I’ve really liked the following notes which I want to share with you this time. I think all these carry important messages, possibly can help every yoga practitioner to understand their experiences. or anyone who is interested is all this. The excerpts came via Rachel Nystrom who is my ashtanga teacher in Houston (www.ashtangayogahouston.com). She is a great person and I am thankful to her in many ways. These notes are originally transcribed by Jose Pryor who is studying at the KPJAYI.

Each week R Sharath Jois, the grandson of K Pattabhi Jois and current lineage holder, holds conference for the students studying at the KPJAYI.  He talks about all aspects of the practice and answers questions. 

On the importance of bandha:

“There are three most important bandha. Jalandhara is locking the chin, Mula is locking the anus, Uddiyana is below the navel. This is described in many texts, the Mula, is of most importance. It is the source, the base. One verse says “always mula bandha”, this means when walking, sitting, everything. There are so many aspects to this, so much philosophy as well. It is the source to control the mind. Another verse says “old man who can control mula bandha, will become young again”.  A verse says “when practitioner master mula bandha, he becomes king of all the yogis”. It comes with practice.

Perfection comes only from practice. Nowadays everything is fast, fast food, everything is takeaway. The process of creation is being skipped, masala dosa takes two days to create from scratch, but when we order we want it fast. If we don’t give the time we won’t know the yoga. Mula takes one or two years, maybe more.  Here, with my Grandfather’s yoga, progress is slowly, slowly, one at a time. So when we practice for two to five years, we can start to know what we are doing. Until then it is physical. We eventually have more clarity within us. Many people get confused, you can tell the difference in people who don’t have in-depth experience, or devotion. Asana can become ego, what we are doing is getting rid of these things (the ego).

In-depth experience and better understanding only comes through personal practice. Anyone can read translations of the sutras and then recite out loud. What is required for the individual is sadhana, to be a sadhaka.  A verse says “Guru is remover of obstacles and ignorance, one who takes us towards the brightness of spiritual knowledge”. You can see what happens without parampara. A devoted student dedicates himself to learning from a master, it is different to fleeting, changing practice.”

Q: So what is the process for developing mula bandha?

A: Many asana help, in particular utpluthih, navasana, even jumping through. Jumping into handstand is not it. Utpluthih is a pose, but also just means lift up, bring your body off the ground, like in navasana. If you do mula properly, uddiyana will come automatically. Jalandhara in is some postures, but more in pranayama.

Q: Can you tell us more of the story of Patanjali?

A: Patanjali’s words were to bring health to the people, people suffering from physical and mental disease, using three methods. Yoga (clarity, concentration, steadiness), grammar (better speech, conversation, understanding), aryuveda (for some diseases, no side effects, everything natural)  Yoga came before Patanjali also, in the Vedas. When the galaxy started, our existence, that is when yoga started. The Bahagavad Gita has a reminder, Lord Krishna teaches yoga. This is very old knowledge, from parampara. It is timeless, it is pure experience.  

Q: What on your thoughts on why we get injured?

A: There are lots of reasons for injury. Overdoing it is common, lack of concentration, and from doing other physical exercise. Body can become confused from switching between stiffening and stretching. I played lots of cricket when I was younger, and when I began practicing seriously I could tell the difference, body is changing, brings pain.  I would prefer to do 10 asana perfectly than many with imperfection. If mind is somewhere else, injury can also come. A kind of meditation should arise over time as you get deeper in your asana. Concentrate on your own practice, not other people! If you do this, you become focused, your practice will change.