Tag: viniyoga

What is Viniyoga?

On By Kim LuyckxIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

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I have been spending the month of August exploring the style of yoga known as Viniyoga. I was first introduced to this method through the work of T.K.V. Desikachar. As the son of one of the greatest yogis, Krishnamacharya, Desikachar has carried down his father’s teachings in a very comprehensive yet practical manner.

In his book, “The Heart of Yoga“, Desikachar addresses the importance of adaptation and customization in yoga. The fundamental principle of the Viniyoga tradition is that an individual should begin from his/her own starting point. From there, a student is directed to develop a practice with techniques designed to promote self-awareness.

Focusing on the Breath

Viniyoga’s main position is that the breath and movement should be linked. While many forms of hatha yoga reference the breath, it is the repetition and rhythm of coordinating the movement and breath that is key to Viniyoga. Continue reading “What is Viniyoga?” →

Putting the Kibosh on Kyphosis

On By Kim LuyckxIn Friday FocusLeave a comment

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My quest for August will be to explore the teachings of Viniyoga. Over the years, I have found this particular style of yoga attractive because it represents the way yoga can serve as therapy. The method stems from the teachings of T. Krishnamacharya, T.K.V. Desikachar and, more recently, Gary Kraftsow. In a nutshell, Viniyoga “tweaks” the traditional poses in order to address specific ailments. Foremost, it works closely with the breath by presenting the poses in a vinyasa (or flow-like) manner.

Below, I have provided a short posture sequence for reducing upper back tension and/or the curvature disorder called kyphosis. Unfortunately, we are seeing this condition occuring more and more frequently with the increase in computer and cell phone usage. Left unattended, this posture bias can adversely affect breathing and other system functions. Continue reading “Putting the Kibosh on Kyphosis” →

Building a Steady Home Yoga Practice

On By Kim LuyckxIn Uncategorized3 Comments

yoga-682326__340After July’s Yoga Practice Challenge, I have fallen back into the meditation habit and it has done wonders! Once I complete my 6 minutes or so of daily breath work and meditation, I find that I have more energy and motivation to move onto whatever the day has in store. In addition, I have tried to incorporate one healthy observance into each week to enhance this vitality. If you haven’t been following along, check out the posts from last month to see what you have missed. To make things easy, I’ve provided audio recordings for you to follow along.

Since this monthly map for a daily meditation/pranyama practice was so successful for me, I plan to keep going. Each week this coming month, I will be introducing a new meditation or breathing technique. Our Monday Meditation series starts tomorrow!

Furthermore, and to expand the commitment, I will soon be introducing Friday Focus – my weekly objective for adding interest and freshness back into my own personal posture practice.

As a yoga teacher, I try to practice the postures daily but it doesn’t always work out that way. And why? Because I seldom have a set plan. Sometimes I will work with an audio recording, sometimes I will rehearse what I am teaching for the week, and sometimes I just resort to a standard sun salutation routine. What I truly need is creative, fresh motivation to get, joyfully, on my mat. If this is something you’ve been craving – join me. And, if you don’t have a personal yoga practice, that’s even better – this could be your start.

Looking forward to an amazing August!