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 ABOUT THE STUDIO • OUR ETHICS • PERSONAL PRACTICE • THE TRADITION • TEACHER • |
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"Whatever we try in order to gather our energies must be done gradually." |
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Sri Tirumalai Krishnamacharya The Union approach reflects the teachings of Sri T. Krishnamacharya, a dedicated scholar and widely respected yoga teacher who lived to over 100. He is known primarily in the West as the teacher of BKS Iyengar and KP Jois. But in India, Krishnamacharya became renowned as a healer and scholar. He never founded a “style”. Ultimately Krishnamacharya’s teaching, and his own personal practice, transcend any simple categorization. His teachings place a special emphasis on the sutras of Patanjali. Beyond his assiduous study of the sutras he acquired the equivalent of several PhDs in a range of disciplines. He translated and recovered ancient texts on Yoga and Ayurveda. He pursued meticulous research on the Upanishads and Vedas, mastery of Vedic chant, his own lifelong, continuous invention of new hatha yoga techniques, sacred poetry and music (both of which he composed), and many other topics in Samkhya yoga philosophy. He frequently devised practices within the context of postural yoga therapy. But he could just as easily focus on other aspects of healing such as diet and daily habits. The teaching depended on a foundation of trust with the student, and his respect for the power of the student’s mind. He taught the most active and most gentle forms of yoga -- to suit the individual. He further emphasized breath regulation, progressive and rational linkages of postures with the breath, and meditation techniques as integrated elements of personal practice. Learning to practice this way helps to create lasting positive changes in life and clearer perception. The mental, emotional and physical health benefits can be enjoyed throughout a lifetime.Krishnamacharya helped students live joyfully within the context of life’s challenges. He specialized in teaching other householders like himself. He also pioneered in the teaching of Yoga to women (most famously, yogini Indra Devi) before most Brahmin teachers would consider it. His advice to teachers is often quoted: “Teach what is inside you, not as it applies to you, to yourself, but as it applies to the other.” With clarity grounded in compassion he showed us how to practice in such a way that healing and other benefits arise naturally. As a teacher following this tradition it’s a great pleasure to watch students apply the teachings in their lives. Many students of yoga, including myself, are grateful to Krishnamacharya's son and grandson, TKV and Kausthub Desikachar, for their faithful transmission of the teachings.
TKV and Kausthub Desikachar, grandson and son of Sri T Krishnamacharya carry on the Brahmin family tradition, which dates back to the sage Nathamuni of the 9th century. In memory of his father, Desikachar founded the Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram, a renowned center for yoga studies in Chennai. Under his father's patronage, Kausthub has founded the international certifying body, Krishnamacharya Yoga and Healing Foundation, in order to ensure a consistent standard of excellence in Yoga studies derived from his grandfather's teachings.
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