The book “Light on Yoga” contains 602 photos, it’s a treasure trove because Guruji’s photos are such an inspiration.
However, because the book covers so many asanas it’s difficult to find a photo of a specific pose. In order to help with quickly finding a photo, I prepared a short asanas index according to the asanas families.

The asanas index refers to the photo numbers and not the page numbers, and is therefore suitable to any edition of the book (in any language).

I recommend printing the index and pasting it onto the inner book cover. I find it very helpful with finding the necessary photo.

Good luck!

Paste a printout of the asanas index onto the inner book cover.

Patanjali opens his Yoga Sutras with a definition of yoga as the cessation of the fluctuations of consciousness (sutra 1.2): Yogah citta vritti nirodhah.
Complete mastery over the fluctuations of the mind is called yoga.

Chitta – The Human Consciousness

On our journey to gain this mastery and before we can work on balancing and settling those fluctuations, we first need to examine and understand the concept of consciousness. According to yoga, human consciousness (Citta) is comprised of three components:

• Ahaṃkāra – sense of self – or ego
• Manas – mind (in a limited sense)
• Buddhi – intelligence

The ahaṃkāra is the self-identified component. This is the component that creates the distinction between me and the other, it is the sense of our individuality. In order for us to renounce our ego and to feel the oneness of all things, we first have to establish a strong ‘I’ that will enable us to experience our separateness. This is the role of the ahaṃkāra.

The Manas – The Functional Mind

The manas is the component that is responsible for our survival. According to B.K.S. Iyengar, the manas plays a double role: external and internal. As part of the external functioning it collects, sorts, processes, and stores input it receives from the sense organs and operates the organs of actions. However, the manas can also turn inward and act as a bridge between the external world and the buddhi. This function of the manas is called awareness and it is based on an internal sense which in the modern jargon is termed proprioception, which Patanjali termed Asmita Svarupa. The proprioception is an internal sense that provides us with information regarding the action of the muscles and the tendons, the position of the joints, and of our body in space. In his book Core of the Yoga Sutras, B.K.S. Iyengar describes the manas as follows: (Purusa or the ‘Seer’ is the pure consciousness):

The mind connects and coordinates the five senses of perception and five organs of action. At the same time, it acts as the innermost sense (antarendriya), the agent connecting the buddhi and ahamkara with the purusa. The mind plays a double (dvandva) role. Its role is to connect the 10 organs (indriyas) on the one hand, and on the other, to connect the intelligence, consciousness and the core. This dual role of the mind affects the citta so that it plays a double game. The mind being the gross part of consciousness, needs to distinguish between subject and object.

Core of the Yoga Sutras, Page 56

Note that the mind plays a dual role since it is placed between the senses of perception and the organs of action on one side and the intelligence, ego, consciousness and conscience, on the other. The mind wants to satisfy the organs of perception, and on the same time, please its Lord – the Seer. A simple example is that it acts like a public relations officer, trying to please the customers and at the same time, the boss.

Core of the Yoga Sutras, Page 153

Here the mind plays the same role. It wants to satisfy the customers, namely the mind, the senses of perception and the organs of action on one side and at the same time it wants to satisfy its master – the Seer. Hence, the main effect of the practice of asanas is the extinction of the dual function of the mind. I consider this non-dual state of mind to be antaratman (the interior most) sadhana of the asanas (see sutra II.48).”

ibid

The manas is in charge of our functioning, but it can’t make ethical decisions based on values. Moral-ethical discernment is the role of the buddhi. The buddhi is the component that allows one to differentiate right from wrong and just from unjust. The sense which we call conscience – the organ of righteousness (in Sanskrit: dharmendria) is a part of the buddhi. The buddhi is the most subtle and refined component of the citta, and it allows for discernment and discrimination.

The Buddhi – The Discerning Intelligence

B.K.S. Iyengar describes the buddhi as follows:

Buddhi is another component of Citta. It is an instrument that acts as the true assessor. It helps to acquire the reliable and untainted knowledge that comes from experience. Its power of discernment is the lustre of wisdom.  Buddhi is the axial constituent of citta. It acts as a gravitational force to draw the citta towards the Seer. It is the mediator. It is the judging faculty that orientates the other instruments on the inner path. This is intelligence serves the sadhaka in orientating the inevitable sorrows that are coated in pleasant experiences. It positions itself as the pole star, guiding the journey of the citta towards the source. Like consciousness, intelligence too is tied on the threshold between worldly pleasures and liberation from them. This is why it is essential to study and reflect to discern the differences between intelligence and consciousness”.

Core of the Yoga Sutras, Page 53-54

In our yoga practice, we must explore and get acquainted with the citta and its components in order to be able to purify – or in Patanjli’s words – to restrain the (vrttis) (Yoga Sutras I.2). In this article, I describe how can one get to know the citta through the practice of asanas. Specifically, I explain how one can decrease the fluctuations of the manas in order to diffuse uniformly into the body while kindling the light of the buddhi.

In a reflective asana practice (done as a form of inner work – not as a body culture), there is a hierarchy of three stages:

1. Concentration – focusing on one point – internalizing and pacifying the mind
2. Even Diffusion of the mind
3. Meditation in an asana – radiating the light of the buddhi

Concentration – Focusing On One Point

As noted, the manas functions both externally and internally. For the most part, because of the external noise surrounding us and the attraction of our senses to external stimuli, the external functioning of the manas (the interaction with the world) is dominant while inner reflection is less frequent or present. Yoga is an inward journey, and hence it has to commence with the internalization of the manas. The manas is by nature vibrant and unstable. The manas (mind) is where we usually focus our attention when intending citta vritti nirodhah. A sadhana (practice, discipline) is needed in order to still it:

See how many times the brain jumps from one thing to the other in your sadhana. This flickering in the brain creates thought waves in the heart… Thought takes the mind to the past and the thinking process takes one toward the future and you lose the present. If citta-vritti is from the head, prasanta (tranquil) citta is from the heart”.

Astadala Yogamala: Collected Works, Vol. 8, Page 132.

In order to effectively direct the manas inward in asana practice, one should use the guideline given by Patanjali in sutra I.32: eka tattva abhyasah: adherence to a single-minded effort. In asana practice, this means that one selects a single action and pays full attention to it continuously – while entering, staying in, and coming out of the pose. Without this intention, the manas is prone to wander from one activity to another; from one region of the body to another, or even worse, to partake in affairs that have no connection whatsoever to the performance of the asana. Such a practice will not help develop concentration, inwardness, or clarity nor does it move toward citta vritti nirodhah.

Usually, in Iyengar Yoga classes, the teacher gives a lot of instructions and the students follow and move their attention from one part of the body to another. For beginners, this is inevitable, since a beginner needs to learn the actions that are involved in performing the asana; and hence needs detailed guidance. However, once the asana had been learned and the student achieved some mastery of it, one can begin to develop concentration by practicing asanas with adherence to a single principle. An advanced practitioner doesn’t need to think about too many things since the cells of the body and the nervous system have already acquired memory of the pose and the body can perform it without having to recall the instructions and perform them consciously. Once this level is attained, one can focus on a single action and limit the attention to this action exclusively. When one finds that the attention has wandered somewhere else, he or she has to immediately bring it back to the chosen action. The entire pose is then done with reference to that single action or with this action in mind.

For example, in lateral standing asanas like Utthita Trikonasana one can concentrate on the middle finger of the backhand. When spreading the legs (to Utthita Hasta Padasana) the arms are stretched sideways and the attention is brought to the middle finger of both hands. One has to extend the fingers without hardening them, in order to allow for the awareness to spread in them. When turning the right leg out, one needs to make sure that the awareness in the middle finger of the left doesn’t shrink and doesn’t fade. This awareness must be kept constant throughout the performance of the pose.

It is important to note that there is nothing of particular importance about this action and other actions may be selected.  Two examples are (1) Moving the right shoulder blade in (Prashant Iyengar sometimes calls it: ‘shoulder-bladize the pose’); and (2) Spreading the back of the left knee. Whatever action or point one chooses, she or he has to stick solely to it during the practice session.

For a mature practitioner who knows the pose well, focusing on a single point doesn’t disrupt the quality of the pose, because the selected point becomes the ‘brain’ that governs the pose and organizes it. The intelligence of the body cells knows the pose and can perform it on its own. Once we learn how to walk or drive we don’t need to think about all the actions that are done while walking or driving; these functions are wired into our nervous system and are performed almost automatically. This is a result of habituation, which yoga practice can mimic; and we should try to take advantage of this way of learning to enhance our practice.

It is rare as it is difficult to practice at such a level of concentration and focus. But if you practice in that way, you’ll find that the consciousness becomes quiet; that unnecessary and redundant movements lessen; that the breath becomes smooth and circular, and that the eyes recede and become stable. It is the type of practice leading to citta vritti nirodhah, the restraining of the mind’s fluctuations.

Diffusion of the Manas

The next stage is to diffuse the manas to the entire body. Often while doing an asana, awareness becomes sharp in certain regions of the body (often in the parts that are being stretched or activated) while dull and dormant in the other regions. The flow of awareness in the body is a movement of the manas. B.K.S. Iyengar said countless times that in a well-performed asana the awareness is spreading evenly and uniformly in the entire body from the core to the periphery, or from the inner Self to the skin.

Iyengar was not an academic scholar but a practical philosopher – his knowledge stemmed from his practice and his thorough exploration of the asanas. For him, ‘manas’ was not an abstract term but something concrete that could be felt and even seen externally. The manas has a liquid quality, so just like liquid, it can expand and fill its container touching its walls in an even manner. If the manas is compressed in one part of the body it can be felt in the asana. A competent teacher can visually observe whether the manas is spreading evenly in the body of the student.

The starting point of the standing asanas is Tadasana. In a well-performed Tadasana one can feel how the awareness (the manas) is spreading until it touches the entire trunk. This makes Tadasana – the mountain pose become Samasthiti – an even and balanced pose. When the manas is diffused it fills a rectangle-like shape that encompasses the entire trunk (in fact, it is a three-dimensional box, but for simplicity’s sake I use the word rectangle). Moving on to another standing asana, this rectangular shape has a tendency to misalign: broaden on one side while narrow the other, or over-stretch one side and under-stretch the other.

When painful over-stretching occurs, the manas is focused on the part in which the pain expresses itself. Therefore, awareness of all other parts of the body is minimal or non-existent. In the painful region, there is, as it were, a condensed lump of awareness but awareness is lacking from all other parts. The pain attracts our attention and creates imbalance and discomfort, which causes us to come out of the pose, or to hold it with sheer willpower that produces a lot of stress – and that is not a good practice of yoga!

To keep the balance and evenness of the pose one has to make a cognitive effort, an effort to observe and concentrate, as B.K.S. Iyengar writes in Light on Life:

Consider the challenge of the body and mind in an asana. The outer leg over-stretches, but the inner leg drops. We can choose to let the situation be, or we can challenge the imbalance by the application of cognitive comparison supported by the force of will. Maintaining the equilibrium so that there is no back-sliding…”

Light on Life, page 13.

In The Tree of Yoga Iyengar explains how diffusing our concentration evenly in an asana can become meditation:

When you are over-stretching somewhere to get the optimum movement, have you ever noticed that you are also giving too little attention to other parts of the body? That disturbs the body and makes it shake… You can lose the benefits of what you are doing because of focusing too much partial attention on trying to perfect the pose…  But if you spread the concentration from the extended part to all the other parts of the body, without losing the concentration on the extended part, then you will not lose the inner action or the outer expression of the pose, and that will teach you what meditation is.”

The Tree of Yoga, from the chapter: Effort, awareness and joy

Buddhi is ever-present and its source is in the chest cavity, the heart center. If the manas is not diffused evenly, it creates a sort of a lump, or a cloud, obstructing the light of the buddhi from reaching the peripheries of the body. You can liken it to light emitted by the sun – if the light is obstructed by clouds, it does not reach the earth.

In order for awareness to diffuse evenly, one must keep the anatomical shape of the body undistorted. This is how Iyengar describes this:

Whatever asana one performs, it should not distort the normal or original structure of the anatomical body. Each and every part of the joints and muscles must be kept in their natural shape and form (svarupa). Each one of us must study the distortions that take place while performing the asanas, and at once correct them. For this, the mind and intelligence must be made to involve and to observe by remaining in contact with each and every joint, bone, muscle, fiber, tendon and cell so that the attentive consciousness not only radiates focused awareness but also tastes its flavor. This focused awareness must be felt in every particle of the body, from the skin to the core from the core to the skin. This is the true meaning of sthirata and sukhata in the asanas”

Core of the Yoga Sutras, page 148

“In performing the asanas some parts remain dull while other parts remain contracted or distracted.  Some parts are scattered without a sense of direction while others remain with a single focused grip. Observing and feeling this single-focused grip, one must learn to adjust it on other parts of the body. Then the elements of the body are evenly balanced, making the practitioner experience the feel of ease in the asanas. In short, while practicing the asanas, if one part moves, the whole of the body must coordinate and move. Similarly, if the whole body moves, all parts must concur. This is sukham”.

Core of the Yoga Sutras, pages 148-149.

“This way of practice diffuses the flame of the seer so that it radiates throughout the body. The sadhakas then experience stability in the physical, physiological, psychological, mental and intellectual bodies. In short, the Seer abides and feels each and every cell with unbiased attention”.

Core of the Yoga Sutras, page 151

“The first thing to learn is, ‘can I maintain the asana without disturbing the anatomical structure?’ The length of the inner and outer muscles, the space between the ankle and the knee, knee and hip, side ribs, front ribs and skin have to be adjusted by balancing them evenly. While doing the asana there should be a thorough communication between the organs of action and the senses of perception. Performance of the asana is like the mother understanding you and you understanding the mother, which helps one to maintain lovely and lively feeling between you and the mother. I am making you to understand to maintain such connections while performing the asana. The skin which is the sense of knowledge must be studied and understood while doing the asana. You have to see how the sensory nerves react with the actions of the motor nerves without jamming and jarring each other”.

Astadala Yogamala: Collected Works, Vol. 8, Page 118

In many of the standing poses, one has to keep the rectangular shape of Tadasana. While moving from Tadasana to the pose, you should take note that the shape of the awareness in your body doesn’t get distorted, that the distribution remains even throughout, and that the breath reaches everywhere. The breath is a very helpful tool in this respect, as pointed out by Iyengar:

“If you carefully observe contact of the breath in different asana you observe that the breath touches different parts in different asana. Even if you take a deep in-breath or a deep out-breath, the touch of each breath in the torso differs each time and will not be the same. Each breath touches sometimes the inner parts and at other times the outer parts or the middle parts. When a deep inhalation or a deep exhalation is taken, you like to be in touch only with that part where the breath touches and neglect the other parts allowing these areas to remain dry and senseless. If the land is dry, it cracks. The same thing happens here: wherever the breath touches, that part gets nourished and the non- attached parts remain undernourished. It means there is progression on one side and regression on the other. While doing the asana learn to observe that the breath taken in or out touches the torso evenly”.

Astadala Yogamala: Collected Works, Vol. 8, Page 119.

Even diffusion of awareness creates clear, cloudless skies. Then, the light of the buddhi can shine, radiating from the heart center – permeating the entire body and beyond.

If the manas has a liquid quality then buddhi (or intelligence) has the quality of light. While liquid takes time to flow and fill its container, light, on the other hand, travels fast and reaches instantly everywhere, if there are no obstructions.

If an asana is done while keeping the balance between both sides of the body and in a manner that allows for even diffusion of awareness, then the third stage is reached, in which we can observe the radiation of the light of the buddhi.

The Radiation of the Intelligence

The center of the chest or the seat of the spiritual heart is the seat of the buddhi. Iyengar said that in order to awaken the sheathes of the body, one has to start from the seat of the heart:

“Consciousness usually remains in a state of dormancy. It’s the mind that dominates. As the mind dominates, intelligence and consciousness get compressed and take back-seats and remain in latent and dormant states. In order to awaken the sheaths of the body you have to start from the seat of the spiritual heart hrdaye cittasamvit (Y.S. III.35). The seat of the consciousness is hrdaye (the seat of the soul). Measure or learn to feel the expansiveness of the body and mind in Trikonasana, Parsvakonasana or any other asana from the center of the heart and not from the brain, as yoga is a stabilizing subject of head and heart. While doing asana do not feed the intellect of the brain but to make it descend to the seat of the consciousness at the heart so that the consciousness with its intelligence guides the brain to use its brilliance for even balance and firmness from end to end in the body״.

Astadala Yogamala: Collected Works, Vol. 8, Page 121

He described the difference between the intelligence of the brain and that of the heart:

“The brain may create confusion and doubt while the intelligence of the consciousness removes confusion and replaces it with the light of knowledge. As the seat of consciousness is the heart (hrdaye cittasamvit), awaken the consciousness and make it flow through the entire body so that the hidden light of wisdom surfaces.”

Astadala Yogamala: Collected Works, Vol. 8, Page 123.

Referring to sutras II.47 and II.48 (that describe asana-s) he said:

“The Self that covers the entire body like the sun in each asana from any point to any point without deviation is prayatna shaithilya ananta samapattibhyam (Y.S. II.47)[1]. Here the core starts guiding directly and you forget your bahiranga and antaranga bodies. This is tatah dvandva anabhighata (Y.S., II.48)[2]“.

Astadala Yogamala: Collected Works, Vol. 8, Page 129.

This is why in Iyengar yoga there is so much emphasis on opening the chest. It is a central concept in the Iyengar method. When the awareness in the chest broadens, one feels the source of light, and once the light is turned on, you have to ensure that it will radiate to the remotest parts of the body. When we are in an asana while awareness is diffused, we can feel this radiation from the core to the periphery. For example, in Utthita Trikonasana, you can create a connection between the center of the chest and the fingertips and feel the light shining from your center, spreading outwards, through the fingertips. While staying in the pose, this radiation should remain constant and stable. If we remain alert and observant, we can feel this radiation in a concrete way. If the radiation stops or fades then it means that an obstruction was created somewhere, so you have to find out where it is and remove it. As light travels in straight lines, it should be somewhere in between the center of the chest and the periphery. Maybe one shoulder blade is not sufficiently in, and in that region, there is a thickness or compression that doesn’t allow the light of the buddhi to pass through. In this case, we have to concentrate on the action of the shoulder blade and move it to its correct position in order to remove the blockage and allow the radiation to resume. In Sirsasana (headstand) being an inverted pose, it is helpful to focus on the light that spreads from the center of the chest upward, traveling up all the way to the toes.

This is a holistic principle that organizes the entire pose, enabling one to observe and correct the alignment of the pose, because if the body is misaligned the radiation will not reach the periphery. So instead of focusing on specific actions in each part of the body, observe the general, internal feeling; the main outlines of the pose and the flow of the energy in the body. The actions required to ensure a proper alignment are now stemming from the inner feeling and not from recalling instructions heard in the past. Then we are totally immersed in the present and maintain full attention to whatever is happening moment after moment in the asana. The even diffusion of consciousness is also propelled by the quiet mind on its path to citta vritti nirodhah.

In the words of Iyengar (underlines added by me):

“When each new point has been studied, adjusted, and sustained, one’s awareness and concentration will necessarily be simultaneously directed to myriad points so that the in effect consciousness itself is diffused evenly throughout the body. Here consciousness is penetrating and enveloping, illuminated by a direct flow of intelligence and serving as a transformative witness to body and mind. This is a sustained flow of concentration (dharana) leading to an exalted awareness. The ever-alert Will adjusts and refines, creating a totally self-correcting mechanism.”

Light on Life, page 13-14.

“In an asana our consciousness spreads throughout the body, eventually diffusing in every cell, creating a complete awareness.”

Light on Life, page 15

And these are questions worth asking every time we practice:

“Maybe you have read the Bhagvad Gita, where we are asked to keep the body in a rhythmic, harmonious state without any variations between the right and the left, the front and the back… Can I adjust the various parts of my body, as well as my mind and intelligence, to be parallel to that central line? … Do my intelligence and consciousness run parallel in my body without disturbing the banks of my river, the skin? Can I extend my awareness of my self and bring it to each and every part of my body without any variations?”

The Tree of Yoga, p. 67

And he continues in the following chapter of The Tree of Yoga (The Fruit):

“In Samadhi you are fully aware. Consciousness diffuses everywhere, through all the sheaths of the body and all its parts… Diffusing the soul into each and every part of the body is Samadhi”.

The Tree of Yoga, p. 69

When our practice reaches this level of maturity and the inner feeling that stems from the Core is clear enough, we need not remember any instructions. At this level, one no longer depends on a teacher. There is no need to remember countless instructions since one creates new instructions whenever she or he practices. It is only at this level that one fits to be a real Iyengar yoga teacher!

[1] “Perfection in asana is achieved when the effort to perform it becomes effortless and the infinite being within is reached”. See: Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali by B.K.S. Iyengar

[2] “From then on, the sadhaka is undisturbed by dualities”

• Thanks to Eleanor Schlesinger for proofreading the text.
• Special Thanks to my teacher Birjoo Mehta from Mumbai – this article is based on inspirations I got in his workshops in Israel

Introduction

Sutra II.47 of The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali says:

Prayatna shaithilya ananta samapattibhyam

Yogacharya. B.K.S. Iyengar in his Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali translates this as follows:

Perfection in an asana is achieved when the effort to perform it becomes effortless and the infinite being within is reached.

Perfection in Asana is reached only when effort ceases, instilling infinite poise and allowing the finite vehicle, the body, to merge in the seer.

Effortful Effort

This is very intriguing since we do experience a lot of effort in the practice of asanas, especially when trying to expand our limits, get out of our comfort zone and challenge ourselves with new demanding asanas. So what does it mean and how does it transpire that the “effort to perform it becomes effortless?”

In sports or gymnastics, there is great emphasis on effort; sportsmen never talk about effortless – and that is, in my mind, what is so special and unique about yoga – asanas are not merely physical; yoga is not another form of body culture; it has much farther reaching goals.

It’s not also that we should avoid effort in asana practice. Patanjali does not talk only about shaithilya (relaxation or effortless) – he says: prayatna shaithilya – effort and non-effort, and this is very interesting: How can effort and non-effort co-exist? How does effort turn into effortless? How can we balance effort and letting go in our practice?

Effortless Effort

In a talk given in 2007 B.K.S. Iyengar explained so beautifully:

“What is Sthira Sukham Asanam?” .

(See Astadala Yoga Mala, Vol. 8 p. 152)

He is referring mainly to sutra II.46, but he also addresses II.47 when he says:

“Prayatna means effort and saithilya means laxity… For me it coveys effortless effort. When the effortful effort fades out, effortless effort sets in… Asthira and asukha end only when effortful effort transforms into effortless effort… prayatna shaithilya has to terminate in ananta samapatti. Ananta is the soul. Samapatti is the transformation in which chitta gets transformed to its original form. This sutra is proof enough to know that asana is not limited to the physical level and it should not be looked at on the physical level only.”

Asthira is instability and asukha is discomfort (the prefix ‘a’ in Sanskrit denotes negation).

Toward the end of the talk, he explained the correct alignment of the inverted poses and concluded that “In the perfect presentation of an asana there is stability in body, mind, intelligence, and consciousness. As such it becomes an auspicious moment. This is the true experience of prayatna shaithilya ananta samapattibhyam.“

In the book Core of the Yoga Sutras Iyengar writes:

When asanas are practiced with effort for years, then the sadhaka (the practitioner) reaches a non-dual state of body, mind, intelligence, and consciousness, where the effort seems effortless.

p. 149

Christian Pisano writes in his book: The Hero’s Contemplation:

Hence, all effort has its source in and disappears into non-effort. If tension is observed passively, we are not the tension but the space from which it appears spreads, and disappears… Ultimately, effort as psychological intention must die away, devoured by the intuition of the infinite.

p. 201

A Different Perspective on Performing Asanas

In an asana there are actions that we must perform; the muscles are working, we hold the pose – but, as we mature in our practice and become more skilled, we learn how to balance this effort with relaxation. Instead of overusing the muscles, we work on the level of the skin. This changes our perspective – the muscles are still working but in a much more subtle way. The pose is held by the bones – the skeletal structure allows for stability and concentrating on the movements of the skin reduces any tension that may be in the pose. When we reach the correct alignment, there is no extraneous effort. For example in a building, if each block is perfectly placed on top of the other; additional structures are unnecessary to shore up the building; it can stand on its own. In our own bodies we must initially exert a fair amount of effort to address our structural and alignment imperfections, but as we advance and overcome aspects of these structural challenges, finding the right alignment leads to a feeling of balance that is effortless. This frees up our energy, or life force to penetrate within, instead of expending it outwards. At this stage we don’t experience our actions as effort anymore. Instead, we experience joy – the joy of exploring the depths of our own body-mind – we want to stay in the asana because we experience a state of wholeness and surrender. There is no need for willpower to hold us there. On the contrary, if somebody (a teacher for example) instructs us to come out of the asanas we feel that we are missing something we could have gotten by staying more. This is what it means that the psychological effort has completely ceased.

Effortlessness in Life

Effortless effort is a principle that applies not only to our practice but to life in general. There is certainly effort in life, but, if this effort is done out of some kind of struggle, then it’s wrong, and we should look into it and find out what are we struggling with. Effort does not inherently imply struggle. We have to apply some effort in order to keep life going, but if in our daily life we constantly experience hardship, then we invest too much energy. If we easily become fatigued and need to tighten our jaws to hold on – then we probably haven’t yet learned the principle of effortless effort.

By coming back to our daily asana practice and observing effortless effort in our practice, we can gradually learn to live with more ease and with a balanced flow of effortless effort!

Iyengar continues his interpretation of this sutra with the following inspirational words:

The sadhaka can be considered firm in his postures when the persevering effort is no longer needed. In this stability, he grasps the physiology of each Asana and penetrates within, reaching the minutest parts of the body. Then he gains the art of relaxation, maintaining the firmness and extension of the body and consciousness. In this way he develops a sensitive mind. With this sensitivity, he trains his thinking faculty to read, study and penetrate the infinite. He is immersed in the boundless state of oneness which is indivisible and universal.”

Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali

Introduction

People are attracted to yoga practice for many different reasons. Some because of certain pain they suffer (their doctor told them: try yoga); some in order to “keep fit”; some to enhance their concentration level at work; while others embark on yoga to become more peaceful and calm. In the beginning, yoga could be just another activity, done side to side with gym, cycling or other sports activity. At some point, however, from just one more thing one does in life, yoga becomes more central and important – it becomes a way of life. The range of practice shifts and expands from mere body maintenance into the care and development of our entire personality.

Teachers can usually see when yoga ceases to be a form of body culture for a specific student, and becomes something more meaningful and important in her or his life. This happens when, in addition to physical well-being, the student is experiencing something internal – a sort of quietness, coupled with clarity and calmness. Later, when the student is devoted to practice, it becomes a form of exploration – a psycho-physical laboratory, in which the object of study is the whole person. This study aims to explore the eternal question: “who am I?”

At this stage, it becomes important to not only practice, but to also think about the practice and deeply understand the theory at its foundation. We need to observe what happens to us as we practice and understand how the practice can become a live and useful psycho-physical laboratory. This is, of course, the main aim of this book.

*           *           *

Our intention in practicing in a group setting

What happens in practice depends largely on whether it takes place in a group setting or whether one is practicing individually at home. Although both offer ample space for reflection, there are important differences between the two.

Whether we like it or not, group practice brings about our tendency to compare with the others, this includes tendencies such as competitiveness, desire to impress and excel, envy, pride, and feelings of superiority or inferiority. All of these are products of the self-centered ego, it does not matter if we feel better and more successful than others, or worse; these are two sides of the same coin – both are manifestations of the ego. Our desire to please and impress, receive positive feedback from the environment or to be loved, is a very basic and fundamental desire. You can observe it clearly in children who have not yet learned to suppress this natural tendency. In yoga class, we can recognize these tendencies and look at them more closely. It is possible, of course, to do so in any type of group setting, not necessarily in a yoga class. However, asanas by nature, and because we stay in them for an extended time, enable observation, which is difficult to do when the practice is dynamic or competitive. Many types of sports strengthen the competitive edge and therefore are not appropriate for the study of this tendency of ours. At final analysis, any comparison is alien to yoga – each person has their own Karma and walks their own path.

Home practice

Practicing at home arises character dispositions as related to the three Gunas: Tamas (laziness, heaviness, resistance to change), Rajas, (activeness, dynamism, restlessness) and Sattva (purity, serenity, clarity). For this reason, personal practice is so important. When we are alone these tendencies tend to manifest. Practice allows us to observe them and deal with them. Some days the Rajas guna is dominant, so we feel restless, impatient, and are not satisfied with our progress. On these days, we may keep the phone next to us while practicing, and allow it to interrupt our practice flow; we are susceptible to endless distractions and find it difficult to concentrate on practice. On other days, the Tamas guna is dominant and we feel heavy and lazy. It is hard to bring ourselves to even begin practicing. We may also find ourselves holding a negative attitude towards our body, such as dissatisfaction with the length of our legs or our weight. We also may not be willing to accept periods of difficulty or crisis. Finally, there are days when the Sattva guna is dominant – and we feel bright and focused; practice advances without difficulties, allowing us to dive deep within.

In our practice we should seek to strengthen the Sattva on account of the Rajas and Tamas. If at the end of the practice (or class), we are left feeling Rajasic or Tamasic as we were when we started, Then the goal of practice was not achieved in that session.

Even in a class setting we encounter these tendencies. Although the teacher provides the overall framework, each student has a great deal of freedom and choice over how to perform the position, and needs to make many decisions on how to apply the instructions given by the instructor. For example, the teacher may instruct Trikonasana while adding several technical points, but he does not specify the exact actions to be taken; he cannot say exactly how far to bend, at what pace, or how to combine the breath with the movement, etc., All of these considerations are under the student’s responsibility and control. The student can decide to go slowly and carefully or try to stretch to the limits of his capacity. Likewise, avoiding injuries in practice is not just the teacher’s responsibility, the student is also responsible as well – and should observe his body and respect its limitations.

Practice allows for an intimate knowledge of our body, mind, breath and the connections between them. We begin observing the body, learning its capabilities and limitations. But that is just the beginning. We also need to observe and learn our breath and mind as well as the relationship between the two. That is why yoga serves as such a great laboratory.

Intention, Atitude , Application

The following three aspects are of particular importance for our practice:

• Intention
• Attitude
• Application

Intention: our goal in practicing: Why do we practice and what do we want to achieve? Do we ask ourselves these questions?

Patanjali had defined the goal of yoga as quieting the fluctuations of the mind (Sutra 1.2).

It is important to examine: is this really my motive? Is my practice aimed at making my mind quiet and serene? What propels and motivates me to practice? Maybe I have hidden or implicit goals (like: maintaining physical fitness, be more flexible, healthier, acquire a lucrative profession, impress someone…)

Attitude: how do we approach practice? There is plenty of room for reflection and investigation pertaining to the attitude to practice. I will point out just a few related aspects:

• Do we have a dogmatic attitude and are reluctant to try new options and experiment new practice sequences?

• Do we approach practice as a kind of a laboratory in which we observe our actions, or do we practice in a repetitive, heedless and mechanical way?
  Prashant Iyengar talks about learning culture as opposed to doing culture and says that we usually practice in a ‘doing culture’. The approach of a learner is very different from that of a doer. When you want to learn, you need time to explore things and ponder about them, which isn’t the case when you come for a work out.

• Sincerity: practicing alone sometimes raises a tendency to cut corners and compromise while performing asanas. How sincere are we? For example, how do we behave when different teachers are giving the class?
  Those who visited RIMYI (the Iyengar’s center in Pune) may have heard Prashant Iyengar ask: ‘how do you behave when Pando (RIMYI’s secretary) is teaching (he used to do that from time to time in the old days), in contrast to your behavior when B.K.S. Iyengar (Guruji) teaches the class? What would be the extent of your effort and determination in each case?’

I often challenge my sincerity by imagining that Guruji is present in my practice room, sitting there quietly and just observing me while I practice – because he would hold me to a very high standard of performance, this is enough to make my practice very sincere! But this works for me because I studied with him. Everyone must think what works for him or her.

• How much Tapas do we have in our practice (tapas: discipline, enthusiasm, energy, strong will)?

• How committed are we to our chosen path? Are we seriously committed or acting out of whims? Once we decided to follow the path of yoga, are we practicing steadily and persistently or only when it fits in our schedule or we feel like it?

• What is our attitude towards success and failure and how much are we willing to sacrifice for success? How does failure affect us? If I am failing to do a pose, say, I lose my balance in hand stand, should I be upset about it? How could I use it to improve my serenity towards success and failure?

• What is our capacity to endure shortcomings, limitations and difficulties and exhibit compassion to ourselves?

• Is our practice abusive? If we keep injuring ourselves in the practice, then something in our approach is probably very wrong. Every practitioner has to ask herself/himself: do I treat my body as a racehorse and push it to the limit, or do I practice patience, sensitivity and consideration? If I am not considerate to myself while learning, I may not be considerate to others.

Here, too, Patanjali gives us guidance in the Yoga Sutras. The right approach was defined by him in Sutra 2.1 as the right blend of Tapas (energy, strength, strong will, and persistence), Svadhyaya (self-study and investigation) and Ishvarah Pranidhana (devotion).

Application: how well do we implement our intention and attitude in our practice? This is of outmost importance because without correct application we will not be able to implement our intentions and achieve our goal. The application includes the techniques that make the practice correct and effective. The yoga teacher typically speaks primarily about the aspect of application. She or he will explain the technique of carrying out an asana.

But the real challenge is to know the type of practice that we need. This depends on various factors, some are long-termed, like the physical and mental constitution, the age and the job we do (the practice appropriate for an office worker cannot be the same as that required for a physical laborer, or that of a CEO). The practice should be adapted also according to more transient factors such as: the energy level, whether or not physical injuries are present, the mental state, the level of fatigue, the time of day, the activity prior to the practice, the season, etc. etc. To know how to suit each practice with these circumstances and conditions is an art one acquires with experience and which requires skill and mental flexibility. A beginner may have the right intention and approach but he will not have sufficient knowledge to implement his intentions.

Summary

When yoga practice becomes an important component in our lives, we must inspect our Intention, Attitude and Application.

Intention: Why do I practice yoga? What is it I want to achieve?

Patanjali defined the goal of yoga as restraining or quieting the mental vibrations and disturbances. It is important to reflect from time to time on our own goals and intentions and to check how much they are they consistent with the Yogic goals.

Attitude: What is my attitude toward practice? Do I practice in order to learn and understand myself, or is it only for fitness and physical wellbeing culture? Do I practice with sincerity and devotion or in a sporadic and whimsical manner? How committed am I to the practice?

Our attitude is determined to a large extent by the dominant guna (Sattva, Rajas or Tamas).

Application: How do I implement my intention and attitude in my day-to-day practice? Do I have enough mastery of the techniques of the asanas? Can I select an asana sequence that will answer my goals and circumstances in any given time?

Introduction

The diaphragm is an amazing muscle; it is a marvel that this muscle operates ceaselessly, from our first inhalation when we come into this world, to our last exhalation when we leave the world! It pumps air continuously 24/7, when we wake up and when we sleep. It never gets tiring. The skeletal muscles that move our body cannot work non-stop, and when they get tired, they need quite a lot of time to recover. If the diaphragm gets tired (in aerobic exercises), it is enough to resume normal breathing for a few cycles in order for the diaphragm to recover. It is always ready to serve us!

B.K.S. Iyengar said ‘the diaphragm is the window of the self‘, and stressed the importance of a freely moving diaphragm for maintaining good health. One cannot exaggerate the importance of this unique muscle. This article explains briefly the anatomy and action of the diaphragm, I survey both the mechanics of normal and Pranayamic breathing and suggest an exploration that helps to visualize the structure and operation of the diaphragm.

The diaphragm is both a voluntary and non-voluntary muscle

The only other muscle in our body that works non-stop is the other pump we have – the heart muscle. But we cannot really control this muscle; it is a non-voluntary muscle (it is said that some distinguished Yogis, like Krishnamacharia, can stop the heartbeats for a few minutes, but this is a very very special ability). What is very unique and special about the diaphragm is that it operates both voluntarily and involuntarily. The skeletal muscles do not contract without our conscious, deliberate will. The internal smooth muscles, like the muscles of the digestive system, and the heart muscle operate involuntarily. We cannot directly instruct them to work, and we cannot stop them from working – they function automatically. In contrast, the diaphragm functions most of the time involuntarily (even when we are asleep or unconscious), but we can control it and modulate its action, and even stop it for a few minutes.

A short anatomy of the diaphragm

The diaphragm is a very massive muscle situated in the center of the body. It completely separates the body into upper and lower parts. It is the floor of the thoracic cavity and the roof of the abdominal cavity. It is a large domed shape muscle – you can imagine it as a mushroom, a jellyfish or a bell. There are three holes in this otherwise impenetrable tissue, two for the main blood vessels (artery and vein) and another one for the esophagus.

Figure 1 The diaphragm is a domed shape muscle with the central tendon on the top

In fact the diaphragm has an asymmetrical double-dome shape. The right dome, which is pushed up from below by the liver, rises higher than the left dome (which is pushed down by the heart). Each half is innervated separately, so we can contract each half of the diaphragm independently from the other half and thus direct the breath to the left or to the right lung.

Try it now:

Place your fingers on the ribs and direct your breath only to the right side of the chest. Feel the movement of the ribs. Breathe slowly until the right lung is full.

Then exhale and breathe to the left lung. Repeat several times.

Now breathe in a zigzag fashion: breath for a few seconds to the right, then to the left, again to the right, and so on, until both lungs are full.

Origin and Insertion

The lower edges of the diaphragm’s circumference originate from three distinct regions: the xiphoid process (bottom of the sternum), the base of the rib cage, and the front of the lumbar vertebrae. The muscular fibers of the diaphragm rise vertically upward in the body from their origin and arrive at a flat horizontal top – the central tendon – to which they insert. This central tendon is non-contractile and can move only in response to the action of the vertical muscle fibers which insert into it (see figure 1).

This structure is unique: skeletal muscles always connect two bones (origin and insertion), while the dome-shaped diaphragm inserts into itself. Generally, a muscle can only contract, and in a non-isometric contraction, this reduces the distance between its origin and insertion. If the origin is fixed and the insertion is free, then the insertion is drawn closer to the origin; if however the insertion is fixed and the origin is free, then the origin is moved toward the insertion. For example, when the biceps muscle of the upper arm contracts, it draws the forearm closer to the upper arm (if the forearm is free). But if the forearm is fixed (as in Pull-ups) it will move the upper arm toward the forearm.

The Breathing Mechanism

The diaphragm is the main breathing muscle, without it, independent breathing is impossible. We know this because people that, for some reason, cannot use the diaphragm cannot breathe on their own and need an artificial ventilator. The other respiratory muscles are only auxiliary and are not sufficient for efficient breathing. They are just not strong enough to be able to increase sufficiently the volume of the chest cavity.

As in any other muscle, the contracting fibers of the diaphragm pull its insertion (the central tendon) and origin (the base of the rib cage) toward each other. The movement that actually takes place depends on which side is fixed and which is free to move.

In normal, natural breathing, inhalation is an active contraction of the diaphragm, and exhalation is a passive release of this muscle. If the abdomen is soft, the central tendon is pretty much free to move and the contraction of the diaphragm during inhalation shortens its fibers which pulls the central tendon down. The abdomen then slightly bulges out. This increases the volume of the chest cavity and decreases the pressure in the chest cavity, which causes air to flow in. When we release the diaphragm, the central tendon moves back up and the air is pushed out of the lungs (see figure 2).

Figure 2 Three-dimensional thoracic shape changes of (a) inhalation and (b) exhalation

Note that this downward movement of the central tendon, which occurs during inhalation, increases the pressure in the abdominal cavity. When we breathe deeper, the resistance of the organs of the upper abdomen makes the downward movement of the tendon more difficult and this causes the ribs to lift slightly. So actually, even in a normal deeper breath, the downward movement of the central tendon is combined with a lift of the lower ribs.

In Pranayamic breathing (as done according to the Iyengar method) we attempt to lift and open the rib cage and do it in a slow, soft and subtle manner, without creating any tension in the eyes, ears, or brain cells. In order to achieve this, we have to use the diaphragm in a different mode of operation. This is done by gently sucking the abdomen in at the end of exhalation, and keep it pulled in when we inhale. This action of the abdominal muscles (mainly the transversus abdominus) does not allow the central tendon to move down. This is called Uddiyana Kriya (in contrast with Uddiyana Bandha which is a strong contraction and locking of the abdominal region, done at the end of a complete exhalation).

By keeping this action of Uddiyana Kriya while inhaling, we prevent the central tendon from moving down, and this result causes the rib cage to lift and expand. As we get more proficient in controlling the action of the diaphragm, we learn to do this action in a slow and rhythmical way. This makes the inhalation long and smooth, and the brain becomes soft and receptive. As we lower the head in Jalandhara Bandha, the mind is drawn in and gets totally absorbed in the process of breathing. In that stage, there is no more ‘I’ that breathes, and only the breath remains.

Conclusion

Understanding the uniqueness of the structure and action of the diaphragm enables us to apprehend B.K.S. Iyengar’s saying that ‘the diaphragm is the meeting point of the material world with the spiritual world’. In an interview with Carol Cavanaugh he said:

“The diaphragm balances our physical and mental bodies. When people suffer from a catastrophe, depression, sorrows, and misery, they say their solar plexus – the navel region, is tight and cramped. Why? What is the medium of our existence? It is the diaphragm…

Tension and pressure make the diaphragm harder… The diaphragm is the window of the self. The more tension you have, the more the window of the diaphragm gets closed. if the diaphragm is spread, it takes any load, whether intellectual, emotional or physical.” (See: Astadala Yoga Mala, Vol. 4, p. 86)

Our life depends on the efficient functioning of this muscle and our quality of life depends largely on our skillful use of it. By observing its operation we can come closer to realizing the marvel and wonder of life that we tend to take for granted and get some glimpse into the operation of the universal energy which the yogis call: Prana – the energy of Life. Developing intimate relationships with our breath makes us humble – since we realize that the breath is not in our hands, it is created and sustained not by our ego, but by a power which is far greater than us, to which we can call Divinity. This experience changes our attitude: instead of feeling great, you feel grateful!

Click here for a presentation on normal breathing Vs. Pranayamic breathing, in terms of both western physiology and the yogic view of the human body.