Asana are Structured by Vidhi and Vritti
Prashant Iyengar, the son of B.K.S. Iyengar wrote a small book called, Classwork Book - 1 - Precepts, Concepts, Schemes, Themes and Perspectives in Asana and Pranayama. This post is based from Class 1 - Asanas are Structured by Vidhi and Vritti.
First what is the meaning of Vidhi? It can have a few definitions, but some are, "rule", or "command'. A set of rules for good behavior which is considered right and important by the majority of people for moral, religious or emotional reasons. The Puranas say it is a statement that induces one to act.
Vritti means stream of consciousness, a whirlpool where thoughts surface in the mind. In yoga there are 5 specifically defined movements of thoughts that can both help or hinder the sadhaka.
They are:
- Pramana - right knowledge
- Viparayaya - misconception
- Vikalpa - inagination or feeling
- Nidra - deep sleep
- Smriti - memory
Asanas have a technical mode and process. Teachers stress on demonstrating those and articulating those, to form sets of instructions. In popular and physical-cultured yogic postures, the bio-mechanics becomes greatly important.
The technical mode and process is the "vidhi" of asanas.
These vidhis change from uninitiated students to neophytes to familiar ones to proficient ones and masters. The technical process has basically two aspects, the objective (standard mode) and the subjective (customized mode).
What Prashant is saying is that how the asana is done by instructions give is the objective aspect, they are universal and standard, where everyone does an asana one way. It is the rule or command of the asana.
But, to this there must also be personal subjective considerations to be made depending on one's level of understanding, one's stage in life, condition in life, state of the body and mind, and any chronic or acute conditions of the body and mind. They will change form person to person and from time to time. Prashant says, "One's ability, capacity, capability and needs required are to be considered."
So the Vidhi or process and procedure, are built up on the two factors of objective and subjective considerations. An example might be how one person might be in utthita trikonasana (triangle pose) using a chair for support and another is not using a chair. They both may be using the same instructions, but what is required is different for each individual. In saying this the person using the chair may be a more experienced and proficient practitioner and the other a raw beginner.
As we move to the Vritti in yoga, Prashant writes:
The "vritti" in asana is the mindset, mind-profile, attitudes nd the pronoun "I" conditions. The given vritti of an individual can be, and more often is, varying and heterogeneous. However, the compass of the mindset must be pointing at tranquility, neutrality, sublimity, placidity, passivity, purity, piety, sanctity, virginity, nobility, etc.
The vritti generally depends on the calibre of the chitta, or mindset and can have objective and subjective aspects. One can have different mindsets depending on if a beginner or more proficient practitioner. There are different mindsets due to the pathology of one's psyche and consciouness at a given point in time. It will change also depending on if one is attempting an asana, doing an asana, studying an asana, performing an asana, exploring as asana, experimenting in an asana, etc.
In your practice try to notice your mindset in different stages of asana, the time of day, week and even season.
This post is my understanding of Prashant's writing of Class 1.
Om peace,
Pam
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