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Jess on the Mountain Podcast with Gary Kraftsow

By Jess Goulding | 09/16/2024 | https://www.jessgoulding.com/podcast

There is so much to say about this episode! You will want to have a pen nearby, as the quotable quotes are nonstop. Gary Kraftsow is one of the master teachers of our time, and he’s here to talk about yoga, chakras, and becoming your own guru! His wealth of knowledge is beyond compare, and this conversation will show you what a vast array of yoga topics and techniques that are available to us on our own personal journeys. I hope you are inspired to learn more, and definitely look into a training with Gary. He makes these elevated topics personal and relevant. 

Here are some of the key moments to listen for:

6:20 Gary’s whole life inner journey through all the traditions

8:35 “The journey is about the path up the mountain.”

10:30 Vedic chanting

12:30 Chanting activates our own wisdom; Using mantra as deep transformation

16:15 Connecting to lineage (Do you need to be given a mantra by your teacher?)

18:00 Let’s talk chakras!!

21:00 A practical image of the chakra system

30:00 What happened when Gary came out of a coma?

34:00 Jess gets an answer to her big Yoga Sutras question

39:00 Learn about Gary’s teacher training

47:00 What is the difference between wisdom and knowledge?

52:00 A story about a yogi demon, and what happens at the moment of your death

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Keen on Yoga Podcast with Gary Kraftsow

By Keen on Yoga | 05/10/2024 | Studying with Krishnamachrya & Desikachar

Gary Kraftsow shares his background and experiences studying with Krishnamacharya and Desikachar. He discusses the teachings he received and the impact they had on his life. He also talks about the relationship between Krishnamacharya and Desikachar and their teaching methods. Kraftsow explains the concepts of Viniyoga and Vinyasa and how they are applied in yoga practice.

www.viniyoga.com | @americanviniyogainstitute

Key Points

  • Gary Kraftsow studied with Krishnamacharya and Desikachar and shares his experiences and the impact they had on his life.
  • Krishnamacharya and Desikachar were both revered teachers who adapted and made yoga practices relevant for practitioners.
  • Viniyoga is the adaptation of yoga practices to suit the needs of the practitioner and apply them appropriately.
  • Vinyasa refers to the sequence and order in which postures are placed in a yoga practice.
  • The teachings of Krishnamacharya and Desikachar emphasized the transformation of the body and the practitioner’s highest potential. Adapt postures to suit individual needs and functional benefits.
  • The breath is essential in linking the mind and body during yoga practice.
  • Yoga is an integrated practice that includes yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, and meditation.
  • Release valves are compensating mechanisms that occur when the body cannot stabilize a certain part.
  • Find a sustainable yoga practice that supports overall well-being and prepares for the end of life.
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Nonsectarian but not Secular: Yoga and Religion

By Gary Kraftsow | 09/20/2023 | J Brown Yoga Talks

Gary talks to J Brown about the historical, philosophical, and religious context in which yoga appeared. They discuss the origins and substance of teachings given by TKV Desikachar at Colgate University in 1976, Patanjali’s interest in the phenomenon of faith rather than the metaphysical nature of the godhead, qualified non-dualism, escaping the materialism of asana, from alternative to complementary medicine, and transformation that addresses the fragmentation of our times.

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The Yoga of Deśikācar

By Gary Kraftsow | 07/30/2021 |

A dialogue to honour and express gratitude for Sri TKV Deśikācar on the occasion of the 2021 International Day of Yoga. This online event was organised by Yoga Vahini and Ritambhara Ashram.

The intent behind this event is for teachers in the tradition of Sri T Krishnamacharya-Desikachar to reflect upon:

  • Who are the teachers of yoga in this tradition today?
  • What is the root of each individual’s current yoga teaching?
  • How did Sri TKV Deśikācar impact and influence each teacher in making them who they are today?

Four senior teachers in this tradition share their experience of learning with Sir and how he has influenced them:  Raghu Ananthanarayanan, Gary Kraftsow, R. Sriram, and Dr. Latha Satish.

The sankalpa is to culminate this dialogue series with a conference to honour the Guruparampara in 2022.​

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Embodied Yoga interview with Gary Kraftsow

By Embodied Yoga | 05/21/2020 |

Listen to Gary’s interview with Mark Walsh of Embodied Yoga as he discusses his days with Deśikācar and Kriṣṇamācārya, Yoga Therapy, the importance of the breath, the lineage of Viniyoga, the multi-dimensional model of the human being, the ultimate goal of yoga as preparation for death.

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Meet Gary Kraftsow

By Holly Hammond | 09/03/2019 | Yoga Journal

Meet Gary Kraftsow. The first American yoga teacher to be certified by T.K.V. Desikachar and now the leading teacher of Viniyoga Therapy.

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A Viniyoga Sequence for Managing Addictive Behavior in Yoga Journal

By Gary Kraftsow | 08/05/2019 | Yoga Journal

Gary Kraftsow was named a Lifetime Contributor and “one of America’s Leading Yoga Therapists” by Yoga Journal magazine.  In the July/August 2019 issue, learn more about Viniyoga and experience the power of an integrated Yoga Therapy practice to help manage addictive behavior.

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Positive Life Magazine Recommends Yoga for Life with Gary Kraftsow

By Positive Life | 05/08/2019 | Positive Life

Positive Life Magazine has recommended Gary Kraftsow’s workshop, Yoga for Life, at Unity Yoga in Clonakilty, Co. Cork on June 14-16, 2019.

Are you living for your yoga practice, or using your yoga practice to help you live your life? Join Gary Kraftsow, Founder & Director of the American Viniyoga Institute, to explore specific Yogic teachings and practices that provide methods to help you achieve your highest potential. Through lecture and practice, you will learn how to move towards optimum health by adapting yoga practices to individualize and actualize your process of self-discovery and personal transformation.

Āsana, prāṇāyāma, meditation, and tantra:  if you’re interested in learning more, join Gary in Ireland in June.

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Podcast with Brian James of Medicine Path Yoga

By Gary Kraftsow | 10/11/2018 | Medicine Path Yoga

Gary speaks with Brian James of Medicine Path Yoga about the early days on his 40-year yogic path, the meaning of Tantra, the Cakra-s as a symbol system and tool for personal transformation, and what Yoga Therapy is all about.

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