What is Viniyoga?
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What is Viniyoga?
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According to the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, Yoga is the ability to quiet the
disturbances of the mind, and in this calmness completely clear perception is
attained. Viniyoga is a Sanskrit word, which translates to "adaptation."
Therefore, Viniyoga is an approach to yoga that is adapted for the individual
needs of the practitioner.
Viniyoga referes to the tradition passed down from T. Krishnamacharya (acknowledged as the "Grandfather
of Modern Yoga") through his son
TKV Desikachar
and was passed down to his students.
Gary
Kraftsow, founder of
American Viniyoga Institute, began studying with Desikachar in 1974 when
he was just 18 years of age. For the past 30 years, he has been a pioneer in the transmission
of the ancient yoga traditions in the United States. He has trained many yoga teachers
and therapists and currently collaborates on many projects connecting yoga
with such fields as theology and health care.
The Viniyoga tradition acknowledges that each of us are different in age, constitution,
mental clarity, structural stability, etc; therefore, each student will have unique
needs and abilities. This demands that the exercises must be appropriate and useful
to the student.
Asana (Yoga postures) practices, where many modern students begin the study of yoga, combine awareness,
breath, and movement to develop awareness of the breath and the body and their
relation to one another. The body moves with the breath, and the breath compliments
each movement. Appropriate sequencing of the postures is incredibly important for
maintaining stability and balance in the structure, so practices are carefully
designed care for the students.
Books on Viniyoga
Other Yoga Books
