Friday, July 09, 2004


interesting book

yesterday i began reading another book by t.k.v. desikachar, the biography he wrote about his father, the famed yoga teacher krishnamarcharya. as most yoga students know, the majority of yoga taught in the west is rooted in krishnamarcharya's teaching.

while it seems desikachar doesn't write much of these books himself, he appears felicitous in his choice of co-authors. certainly all of them i've read so far have the same "voice," which is simple, thought-provoking and engaging.

the photographs in this book are quite amazing. there are quite a few pictures of krishnamarcharya at 100 as he continued to teach students; one showing him in a beautiful upavista konasana with his whole body totally flat to the floor is simply astonishing.

but maybe not, considering he was a youthful 88 or so at the time. another of him in what seems to be mid-pose as he may be moving from pincha mayurasana (known as "peacock feather" or "forearm stand") to vrischikasana (known as "scorpion") is also worthy of attention.

i was particularly touched to see a photo of him at 101 with his long-time western student, the famed yogini indra devi -- she was a spring chicken at about 85 -- as they sat together reading what look like postcards from friends.

it's interesting to remember that krishnamacharya was probably the first orthodox-type brahmin to teach patanjali's yoga to women, altho' traditional tantra had always allowed women to practice. nowadays many people still think of yoga as primarily a women's "sport!"

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