Iyengar Yoga News No. 29
Iyengar Yoga News
Autumn 2016 Issue number 29
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I Y E N G A RÂŽ Y O G A ( U K )
Honorary president: Yogacharya Sri B.K.S. Iyengar
www.iyengaryoga.org.
Iyengar Yoga News Autumn 2016 Issue number 29
Editorial
This issue of IYN focuses on The Kripa Foundation, set up by Father Joe Pereira. As well as an extract from the yoga programme they use to help treat addictions, we have a report on the conference he recently addressed in London. We have a number of reports from our 2016 Convention with Raya Uma Datta in Harrogate and a report on the Convention taught by Jawahar Bangera in Italy earlier this year. Jawahar will be teaching at our 2017 Convention in Birmingham and you can see details on page 28; by the time you are reading this, the online booking for this convention should have opened. It promises to be a brilliant event, so don't hesitate to book your place. Next year's National Iyengar Yoga Day is scheduled for 14th January 2017 and this will be followed by the International Day of Yoga on 21st June, the day of the summer solstice. You can read on page 30 about some of the things we did to mark these two days this year and our plans for next year. In addition to the regular Association reports, we pay tribute in this issue to two individuals. First, we present a brief profile of Jean Dawson, still practicing Iyengar Yoga at the age of 100. Secondly, to Elaine Pigeon, who is retiring from her roles within IY(UK) after many years of serivce. As always, your articles, photos and comments are most welcome. Editorial Board: Philippe Harari, Judi Soffa, Tehira Taylor, Sigute Barniskyte-Kidd, John Cotgreave
Iyengar Yoga News No. 29
Layout & Design: Sigute Barniskyte-Kidd Articles to: editor@iyengaryoga.org.uk Advertising: John Cotgreave cotgreavej@gmail.com Copy deadline: 30 November 2016 This magazine is printed on paper that is sourced under a scheme which ensures minimal environmental impact.
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Membership and Office Manager Andy Tait Telephone 07510326997 email offce@iyengaryoga.co.uk PO Box 51698, London, SE8 9BU
Finance & Bookings Administrator Jess Wallwork Telephone 07757 463 767 email jess@iyengaryoga.org.uk 15 West Grove, Bristol BS6 5LS
PR & Website Manager Katie Owens email katie@iyengaryoga.org.uk
Assessments Administrator Kate Woodcock Telephone 07914089360 email kate@iyengaryoga.org.uk PO Box 1217, Bradford, BD1 9XF
Photo credits: Kirsten Agar-Ward, Cath Barnes-Holt, Ros Bell, Gerry Chambers, Sheila Green, Abi Myles, Charlotte Rosser, Jasvinder Singh
Contents The Kripa Foundation by Judi Soffa and Larissa McGoldrick page 4
Convention 2016 by Poppy Pickles, Alan Brown and Edgar Stringer page 18
Song of the Soul page 24
Italian Convention with Jawahar by Judi Sweeting p a g e 2 6
Convention 2017 page 28
International Yoga Day / NIYD page 30
IYDF Report by Cathy Rogers page 32
Profile of Jean Dawson by Christine Tyson page 33
Maidstone IYC by Lin Craddock page 34
A Big Thank You to Elaine Pigeon page 36
I Y ( U K ) R e p o r t s page 38 I Y ( U K ) C o n t a c t s page 43 A s s e s s m e n t R e s u l t s a n d N o t i c e s page 45 I Y ( U K ) P r o f e s s i o n a l D e v e l o p m e n t D a y s 2 0 1 7 page I Y ( U K ) C o m m i t t e e M e m b e r s page 48 L i s t o f I n s t i t u t e s a n d C e n t r e s page 50 AUTUMN
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Member information
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Guruji with Fr. Joe Pereira in 1968
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The work of Kripa Foundation which began in 1981 has now become a global healing presence. Guruji B.K.S. Iyengar and Mother Teresa have been the inspiration to create a very unique Method of healing Addiction. I wish to acknowledge their major contribution in the field of Addiction recovery. This booklet is a glimpse of the ongoing research in Addiction and Iyengar Yoga. The blessing of Guruji on the celebration of the 25th Anniversary of Kripa Foundation was, "may this seed grow into a gigantic tree, spreading hope and healing to the afflicted all over the world". So far this teaching has been used in America, Canada, Brazil, Ireland, Poland, Germany, Switzerland, Australia and soon to be presented at the Yoga Summit in China July 2014. Seeking Guruji's Blessings for the ongoing work of Kripa. With deep respect and Pranam to him, Fr Joe Pereira (This acknowledgement appears at the front of the Kripa leaflet that is published below. Please note that we have reproduced the text lay-out and spelling of the original document.)
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FATHER JOE PEREIRA Founder of the Kripa Foundation by Judi Soffa Father Joe Pereira, or Father Joe as he is known in the Iyengar Yoga community, is an Indian Jesuit priest and dedicated student of BKS Iyengar. These two very spiritual men came together by chance, or possibly fate and from 1968 endured a deeply respectful student/teacher relationship combined with a strong friendship, until Guruji’s passing in 2014.
1981 in a church in Bandra (Bombay). He went on to impart the Kripa system throughout India, where today, there are now sixty nine facilities in twelve Indian states and the programme is now spreading to countries outside India. The Kripa Foundation has transformed thousands of people’s lives, Father Joe has worked tirelessly and continues to impart the programme even today, at seventy four years of age.
Father Joe, as a result of his association with Guruji, developed a programme and organisation to address the problem of chemical dependency and HIV. Known as the Kripa Foundation, it has become the largest NGO affiliated to the Indian Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. Kripa is the Sanscript word meaning ‘Grace’.
The recovery programme has been further developed employing practical and psychological techniques from a variety of sources but always with the emphasis on the importance of asana and a strong spiritual base which Father Joe believes is crucial to the success of the programme.
From that time on Father Joe became a dedicated student of Guruji, and created his unique recovery programme with a healing asana sequence developed by Guruji along with pranayama and meditation. His understanding and honing of Guruji’s deep yogic knowledge, his own Catholic faith and his work with Mother Theresea led to the founding of the Kripa Foundation Iyengar Yoga. Father Joe began teaching just three students in
In fact, he strongly believes that unless there is a strong spiritual foundation to the recovery work, it will be more likely to fail than to succeed. The importance of the spiritual aspect of yoga, he cites when asked about modern Western yoga he says ‘there is a old saying in the East…when the wise man points a finger at the moon, the fool gets preoccupied with the finger’. Father Joe Pereira was invited to London recently where he gave a presentation at UKESAD, (UK European Symposium for Addiction Disorders). Larissa Mckendrick, attended this event on behalf of the IY (UK) and you can read her report on Father Joe’s talk below. We have also reproduced below most of the Kripa Foundation’s own leaflet that gives a flavour of the way Yoga is used in treating addiction. \ If you would like to find out more about the Kripa Foundation, you can follow their blog here: kripafoundation.blogspot.co.uk. AUTUMN
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Father Joe Pereira, himself suffered at one time with alcohol problems and his recovery came about through a chance encounter with BKS Iyengar. Father Joe enjoyed singing and decided to attend a concert in Bombay, where Yehudi Menuhin, the world famous violinist was playing in 1968. Yehudi Menuhin, being indebted to Guruji Iyengar for restoring his health and ability to play his instrument and having been on the verge of ending his career due to various physical afflictions, brought Guruji on stage. Father Joe was deeply impressed by BKS Iyengar and so began their journey.
PADMA VIBHUSHAN GURUJI BKS IYENGAR'S GIFT TO RECOVERING ADDICTS Since 1981 Kripa Foundation is one of the largest NGOs affiliated with the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of lndia. It primarily works in the field of Substance Use Disorders and Addiction related ailments particularly, HIV AIDS. The Kripa Model of Treatment offers an intensive care program for people addicted to various mood altering substances.
pursuit ("Antaratma Sadhana"). This is a journey from the periphery to the center, from the sympathetic nervous system to the central nervous system via the autonomous nervous system. In Iyengar Yoga we call it a journey from the outer body (Bahiranga) to the transpersonal (Antaratma) via the Inner body (Antaranga).
However, since 1991, Kripa Foundation has also extended its services to people living with HIV AIDS. It is an extremely debilitating disease closely associated with Addiction. On the occasion of its 25th anniversary, Guruji BKS Iyengar gifted this work with his holistic approach to health. Kripa Foundation has now spread across 12 states in India through its 16 residential facilities and 77 projects. It has been integrating Iyengar Yoga as part of its holistic treatment model. This is now recognized as the third dimension of the Self Help Programme.
In India, like globally, the disease of Addiction has reached epidemic proportions. It has afflicted both the rich and poor. One-dimensional efforts to treat this illness, globally have failed since 1931. Men of Medicine and the renowned Psychologist, Dr. Carl Gustav Jung openly acknowledged the inadequacy of psychology alone to handle Addiction. Many a religious attempts also has proved counterproductive. Religion too does become the “opium” of the people[2].
The twelve step programme of the Alcoholics Anonymous has both, the psycho-spiritual and the psychosocial dimension in it. However Guruji's teaching has added the third dimension, called the Psycho-somatic. It integrates what Behavioural medicine calls the "Faith Factor"[1]. The practice of the postures (Asanas) is not restricted to the mere "exercise" of the Body, but is done with the original goal of the "Eight Limbs of Yoga': (Ashtanga Yoga). It culminates in what is known as the spiritual
Hence when the self-help programme came to be the decisive answer in 1935 with the founding of the Alcoholics Anonymous, the solution was sought to be a holistic one. However, all such teachings have been "left brain" in nature. St. Paul in the Bible says, "I know what is good and I know what is bad; I know good has to be done and evil avoided, yet, I end up by doing the evil which I hate''[3]. The same person also speaks of grappling with what he calls "a thorn in the flesh''[4]. It is supposed to have been some persistent disability that rendered his life unmanageable and an embarrassment .The same is true with all Addictions. People who are very talented and have held respectable positions become victims of Addiction much to their embarrassment and that of their families.
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Addiction is a kind of human disability that cannot be tackled only on the physical plane. As Guruji BKS Iyengar emphasises; “it has ·multiple dimensions such as physical, psychological, emotional, social and spiritual” [5]. Hence the triple dimensions of the Eight Limbs of Yoga (Ashtanga Yoga) ideally suit the recovery programme in all the stages from "Detoxification" to the person being reintegrated into the society. As it is well known, the person who seeks help for the treatment of Substance Use Disorders mostly comes into treatment with many physical ailments. The primary need here is the management of "withdrawal symp6
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toms''. In the case of underprivileged persons from lower socio-economic backgrounds, hospitalization is not an affordable option. Therefore, many such persons go through what is called a "cold turkey': i.e. going through the painful process of withdrawing from the chemical without the aid of withdrawal pain management medication. Often, there is an occurrence of death in the process of such withdrawals. Many affluent people who undergo
hospitalization are provided with sophisticated medical interventions. The latter has often been counterproductive since after treating the body, the person becomes dependent on other substitutes and the person does not address the dimension of the Mind as well as the Soul. The fact that there is no Chemical solution for Chemical dependency[6] has made the one-dimensional Medical Model obsolete. It is here that Iyengar Yoga responds to the whole person recovery that the World Health Organization (WHO) speaks about.
THE DETOXIFICATION PROTOCOL The first encounter with the person intending to seek help is always that of love and acceptance. Here is the beginning of the common denominator of Mother Teresa and Guruji BKS Iyengar. It is "Compassion"; just as Mother Teresa has inspired me to reach out to the poorest of the poor, Guruji has helped me to reach out to the poorest of the poor in health. Most of the entrants even though they may have not been on the street, have experienced rejection. Hence as soon as the person is admitted he is given the first Asana that helps one to experience the invitation of the Master, "Come to me all who labour and are overburdened and I will l give you rest''[7]. So the first restorative Asana is Savasana (Corpse Pose) with the bolster supporting the diaphragm. There is always a need to support the head as it serves as an introduction to the Jalandhara-Bandha (ChinLock). The very next day the person is introduced to enhancing one's cardiorespiratory area.
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It is again a restorative posture that needs assistance to keep the deltoids pressed against the floor in order to feel the inhalation into all the three compartments of the diaphragm. It is the first introduction to what I term "the psycho-somatics of the Prayer of the Heart"! With the belt on the femur and legs in a 'Supta-Tadasana stretch' (Supine Mountain Pose), the energy of the spine is made to move towards the heart. It is a gentle sense of the Mula-Bandha (Root Lock) and then Uddiyana Bandha (Abdominal Lock).
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The third asana is Viparita Karani (Inverted Lake Pose) a semi inversion pose that interfaces the cardio respiratory system with the cardio circulatory system. This posture can help as a diagnostic posture. If within a few minutes the patient has a breathing problem, one knows that the damage done by the drug and alcohol is severe. However if one can stay in this asana for over ten minutes, one experiences a great inner sense of "samatolatva" (inner balance). With the help of this asana, many have been able to even gradually discontinue the use of medications prescribed for "withdrawals" and in the case of Alcohol dependents particularly, it reduces the 'Delirium tremens’.
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Our final restorative asana for the detoxification phase is "Calves rested" Savasana (Corpse Pose). Our calves are the second heart and so with this posture, one comes into a "hypo-metabolic" condition and experiences the slowing down of the breath, heart rate and also the brain waves. The simplicity of this protocol has baffled many a person of Science. Thanks to the openness to the wisdom of Guruji BKS Iyengar our medical team is working on a pilot research. The other regular forms of detoxifications will be the 'control 'group.
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Patanjali Yog sutras, Meditation is the seventh limb of Ashtanga (Eightfold Path) to wholeness and holiness. The practice of Iyengar yoga for such a journey is The optimal time for an in-house residential programme is three months. Then one gets an what we term a "work in''. In the West unfortunately opportunity to use the Body as the temple of God's Yoga has been mostly made into a "work out ''. Spirit. Many patients do not like any reference to God. However, the self-help modeI of the AA, The journey into wholeness, in Guruji 's often always refers to the Higher power as the God of repeated teaching is "from the periphery to the one's understanding[8]. This reference to a source of Centre, ie. from the sympathetic nervous system help other than one's own Ego or self-will is experi- to the central nervous system. This happens via enced by living in a community. There is also much the autonomous nervous system: hence in Kripa teaching on the use of Psychology and in particular foundation Iyengar Yoga is the bias is that all REBT (Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy). Many yoga practice is done with. The aim of integrating other psychological tools both individual and group the 'Antaratma'(Transpersonal) dimension into the 'Asana' practice using the 'antarang' (Inner Body) all therapy are made available. the time. The latter emphasis on the 'breath' makes However all this requires the use of the "thinking the practice more "feminine" rather than "masculine''. brain" or the "left brain hemisphere''. As quoted by St. Paul, the addict knows "...what is good and . .. what The word for the Spirit in the Bible is "Ruah" also is bad ....good is to be done and evil avoided ' yet one meaning Breath[11]; and it is Feminine! Many of the does the very evil that one hates: 'The best of moti- yoga practitioners who have not respected this vation brings one to say that "the Spirit is willing but teaching of Guruji have ended up hurting themselves the flesh is weak� [9]. Hence within the spirituality of and getting many ailments owing to a "hypertensive" the twelve steps, the founding fathers of the AA have practice. As Guruji emphatically said at his discourse made use of a word which helps us to link Iyengar on the 25th anniversary of Kripa Foundation, "An asana that is meant to heal Blood Diseases could Yoga with the recovery process. invite BP! [12]. The word in the eleventh step is 'MEDITATION': "Sought through prayer and meditation to seek to The protocol begins with Adho-Mukha Virasana improve one's conscious contact with God as (Downward-facing hero pose) to begin working on we understood Him, praying only for knowledge the three major systems of the body, the nervous, of His will and the power to carry that out"[10]. In endocrinal and immune. One needs to get into the
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IN HOUSE RESIDENTIAL YOGA PROTOCOL
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process of Centering + Meditation (Dharana-Dhyana) from the very first asana. Hence, the instructor both assists to reach the correct posture as well as explains the progressive stages from the beginning (Arambhavastha) till the state of Perfection in (Nishpattiavastha). The next posture helps the recovering person to spread ones awareness through the PanchaTatva (five elements) in the Body. Adhomukha Svanasana (Downward-facing dog stretch) gets the person to work on the Prithvi-Tatva (Element of the Earth) by working on the pressure on the limbs, both legs and arms. The withdrawing lower abdomen helps them to use the water element (Aap tatva) along with the hip joints to align the entire spine. The Solar Plexus (Manipur area) helps to bring in the Tejas (light) into the body. The breath (Vayu-tatva) receives a deep sense of amplifying effect. Finally the area of the throat (Vishuddhi) area and the Brain experiences the element of Ether (Akasha-Tatva).
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We work now on the cleansing process of remnant toxins. It is a three stage process. Uttanasana (Intense forward stretch), culminating in bring the brain with its four lobes being kept parallel to one another and perpendicular to the floor.
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Our next sequence helps to work on the spine and the brain . We activate the spine and calm the brain in the practice of Viparita Dandasana (Inverted Staff Pose). This helps the person in recovery to work on the Nervous system and address many mental health issues such as Dual Disorder.
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We then have to address many emotional and stress related issues which are addressed in a holistic way by working on the endocrinal system. Janu Sirsasana (Head -on-knee pose) and Paschimottanasana (Intense back stretch) with support to the head, help to address the kidneys, liver, spleen and pancreas.
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The final stage of the Asanas for Addiction Recovery process is a preparation of the body for the Prayer of the heart. In a semi-restorative way one is brought to experience the interfacing of the energy of life and the energy of intelligence. With the restorative Setubandha Sarvangasana (Bridge pose) one is made to send the energy of the spine upwards towards the heart. In the process one l earns the role of the Mulabandha (Root lock) and the Uddiyana- Bandha (Abdominal Lock). While with the Jalandhara Bandha (Chin lock) brings down the energy of the intelligence downwards to the heart. Both the energies meet at the heart, the Anahata area (the Cardiac Plexus). Many a mystic such as John Cassian in the 4th century, Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross, speak of the prayer of the heart. It is Guruji who has helped the recovering addict to experience this centering in a psycho-somatic way. When the body experiences this on a cellular consciousness level, it is more authentic. The Body never tells lies. This is the peak experience for a recovering addict who can now understand the essential of recovery, viz. CONVERSION. The Greek word is META-NOIA (beyond the mind). For a person in recovery, it is a shift in the locus of control from the Ego to the Self. In Indian philosophy, the Self is the “Antar-Yamin" (the Inner Controller). For Christians it is the indwelling presence of the Risen Lord.
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After the prayer of the heart posture we get into Brahmacharyasana/Paschimottanasana (Intense back stretch).This is indeed the final purpose of addiction recovery. Literally the word means "to dwell or to walk in the presence of the Lord ''. To do this again on the cellular consciousness level is to reach the innermost core of one's being called the Anandamaya cosha (the blissful body). The posture done from the height of the chair is to help those who have spinal stiffness and especially lumbar spine injuries.
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Before the client is introduced to Pranayama (Prana is Energy/Breath and Ayama is the storing and distribution of that energy), it is necessary to have a short time of Savasana (Corpse pose). Using the bolster behind the knees keeps the entire spine especially the lumbar area rested on the floor. The use of Pranayama prepares the recovering person for the final stage of Antaratma Sadhana, the (Transpersonal Dimension) which is a sense of oneness, wholeness and holiness.
In conclusion, Kripa Foundation Iyengar Yoga has played a major role in the area of Addiction Recovery. The greatest challenge to recovery is the "no-cure" dimension of Addiction. The relapse syndrome of the disease is on the rise with more sophisticated drugs being available. Hence the message of Iyengar Yoga is to address the Person and not the chemical.
REFERENCES: 1. Bernie S. Siegel, 1990, 'Love, Medicines and Miracles: Lessons learned about Self-Healing from a Surgeon's Experience with Exceptional Patients'. 2. Marx Karl, Preface to his 1843, 'Contribution to the Critique of Hegel's Philosophy of Right'. 3. Romans 7:15-20. The Holy Bible, New International Version, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011, Biblica Inc. 4. II Corinthians 12:7-9. The Holy Bible, New International Version, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011, Biblica Inc. 5. B.K.S. lyengar:'Twenty Fifth Anniversary of Kripa'2006. Ranga Sharada, Mumbai. 6. Mitchel Dale, 'Silkworth: The Little Doctor, Who Loved Drunks: 2002, Hazelden Publishing. 7. Matthew 11:28. The Holy Bible, New International Version, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011, Biblica Inc. 8. Alcoholics Anonymous (February 2002). Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, Hazelden Publishing. 9. Matthew 26:40-43, The Holy Bible, New International Version, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011, Biblica Inc. 10. Alcoholics Anonymous (February 2002). Hazelden Publishing. 11. Elwell, Walter A. "Entry for 'Spirit". Evangelical Dictionary of Theology. 1997. 12. B.K.S. Iyengar: 'Twenty Fifth Anniversary of Kripa' 2006. Ranga Sharada, Mumbai. CREDITS: Photography by Tom Schroeter (Australia). Demonstrators - Karen Wilde, Mark Gibson and Fr.Joe Pereira
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All one-dimensional efforts to help addiction have admitted their limitation. Hence the answer is in a holistic response to this challenge, which is a combination of Science and Faith. While the self help model has psychospirituality and psycho-social support components, the psycho-somatic dimension being introduced through the eleventh step is providential indeed. With Kripa Foundation Iyengar Yoga being used in all collaborative centers of Kripa Foundation, all over the world, the Iyengar Sadhaka (seeker) will have an opportunity to reach out to the suffering humanity. Long ago Dr. Walter Cannon coined the phrase, "The Wisdom of the Body"; Guruji has helped countless recovering persons to experience this wisdom latent within and know the secret of healiong addiction. \
Addiction: a spiritual paradox Larissa McGoldrick reports on a talk by Father Joe Pereira in London earlier this year It was my great honour to hear a talk - Addiction: A Spiritual Paradox - by Father Joe Pereira at UKESAD (UK European Symposium for Addiction Disorders) at the Royal Garden Hotel in London on May 3, 2016. He started the talk with a prayer to collective consciousness, and then a prayer that his inspiration Mother Teresa said everyday: Make me worthy Lord, to serve our fellow human beings, who live and die in poverty and hunger, in addiction, and addiction related ailments such as HIV/AIDS, give them through our hands, the daily bread that they need, the care that they need, and through your love and mercy grant us peace. Amen.
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Father Joe Pereira, popularly known as The Singing Priest due to his famously beautiful voice, is an Indian Roman Catholic priest, social worker, one of Guruji’s most senior students/teachers and the founder of the Kripa Foundation, a Mumbai based NGO working for the rehabilitation of HIV patients and people affected by substance abuse. He comes from a village 60 kilometers away from Mumbai. His Portuguese name comes from old Portuguese settlers to Goa, and his family has been Roman Catholic for four centuries. He took his first yoga class at the age of 11, was ordained in 1967 and first studied with Guruji in 1968 in Mumbai, after the famous visit of Yehudi Menuhin. When Father Joe asked if he could take a class, Guruji after learning he was a priest, agreed and asked him to help with some priests who were giving him trouble at the hall where he was teaching. Father Joe spoke to them and allayed their fears about conflict between yoga and their religion; afterwards some of them even joined in. He has been helping western religion to understand yoga ever since. After a crisis of faith in 1971, Father Joe went to Mother Teresa to ask for help. He asked her to 14
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pray over him. In her wisdom she refused and instead asked him to pray over her. So began his faith in the ability of people to help themselves. Mother Teresa subsequently asked him to help a few alcoholics in her house to rehabilitate. He took three from her and seven from the streets to a centre that she gave him in Calcutta and there began the process that ended with the establishment of Kripa in 1981, 10 years later. He has referred to Mother Teresa and Guruji as being his Yin and Yang, or in the yogic terms Guruji suggested, Mother Teresa is his Ida Nadi, Guruji his Pingula Nadi and Jesus his Shushumna. The Kripa Institute is a revolutionary model of addiction treatment. It was the first Indian centre to treat HIV and both male and female addicts. The approach to addiction recovery is multifaceted. It is a Therapeutic Community Model with a Kripa Model of Recovery that is a blend of the self-help of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) with the addition of Iyengar Yoga. He also incorporates Jungian psychology. He spoke about the addict mind in a very illuminating way; • Addicts have a high transcendence drive but a low faith apparatus, likening an addict to a super fast car with a blocked fuel line • Addicts tend to live in a population of one, himself and himself • Life must be an I-Thou relationship whereas an addict lives in a relationship of I-and their addiction (whether it be drugs, alcohol, sex, pornography, shopping etc.) • You can always tell an addict but you can’t tell him much • Addiction is like necrophilia, like an insect knocking itself into the light (2% of addicts commit suicide) • a dry drunk is someone who can’t surrender (A wife saying to Fr Joe about a difficult recovered
Father Joe spoke about what he saw as the missing link in the 12-step programme which is the somatic aspect; the body. Incorporating Guruji’s Iyengar yoga addiction protocol and the Indian culture family orientated approach have created a 67% success rate, far higher than in the West. He spoke at length to the mostly non yoga orientated audience about the effects that Guruji had on him and on the world. Like Mother Teresa who took on the poorest of the poor, Guruji took on the sickest of the sick and created infinite possibilities to reverse the worse conditions in the human body. He designed yoga as a scientist, an artist and a philosopher. His rationale was to rebuild a human being, and the end result of yoga is to know thyself, a lifelong study of the body from the periphery to the core. Not a “work-out” but a “work-in.” He was critical of the West’s adoption of yoga into a purely physical exercise. The same concept said by many sages through the ages: Socrates - Know thyself Psalm 46 - Be still and know that I am God St Augustine - God help me to know myself so I may know you Guruji - The purpose of yoga is to know thyself He then gave Guruji’s ideas on how to do this through yoga. The key being making the energy of the mind meld with the energy of the heart. The first yoga sutra states “Yoga Ciita Vritthi Nirodha”: yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind. Guruji said that yoga goes further, it stops the chatter in the cells, creating a cellular consciousness. Guruji’s teachings taught the psychosomatics of the prayer of the heart. At the base of the spine is the mula (base) bandha, and at the diaphragm is the udiyana (flying up) bandha. Engaging these during meditation and pranayama sends energy up to the heart. Using Jalandhara bandha sends the energy of the mind or intelligence downwards towards the chest. Both meet in the heart and distractions are eliminated. Listen to the breath.
Throughout the talk his knowledge of history and science and overall his deep abiding faith was clear. He gave a short history of AA, starting with The Oxford Group and ending with his treatment programme which adds to and enhances AA’s 12-step programme. He also spoke first-hand about his experiences with yoga, and how it helped his father, who at age 68 had a heart attack and was given three to six months to live without bypass surgery. Guruji gave him a sequence to practice and he subsequently lived 18 more years without the surgery. It was wonderful to see Father Joe again. I first took his classes in NYC at the Iyengar Yoga Institute of Greater New York where I studied and taught under the tutelage of Mary Dunn in the 1990’s. It was a profound experience for me as I was at the time trying to get over a relationship, and during the class I realized how to finally let go. Years later I spent two months volunteering at Kripa in Pune in 2009 and 2011 where I did acupuncture on the recovering addicts there, including the NADA (National Acupuncture Detoxification Association) auricular acupuncture protocol (started in the Bronx in the 1970’s to treat recovering addicts as an alternative to methadone). Culture necessitates separation of women and men at Kripa so it was very welcome to have a woman to be able to treat the women. An overall sense of calm and tranquility suffuses the grounds and the people there were safe and ready to move forward with their lives. Even though I was there for two months I was not able to meet him personally until Guruji’s funeral in 2013 due to his very busy schedule. He greeted me then and at his talk with warmth and kindness. His work in the field of addiction and yoga has had a profound impact on the world and I am grateful to have seen his work first hand. \ Iyengar Yoga News No. 29
husband, “Father we liked him more when he was drunk!”)
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by Poppy Pickles
I have been practising Iyengar yoga for 6 years, and for the last few years I’ve been keen to take part in the annual IY (UK) Convention . However, with two young children it’s never been quite the right time. This year I’m halfway through my yoga teacher training course and, feeling that it would give me a boost, I was determined to go. Here are my impressions of my first ever Iyengar Yoga (UK) Convention, up in the beautiful spa town of Harrogate in May 2016.
The logistics
On the first morning, after a blissfully, child-free night and morning, we were up early to register at the Convention Centre. We trundled down with our equipment, thinking we were nice and early, only to discover that there was already a queue snaking its way round the foyer. This wasn’t really surprising considering there were over 400 attendees at the Convention in Harrogate. The thought put into the organisation of the event was impressive, but the process was time-consuming. We had to register, get a wristband, take mats and equipment up to the hall to stake our place, take our bags back downstairs to one room, hand over our valuables, remove shoes and so on. It was a good hour and a half before we were finally in the hall and ready to begin. However, despite the numbers, the volunteers and staff on the front desk were unruffled and polite and the atmosphere was one of peaceful politeness. There were three top points I learnt from the experience: 1. Be prepared for a lot of waiting. "Forewarned is forearmed!" Bring a patient attitude. 2. Be minimal. Make sure you pack the bare minimum to be comfortable as, if you're travelling up by public transport and lugging three bolsters, blankets and clothes for all sessions you'll be exhausted before you even arrive. 3. Be organised. Make sure you book everything well in advance, including travel and accommodation. The annual convention is a big event, the best digs will get booked early, and it makes a massive difference if you're a short walk from the venue.
The teacher
The Convention was led by a charismatic, handsome 37 year old teacher called Raya Uma Datta, sent from the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute (RIMYI) in Pune. He had been mentored from the age of 19 by the late, great B.K.S. Iyengar himself and he was still grieving for a man he had clearly had a loving bond with. His teaching style was varied. To begin with we went deeply into the details of some basic poses then, later, we were jumping to keep up with a fast and furious sequence of poses. ‘Iyengar yoga is not NOT jumping’ he told us, as we panted and puffed in our efforts to keep up. For one of a new vanguard of potential teachers this was an exciting thing to hear. He gave us permission to try any of the poses in Light on Yoga and not to be limited by our syllabus. It was a great reminder that the journey we go on as trainee yoga teachers does not have to limit the parallel journeys we are going on as practitioners. As practitioners we are all equal. He also had a great way of describing yoga poses, which elevated them into the art form they are. Here are just some of his poetic descriptions: ‘In Tadasana, the base of the pose are the roots and the skin is the blossom.’ ‘In Uttanasana the upper body needs to fall down like rain.’ ‘In Virabhadrasana the back leg is in the past, the front leg is in the future and the body is firmly in the present.’ ‘Our bodies should be like musical instruments in Asanas: once they are in the right place, they resonate.’ He came into his own when he communicated through yoga. Inspired by the demonstrations given by Mr Iyengar in the West, on the second day we did a ‘group practice.’ We gathered our mats in a horseshoe around him, and began doing yoga poses all together. Gradually, people began to reach their yogic limits and stood to watch Raya as he carried on performing with breathtaking ease. By the time the hour was up, he was the only one still going, dropping gracefully into Bridge pose from a handstand. No one there could help but be inspired.
The stories
There was an element of the convention that happened spontaneously, facilitated by Raya, and prompted by his thirst to find out all he could about his teacher B. K. S. Iyengar or ‘Guruji’, as he called him (meaning ‘respected teacher’ in Hindi). AUTUMN
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Views of a First-Timer
He asked all the Senior teachers to come up to the front during a break, and to tell their stories to those assembled. Gradually the entire convention had returned from their break and quietly joined to listen. By the end, we were all wiping our eyes, or laughing, united in our enjoyment of the story-telling of such an inspiring, great and genuinely funny man. My favourite story was told by a senior male teacher. As a new teacher he had been asked to demonstrate Ardha Chandrasana on the stage at a huge event. He was up there, doing his best, when who should walk in, but Mr Iyengar himself. He came over and began to correct his pose, and every time he suggested something, the chap would say, ‘OK’. This was repeated several times, until eventually Mr Iyengar lost his rag and said, ‘Stop saying ‘OK’!’. ‘OK’, replied the teacher. The final twist in this tale is that Mr Iyengar then walked over to his entourage, who asked him if he wanted to move on, he replied, ‘OK’ – paused – then turned to the chap on the stage and exclaimed, ‘You see, it’s a disease!’
The yoga
Conventions are different to any other time I’ve practiced yoga, due to the sheer numbers of people all doing it at the same time. This can cause problems due to the close proximity and sheer lack of space: trying not to smack anyone in the face, trying to follow the directions coming through a microphone from the front of a very large hall, boiling in the sunny patch in the room, freezing under the air-conditioning.
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But the overall feeling I had is one of being one part of a greater yoga community. Yoga can be quite a lonely activity. The real yoga happens at home on my mat, and it’s just me and my body. At a convention there are the communal grunts when being held in a pose for a long time, the collective gasps as we’re told to go into a difficult pose, the united sinking into peace and stillness at the end of the sessions. Senior teachers, who I look up to and admire, and little old trainees like me are united
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in our common role as students. This was humbling and refreshing.
The special bits
There were a couple of moments where the true meaning of yoga, ‘union’ became manifest. As Raya was bringing us out of Savasana on the second day he said, ‘That’s it’. We all slowly sat up. No one spoke. Over 400 people were still, no buzz, no chatter, no gathering of props. Raya had said it, ‘That’s it’ – or rather, ‘this is it.’ Everyone in that hall was united in the quiet of the present moment. The second moment was again felt through the quiet of Savasana, but the unity was expressed through word and song. At the very end of the convention Raya asked one of the Senior Teachers, Sallie Sullivan, if she would read out the first two verses of the Atma Satkam, or Song of the Soul. He then sung them in Sanskrit. "I am neither ego nor reason, I am neither mind not thought, I cannot be heard nor cast into words, not by smell nor sight ever caught: In light and wind I am not found, not yet in earth and sky – Consciousness and joy incarnate, Bliss of the Blissful am I." The sound of those voices, one speaking in English, the other singing in Sanskrit, was a multi-dimensional unity merging cultures, time and space.
The effects
By the time I got home I was literally spent. Mentally, physically and emotionally. This may be because it was my first ever convention and I didn’t pace myself well enough, or it might just be that 6 hours of yoga a day is exhausting! However, the effect of being away from home, away from any other influences and being taught alongside so many other brilliant, kind and positive co-yogis was truly inspiring and has given me a real boost. I can’t wait till the next one. \
by Alan Brown
I have to start by saying this was one of the most enjoyable conventions I have attended. I loved Raya’s relaxed and seemingly improvised approach to teaching us. He said he wasn’t teaching us but rather acting as a tour guide of Guruji’s works, which was a nice sentiment and commendably modest. But it was a very good guided tour with a well-informed guide and I felt like I learned something. What did I learn? Certainly a few things about alignment and positioning; how can you practice yoga for three days with an experienced teacher and not pick up a few handy tips? But I’ve got drawers full of notes on which bit to put where so I’m not going to bore you with any more of that – anyway I only remembered the ones that were useful for me and they may not be the ones that will help you. Quite a lot about how to open up and move more effectively. Raya said more than once that we shouldn’t be too rigid in our practice. He used the word ‘constipated’ which is indicative of straining hard to little effect. He said ‘be lazy, but don’t say I said that’ Ooops sorry Raya I gave you away! So I’d better qualify that: he said be lazy in the sense of being effective in the way we practice – practice intelligently and get more for your efforts. We worked very hard at times; on the first day we held out our arms for ages and ages, while we rotated the shoulders back and the inner elbows to the front. Not that you had to keep them up all the time, he stressed, but somehow most of us did. Then we worked through a number of standing poses that felt all the better for having well extended arms. That first morning session was very intense work but seemed to pass quickly as Raya kept us focused with interesting explanations illustrated by flipchart drawings and kept us relaxed with amusing anecdotes. He was very good at keeping us relaxed, sometimes talking at great length, getting sidetracked and wandering off into telling stories. I have heard that some wondered when he would stop talking and get us back to doing some work. At one point he compared compulsive practice to drug addiction so maybe he felt we needed some rehab. I’m not complaining at all because Raya is an interesting and entertaining speaker and when it came time to practice we did plenty. The memorable ‘practice for demonstration’ in place of the planned afternoon snooze - sorry, pranayama session - took us at a fast pace through progressively more difficult asanas and kept going until Raya was left all by himself doing a sequence of backbends that none of us could follow. You worked until you couldn’t do any more then you watched until nobody else could do any more – then you watched Raya.
On the second day somebody asked a question about sequencing and this led to another fast paced and vigorous session moving fluidly and progressively through a range of asanas, many from the senior syllabus. Because of the sequencing I felt a freedom I don’t usually feel and was able to move in ways I normally can’t and do some asanas I didn’t know I could. I really enjoyed that and everybody I spoke to afterwards did. Although I did hear that some people struggled and felt disheartened. Some of the participants being newer to yoga would be unfamiliar with many of the asanas and not know the sanskrit names. They would have to rely on watching others and make their attempt before we were quickly on to the next pose. Others were stiff and had to be careful with backs and knees. We were told to be careful and not to do more than we were able but that probably left some people not being able to do much. I don’t know what the answer to that is but I wouldn’t have wanted to sacrifice any part of the lively and dynamic character of Raya’s teaching during the convention. There was so much that was uplifting and transformative. It is only to be hoped that any who did feel disappointed at not being able to do more will get a slower paced version from their teachers later on. The last day was, for me, an object lesson in the importance of the right state of mind for practice. If you have been to a lot of conventions, as I have over the years, you learn that in some ways they are predictable and that at some point there will be a strong sequence of backbends. This usually carries on to the point where three quarters of the hall have dropped out and the rest are hanging on by the skin of their teeth. If it hasn’t happened towards the beginning of the convention you know you’ve got it to look forward to at the end. But Raya seemed not to have been informed of this convention on the organisation of conventions and when we wandered in for the last session after the break there was a group of more senior teachers sharing anecdotes with him of Guruji in the old days. As more and more people filtered in and the hall filled this turned into an entertaining series of stories enjoyed by everybody, we laughed and we were moved. “Ok, now go back to your places and lie on your backs – place your hands over your head” – oh, here we go! No preparation, no messing about, just straight into Urdhva Dhanurasana. But free of anxiety and anticipation, we didn’t seem to mind, we just went. Half an hour or so of Urdhva Dhanurasana in various forms, Dvi Pada Viparita Dandasana, Eka Pada Viparita Dandasana and, for those able to do it, Chakra Bandasana. Then some other work, still challenging but not backbends. Then Savasana. A beautiful Savasana in which Raya sang ‘The Song of the Soul’ in his beautiful voice and after each Sanskrit verse Sallie Sullivan read the English translation so we understood. \ AUTUMN
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Iyengar Yoga News No. 29
... then you watched Raya
Memories and reflections from Harrogate 2016 by Edgar Stringer
The IY UK annual convention is a great time for learning and catching up with friends and this year was no exception. The message that I brought home with is that there will always be more for me to learn. Throughout the weekend Raya conducted the classes with warmth, humour and devotion. He shared many illuminating stories about Guruji and his own experiences at RIMYI. He fondly recounted one about a time when Abhijata had been practicing back bending with a rope attached to the window grilles, not far from Guruji. He had amazed them both by rebuking her for ‘slacking’ when there was no way he could have seen her easing off. He had remained in Viparita Dandasana and, with his feet pressed to the same grilles had observed the vibrations of her actions!
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In class on Saturday afternoon Raya gave detailed instructions for rotating the arms and shoulders in the standing poses, which brought life and lightness to the chest. Working in conjunction with Adho Mukha Svanasana and Vashistasana, which brought firmness to the arms, the sequence culminated in a sublime turning of the trunk in Parivritta Trikonasana, where Raya likened the feeling in the back ribs to ice being thawed by the internal heat until they flowed softly away from the spine. This unusual combination reminded me that Guruji once said ‘Never perform asanas mechanically for then the body stagnates” Whenever I learn a new connection I rediscover the asana. There is an inspiring moment of insight, which refreshes the beginner’s mind. In my practice it is tempting to replicate that ‘new point’ to re-live the clarity; but surely, by trying to do that I am missing the point. If the fresh understanding is repeated mechanical it is no longer a discovery. The interest awakened by learning is the opening of the mind to the unknown and not forming attachments to favourite experiences. On Sunday morning Raya led a lively, group demonstration and afterwards he spoke with feeling about the huge impact that Guruji has made through his many public performances and reminded us how significant these were in presenting Yoga to the world. He also explained how Guruji sequenced the different asana groups for a breath taking show. 22
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After lunch Raya announced that the British have taken yet another treasure away from India - before leading a chorus of ‘Happy Birthday’ to Uday Bhosale, his assistant from Pune. Next he asked if there were any questions. After an awkward no-show of hands I decided to ask him how to avoid the ‘mechanical’ feel of a familiar practice routine. I was handed the mic’ and then I wondered if it was such a good idea. “Could you speak about practicing sequences, which involve ‘crossing’ between the different asana groups?” I asked, or words to that effect. Raya looked at me and there was a long pause... ”Yes” he said, “I heard the question” and indicated that I should sit down before I became any more embarrassed. Perhaps I hadn’t made my question clear; maybe I should have put it differently? After all, we frequently practice different asana types in various combinations, switching between seated twists and forwards bends for example. “Any other questions?” A man near the stage asked about the arms in ‘Downward Dog’ Raya seemed pleased that someone had asked a practical question. He invited the man to show the pose and then proceeded to adjust him and explain the rotations of the upper and forearms from Saturday’s class. The Iyengars often answer such questions by adjusting the person in the asana. They transmit knowledge to their students directly, through experience. A theoretical
The progression was new and completely captivating. Each transition was unpredictable yet had a surprisingly fluid feeling. The class continued with several more, fast flowing and rhythmic sequences as taught in the RIMYI children’s classes. One was the cycle of Tadasana - Utkatasana – Malasana – Navasana - Ubaya Padangustasana – Halasana – Navasana – Malasana – Utkatasana – Tadasana repeated several times.
question answered in this way gets transformed into an understanding, which leaves a deep impression more formative than notes in a book. Meanwhile the event organisers were seeking the volunteers to go on the stage but had not found them. My wife Lydia and I were invited to go instead. There was no time to consider; without hesitation we stepped up. Raya focussed on the leading arm in Trikonasana adjusting it with rotation to access the shoulder blade. We pressed the palm to a brick to open and turn the trunk. This action became the thread for the other standing poses. It was fascinating to learn from Raya’s hands-on adjustments. My own internal narrative was suspended as my attention was absorbed in each action unfolding as if for the first time.
As we all tried to keep up with the pace and find the agility the asanas demanded, I gave up trying to present ‘polished’ poses or make any mental notes to remember later. The message, which the momentum carried with it, was to be playful. Raya drew a simple spider’s web on the white board illustrating the various asana categories represented by the radial ‘spokes’ the web. In our practice we usually keep the ‘sthitis’ distinct and navigate towards the centre along one thread. However if we are to understand fully the linking actions, or connecting threads, he said, we need to cultivate a playful, inquisitive practice, to be more like children unafraid of making mistakes. Raya encouraged us to look in Light On Yoga as a practice guide and to see how Guruji’s Yoga was never held back. He was tirelessly inquisitive, always innovating, adapting and discovering. He has shown us that whatever we already know, we should use as a springboard to make further discovery. After a lifetime dedicated to learning, teaching and writing on the subject even he did not exhaust the well of Yoga: it is infinite. \
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When we were in Parivritta Trikonasana Raya started to reveal an answer to my question. We bent the front leg and moved the pelvis forward into Parivritta Parsvakonasana; from there we bent the back leg, drew the knee forward on the floor and sat on the foot for Ardha Matseyandrasana I Next we tilted sideways, planted the palms on the floor to enter the wrist balance Eka Pada Koudinyasana I. We then retraced our steps back to Parivritta Trikonasana in the reverse order and repeated the same sequence to the left. (I think?)
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In a moving end to the 2016 convention, Raya sang the Song of the Soul, with Sallie Sullivan reading out the English translation. Below are the translation and the Sanskrit transliteration.
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Report on the 2016 Light on Yoga Italia Convention with Jawahar Bangera by Judi Sweeting Some years ago, at the College of Domestic Science in Pune, Guruji said "Jawahar Bangera is my senior-most teacher". So when the Italian Light on Yoga Association advertised the fact that Jawahar would be teaching their annual Convention in Florence in May 2016, the opportunity to be taught by him again, and see Italy, proved irresistible.
The Convention opened with the welcome and introduction from the chair of the LOY Italia (Laura Lena) and the Puja. A video message from B.K.S. Iyengar was displayed and all of us were silently listening to that last interview. The atmosphere was full of emotions.The pace of the classes was great, translation from English to Italian was flawless and strangely soothing. The combination of Jawahar’s teaching and the translation process gave us a special experience.
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The Convention included a seminar given by Federico Squarcini who presented an overview on the ‘library’ of Patanjali. He explored the connection and impact of some important political statements on the meaning of Yoga and the declaration of the International Yoga day. It was hilarious to learn how some businesses use Yoga as creative marketing tool to promote their products.
Florence, cradle of the Renaissance, is a beautiful city and Obihall a great venue with thoughtful, friendly organisation from the Italian Light on Yoga Association. The food was very good indeed, the best I have ever eaten at any Convention! There were 6 teachers attending from the UK and one trainee teacher. The organisation of the practice area was very good; we were allocated to a different area each day, gradually working our way to the front of the room. As well as this, Italian teachers were designated to assist those who required their help in each of the sections. 26
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I would like to pass on to you what I took away from my time in Florence and can assure you that the 2017 IY (UK) Convention in Birmingham with Jawahar will be something to look forward to. Jawahar talked about the Yamas and Niyamas as the foundation on which Iyengar Yoga is built and that if we had to be "qualified in them" before practicing and/teaching it would have been a non-starter. He said that we should learn and absorb yoga, not with the prime intention of becoming a teacher. The Yamas and Niyamas are important for all teachers as we need a moral and ethical approach. If everyone adhered to the Yamas and Niyamas, in Jawahar’s opinion, no laws would be necessary as they cover everything! He said that if we want to help ourselves physically, mentally and spiritually, we should read the Sutras. Jawahar was wearing a t-shirt with the word Svad-
haya on it which means "study of the self" and exemplified the message, not only on his clothing but in his humble, patient clear teaching and humour (in Adho Mukha Svanasana our dog should be proud of us!). Reference was made to Sutra 11.16 "heyam duhkham anagram" the pains which are yet to come can be and are to be avoided. 11.46 "sthira sukham asanam" asana is perfect firmness of body, steadiness of intelligence and benevolence of spirit. Jawahar also said • "Legs and arms must work thoroughly, where they do not, arthritis sets in, skin to muscle, muscle to bone. Bring ‘density’ to the knees and elbows ." • "Unless you work your legs and arms thoroughly you cannot access the spine." • "In standing asanas say, Utthita Trikonasana, Utthita Parsvakonasana and Ardha Chandrasana, the lesson is learnt on the first side (the new actions) so repeat on the other side, though it's not so intense. We go to the right side first generally as it is considered auspicious. However, we do start with the left side occasionally. When repeating the asana on the second side are we holding the pose in the same manner? Are we keeping the same lengths in the legs? We should be truthful and follow Satya, the Truth.” Jawahar used students of all levels to demonstrate problems in alignment and commented that they would not necessarily "get it" instantly, it will take time. The Iyengar rigour was there, all the time, asanas had to be practiced with full attention. \
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More photos of the Convention are on LOY Italia website: www.iyengaryoga.it/galleria/show
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IY(UK) Annual Convention with Jawahar Bangera 27th-29th May 2017 Birmingham International Convention Centre We are delighted to announce that our 2017 yoga convention will be taught by Jawahar Bangera, and held at the International Convention Centre, in the centre of Birmingham’s historic and vibrant cultural quarter. Jawahar Bangera It is an honour to welcome Jawahar to teach our 2017 convention, whose years of dedicated practice and study have helped make him a teacher who inspires us to move deeper into our understanding of Iyengar yoga. Jawahar is well known for his precision, dedication and his ability to make everyone feel included. He was originally introduced to yoga by his parents, who were pupils of Yogacharya BKS Iyengar, then practised yoga directly under Guruji's from 1969. He began teaching in 1980 and accompanied Guruji to many conventions over the years, and has taught many classes throughout the world, including 3 very successful conventions for us here in the UK: Crystal Palace 1999, Manchester 2006 and Glasgow 2011. Jawahar teaches classes in Mumbai where he is a director of the Iyengar Institute Yogashraya which was inaugurated by BKS Iyengar in 2002. He is also a trustee and driving force behind the Light on Yoga Research Trust (LOYRT), formed more than 35 years ago to promote the learning and practice of Yoga in the Iyengar method, including the publication of RIMIYI journal Yoga Rahasya. Join us for a special convention with Jawahar in Birmingham, an opportunity for all of us to experience Guruji's teachings directly from one of Guruji's most senior teachers.
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Birmingham International Convention Centre (ICC) This year we have chosen the well-appointed ICC for our convention. ICC is situated in centenary square, a lovely wide pedestrian space, next door to Europe’s biggest new Library, with it’s striking architecture, relaxing herb roof garden, and housing the remarkable Shakespeare Memorial Room. ICC is a few minutes walk from Birmingham’s landmark museum, and 20 minutes walk from the recently transformed New Street Station, taking 1.5 hours by train from London, Manchester, & Bristol makes Birmingham one of the best connected cities in the UK and a wonderful location for our 2017 convention.
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Accommodation Accommodation in central Birmingham will be mainly in larger hotels, so we have appointed an accommodation agent to manage the bookings for us. The link to their website is on our convention bookings page; or if you prefer, their reservations line is +44 (0)1423 525577. We expect that some of the cheaper hotels will book up quickly, so please book soon. IY(UK) Convention Timetable The convention will take place over three days (Saturday morning until Monday early afternoon) and works as a developmental teaching experience, so we are not offering the opportunity to book individual days. Our event is designed to include all students and teachers together rather than separating teachers and students. The whole weekend will count as specialist training for teachers. Provisional timetable:
Saturday
11.00am-2.00pm 5.00pm-7.00pm
Sunday
10.00am-1.00pm 3.00-4.00pm IY(UK)AGM 4.30-6.30pm 7.00-10.00pm meal/film
Monday
10.00am-2.00pm
Yoga Social, Film and Food Evening We’re delighted to be able to offer a social event on the Sunday evening of the Convention. We will be offering an Indian vegetarian meal and showing the film ‘A Leap of Faith’ about Guruji’s life and teaching, converting our yoga hall into a small cinema/reataurant for the evening. This 72 minute documentary spans 9 decades of the life of Yogacharya B.K.S. Iyengar. For more Information visit: http://different-strokes.co.in/project-LeapOfFaith.html Costs All classes over 3 days £195. Optional evening meal/film £20. Please book online at www.iyengaryoga.org.uk.
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Join the IY (UK) Birmingham Convention Marketplace As usual we plan to organise a lively Market Place, a great meeting place, and opportunity to support small yoga related businesses. The marketplace continues to add to the friendly atmosphere of the convention with a wide range of related goods, exhibitions and services. We will be expecting between 500 – 600 yoga participants in Birmingham, and will be providing space to include more stalls, so if you have yoga related items, hand made things, art works, ethical products, or anything that would be of interest to yoga enthusiasts then why not consider joining us by running a stall. For more information please get in touch with Jess at jess@iyengaryoga.org.uk.
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Celebrating Yoga Two regular events have now established themselves in our diaries: the International Day of Yoga on the 21st June, and our own National Iyengar Yoga Day in the UK, scheduled for the 14th January in 2017. International Day of Yoga
National Iyengar Yoga Day
On 11th December, 2014, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) declared 21st June as the International Day of Yoga.
Following the success of the first Ireland National Iyengar Day in January 2015, the rest of the UK followed their lead. On Saturday 16th January 2016 Iyengar Yoga teachers from around the whole of the UK joined the enthusiasm of the Irish event celebrating the work of BKS Iyengar by offering free classes throughout the day. Institutes and Centres drew together, allowing hundreds of people to experience the benefits of Yoga as practised with the Iyengar method. As more and more people are discovering the delights of the ancient art of Yoga and finding that it holds the key to a supreme sense of well-being, the National Day is a wonderful way to educate the public about the Iyengar method.
The Summer Solstice was chosen as it is an auspicious day of the year for yoga. In his address, the Prime Minister of India said “Yoga … embodies unity of mind and body; thought and action; restraint and fulfilment; harmony between man and nature; a holistic approach to health and well-being. It is not about exercise but to discover the sense of oneness with yourself, the world and the nature.” 175 nations co-sponsored the resolution; it had the highest number of co-sponsors ever for any UNGA Resolution of such nature.
The day was celebrated in many other ways with demonstrations, films and sharing of food. There was a real sense of coming together and lots of hard work was put into the day from Cornwall to North Scotland. We would like to thank Katie Owens in the IY (UK) office who tirelessly helped to pull all the ideas together, send out promotional material, and created a brilliant interactive map of events across Britain.
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We hope that 2017 will be just as special and I am sure people will be thinking of new ideas for their celebrations. If you are in, or know of, an area of Britain that doesn’t have an Iyengar class, perhaps you could organise an event there? Perhaps you are not a teacher but would like to support your teacher in setting up an event? A small amount of funding is available to support Institutes, Affiliated Centres and Yoga Groups across the UK. As last year, promotional material will also be available. More on this to follow soon. Your local Institute will have a NIYD co-ordinator, so do get in contact and let them know how you like to be involved for 2017. \ 30
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Reports from some of the events On International Day of Yoga 2016, all of the classes that week in Bushey, Hertfordshire, were dedicated to the memory of BKS Iyengar and to the International Day of Yoga. After the chant to Patanjali, the 'Guru chant' was practised and learned in all classes, in the past they have only been practising this guru chant in Intermediate classes. The guru chant was recently learned on a visit to the Yoganusasanam Conventions in 2014 and 2015 in Pune, with Geeta Iyengar leading the way, so it’s a relatively new addition to classes in Bushey. They followed the chant with the forward bend class sequence as sent through by the IY (UK), and sent from RIMIYI the previous morning! They found it inspiring to have a focus from India for the classes, with the thought of being connected through our yoga postures to other practitioners throughout the world. The National Iyengar Yoga Day event with the Warwickshire Group went much better than hoped with 45 people turning up for a free class. Some regulars, newcomers, students in other methods. There was a spontaneous round of applause at the end! The Aberdeen event was really well received, with over 60 people coming through the doors and lovely feedback. Thankfully, recent flooding had ceased and forecast snow hadn't arrived! In Bath. three teachers gave a yoga session to yoga enthusiasts and those new to Iyengar method on Saturday 16th January at Bath's Central United reform Church, sharing the teaching of the group which was new and interesting. Watching each other teach was great fun and reinforced the shared methodology but individual approaches. Students noted that they could see that they were all Iyengar teachers even though they were different in style and manner because the level of precision and detail was always there.
Birmingham
Newcastle
Manchester
Bath
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Aberdeen
Sheffield
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Iyengar Yoga Development Fund Report by Cathy Rogers Evans (IYDF Coordinator)
The Iyengar Yoga Development Fund is a non-registered charitable fund. The fund came into being by arrangement with BKS Iyengar, whereby 40% of the Service Mark fees paid by Iyengar Yoga teachers for the use of the Iyengar Yoga registered trade mark is used mostly to assist disadvantaged groups in accessing Iyengar yoga classes. Cathy Rogers has recently taken over the management of the IYDF and has written the report below. In my role as the new Iyengar Yoga Development (IYDF) coordinator, I have created a questionnaire with the purpose of collecting information on the scheme, and have received some interesting, satisfying and heart-warming responses. The teachers who conduct classes which are funded by IY (UK) through the IYDF are working with some of our society's most challenged members. There is a wide range of people in classes throughout the country benefiting from the Fund. Teachers receive £40 for teaching a class. They mostly have purchased and provide their own equipment, which some carry around to the venue each week. Many have been provided with a storage space for their equipment. Some have been provided with mats by the organisation/charity who usually also provides the room for free. Some teachers have been successful in receiving funding from the organisation or government department which they initially were funded by IYDF to provide a class for. These classes are now either better equipped due to intervention from the charity or organisation or in one case two classes per week are completely funded without IY (UK)’s financial support.
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Teachers have a regular group of students attending, mostly around 8 to 10; only one teacher is considering that the groups’ numbers have gone so low recently that she feels it may be appropriate for her to give up the IYDF funding. She is teaching women recovering from substance abuse and they are often struggling with keeping their lives together and yoga is not receiving the time it needs. This group are the most irregular attenders from those who have responded to me. She does have some very emotional observations about the effects that the yoga is having. Positive outlook, new relationship with their own body, physical strength, more open chest and better general posture. In this case it has been decided to continue the class and the teacher will try to encourage more people to come. Other responses from students in funded classes include one autistic boy who usually remains silent, out of the blue said ’Tadasana’ after his class, (one woman prisoner or she may have been in a refuge) said, on finally releasing her previously stressed shoulders, that it is like Jesus’ teachings of telling ‘to let go of their load, his load is light he said’. There are teachers giving classes for women who they believe would not otherwise be allowed to leave their homes; these are women with no money of their own, not permitted to mix with any groups unless guaranteed there will be no men there. It seems that the social experience here is as important as the yoga in some situations. There are teachers who have been approached by a charity and a prison to start another class, waiting for me to let them know if there will be sufficient funds to do this or to provide mats. The teachers from whom I have had a response all intend to reapply to IYDF when their one year funding expires, although there were a few who received indefinite funding at the beginning of the project. I plan to work closely with our Treasurer to have a clear idea of the budget available for any future applications. An up to date eligibility criteria is being refined as this popular project obviously has limited funds. Please contact us if you think you may be interested in applying to the IYDF for funding. \
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Profile of Jean Dawson by Christine Tyson
My name is Christine Tyson and teach Iyengar Yoga in the Bradford area. My yoga class and I would like to pay tribute to Jean Dawson who was 100 years of age on the 20th February. Jean has been attending my class for just over 20 years but started her first yoga class at the age of 67 with Lillian Biggs. She is a remarkable lady and practises yoga every day. It proves yoga gives back what you put in.
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Jean says "I have met so many kind and lovely people through yoga and made some good friends. I don’t know how I’d be today if I hadn’t taken up Yoga. I heartily recommend Yoga to all." Jean is quite a celebrity, promoting Iyengar Yoga in the Daily Express.
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The Maidstone Yoga Centre by Lin Craddock
Creating the Maidstone Yoga Centre has only been possible with the positive energy and hard work offered by friends and family, from the very beginning. The inspiration came unexpectedly whilst in India, listening to Guruji speak at his birthday celebrations, in 2009. His wise words inspired me to take that next step and somehow as the yoga penetrated deeper, the decision was a natural one.
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Finding suitable premises, debating costs and negotiating leases, all seemed part of an organic process from my early teaching days in local village halls. However, once completed and receiving blessings from Guruji in a personal letter, we were all set to get going. We opened in April 2010, and since then the everyday running of the centre has become a way of life. My own practice usually starts at 5am, (something I have managed to maintain ever since our children were small), then it’s off to the centre by 8:30am. It’s a demanding schedule but somehow within the madness, everything flows. Like Yoga and the gate analogy, you have to go through the first gate to get to the second and once through the second there is no jumping to the last gate; it’s a gradual process. But everything seems to have slotted into its own pace and order. 34
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Located within 5 minutes walking distance of the town centre, where the first veggie cafe arrived in Maidstone around the same time as us, we are also 2 minutes from the Travelodge & Premier Inn Hotels and walking distance to all major train and bus connections.
It has been 6 years since we opened our doors and looking back it was a daunting thing to do, but there were no doubts, just the opportunity to indulge in the subject of Yoga which has become an integral way of life. Our centre has an extensive class timetable, complimented by our new learning facility, www.myyogatutor.co.uk and a recently published ebook (taken from the online site), for the stiffer body. I am hoping our centre will provide a professional space for the teaching and learning of Iyengar yoga for years to come. To encourage new beginners, we have spent a great deal of time developing our website, to provide an easy to use enrolment process, which has greatly enhanced the number of new students looking to understand the Iyengar method.
YOGA RAHASYA MAGAZINE Yoga Rahasya is a quarterly publication of the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute (RIMYI), Pune and the Light on Yoga Research Trust (LOYRT), Mumbai, India. It is published on the occasions of the Annual Day of RIMYI, Hanuman Jayanti, Guru Purnima and Patanjali Jayanti. The aim of Yoga Rahasya is to share the essence of Yogacharya BKS Iyengar's teachings. This journal contains original articles and transcripts of talks by Guruji Iyengar, Geeta and Prashant Iyengar on philosophy, psychology, science and art of yoga and life. It also includes articles by his students on their experiences, practical details on the practice of asanas as well as treating chronic ailments through yoga.
If you would like to subscribe to Yoga Rahasya, please tick the relevant box when renewing your IY (UK) membership on-line and the ÂŁ16 subscription will be added to your total. Visit http://bksiyengar.com/modules/Referen/YR/yr.htm for information about previous issues. AUTUMN
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The centre has grown organically and runs on a healthy dose of good will and continuous support from students, teachers, my patient family and Anna, who helps with the never ending admin tasks. We all have a genuine interest in helping and caring for others and as well as promoting the centre, we have also enjoyed raising funds for the Bellur trust and local charities.
We welcome all new visitors to the centre. For further details of events and classes please visit our web site www.iyengar-yoga.co.uk or call 01622 685864.
A Big Thank You to Elaine Pidgeon on her Retirement After more than 40 years of dedicated involvement in the UK Iyengar Yoga Association, Elaine has retired from her various roles to spend more time with her husband Trevor and her family.
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In 1981 Elaine first went to Pune to attend an Intensive course at RIMYI with a group of teachers and students from Scotland. She remembers that there were only 25 in the class! It was the first time she had seen or been taught by BKS Iyengar. She says that Guruji was so dynamic, he taught with the speed and power of lightning and the experience of it changed her life. Elaine had been attending yoga classes in Edinburgh, where she still lives today. It was 1976 and at that time, in the early days of what we now call Iyengar Yoga, there was a need for teachers. Elaine trained to teach, qualified in 1980, and started to teach classes at the newly established Edinburgh Iyengar Yoga Centre. In 1983 she gained Intermediate Junior 3 certification. Soon after this in 1986 Bob and Kathy Welham, the owners of the Centre, moved away and Elaine took over teacher training for them and became the Manager of the centre, which thrived. Later in 1998 she became the owner. Meanwhile during the earlier 1990’s she qualified to become a Senior teacher, Assessor 36
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and then Moderator in 1995. During all these eventful and busy years when Elaine was nurturing the tree of Iyengar Yoga in Edinburgh and Scotland, she had also become involved in the national association, the BKS Iyengar Yoga Teachers’ Association - BKSYTA. She started as the Regional Representative for Scotland and as a Moderator was part of the decision making team. In 1998 she became Vice Chair and then Chairperson 2000 – 2003 during what turned out to be a rather difficult period. Many changes were about to take place which required much fortitude, steadiness, calmness and strength of character, The first challenge was the introduction of the Certification Mark (CM) which all Iyengar Yoga Teachers have to buy each year and is the Trade Mark which shows that they are genuinely qualified. Many teachers questioned the need for this and there was much heated debate— but it was something which Guruji wanted in order to protect his name and methods of teaching yoga. Guruji’s book ‘Light on Yoga’ had become a worldwide manual for yoga and people were using his name but teaching their own methods of yoga which were not his. This was both watering down and undermining the
high standards of teaching which Guruji demanded. The CM was introduced in this country in 2004 and has worked well to stop fraudulent use of the name Iyengar which strengthens the good reputation of genuine Iyengar Yoga teachers and is a mark of their authenticity. Guruji, as the owner of the CM Trade Marks, granted a Master Licence to the IYA (UK) and Elaine became licensee for the UK with the additional responsibility for helping other European Associations implement their own Master Licences. This job involved learning about trade mark law, legal terminology, how to administer the CM and how to implement legal challenges to the misuse of the Iyengar name. Recently adjustments have had to be made when the CM Trade Marks were re-registered, when the IYA became IY (UK) Ltd. and after Guruji died when the ownership of the CM was transferred to Geeta and Prashant Iyengar. All this Elaine has been responsible for overseeing. Now she is standing down and |Y (UK) Ltd has become the recognised licensee. The other big challenge at this time was the coming together of the two associations which existed in this country, the Teachers’ Association (BKSIYTA) and the Light on Yoga Association
(LOYA), which was for teachers and students. Guruji wanted a united, single association to be formed in the UK to embrace everyone and join the two “camps”, which had been a divisive situation. The process of amalgamation involved intense work with many meetings to draw up a new structure and new Constitution acceptable to both Associations. Meetings were held at least every month for a year and each stage was reported to Guruji for his approval. The final outcome in 2004 was the inauguration of the IYA (UK) with Guruji’s blessing. Being Chair of the Association during such a disruptive period meant many, many long train journeys from Edinburgh to London for meetings as well as travel to various other parts of the country for assessments, teaching, and other association business. Elaine was often blazing a trail once or twice every month! Additionally she was of course running her yoga centre, teaching, teacher training and moderating assessments, and practicing, and having a family life apart from yoga! One might ask “why?” Why would anyone choose to devote so much time and energy into a highly intense but completely unpaid job with such an amount of determination and good will? The answer is, as Elaine says, out of gratitude for what Guruji gave her in that life changing trip to Pune and during the following years. She modestly says that Guruji inspired the same love and devotion in so many people, which is true of course. Many, many people volunteer their time with the same feeling that they want to give something back. Elaine’s work has been demanding, and challenging but she was happy to do it and feels privileged to have had contact with Guruji, to have corresponded with him, met with him, to have been able to be of service to him.
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Now Elaine has stood back from all this and at 75 this October she truly deserves to! She is of course continuing to teach in Edinburgh and perhaps elsewhere and you may even see her at Professional Development Days. May you enjoy many years of happy retirement, Elaine. All best wishes from the IY (UK) AUTUMN
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IY(UK) Reports Chair - Jill Johnson
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This is my first report as Chair of IY (UK), having taken over from Emma Pinchin at the end of January. I would like to thank Emma for all the hard work she put in over the last 4 years as Chair and also for all the help she has given when handing over this role. Please join me in wishing her well for the future, both in her home life with her family and in her yoga career.
Administration Update At the end of last year Katie Owens, our office manager, asked to reduce her working days from 4 ½ to 1 ½ a week in order to concentrate on building her business. Katie now deals with PR and website issues, and is still available to help with any problems in the office. I would like to thank Katie for all her work over the years, and I’m very glad she remains one of the team. After advertising the post Andy Tait was appointed and began working as Office Manager in March. Therefore Katie Owens now works 1.5 days per week, Jess Wallwork 1.5 days, Kate Woodcock 2.5 days and Andy Tait 3 days. As this coincided with the renewals period and the introduction of the new website (more later), it has been a difficult start for Andy but with the help of the rest of the team he is settling in well and we 38
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look forward to working with him. Executive Council (EX) Updates After much work by the Moderators, Assessors and Teacher Trainers the new Assessing and Training Committee has become operational. We are very grateful to Julie Brown for taking on the role of Chair, and Judy Lynn who is acting deputy Chair. This large committee have organised themselves into 4 subcommittees – Assessments and Timetabling, PD days, Manual and Assessments Paperwork and Test Papers and Syllabus, with all Moderators working on a sub committee. Four Assessors were elected to join the Moderators in this work. In the course of establishing this new Committee Appendix D of the Standing Orders has been rewritten, and after being approved by the EX and ratified by the Board these can be seen on the website. The Board have approved a new Harassment and Bullying Policy which should also be viewed on the website, and is part of the ongoing development of policies and procedures which reflect the increasing professionalism of the IY UK. National Iyengar Yoga Day for the United Kingdom This year saw the first National Iyengar Yoga Day in January. This was a great success with many teachers, centres and Institutes around the country taking part,
and offering free classes to many people who would not otherwise have the opportunity to be introduced to Iyengar Yoga. We had some excellent feedback and Mike Penny has again offered to co-ordinate next year’s Yoga Day, which will take place on January 14th and the details of which will be available very soon. Assessments In December 2015 the IY (UK) sent three of our Senior Teachers - Penny Chaplin, Sheila Haswell and Margaret Austin to Pune to attend the meeting with Geeta and Prashant about training and assessing. This was an international meeting with representatives from over 38 countries, and 108 participants. Our representatives have been able to give us an initial summary of the proceedings, and an official report from RIMYI is awaited. Over three days details of how training courses and assessments are run in each country were given; Geeta and Prashant listened to everyone’s views and asked questions when clarification was needed. In their summary of the meeting Geeta and Prashant asked for communication between associations to continue, and for the older associations to help the newer ones. Any changes to how the training and assessments are carried out will be communicated to the associations affected. Our Senior Teachers noted how overwhelmed Prashant was by the
Website Last summer, having decided that the website would have to be rebuilt we received notification from the existing provider that this would be a more complicated process than first thought, as the platform it was built on was being demised. and it was necessary to find another company to design a new website and provide ongoing support. After interviewing several companies Emma, Philippe and Katie selected 418, their proposal was cheaper and their service and on going support outstanding. The company worked hard, with the help of Katie, to build and get operational the new website in time for the renewals this March. There have been some glitches but these are being dealt with and hopefully the renewals process will be smoother next year. As is always the case we are learning as we go, but we hope that the finished website will be a big improvement and work for us for the next few years. OfQual Application Update At the latest EX meeting in April a proposal was put to the Executive to drop the Ofqual application process for the time being. Over the years, we have made a number of attempts to get our qualifications officially recognised by the government, and we know that Guruji himself was keen for us to do this, so that we would not be dependent on other organisations, such as REPS or the BWY (British Wheel of Yoga) for official accreditation. The latest of these attempts started a few years ago when a team, led by Sharon Klaff, applied to Ofqual to become an Accrediting Organisation (AO). A great deal of work was done to prepare our initial application, which was turned down. However, we were informed by Ofqual that this was normal and that we should re-apply.
Again, Sharon and her team did a lot of work but the demands of Ofqual are very high. At the same time we heard from the BWY that, having gained AO status, they have now dropped it on the grounds that it is too expensive for them to maintain. Also, we were waiting to hear about changes to the assessment process from RIMYI and Sharon was no longer able to put in the work that she had done and so the Ofqual application was put on hold. Nobody from the EX came forward to take this task on and so The Board proposed that we drop the application at this stage. Currently, our Standing Orders reflect the Association structure that we set up in order to apply to Ofqual. It makes sense to us to formally revert to a structure that actually reflects how our Standing Orders operate. At the moment, our official structure includes a second branch of the Association, called Iyengar Yoga Qualifications (IYQ) and this has never been put into practice, and therefore can appear confusing. We do not regret the attempt we have made to become an AO. A lot of the work that was done in preparing the application has been very useful to our Association. Of course, we would hold on to all of our Ofqual application documents should we ever decide that the time has come to try again, but in view of the uncertainties mentioned we feel it is difficult to justify further expenses to pursue this at the moment. This proposal was accepted by the EX in April, and ratified by the Board in May. Subsequently work will begin to remove reference to Ofqual and IYQ from the Standing Orders in the summer. 2017 Convention We have been informed by RIMYI that unfortunately Navaz Kamdin will be unable to come in 2017 but it is hoped she will be coming in 2018. The Events and Convention Committee have confirmed that Jawahar Bangera will lead our Convention in 2017, and this will take place in Birmingham. \ AUTUMN
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dedication of all those present and their devotion to Guruji. Due to Geeta’s recent illness no information about potential changes has yet been communicated to us.
IY(UK) Reports Secretary -
Treasurer -
Charlotte
Velika
Everitt
Many of you were at May’s AGM, when Jill’s election as Chair was ratified and the Board re-elected for another year. Jill’s election left a vacancy for a Constitution Officer, a role which is crucial in ensuring that IY(UK) is operating in accordance with its own agreed constitution. After a call to all members, Paul Taylor came forward and has now been co-opted by the Board into the role.
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We still have vacancies for Individual Representatives, so if any of you are interested in representing our Individual Members please do get in touch. Kirsten Agar Ward has stepped down after several years on the EX and our thanks to her for her work during this time. Several institutes still have vacancies for a Representative to represent them on the national Executive Council, so if you are interested in getting involved then please do ask – either me, or your local Institute. We have also recently advertised for a volunteer to take on a lead role in marketing Iyengar yoga and our organisation more widely; we received a number of strong applications from members willing to put their time, effort and skills into this. The selection process is underway, though we hope all who came forward will be involved in promoting Iyengar yoga to the wider public. If you have any ideas or would like to get involved, please do get in touch. We marked Prashantji’s birthday in July by sending a card, along with cards marking Guru Purnima. \
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Krivokapic The annual accounts for 2015 were presented and approved at the AGM in May 2016. 2015 was a good year for the association in financial terms. An overall surplus of £15,288 for the year was achieved. The Balance Sheet at 31 December 2015 showed net assets of £98,107. The 2015 Convention was once again very well attended and showed a surplus of £38,694. We are budgeting for an overall surplus of £15,124 in 2016 and are on track to achieve that. Overall the Association is in a healthy financial situation and has sufficient reserves to underpin its ongoing activities. The IY (UK) membership fees for 2017/18 have been agreed as follows. We have been able to keep our fees at exactly the same levels as 2016/17.
The Assessment fees for 2017/18 will be re-visited during the summer for the presentation to the Board and Executive Council in September 2017. The Certification Mark fee for 2017/18 is based on US$50. It will be updated on 1st November 2016 to reflect the exchange rate that is in place on that date. \
Membership Secretary – Anita
Phillips
We were renewing teacher memberships and issuing insurance certificates until well into July this year. This delay was due to a number of factors, including problems with upwards of 400 individual online renewals. Andy contacted each of these teachers directly and in some cases several calls or emails were necessary to resolve the issue(s). We’re amending the renewal forms for next year in an effort to make them easier to complete, and adding safeguards to avoid some of this year’s common mistakes. Paper renewals are especially time-consuming and there will be an earlier deadline of 1st February for these in future renewal periods. We also hope to start online renewals earlier than in the past, and to bring the deadline forward for those to 15th March in order to avoid issues with insurance. We were helped immeasurably in our work by having so many people renew their membership online: a big shout out to CIYI, DIYI, and Foyle who had all their primary members renew via the IY (UK) website!
that you will find a note of your new membership number. DBS updating was delayed due to the renewals issues. We understand that these checks can take up to 18 weeks and we’ll be working to give plenty of notice to those teachers who’ll need an update before the next renewal season. The www.bksiyengar.com website has now been updated. All UK and Irish teachers should be listed in ac-cordance with your wishes as indicated on your renewal form Current Membership Figures Teacher numbers are down slightly from last year which might reflect Ethics and Appeals Committee referrals and other issues delaying renewals. Nonteacher numbers have been affected by a later renewals and reporting issues; these will hope-fully perk up when we calculate the end year figures.
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We welcome Caroline Anschutz who kindly volunteered to be Deputy Membership Secretary: thank you Caroline! Caroline teaches at the Sheffield Yoga Centre and is Member Institute rep to the EX from SADIYA. We’ve had a hectic time in the Membership Office this renewal season and shall be very glad of an extra pair of hands.
All members were issued with a new membership number when the current database was introduced. This can be found by logging into the IY (UK) website in the usual way. In the top right hand corner will be the message: “You are currently logged in as firstname_lastname_old membership number.” Below AUTUMN
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IY(UK) Reports
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Contact Us Membership and Office Manager – Andy Tait Telephone: 07510326997 Email: office@iyengaryoga.org.uk Address: IY(UK), PO Box 51698, London, SE8 9BU Hours: Main Office day: Thursday 9-5pm; remaining hours to be worked throughout the week (23.4 hours per week). • Staffing the office: taking phone calls and responding to emails from IYA members and members of the public. Andy should be your first port of call if you have a general query, or are not sure who to ask. • Membership: processing renewals and new applications; assisting Membership Institute Secretaries with the renewal process. All queries about membership payments, insurance documents and certificates should go to Andy. • Teacher training: processing applications to become a teacher trainee. • Communications and Website: Andy is the person to speak to if you are having trouble updating your personal or class details. He can help you navigate through the process. Please take this opportunity to log in to the website and make sure that we have your complete and correct contact information. Andy will be able to assist you if you have trouble logging in. Liaising with Member Institutes for the IYN mail out.
Finance and Bookings Administrator – Jess Wallwork
• Finance: keeping the accounts, making payments, processing expenses etc. Most of this is behind the scenes work; if you do have a query about a payment you have made to IY(UK), apart from convention bookings, it is best to go through Andy first. • Bookings: taking bookings for Conventions and other events IY(UK) organises. Any queries about the Convention or any other events should go to Jess.
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Email: jess@iyengaryoga.org.uk Address: IY(UK), 15 West Grove, Bristol BS6 5LS Hours: Most evenings (10 hrs per week)
Assessments Administrator – Kate Woodcock Telephone: 07914089360 Email: kate@iyengaryoga.org.uk Address: IY(UK), PO Box 1217, Bradford, BD1 9XF Hours: part-time through the week, not available on Thursdays (20 hrs per week). On call during assessments. • Assessments: taking bookings for assessments, sending out paperwork to candidates and assessors, sending out pass/fail letters and small certificates, updating the database with results. All queries about assessments should go to Kate. • Timetabling: gathering Moderator and Assessor availability; finding and booking venues for assessments; putting together the timetables for all assessments; dealing with all the timetable relevant issues, all cancellations, requests for refunds, Moderator / Assessor emergencies and standbys etc; Kate will be “on call” for emergencies during the Assessments. Please contact Kate in the first instance during assessment times if you cannot make your allocated assessment date for any reason. • Appeals after Assessment: Kate is the first point of contact for the formal appeals process following an unsuccessful assessment result.
PR and Website Administrator - Katie Owens Email: katie@iyengaryoga.org.uk Hours: Fridays/Saturdays (11 hrs per week) • Communications and Website: updating the website (behind the scenes data); collating and producing publicity material, including promotional leaflets, for use by IY(UK) teachers and members, particularly in relation to International Yoga Day and National Iyengar Yoga Day.
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Book Your Assessment Online Teachers and trainees can now download syllabuses, book and pay for assessments online. Please visit the IY(UK) website at www.iyengaryoga.org.uk. Assessment deadlines Applications will be available online as follows: Intermediate Junior Levels 1, 2 & 3, 1st-30th September Introductory, 1st-31st January Intermediate Senior Levels 1, 2 & 3, 1st-30th June 44
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Assessment Passes Congratulations to all those who gained success in their assessments Intermediate Junior Level 1 Julie Amers Sophia Argyris Robert Ashman Gerda Bayliss Helen Blackett Leonore Bunyard Veronica Carroll Natalie Cliff Susan Collins Sue Cresswell Suzanne Dodd Aimi Dunstan Diane Edward Louise Eisner Sharon Gleeson Emma Harrison Lindsay Jones Silvie Labatut Anne Lawless Bo Lee Maxine Lunn Denise Mehlman Fionnuala Ni Mhairtin Nina Prodywus Louise Radinger Jenny Reynish Roy Russell Agata Saltonstall
Mira Shirley Svetlana Slepneva Ann Sutton Jenny-May While Louise Williams Sam Xenofou Intermediate Junior Level 2 Catherine Alison Noa Arbel Helen Ayling Julie Baker Craig Blake Margaret Blythe Hart Emma Catto Samantha Davies Sarah Delfas Billie France Claire Hanrahan Helen Henderson Celia Henebury Olivia Howden Jackie Kilcourse Louise Leonard Toby Lockyer Jo Lovell Georgia Marnham Catherine Morgan Francesca Nixon
Corrina Norton Svava Sparey Sharon Dawn Taylor Jennifer Taylor Carol Thomas Nicky Vesper Pilar Vigus Deborah Wilkinson Moha Wong Intermediate Junior Level 3 Suki Ali Peter Burnham Deborah Cadby Dave Dayes Martina Durnin Ajipeleka Giddings Lone Kristensen Lisa Morris Roisin O'Shea Monica Rooney Aileen Slein Lara Speroni Lorna Kirsty Taylor Caroline Turck Audrey Walker Greg Walsh Lisbet Wikman
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This table shows the statistics relating to the Intermediate Junior Assessments which took place in March 2016.
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IY (UK) Professional Development Days 2017 Please note: PD days run with the calendar year from 1 January to 31 December. All the dates below are in 2017.
South West SWIYI – 21 October with Lynda Purvis Organiser: Gillian Kamali – 01736 360 559 / gilliankamali@hotmail.com West & South Wales AIYI – 1 April with Richard Agar Ward Organiser: Julian Lindars - 07973 656132 / julian@lint-free.com
Greater London & South East NELIYI – North East London – 8 October with Sheila Haswell Organiser: Lisa Morris - 07963 833188 / lisa@morris.co.uk IIYS – Sussex – date tbc with Cathy Rogers Evans Organisers: Jenny Deadman – jenny@jcm.co.uk and Cathy Rogers-Evans – cathy@yogasouth.com IYIMV – North West London – 26th February with Sallie Sullivan and 30th September with Gerry Chambers Contact: Iyengar Yoga Institute Maida Vale office 020 7624 3080 Organiser: Marco Canavo - office@iyi.org.uk IYISL – South London – 8 October with Susan Long Organiser: Glenys Shepherd – 020 8694 0155 / iyisl@btinternet.com
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Kent IYI – Kent – 23 April with Brenda Booth and 19 November with Brenda Booth Organiser: Brenda Booth – 01892 740 876 / brendaboothkent@aol.com
South Central ORIYI - Cirencester – 23 September with Judi Sweeting and 19 November with Cathy Rogers Evans Organiser: Elaine Martin – iyakemblepdday@gmail.com DHIYI - Bournemouth – 23 September with Judith Jones and 7 October with Patricia James Organiser: Carol Batterson - 01329 832853 / carolbatterson@uwclub.net
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West Central MCIYI - Herefordshire – 24 June with Sheila Green Organiser: Sheila Green - 01981 580081 / sheila@herefordshireyoga.co.uk East CIYI, Cambridge – 22 January with Sasha Perryman Organiser: Sasha Perryman – 01223 515 929 / sashaperryman@yahoo.co.uk
North East & Cumbria NEIYI - Sunderland – 10 June with Margaret Austin and Diane Coates Organiser: Dawn Hodgson – 01325 721 518 / dawnlesleyhodgson@btinternet.com East Central & North SADIYA & BDIYI - Sheffield and Bradford – 13 May with Julie Browne and 14 October with Marion Kilburn Organiser: Emma Rattenbury – 07837 811 967 / 01142 556 406 emma.rattenbury@blueyonder.co.uk
North West MDIIY & LIYI - Manchester – 6 May with Marion Kilburn and 14 October with Tricia Booth Organiser: Clare Tunstall - 07909 960599 / clare_tunstall@yahoo.co.uk
Scotland ESIYI - Edinburgh – 26 March and 17 September with Elaine Pigeon Organiser: Katie Rutherford – 0131 447 4708 / katie.rutherford@blueyonder.co.uk Glasgow – 18 March and 10 September with Meg Laing Organiser: Valerie Miller – 0141 339 0442 / vjmiller7882@gmail.com
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Ireland Crumlin, Dublin – 29 April with Aisling Guirke Organiser: Aisling Guirke – 00353 87 289 1664 / aisling_guirke@hotmail.com Phibsboro, Dublin – 12 November with Eileen Cameron Organiser: Margaret Cashman – 01882 8858 / info@iyoga.ie MIYI - Munster - 18 February with Eileen Cameron Organiser: Aileen Slein - 0860 399358 / Aileenslein@gmail.com AUTUMN
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IY (UK) Executive Council
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Officer
Name
Telephone
Chair
Jill Johnson
chair@iyengaryoga.org.uk
01619299462
Treasurer
Velika Krivokapic
Deputy Treasurer
Vacancy
pammackenzie@live.co.uk
020 8373 8356
Secretary
Charlotte Everitt
secretary@iyengaryoga.org.uk
07812122617
Membership Sec.
Anita Phillips
anita.phillips@btinternet.com
020 8675 1631
Deputy Mem. Sec. SADIYA
Caroline Anschutz
anschutz_knowles@btinternet.com
Deputy Chair
Philippe Harari
philippe.harari@runbox.com
01223 523 410
Constitution Officer RoI
Paul Taylor
ptaylor@les.ie
0035361924236
Chair of AT
Julie Brown
julie.brown61@live.com
Chair of Therapy
Judi Sweeting
therapy@iyengaryoga.org.uk
Chair of Ethics and Appeals
Sasha Perryman
sashaperryman@yahoo.co.uk
AIYI
Julian Lindars
julian@lint-free.com
BDIYI 
Vacancy
CIYI
Shaili Shafai
DHIYI
Vacancy
DIYI
Martina Durnin
martina.durnin@yahoo.co.uk
ESIYI
Agnes Matthews
cmtpartner@aol.com
iY Glasgow Brian Stewart
brians@chem.gla.ac.uk
IIYS
Cathy Rogers Evans
cathyrogersevans@gmail.com
KIYI
Sarah Delfas
sarahandnick@hotmail.com
LIYI
Judi Soffa
info@yoga-studio.co.uk
MCIYI
Annie Beatty
yoga@anniebeatty.com
MDIIY
Charlotte Everitt
c_a_everitt@yahoo.co.uk
MDIIY
Joan Abrams
joanabrams@hotmail.com
NEIIY
Jeannie Adams
jeannieadams63@gmail.com
NELIYI
Larissa MacGoldrick
larimcgoldrick@yahoo.com
ORIYI
Clare Bingham
bingham_c@hotmail.com
SWIYI
Judith Higgins
jsporik@hotmail.com
SWLSIYI
Diane Drain
dianedrain@btinternet.com
Individual
Anna Macedo
annamacedo@clara.co.uk
Individual
Richard Agar Ward,
richardhagarward@yahoo.com
Individual
Vanessa Allen
vmcnaught@hotmail.com
Individual
Isabel Jones-Fielding,
events@iyengaryoga.org,uk
Individual Vacancy
Individual Vacancy
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Rep.
MDIIY
shshaili@yahoo.com
0141 334 3834
0151 7094923
01844212770
01903 242 150
IY (UK) Committee Members Board
Finance & Membership
Ethics & Appeals
Archives/Research
Julie Brown, Charlotte Everitt, Philippe Harari, Jill Johnson, Velika Kripokavic, Sasha Perryman, Anita Phillips, Paul Taylor
Gerry Chambers, Aisling Guirke, Larissa McGoldrick, Sasha Perryman, Amparo Rodriguez
Assessing & Training
Richard Agar Ward, Margaret Austin, Debbie Bartholomew (Communications Officer), Brenda Booth, Tricia Booth, Dave Browne, Julie Brown (Chair), Penny Chaplin , Diane Coats, Sheila Green, Sheila Haswell, Tricia James, Judith Jones, Marion Kilburn, Meg Laing (Secretary), Susan Long, Judy Lynn (Acting Vice-Chair), Jayne Orton, Sasha Perryman, Elaine Pigeon, Sallie Sullivan, Judi Sweeting, .
Communications & Public Relations
Caroline Anschutz, Velika Krivokapic, Pam Mackenzie, Anita Phillips, Andy Tait, Jess Wallwork, Kate Woodcock
Suzanne Newcombe, Brian Stewart, Janice Yates, Gael Henry, Joan Abrams Lara Speroni, Randall Evans
Conventions/Events
Philippe Harari, Isabel Jones Fielding, Vanessa Allen, Charlotte Carson
Therapy Committee
Penny Chaplin, Judith Jones, Susan Long, Lynda Purvis, Judi Sweeting, Tig Whattler Committee chairs are in bold. Co-opted (i.e. non-Executive Council) members are in italics.
Iyengar Yoga News No. 29
Joan Abrams, John Cotgreave (IYN), Philippe Harari, Judi Soffa (IYN), Lucy Joslin (PR), Katie Owens, JIll Johnson, Sigute Barniskyte-Kidd (IYN), Tehira Taylor (IYN).
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Member Institutes Please contact your local Institute for details of events and classes. If you are a member of IY (UK) and you have any queries or issues about policies or practices of the IY (UK) please contact your Member Institute Rep. Avon (AIYI)
Kent (KIYI)
www.aiyi.org.uk Kirsten Agar Ward kirsten@bath-iyengar-yoga.com
Kathy McCarthy kath@oakhillmail.co.uk 0779 6936754/01732 465241 www.kentyoga.org.uk
Bradford and District (BDIYI)
Liverpool (LIYI)
Cambridge (CIYI)
Manchester and District (MDIIY)
Judi Soffa info@yoga-studio.co.uk 0151 7094923
Alan Brown events@BDIYI.org.uk 01535 637359, www.bdiyi.org.uk
Sasha Perryman sashaperryman@yahoo.co.uk 01223 515929 www.cambridgeyoga.co.uk
Janice Yates janice.yates@sky.com 01613 683614
Midland Counties (MCIYI)
Dorset and Hampshire (DHIYI)
Helena Chiu, chiuhasang08@gmail.com www.dhiyi.co.uk
Prabhakara prabhakara@freeuk.com 01214 490413 www.mciyi.co.uk
Dublin (DIYI)
Munster (MIYI)
Beccy Cameron 00353 860620660 (text only) www.iyengaryogainstitute.com
Aileen Kingerley
North East (NEIIY)
East of Scotland (ESIYI) www.eastscotlandyoga.org
Gael Henry 0191 477 5804 info@iyengaryoganortheast.co.uk
Foyle Institute of Iyengar yoga Northern Ireland
North East London (NELIYI)
Iyengar Yoga News No. 29
evelynyoga@hotmail.com Evelyn Donnelly 07738 067290
Louise Leonard leonard.louise@blueyonder.co.uk 07939 901515
iYoga Glasgow
Oxford and Region (ORIYI)
Valerie Miller
vjmiller7882@gmail.com
07970 681 425 iyogaglasgow.co.uk 50
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O.R.I.Y.I.
Mary Fitzpatrick maryfitzpatrick@ntlworld.com
Sheffield and District (SADIYA)
Lorraine Bonete lorraine.bonete@gmail.com 0114 236 2115, www.yogasheffield.org
South West (SWIYI)
Jane Lane janelaneyoga@btinternet.com 01326 319809, www.swiyengaryoga.org.uk
South West London & Surrey (SWLSIYI) Jane Howard 07504 126078, swlsiyi@gmail.com
Sussex (IIYS)
Cathy Rogers Evans cathyrogersevans@gmail.com
Affiliated Centres www.bath-iyengar-yoga.com Kirsten & Richard Agar Ward 01225 319699
Congleton Iyengar Yoga Centre
www.congletonyogacentre.com Christina Niewola 01260 279565 / 07970186109
Cotswold Iyengar Yoga Centre
www.cotswoldiyengar.co.uk Judi Sweeting, Tig Whattler 01285 653742
Edinburgh Iyengar Yoga Centre
www.yoga-edinburgh.com Lesley Johnston, 0131 229 6000
Iyengar Yoga Institute of Birmingham www.iyengaryoga.uk.com Jayne Orton, 0121 608 2229
Iyengar Yoga Institute Maida Vale
www.iyi.org.uk Alan Reynolds, 020 7624 3080
iYoga Centre
www.iyengaryogamanchester.co.uk Carolyn Ferguson, 07763 346332 carolyn@iyoga.org.uk
iYOGA Dublin Iyengar yoga Centre of North Dublin
The Iyengar Yoga Studio East Finchley
www.theiyengaryogastudio.co.uk Genevieve Dicker, Patsy Sparksman, Wendy Sykes 020 8815 1918
West Suffolk Iyengar Yoga Centre
www.iyengaryogacentre.com Roisin O’Shea, 00353 1882 8858
www.iyengaryogasuffolk.co.uk Jane Perryman, 01440 786228
Knutsford Iyengar Yoga Centre
Iyengar Yoga Centre for Essex www.iyce.com Susan Long , 01245 421496 Iyengar Yoga Studio Tooting www.iyyoga.com John Shirbon, Ursula Schoonraad 020 8355 3498 Long Wittenham Yoga Centre www.longwittenhamyogacentre.com/ Evelyn Crosskey 07786 065253
www.knutsfordyoga.co.uk Margaret Carter, 01925 758382
Maidstone Yoga Centre www.iyengar-yoga.co.uk Lin Craddock, 01622 685864
Putney Iyengar Yoga Centre
julieyogaputney@gmail.com Julie Hodges, 0208 704 5454
Sheffield Yoga Centre
www.sheffieldyogacentre.co.uk Frances Homewood, 07944 169238
Peak Iyengar Yoga Centre www.peakyoga.org.uk Sue Lovell, 07851 195208 AUTUMN
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Iyengar Yoga News No. 29
Bath Iyengar Yoga Centre
NEW SITE OLD FAVOURITES
Iyengar Yoga News No. 29
mats
props
books
gifts
clothing
wholesale
YOGAMATTERS.COM | 020 8888 8588
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Yoga Holiday in Kerala, India with Sue Lovell
8 – 22 January 2017
IYENGAR YOGA RETREAT GOA Palm Tree Centre Yoga Holidays Kovalam, South India
3 – 13 JANUARY 2017 LYNDA PURVIS and GERRY CHAMBERS
Relax, unwind in exotic, tropical Kerala From
£750
Cost: £395
www.eastwestyoga.org.uk
13 nights in beautiful spacious houses next to
the beach, breakfasts after yoga & 8 delicious evening meals included. 2 yoga classes a day with weekend off All levels of students welcome
01395 266616
Transfer from Trivandrum airport (about half an hour) included Contact Sue 07851195208
www.peakyoga.org.uk
& for more details & to book a place
www.freespirityogaholidays.co.uk
A T H
I Y E N G A R
Y O G A
C E N T R E
Directors: Dir ectors: Richar Richard hard & Kirsten Agar W Ward ard
Iyengar Yoga News No. 29
B
IIntensives: ntensives: New Year Weekend with Kirsten Agar Ward January 2017 New Y ear W eekend IIntensive ntensi s ve w ith Ki rsten Ag ar W ard 7 & 8 Ja nuary 2 01 7 Easter with Richard Agar Ward April 2017 Ea ster IIntensive ntensive w ith R ichard Ag ar W ard 8 & 9 Ap ril 2 0 17 Arnside Weekend with Kirsten Agar Ward April 2017 Arn side W eekend w ith Ki rsten Ag ar W ard 8 & 9 Ap ril 2 01 7 Teacher Training: Te ac h er T raining : Junior Teacher Training 19 20 November 2016, February 2017 Ju ni or T eacher T raining - 1 9&2 0N ovember 2 016, 4 & 5 F ebruary 2 0 17 Senior Teacher Training 2017 commences 18 19 February Se ni or T eacher T raining ffor or 2 017 co mmences 1 8&1 9F ebruary 14 Charlotte Street, Bath BA1 2JP
01225 319699
w w w. w . b a t h - i y e n g a rr- y o g a . c o m
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Advertising in the Iyengar Yoga News
· · ·
· ·
You can order a full page advert (170mm wide by 246mm high), a quarter page advert (80mm wide by 118mm high) or a half page advert (170mm wide by 118mm high. Either send the completed artwork (as a ‘press quality’ PDF, a high resolution JPEG or an Adobe InDesign document) OR you can send the images (as high res. JPEGs) and wording and we will make the advert up for you. Please note: Advertisements for yoga classes, events, holidays etc. – will only be accepted from certificated Iyengar yoga teachers Advertisements for Yoga Centres will only be accepted from official Iyengar yoga organisations Where yoga equipment is itemised in an advert, this will only be accepted for equipment which is used within the Iyengar method. The name ‘Iyengar’ must not be used as an adjective attached to specific items of equipment e.g. use ‘blocks for Iyengar practice’ rather than ‘Iyengar blocks’ etc. Goods or services which are not used in yoga and/or which are not acceptable within the Iyengar method will not be advertised in IYN Advertisements for other goods (e.g. Books/CD ROMS/videos) will only be published if they concern the Iyengar method or have otherwise been approved by the Ethics & Certification Committee of the IY (UK) If you wish to advertise in the next issue of Iyengar yoga News, please send all text, photographs or artwork by the next issue deadline of 31st December 2016 to cotgreavej@gmail.com
Iyengar Yoga News No. 29
Advertising rates Circulation: 2800. Quarter page £50; Half page £100; Full page £180. Small ads 60p per word NB. the Editorial Board reserves the right to refuse to accept advertisements or parts of advertisements that are deemed to be at variance with the stated aims of the Iyengar yoga (UK). IY (UK) does not necessarily endorse any products etc. advertised in this magazine. 54
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Charity Yoga Notebook by Prithi Irani Available now: a beautiful 300 page lined hardback notebook with illustrations by Prithi Israni and quotes on yogic living and practice on every page, approved by B.K.S. Iyengar. This is a perfect yogi’s notebook for practice notes or personal writing. Prithi Israni is a close devotee of B.K.S. Iyengar and spent time with him during his last years. He guided her with his wisdom and love in her practice as well as in life. Practice is a mirror of life and Guruji was an example to us all. He never stopped his practice till his last breath. He practiced Savasana till his last day and shared his knowledge with everyone. The quote on the front of the book is from Guruji a few months before his passing. Prithi hopes that it is a quote that will help us continue with the love, commitment and determination that Guruji had within himself to spread his teaching and continue our practice with faith and truth. All the profits from sales of this book will be given to the Bellur Trust, to aid the uplift of Guruji’s place of birth. Iyengar Yoga News No. 29
You can buy this book for £14.50 (including postage and packing) from our website: https://iyengaryoga.org.uk Or, to place a large order please email: PrithiD@aol.com
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Iyengar Yoga News No. 29