or jumping back, to Caturaṅga Dandāsana, Ūrdhva Mukha Śvānāsana, Adho Mukha Śvānāsana, then walk or jumping through, to sit in Dandāsana. Then we would raise the arms for Niralamba Dandāsana, then we would roll the spine down to lie flat on the ground, and then we can lower our arms slowly with the breath to come to the starting supine position referred as Supta āsana Sthiti (different from the passive resting position known as Śavāsana). This is how the lead-in transition sequence is, more or less, in Śrī T Krishnamacharya's 1934 Yoga Makaranda.

There is the alternate option of lead-in sequence that bypasses any such weight bearing dog poses that may not be appropriate to some practitioners, or if one is feeling too fatigued to necessarily do the full sequence. Of course, the movements still being slow through the long inhalations and exhalations. In order to get to, say, the supine position, one may start in Samasthiti, Tādāsana/Ūrdhva Hastāsana, Utkatāsana, Niralamba Dandāsana, then Sālamba Dandāsana. Then we would raise the arms for Niralamba Dandāsana, then we would roll the spine down to lie flat on the ground, and then we can lower our arms slowly with the breath to come to the starting supine position referred as Supta āsana Sthiti.

But where do such dynamic transitions come from in the Haṭha treatises when the well-known Haṭha texts such as Haṭhapradīpikā seem to present the āsana-s as more or less static? Well, in the lesser known text the Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati of Kapālakuraṇṭaka, there's many procedures described in a dynamic and repetitive manner, jumping procedures are there, highly dynamic rigorous and athletic procedures are there, and even transition procedures, be they moving from a standing position to seated on the ground and back, from a seated position lifting up and swing forward to come to lie on ones back, moving from a supine position up to a standing position, rolling from a supine position to a prone position, moving from a prone position to a standing position, or even a challenging procedure of coming from a standing position more directly to a shoulder-stand position and roll down to a supine position. Using the pictorials from the Śrītattvanidhi that is based upon the older Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati (refer Norman Sjoman's research, "the yoga tradition of the Mysore palace"), I include excerpts from the Kaivalyadhama translation of the Kapālakuraṇṭaka work which readily avails the Sanskrit verses to peruse through. The Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati of Kapālakuraṇṭaka is relevant to Krishnamacharya teachings in the sheer dynamism exhibited and familiar forms we find in this text, not to mention it is directly relevant as Krishnamacharya was employed by the Mysore Maharaja and otherwise references the Śrītattvanidhi in his 1934 Yoga Makaranda and the Yoga Kuraṇṭi in his 1941 Yogāsanagalu.

In coming back up to standing, starting from the supine position, as in the protocols seen in Vinyāsa Krama, we may reverse the sequences, more or less, seen earlier. From Supta āsana Sthiti, raising the arms, then exhaling to up into the seated position Niralamba Dandāsana, followed by using the next exhale to then lower the arms to Sālamba Dandāsana. Then lean the weight forward into the hands to lift-up (or walk back), to jump-back to Caturaṅga Dandāsana, Ūrdhva Mukha Śvānāsana, Adho Mukha Śvānāsana, then walking or jumping forward to stand in Utkatāsana, followed by Uttānāsana, up to Tādāsana/Ūrdhva Hastāsana, and finally back to Samasthiti.

Alternately, we can come up through the simplified sequence. From Supta āsana Sthiti, raising the arms, then exhaling to up into the seated position Niralamba Dandāsana, followed by using the next exhale to then lower the arms to Sālamba Dandāsana. Then raise the arms once again to Niralamba Dandāsana, bend the knees and place the feet on the floor and come forward to stand in the squatting position Utkatāsana, then come all the way up to Tādāsana/Ūrdhva Hastāsana, and finally Samasthiti.

In Vinyāsa Krama and HAP, transitions from supine to standing, standing to supine, supine to prone, and prone up to standing: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18EX4h87Sv/

Supine āsana-s from the Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati, and compared to supine āsana-s from Vinyāsa Krama: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1DdETMNdfw/

Previous post examining all the āsana-s and Mudrā-s from three Haṭha texts, HP, GS, and HAP: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CPUBf1mrM/

Here is the SUPINE group of āsana-s from the Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati of Kapālakuraṇṭaka, utilizing the related Śrītattvanidhi pictorials to illustrate the sequence. I include pictures from books by Srivatsa Ramaswami, BKS Iyengar, AG Mohan, Gregor Maehle, and Śrī T Krishnamacharya to convey my interpretation of how the verses of relevant āsana-s from the Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati might be practiced, or at least in comparing the relevant āsana-s that relate to what we see today. The Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati of Kapālakuraṇṭaka is relevant to Krishnamacharya teachings in the sheer dynamism exhibited and familiar forms we find in this text, not to mention it is directly relevant as Krishnamacharya was employed by the Mysore Maharaja and otherwise references the Śrītattvanidhi in his 1934 Yoga Makaranda and the Yoga Kuraṇṭi in his 1941 Yogāsanagalu.

I also include my presentation of few supine āsana-s and Sarvāṅgāsana variations from the Vinyāsa Krama system of Śrī T Krishnamacharya, for comparison with the supine group otherwise seen in the Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati of Kapālakuraṇṭaka.

I then reorder the Śrītattvanidhi pictorials into the coherence of the supine sequence otherwise seen in Vinyāsa Krama, which is not altogether that different. Namely, look at the interesting sequence contained in this historical text of "sofa pose, cane pose, ball pose" which is a progressive sequence that builds the back bend in what some might refer "half wheel" to "full wheel" and then remarkably follows explicitly with an apparent counter-pose or Pratikriyā in what some might call Pavanmuktāsana today. Also, look at the shoulder-stand sequence from the text listing in order "boat pose, diagonal boat pose, banner pose, Hell pose, plough pose" which in my interpretation also moves from a back bend to a forward flexion in what Srivatsa Ramaswami refers Uttāna Mayūrāsana (some refer as Setu Bandha) to Sarvāṅgāsana followed by Halāsana (and back in sequence).

Previous post examining all the āsana-s and Mudrā-s from three Haṭha texts, HP, GS, and HAP: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CPUBf1mrM/

How do we transition to the floor and to supine? Vinyāsa Krama and examples from Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1GYkK7vPdZ/

In Vinyāsa Krama and HAP, transitions from supine to standing, standing to supine, supine to prone, and prone up to standing: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18EX4h87Sv/

The prone āsana-s in Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati and compared to those in Vinyāsa Krama: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19vZfqL9ku/

Seated group and "piercing the Sun and the Moon" group from the Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati of Kapālakuraṇṭaka, and compared to seated āsana-s from Vinyāsa Krama: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1DiMhTi7PQ/

The standing āsana-s in Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati and compared to those in Vinyāsa Krama: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1B6o454Zp9/

The rope postures of the Haṭhābhyāsa-Paddhati compared to rope postures seen in Iyengar yoga: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1PAxFYHWEn/