Yoga is an ancient practice and it is also a living practice. The ancient texts on yoga agree that for a person to get the maximum benefits the practice must be matched to the individual and adapted to his or her changing needs.

There are benefits to a standardized practice but there are some problems as well. One of the benefits is that the practice is already set up so all you have to do is follow the routine. However, if the practice is not appropriate for an individual then parts of the practice will have to be left out or injuries could occur. And even when someone is able to conform to a standardized routine there are still powerful benefits to matching the practice to the specific needs of the practitioner.

YogaScope is not a style or a system. These teachings are based on the principle that practice should be adapted to the individual rather than attempting to make the person conform to the requirements of a system. There is a wide variety of techniques that have been used as part of the yoga tradition. There are also many different methods for adapting a practice to the changing needs of the individual. With YogaScope the techniques that are appropriate for the practitioner and his/her current circumstances are the ones that would be used. The concept is based on the understanding that anyone can practice yoga. There are techniques of adapting the practice that can make yoga available to anybody. If you can breathe you can practice yoga; but not just any yoga. To obtain the maximum benefits the practice should be matched to your needs, your fitness level, your body type, your health, your age, your desires, your goals and your actual life circumstances.

YogaScope has been influenced by the teachings and lineage of T. Krishnamacharya and his son T. K. V. Desikachar. This living tradition which dates itself back to the 9th century yogi, Nathamuni, has had a powerful impact on the way yoga is being practiced today.

Krishnamacharya was one of the most revolutionary and influential yoga teachers of the 20th Century. His teaching has been popularized in the west by a few of his students. Many of Krishnamacharya's students ended up becoming great teachers in their own right. Some of the best examples would be T. K. V. Desikachar, B. K. S. Iyengar, K. Pattabhi Jois, and Indra Devi.

One of the most amazing things that can be observed about Krishnamacharya's teaching is how differently each of his students was taught and how personalized their practices were. Part of why this is the case is because Krishnamacharya was adapting these practices to the needs of the person with whom he was working at the time he was working with them.

Throughout his long life Krishnamacharya used many different tools, techniques and methods in order to meet the needs of his students and keep these teachings a living and growing legacy. Today his son T. K. V. Desikachar and his grandson Kaustub Desikachar are continuing in this tradition.

All tools and techniques available could be valid forms of practice provided that they are matched appropriately to the current circumstances and requirements of the practitioner.

YogaScope is also informed by an understanding of some of the research into the field of movement that has occurred in the west in the last century. The teachings of Mabel E. Todd, author of The Thinking Body, and the ideokinetic tradition of that grew out of her work has much that is valuable to offer. So does the research of others like Moshe Feldenkrais, author of Awareness Through Movement and Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen, author of Sensing Feeling and Action. Techniques gained from the wisdom of these traditions can also provide powerful tools in helping develop a practice that is dynamic, beneficial and relevant to the needs of the practitioner.

The Breathing Project

Heart of Yoga

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