Chaya's Mentors

Yoga Masters and Innovators

Patanjali is the author of the Yoga Sutras; which are the foundation of classical yoga. The Sutras are 1 of the 6 Darsanans in the Vedic text(ancient indian thought). Here he defines yoga psychology and practice as "the ability to direct the mind exclusively towards an object and sustain that direction without any distraction". His unique definition of Yoga is only his first contribution. He analyzes the functioning of the mind and cites inumerable means within one's grasp to bring order to a turbulent mind. He speaks of the activity of the mind and the "8 limbs" or steps of the practice with the goal of attaining a clear mind. These 8 components of yoga are: 1. Yama-Our attitude towards our environment 2. Niyama-Our attitude towards ourselves 3. Asana-The practice of body exercises 4. Pranayama-The practice of breathing excercises 5. Pratyahara-The restraint of our senses 6. Dharana-The ability to direct our minds 7. Dhyana-The ability to develop interactions with what we seek to understand 8. Samadhi-Complete integration with the object to be understood. He says in chapter 2, sutra #27 that the attainment of clarity is a gradual process. The first step is to recognize that certain tendencies of our mind are responsible for producing painful effects. If these tendencies are not curtailed, we may reach a point of no return. He also explains how such a mind makes a man/woman extraordinary in his potential and wisdom. The attainment of a stable state of mind and a healthy body are the goals in Patanjali's Yoga.

Krishnamacharya lived to be over 100 years old, and is one of the greatest yogis of the common era. His understanding as a healer of the sick, knowledge of Sanskrit and analysis of the role of Yoga in Indian ritual, make him a total teacher. His greatest contribution was his devotion to the individual, and to the possibility of unimaginable growth and freedom that is inborn in each of us. This, for Krishnamacharya was the gift of Yoga, and the Hope of Mankind. His view of health, as he put it, "Most important, according to me, is to provide necessary health, so that we can digest the food we eat, sleep well, and remember what we have been taught and what we have studied." He was also dedicated to revolutionizing yoga practice for modern life. He swept aside ancient prohibitions against certain practices by women and innovated therapeutic treatments for respiratory, cardiac, stroke, and injury victims, as well as new therapies for mental illness and disabilities. His great mission was to make yoga available to each individual, regardless of age, sex, race, culture, station in life, and belief-or non-belief. Through his relationships and responsibility to his students, he instilled faith, which is a key to the integration of the teachings and success of the practices.

TKV Desikechar, the son and student of Krishnamacharya, and one of the outstanding global authorities on the therapeutic uses of yoga, combines modern day empiracism with ancient wisdom. Desikechar has based his method on Krishnamacharya's fundamental teaching, which maintains that practices must be continually adapted to the individual's changing needs, and stresses the responsibility of the teacher to the student and the importance of this relationship to the growth, realization and health of the student.

Swami Kripalu, known to many as the Beloved Bapuji rooted his practice in silence and stillness. His vision of Yoga is of oneness with spirit with a focus on attuning to prana; energy, life force, higher intelligence. This level of consciousness evolves through Yogic practices aimed at developing an ever increasing awareness of our various levels of experience-physical, energetic, emotional, and spiritual. He spent most of his life in silence, only speaking on his birthday, and yet communicated so eloquently in his writings and teachings.

A sample follows below:

My Beloved Child,
Break your heart no longer.
Each time you Judge yourself
You break your own heart.
You stop feeding on the love
Which is the wellspring of your vitality.

The time has come-Your time-
To live-To celebrate-
To see the goodness that you are

You my child, are divine.
You are pure.
You are sublimely free.
You are God in disguise.
And you are always perfectly safe.

Do not fight the dark
Just turn on the light.
Let go…
And breathe into the goodness that you are.

Joseph LePage is the founder of Integrative Yoga Therapy, who's vision is one of global health and healing for ourselves, our communities and the earth, through the integration of all aspects of ourselves through the art and science of Yoga. His brilliance and knowledge of the ancient texts and Aryuveda(ancient science of life from india) combined with acute intuition and awareness are an inspiration and gift.