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Drawing Young People to Iyengar Yoga – Your Responses to the IYNAUS Survey
by IYNAUS
Drawing Young People to Iyengar Yoga
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< YoUr reSpoNSeS to the IYNAUS SUrVeY >
It 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. 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
How old were you when you began practicing Iyengar Yoga?
Respondents began Iyengar Yoga at various ages—mostly in their 20s and 30s, with sizeable numbers beginning in their 40s, and a few in their 50s and 60s. One respondent began after 70, one at 14.
How many years have you been practicing Iyengar Yoga?
Respondents reported years, and in many cases, decades of practice. Approximately half have been practicing Iyengar Yoga from 11 to 20 years, 30 percent from one to 10 years, and 20 percent from 21 to more than 40 years.
Has your mind state changed over the years? Has yoga made you feel calmer, more equable, more attuned to the spiritual nature of the practice?
More than 99 percent said yes; only three disagreed; two of these went on to explain they had experienced the change right away, or came to Iyengar Yoga from a practice of some other yoga.
“ Yoga helped me become a more peaceful, mindful, and cheerful person.
But it has also, and most importantly, helped me live and love more wholeheartedly.” —Carrie Owerko, Intermediate Senior I, 48
“ Yoga helped me be more confident. When I started at 30, the world was overwhelming.” —Bobby Clennell, Intermediate Senior I, 68
“ Yoga practice has made me able to deal with the inevitable ups and downs in life without too much difficulty. Although life still presents the usual things—births, deaths, illnesses, divorces, marriages, job changes and losses, house moves, continent moves, menopause—I have been able to bounce back from each experience. The practice is like a thread which simply has to be picked up again.” —Cathy Rogers Evans, Intermediate Senior III, 56
“ I came into Iyengar Yoga due to a serious accident, and after working with the physical body I became more interested in going deeper. In 1981 I asked Guruji how, and he suggested I read several texts which would help me understand. It took many years to really get into some of those texts, but now I am really able to connect aspects of the texts with my Asana practice, and I am very grateful to Guruji.” —Joan White, Advanced Junior I, 67
“ Of course my mind state has changed! I am 30-plus years older. How can I tell if it is only yoga that has made me calmer? Many things have influenced me.” —Anonymous teacher
“ I was a general contractor for the last 30 years. Iyengar Yoga helped me keep my body straight after much physical labor and keep my mind fairly calm dealing with my clients. This has taken years, but as a retired contractor and fulltime teacher, my level of tension and my attention to the spiritual aspects of life are evolving more and more.” —Allan Nett, Intermediate Junior III, 64
“ I’m more attuned to the spiritual nature of life. Practice is life off the mat now. Asana is just a small part of the whole.” —Annie Hoffman,
Introductory II, 56
“ Yoga helped pull me out of a depression in my early 20s. I attribute my practice to helping me be a more stable and patient person, mom, friend.” —Aretha Blevins, Intermediate Junior I, 34
“ Yoga has given me skills and tools to practice freedom, whatever my physical or physiological state.” —Victoria Austin,
Intermediate Junior III, 57
“ When I was suffering from depression several years ago, my practice helped tremendously.” —Chris Beach, Intermediate Junior II, 51
“ I had a lot of self-esteem issues. During the first session of classes I gained physical strength as well as emotional stability.” —Becky Lloyd, Intermediate Junior II, 44
“ Yoga has made me calmer while I am practicing yoga; not always while I am dealing with stuff in the world. It does help to know I have my practice to go to.” —Ute Zahn, student, 46
“ Iyengar Yoga has brought a sense of stillness, an ability to appreciate the moment, and a sense of the vastness of consciousness in life.” —Charles Tidd, Introductory II, 60
“ Yoga is a vehicle—a path to the deepest kosha. It is a continuous process, which aims to close the distance between my ‘self’ and that which I perceive and encounter through my mind and body. At any level of appreciation, yoga does this without the practitioner necessarily understanding its rich purpose.” —Carol W. Nichols,
Introductory I, 60
“ I would have to write a book to describe the positive changes. The practice of Iyengar Yoga has allowed me a huge transition from a chaotic, scattered lifestyle to a spiritually-focused calmness that is my true nature.” —Gary Reitze, Intermediate Junior II, 63
“ Iyengar Yoga gave me the grace to make it through the late teen years and the transitions in college and travels abroad. In the last sevenand-a-half years it has enhanced my life through three pregnancies and the challenges of mothering. Now my children are a part of my yoga practice.” —Desiree Federman, teacher, 33
“ Being very hyperactive, I tended to constantly be on the go. Yoga helped me become more focused and attentive to the present moment.
In my Asana practice I have also learned to be less competitive and more attuned to my body’s need for balance.” —Diana Jacaman,
Introductory II, 56
“ As an alcoholic, I needed significant emotional and spiritual growth and balance to recover.” —Jim Gleason, Introductory II, 68
“ I am happier, from a cellular level, to use Guruji’s description of satya.
I have greater discernment, am able to make decisions sooner and more assuredly, not going back and forth so many times.” —Jan LeFrancois, Intermediate Junior I, 57
“ Doing Iyengar Yoga, I was able to focus and take care of my body with all its qualities and imperfections. In my first Iyengar class I was encouraged not to abandon any vulnerable area in my body, but instead to nurture and promote its health. This different approach to practice had an immediate effect on my state of mind. I felt calmer, more focused and engaged. Reading the Sutras brought the spiritual nature of the practice in for me.” — Janet Langley,
Intermediate Junior I, 47
“ I have always been a hard worker and something of a perfectionist.
Yoga helped me let go of the ‘results.’ I still work hard, but I let the results evolve. I am a calmer, happier person for that.” —Anonymous Certified Teacher
“ I came to the practice from another style because I wanted to heal my chronic back pain; I stayed because my back healed and so did my heart. This practice put my heels into the ground, my tailbone underneath me, and gave me a sense of stability I had never previously experienced. It has lit me from within.” — Jennifer Roy, student, 28 “ I always say, ‘God gave us the right tools; Iyengar Yoga teaches us how to use them.’ As a devout Christian, [I have found that] much of what is taught in Iyengar Yoga reiterates much of what Christianity teaches. What I do not agree with I set aside and take what applies to my life. Yoga has enhanced my own spiritual belief.” —Mary Frances
Chan, Introductory II, 73
“ What began as a physical endeavor and an interest in ‘mysticism’ has developed into a practice where I experience greater depth of being, clarity, and sensitivity.” —Michael Moore, Introductory II, 40
“ I’m not calmer or more equable, but totally like myself: quick to engage, totally tuned in to the outside world and made happy by it. In that sense, I’m more attuned to the spiritual nature of the practice.” —Anonymous teacher
“ Sometimes, unfortunately, it has been hard, because I have never really had a teacher who was also giving and willing to be a mentor.
Lately it seems to be all about money.” —Anonymous student
“ After a long dance career, Iyengar Yoga was the one physical activity I could manage that didn’t hurt. My body has begun to ‘open’ again through the careful work in yoga. More importantly, my entire approach to living has shifted. I don’t feel that I need to control things as much. I feel I can trust that others are doing what they need to do for themselves. If I can help them to come to yoga, I am pleased, but I don’t feel I am ‘responsible’ for the whole world anymore!” —Peggy Berg, Introductory II, 62
“ Yoga is probably the best thing that has happened to me so far in my life. I feel calmer, more focused, accepting of my body, and happy. Yoga is transformative.” —Naomi Lazny, student, 18
“ I am always amazed at how little awareness I have of yoga’s effects while I am regularly practicing. It is only when I am forced to hold off on my practice for some reason that I realize how important it is to my state of mind. That realization has made my practice more constant.” —Rogelio Zuniga, student, 38
“ Without yoga I would certainly be a very different person. I have found a level of peace in my life I never knew before. I have been able to see the beauty of who I am without the makeup I previously used.
Without the hair dye. Without the high heels. Without the … dare I say it—girdle! I am a much, much happier person. Yoga and meditation made all the difference!” —Gayna Uransky,
Intermediate Junior III, 64
What attracted you to Iyengar Yoga? What aspects of this type of yoga did not appeal to you?
Response was overwhelmingly positive to this, the most controversial of our questions. Two-thirds of respondents said they liked everything about Iyengar Yoga—“No aspect did not appeal to me,” one wrote—praising its “precision” and
“intelligence” and writing glowingly about “knowledgeable” teachers marked by “authority and compassion.” Iyengar Yoga is “transformative,” many respondents said, citing recoveries from severe injuries; others wrote about the way Iyengar Yoga bridges the physical to embrace the spiritual. Of the third with reservations, some cited teachers who were “harsh,” “rigid,” or “judgmental.”
“ I came to Iyengar Yoga through my teacher, Mary Palmer. I had broken my back in a horseback-riding accident and she said she would use that to get Mr. Iyengar to come to the United States. That was the beginning. After my very first class I knew that he would be my teacher. I loved his insightfulness and his ability to actually instruct us in our poses. I was surprised by his mercurial temper and was a bit afraid of him, but at the same time fascinated by him. I stayed because I could see that he was throwing me a lifeline when the doctors had been very negative about my condition. I had glimpses of him as a very compassionate man, especially when he took me right out of a chair backbend because he said with that much pain, I couldn’t do. I hadn’t said anything about the pain, but he was watching me and immediately saw what was happening and came to my rescue. How could I not want to be in the presence of someone like that?” —Joan White, Advanced Junior I, 67
“ The Iyengar method offers a full range of methods to practice including fast-moving or flowing as well as ‘slow’ or holding poses.
There is something to learn in all the approaches which complement each other. There is something to learn in moving quickly that is not found in a slow approach and vice versa. These distinctions can enhance each other.”—Dean Lerner, Advanced Junior I, 60
“ Iyengar Yoga helped me transition from my 20s to my 30s. The Sixties had been pretty wild, plus I had a lot to cope with. I gave birth to my two children in my 20s. Iyengar Yoga gave me strength and a way of feeling good that didn’t involve drugs.” —Bobby Clennell,
Intermediate Senior I, 68
“ I was drawn to the discipline, precision, vision and inspiration of
Guruji’s practice. I was a bit wary of what appeared to be abusive behaviors from some of the teachers. Since I had come from a dance and theater arts background, I was used to abuse so it was no big deal. I was more concerned that some of the teachers I encountered seemed really unhappy, unfulfilled even." —Carrie Owerko, Intermediate Senior I, 48
“ It was the first type of yoga that explained what and why I was doing the Asanas. I loved the alignment. It just made complete sense. No aspect did not appeal to me: I was a convert from the first class.” —Juliana Fair, Intermediate Senior I, 57
“ I was attracted to Iyengar Yoga by the transformation which I saw had taken place in my friend, from a large, rather depressed lady into a svelte, alert, cheerful person who no longer wore black everyday. She helped me join her teacher’s class and I was hooked at the age of 22. I was a young mother of two who had already started to suffer from stress, which was showing up in stomach pains. I began to feel better immediately. I loved every aspect of the yoga: I loved the way the practice completely engaged my mind and made me feel strong, healthy, energetic. Guruji came to Oxford and I was there, Guruji came to London and I was there. Every time he taught or demonstrated in England, I struggled to find time and money to get there. I was so keen there was absolutely no stopping me!” —Cathy Rogers Evans, Intermediate Senior III, 56
“ I was attracted by the sense it made with the integrity of the body.
It helped me more psychologically than physically at first.” —Felicity Green, Advanced Junior I, 77
“ It is sensible, offering practice from the level of athleticism to recuperation, with sophisticated Pranayama from the very beginning.
The approach feels profoundly complete, from the physical to the psychological and spiritual. Although I studied many of the texts when I was in college and in my 20s, I find the current usage of
Sanskrit creates needless obscurity.” —Anonymous Teacher
“ My first experience was when I was in dance school in Amsterdam.
We went to the Iyengar Center to ‘get a good stretch.’ I liked the acrobatics of it, not the simple poses. I thought some of the inversions were scary, but I was actually interested in that emotion." —Lucienne Vidah, Intermediate Junior I, 48
“ At my first Iyengar class the teacher came up to me and said, ‘You have scoliosis.’ I had not thought about my scoliosis in years. She said, ‘Forget everything you have learned in yoga. You first need to learn to balance on your two feet.’ After that class I got the ‘yoga flu’; everything was flowing in my body, toxins releasing. I have been hooked ever since.” —Tessa Manning, student, 27
“ I started yoga after two foot surgeries ended my ‘identity’ as a competitive runner. For the first two years I struggled. I was angry in poses such as Virabhadrasana I. Savasana could have been the hardest of all. [Still] I knew immediately that yoga was more than
Asana and might help me quiet my mind and allow me to be more
present. At times I found it boring or slow, but that also kept me interested. The rest of my life was varied, fast-paced, insane. I needed to focus and center and be specific.” —Catherine S. Marquette, teacher, 34
“ I like the authority the teachers have as well as their compassion.
I also like very much the way the teachers correct each individual.” —Floriana Tullio, student, 36
“ Teachers of Iyengar Yoga have been the most down-to-earth and loving yoga teachers I have studied under.” —Kate Morse Harris, student, 30
“ My very first yoga class was with Mary Dunn. I had no idea what
Iyengar Yoga was, but I was totally attracted to how she presented the philosophy. I related on a life level, and I was delighted by the challenge.” — Leslie Manes, Intermediate Junior I, 68
“ My teacher was warm and caring and had a real focus on the spiritual aspect of the practice.” —Anonymous teacher
“ The precision and lack of pretense.” —Achyut Joshi, student, 32
“ The precision of the Iyengar method, and how deeply my teacher seemed to understand the subject. I was intrigued at the vast scope of what was taught in yoga class: the body, mind, emotions, breath, the philosophy, the spiritual aspects.” —Alicia Rowe, Introductory II, 39
“ I came to Iyengar Yoga after 12 years in another method. It was like going to a ‘master class’—after all these years I didn’t even know my own body! It was a revelation; each class blew my mind. I became hooked, and although I was teaching the other method, I started regularly studying only Iyengar Yoga.” —Barbara Boris,
Introductory I, 52
“ I tried a couple of different schools, but they didn’t feel right for me.
When I walked into my first Iyengar class, I knew I would be doing this for the rest of my life. What attracted me was the orderly progression of Asanas, as well as what and how I was taught.
Compared to the other ‘types’ of yoga, the teacher’s ego was pretty much kept out of the class. This made it feel safe both physically and emotionally. I also soon got a sense of the vast scope of the subject, and settling into the knowledge that a lifetime of learning lay ahead was both humbling and exciting.” —Ute Zahn, student, 46
“ I don’t like the hierarchical, top-down nature of the system.” —Claudia Kuhns, Introductory Junior I, 61
“ The only thing that did not appeal to me then was that the teachers were all younger than me, and did not fully understand the older body.
As the teachers have matured, that aspect of teaching has improved.” —Dena Glazer, Introductory II, 77 “ Instructions on how to properly get into and out of poses, and how to stay in poses. What actions should be happening. And the teacher said things that made sense, not terms like ‘Reach for the stars.’
Nothing was unappealing to me about Iyengar Yoga.” —Anonymous Certified Teacher
“ I was dragged to an Iyengar class by a friend who believed that with my groin injury, I would benefit. At first I found the intense commitment of ‘brain activity’ in the Asana very difficult. Such focus while doing Asana felt cerebral in a way that was uncomfortable. I had to let go of the comfort of ignorance—the belief that brain and body were somehow separate.” —Janet Langley, Intermediate Junior I, 47
“ The simplicity of the practice attracted me. I may be in the minority, but I love props. The more props, the better. The precise use of props attracted me, the attention to detail, and the lack of sentimentality surrounding the practice. I don’t feel as though I’m told what to feel, but rather given time and space to have the experience for myself. On a physical level, the instruction is always very precise, but beyond that I often feel I have been given generous space to simply observe.” —Jennifer Roy, student, 28
“ The geographic scarcity of teachers in certain areas results in long commutes or infrequent access to classes.” —Karen Taylor, student, 31
“ Having been a professional dancer, I was seeking a form of exercise that would give my body the same satisfactions that dance classes had. The unexpected bonus was that through the effort and precision,
I received a profound feeling of absence of mental and emotional tension. I could not remember a time when I had felt so free of such tensions.” —Leslie Dillingham Freyberg, Intermediate Junior I, 61
“ It made more sense than some of the others I tried, and it was more accessible for someone starting out at age 40.” —David McDonald, student, 60
“ I started practicing out of books. One day, I nearly injured myself when I blacked-out while attempting a standing back bend, falling head-first on the floor. I decided to get some instruction. My brother was taking Iyengar classes so I went to his teacher, who remains my primary teacher today. The only complaint I had at the time was that I wanted to learn how to ‘meditate.’ I thought something was missing.
It took me many years to understand how the practice of Asana and
Pranayama is meant to culture the mind and lead toward meditation.” —Michael Moore, Introductory II, 40
“ With a lifetime of accumulated injuries from my dance career, I was concerned I was going to need both knees and hips replaced. I was immediately attracted to Iyengar Yoga because I found I could engage in the physical practice with great intensity, but without further damage—this was amazing! When I began to feel my ability to move increase again, I was relieved beyond belief. I also was amazed that there were so many things about the body I didn’t know. No one in dance ever suggested moving my skin one way or the other! I became intellectually curious too, and that powered further investigation.
Gradual immersion in the practice began to teach other, more subtle lessons about living. Many people think yoga shouldn’t be so ‘picky,’ so much about props, so much to think about. For me, those were the things that appealed to me and made me feel safe.” —Peggy Berg,
Introductory II, 62
“ The attention to detail and the results… It seemed very genuine and grounded. The only aspect that does not appeal to me (then and now) is the heavy emphasis on Hindu-centered prayers. I respect it but do not want to feel ostracized if I do not participate. I do not like being told that I ‘must’ begin my classes with the invocation to Patanjali. I don’t, and as a studio owner, I do not feel that this is a way to attract students.” —Anonymous Certified Teacher
“ I first began taking Iyengar Yoga classes because my mother was a longtime practitioner. I was drawn to the advanced arm balances and inversions, as well as the wisdom and physical abilities of my teachers. I was a little turned off by Pranayama—a week of classes each month devoted to breathing exercises and restorative poses didn’t seem as challenging and exciting as the backbends, twists, and standing poses.” —Naomi Lazny, student, 18
“ The intelligence and incredible depth of our system is what attracted me. I was lucky to study with teachers that were compassionate and interesting. At 22 years old, I thought the people practicing seemed old and they dressed funny. Obviously that was my immature state of mind; I was often the youngest person in my class.” —Anonymous Certified Teacher, 38
“ The precision that obviously got right into the stiffness that I had.
And I was happy to be hearing the philosophy behind yoga. I am an anthropologist by training and love to know the roots of things. The only drawback to Iyengar Yoga is hard work and dedication. Laziness is not accepted... ha!” —Jennie Williford, Intermediate Junior I, 37
“ I needed the structure. I hated the structure.” —Suzy Pennington,
Introductory II, 58
“ I liked being able to take an intro level course starting at the very beginning with everyone else. I did not like going to yoga classes with all kinds of levels and little instruction. I also liked the discipline.” —Virginia Burdette, student, 54 “ My first Iyengar teacher, Ida Unger, was my biggest draw. From my first class I knew this experience of Iyengar Yoga would enhance and change my life and it has—every single day. The teacher-in-training program is so demanding and I have proudly graduated through the three-year process. I had a severe injury and lost my mom this past year. As a result, I have not completed the required six-month assistant duty and may have to wait another year before I can go for the first-phase testing. This is a huge turn-off.” —Wendy Alter, teacher, 51
“ Attraction: the grounding, down-to-earth kind of working on poses and getting better at it. On the negative side: it brought out a
‘shadow side’ in me: jealousy (of other people who could do poses better than I), eagerness that went beyond a healthy state, anxiety and nervousness around assessment situations.” —Renata Cardinal,
Introductory II, 64
“ Teachers are often full of dogma, lack joy, could be called mean and rigid.” —Anonymous student
“ While acknowledging Iyengar Yoga’s “intelligent, methodical, physically-safe, knowledgeable teachers with apparently high levels of integrity,” one respondent wrote “many teachers can be rude and abrasive to the point of being abusive” and of a “cult-like mentality (our way is the only right way)” that was “rigid, elitist, sophist” and represented “too many burning hoops to jump through as a teacher.” —Anonymous student
“ I like the way the mind is so engaged in the physical actions and
Guruji’s poetic images illuminating the Asanas with the philosophy, but not the occasional harshness and perfectionist interpretation of the work.” While attracted by “teachers who gave instructions that were easy to follow” and who made “it feel safe,” the respondent was put off by “teachers (who) were angry, not friendly while teaching.
Teachers were mean and bossy.” —Anonymous student
“ I love Iyengar’s wisdom—it is very detailed and intelligent. My body opened up immensely when I started working with the props. I basically only study with Iyengar teachers now. I feel they hold a high standard and are more knowledgeable. I like all the Iyengar publications. I honor and respect B.K.S. Iyengar’s teachings, but I do not like the mental rigidity and politics. I think many Iyengar teachers
