Krishnamacharya on Kuṇḍalinī: The Origins and Coherence of His Position

Krishnamacharya on Kundalini explores a distinctive teaching of 'the father of modern yoga', T. Krishnamacharya. Whereas most yoga traditions teach that kundalini is a serpentine energy that rises, Krishnamacharya defined it differently. To him, kundalini is a serpentine blockage which prevents prana (breath or life-force) from rising and which represents avidya (spiritual ignorance). Simon Atkinson draws from over 20 years of study and practice under teachers following Krishnamacharya. He combines analysis of quotations from yoga workshops with a detailed study of traditional Sanskrit texts. He traces the textual origins of Krishnamacharya's position to two sects of Visnu-worshiping temple priests, and shows how it is compatible with a stream of South Asian thought where snakes represent something to be overcome. Atkinson challenges claims that Krishnamacharya's position can be found in his religious tradition of Srivaisnavism. He questions the tradition's reliance on textual sources, showing how the coherence of Krishnamacharya's position can only be maintained by employing elaborate arguments and rejecting texts that teach otherwise. Atkinson also explores how Krishnamacharya's teaching on kundalini influences how yoga is practised. He argues that Krishnamacharya's position is best viewed as a model for experience that guides practice.

Table of Contents:
Preface 1. Introduction 2. The Yogayājñavalkya – Krishnamacharya’s Main Source on Kuṇḍalinī 3. Kuṇḍalinī in Other Vaiṣṇava Texts 4. A Union of Yoga-s – Linking Haṭhayoga and Patañjali via Kuṇḍalinī 5. The Symbolism of Serpents 6. Kuṇḍalinī in Śrīvaiṣṇavism 7. Discussion and Conclusion Appendix – Dating the Yogayājñavalkya and Related Texts Glossary

About the Author :
Simon Atkinson has been practising and studying yoga in the broad tradition following Krishnamacharya since the 1990s and has been learning Sanskrit since 2001. He teaches academic English and academic skills at the University of Cambridge.

Review :
Utilising considerable experience as both a student and practitioner of yoga, Simon Atkinson takes a deep dive into some of the more esoteric aspects of Krishnamacharya's teachings. Using primary sources, interviews and original research, his explorations reveal some fascinating inconsistencies, and he shines a light on both where and why these inconsistencies appear. Important reading for scholars and practitioners alike, this book is a major contribution to our understanding of kuṇḍalinī from both textual and personal perspectives. Ranju Roy, yoga teacher in the tradition of Krishnamacharya and co author of Embodying the Yoga Sutra: Support, Direction and Space