Thanks for this, Daniel, an illustration of some of what was, and still is, generally unknown about Yoga, both through a lack of education originating from the modern source of it, Krishnamacharya, (neither Iyengar nor Jois studied with him long enough when they were a teenager in Iyengar’s case, and a young man in Jois’, to receive anything more than what Krishnamacharya felt was appropriate for these young male Brahmins — namely vigorous gymnastics for Iyengar and an incomplete use of coordinated breathing with it for Jois) and how Krishnamacharya himself had had his feet held to the fire in his later years by UG Krishnamurti over the idea of reaching some permanent transcendent state considered ‘enlightenment’. I certainly felt initial anger upon learning this, and then immense, ongoing gratitude.
Thanks, Crescence - I'd be curious to hear more about U.G. Krishnamurti's criticisms of Krishnamacharya. I know little about the former, beyond having heard that he questioned the concept of enlightenment, however one defines it.
UG and Krishnamacharya established a deep friendship when UG came to him for help in dealing with the unpleasant and often muscularly painful initial effects of having the Life force/Shakti unexpectantly and all at once move freely through him. Everyone in India recognized Krishnamacharya as the most knowledgeable person in the land about Yoga. He gave UG mainly pranayama to practice daily, which UG did diligently over a three and a half year period until he came to the conclusion that it was actually interfering with the natural movement of his pranas. He told this to Krishnamacharya, who accepted it because he said he himself "knew nothing" of what UG was going through.
Krishnamacharya went on to tell others that "UG is the greatest living Yogi I have ever met." Which was saying something given Krishnamacharya's profound understanding of the whole history of the Vedas and Buddhism's approach to them as well. I'm trying to get across that UG was someone to trust about these things. He had fallen away from any imposition on body and mind, and came to be recognized in India as a Jivamukti, someone spiritually free.
However, UG argued vociferously against being described as enlightened because it implied a transcendence of human experience that he felt was the very thing that prevented the real integration that was Yoga's purpose. Trying to reach God is a denial of God, a presumption that God can be separate from you, when God (or Yoga, whatever word you want to use) is direct intimacy with Reality itself. UG insisted, "Yoga is only participation in Life". Participation in the movement of energy that is our source and sustenance.
I heard this all from Mark Whitwell, who had gone to UG for help in transitioning away from the practice he'd gotten from Krishnamacharya and his son Desikachar, a constant striving within the male knowledge base. I immediately recognized what Mark gave me in turn as an entrance into the same terrain I had navigated when I gave birth to my daughter. I feel lucky to have had a series of men behind me reveal the awful misogyny that's been popularized around the world as Yoga. In the midst of finishing a book manuscript about it from my female perspective.
Thanks for this, Daniel, an illustration of some of what was, and still is, generally unknown about Yoga, both through a lack of education originating from the modern source of it, Krishnamacharya, (neither Iyengar nor Jois studied with him long enough when they were a teenager in Iyengar’s case, and a young man in Jois’, to receive anything more than what Krishnamacharya felt was appropriate for these young male Brahmins — namely vigorous gymnastics for Iyengar and an incomplete use of coordinated breathing with it for Jois) and how Krishnamacharya himself had had his feet held to the fire in his later years by UG Krishnamurti over the idea of reaching some permanent transcendent state considered ‘enlightenment’. I certainly felt initial anger upon learning this, and then immense, ongoing gratitude.
Thanks, Crescence - I'd be curious to hear more about U.G. Krishnamurti's criticisms of Krishnamacharya. I know little about the former, beyond having heard that he questioned the concept of enlightenment, however one defines it.
UG and Krishnamacharya established a deep friendship when UG came to him for help in dealing with the unpleasant and often muscularly painful initial effects of having the Life force/Shakti unexpectantly and all at once move freely through him. Everyone in India recognized Krishnamacharya as the most knowledgeable person in the land about Yoga. He gave UG mainly pranayama to practice daily, which UG did diligently over a three and a half year period until he came to the conclusion that it was actually interfering with the natural movement of his pranas. He told this to Krishnamacharya, who accepted it because he said he himself "knew nothing" of what UG was going through.
Krishnamacharya went on to tell others that "UG is the greatest living Yogi I have ever met." Which was saying something given Krishnamacharya's profound understanding of the whole history of the Vedas and Buddhism's approach to them as well. I'm trying to get across that UG was someone to trust about these things. He had fallen away from any imposition on body and mind, and came to be recognized in India as a Jivamukti, someone spiritually free.
However, UG argued vociferously against being described as enlightened because it implied a transcendence of human experience that he felt was the very thing that prevented the real integration that was Yoga's purpose. Trying to reach God is a denial of God, a presumption that God can be separate from you, when God (or Yoga, whatever word you want to use) is direct intimacy with Reality itself. UG insisted, "Yoga is only participation in Life". Participation in the movement of energy that is our source and sustenance.
I heard this all from Mark Whitwell, who had gone to UG for help in transitioning away from the practice he'd gotten from Krishnamacharya and his son Desikachar, a constant striving within the male knowledge base. I immediately recognized what Mark gave me in turn as an entrance into the same terrain I had navigated when I gave birth to my daughter. I feel lucky to have had a series of men behind me reveal the awful misogyny that's been popularized around the world as Yoga. In the midst of finishing a book manuscript about it from my female perspective.
Thanks for clarifying, Crescence - all the best with the writing!