Action Speaks

The tradition that I teach in was once commonly as Viniyoga - which signifies the special (Vi) personal (Ni) application of Yoga. This largely comes from our approach, which is to bend the Yoga to fit the person, not the other way about. Unfortunately some people started using that phrase as a trademeark, so Desikachar eventually ststed that he didn't want people from this lineage using that as a brand name, and anyone who continued using it was not associated with our tradition.

Many people associate this "Viniyoga" approach as being soft and gentle, or being only for old and incapable people - so they coined terms like "mini-Yoga" and "Granny-Yoga" in a very dismissive (and quite unyogic) way. They forget that the whole Ashtanga Vinyasa movement originates with Krishnamacharya, and that since the principle is to apply the type of Yoga that is appropriate to the person, if the person needs a strong practice then that is what they will get. It is just that a type A personality often doesn't like being told that what they really need is to slow down and take things easier (right up to the point where they break), they want their type A addicitons to stay in their life unchallenged, no matter what the cost.

But if actions speak louder than words, take a look at the video there of Krishnamacharya performing Asana and Pranayama in 1938. It is an impressive example of Yoga in action, even more so when you consider that he was years old at the time this was filmed.

I could tell you that I too have done jump throughs and handstands from sitting, and all those other gymnastic tricks and more. But I think that just like the film, I should be silent now and let you work out the rest of what I am trying to say for yourself.