Drawing Young People to Iyengar Yoga < YoUr reSpoNSeS to the IYNAUS SUrVeY >
I
t is vital for the future of Iyengar Yoga that young people—
teachers, practitioners, and students—embrace our method. Only in this way can we insure that the teachings of Guruji and the Iyengars continue to reach a wide audience. Early this year a survey was sent to IYNAUS members as a first step to prompt our U.S. yoga community to think and talk about this issue so that we can all be creative in coming up with ideas and solutions. Three hundred and eighteen respondents completed the survey; 54 percent were Certified Teachers, 24 percent students, and 22 percent people who teach but are not yet certified. Certified Teachers ranged in level from Introductory I (16 percent) and Introductory II (50 percent, the largest group), to Intermediate Junior (27 percent) and higher (nearly 7 percent). Respondents ranged from late teens to the 70s. Some preferred not to give their name; they are identified as anonymous.
Yoga Samachar
Spring /Summer 2011
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Responses were overwhelmingly positive, with people crediting Iyengar Yoga for transforming their lives—healing their bodies, deepening their spiritual awareness. There were some complaints about teachers and teaching techniques. It was agreed that Iyengar Yoga should be marketed to the young by a margin of 10 to one. Some responses have been condensed and edited for length; ellipses do not always appear when part of a response has been deleted; we have made every effort to respect the intent of the respondent. We appreciate all responses; if your response was not selected for publication, it is likely because others had a similar theme. Additional responses will be published in the Fall issue of Yoga Samachar and online at iynaus.org. Special thanks to Constance Braden, Nikki Costello, Sharon Cowdery, Carole Del Mul, Brina Gehry, Anne Geil, and Pat Musburger for creating and tallying the survey. —Richard Jonas
