Yoga Samachar FW2012

Vol. 15 No. 2

Fall 2011 / Winter 2012

Guruji in China Patricia Walden “Lighting the Way�

An Interview with Mary O Developing Tolerance From the Heartland Conference Remembering Mary Palmer

The wedding of Abhijahta and Ajay Iyengar Pune, India April 16-17, 2011

Abhi and Ajay, early in the morning on the wedding day.

Abhi is wearing the South Indian sari that her family gave her.

Contents

Letter from the President – Chris Beach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Letter from the Editor – Robin Mishell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 2010 Certifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Patricia Walden “Lighting the Way”– Richard Jonas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Guruji in China: An Interview with Manouso Manos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Mary O – Robin Mishell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Developing Tolerance Through Yoga – Zubin Zarthoshtimanesh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 From the Heartland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Sutra Study—Why? – Julia Shaida & Carrie Owerko . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Remembering Mary Palmer – Joan White . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Drawing Young People to Iyengar Yoga, Part II – Richard Jonas . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Product Review: Three Minute Egg – Joan White . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Joy & Presence – Lois Steinberg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Iyengar Yoga Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 IYNAUS Membership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Yoga Samachar’s Mission Yoga Samachar, the newsletter of the Iyengar Yoga community in the United States and beyond, is published twice a year by the Communications Committee of the Iyengar Yoga National Association of the United States (IYNAUS). The word samachar means “news” in Sanskrit. Along with the website, iynaus.org, Yoga Samachar is designed to provide interesting and useful information to the IYNAUS membership to: 1. Promote the dissemination of the art, science, and philosophy of yoga as taught by B.K.S. Iyengar, Geeta Iyengar, and Prashant Iyengar.

2. Communicate information regarding the standards and training of certified teachers.

3. Report on studies regarding the practice of Iyengar Yoga.

4. Provide information on products that IYNAUS imports from India.

5. Review and present recent articles and books written by the Iyengars.

6. Report on recent events regarding Iyengar Yoga in Pune and worldwide.

7. Be a platform for the expression of experiences and thoughts from members, both students and teachers, about how the practice of yoga affects their lives.

8. Present ideas to stimulate every aspect of the reader’s practice.

Yoga Samachar is produced by the IYNAUS Communications Committee Editor: Robin Mishell Copy Editor: Denise Weeks Designer: Don Gura On the Cover: Guruji teaching in Guangzhou, China in June, 2011. Photo by Raya.

Members may submit an article or a practice sequence for consideration for inclusion in future issues. Articles should be well written and submitted electronically.

Articles must include author’s full name, certification level, and the year the author began studying Iyengar Yoga, along with contact information: email, mailing address, and phone number.

Ads and articles for the Spring/Summer issue must be submitted by March 1.

Ads and articles for the Fall/Winter issue must be submitted by September 1.

Please send articles to yogasamachar@iynaus.org Please send ads and announcements to Sharon Cowdery at generalmanager@iynaus.org

IYNAUS Officers and Standing Committees President: Chris Beach Vice President: Phyllis Rollins Secretary: Janet Lilly Treasurer: David Carpenter Archives

Chris Beach, Chair

Kim Kolibri, Director of Archives Lindsey Clennell, Elaine Hall, Linda Nishio, Deborah Wallach

By-Laws

Janet Lilly, Chair Peggy Kelley, David Larsen

Certification Committee Mary Reilly, Chair

Lois Steinberg, Linda DiCarlo, Marla Apt, Mary Obendorfer

Communications Committee

Christine Nounou, Chair Robin Mishell, Editor, Yoga Samachar

Gloria Goldberg, Carole Delmul, Don Gura, Richard Jonas, Gina Russell King, Pat Musburger, Phyllis Rollins, Sue Saluniak, Joan White

Ethics Committee

Rebecca Lerner, Chair

Joan White, Sue Salaniuk, Michael Lucey

Events Committee

Patrina Dobish, Chair Linda DiCarlo, Gloria Goldberg, Phyllis Rollins, Jennie Williford

Finance Committee

David Carpenter, Chair Chris Beach, Chris Nounou

Membership Committee Elizabeth Hynes, Chair

IMIYA – Leslie Bradley IYAGNY – Elisabeth Pintos IYAMN – Elizabeth Cowan IYAMW – Becky Meline IYANC – Risa Blumlien IYASC-LA – Kat Lee IYASC-SD – Marilyn Patton IYASCUS – Michelle Mock IYASE – Diana Martinez IYASW – Lisa Henrich IYANW – Tonya Garreaud IYANE – Kathleen Swanson

Nominating Committee Patrina Dobish, Chair

Linda DiCarlo, Gloria Goldberg, Dean Lerner, Manouso Manos, Elise Miller

Regional Support Committee Leslie Freyberg, Chair

IMIYA – Leslie Bradley, Craig Kurtz IYAGNY – James Murphy IYAMN – Steve Hornbacher IYAMW – Jennie Williford IYANC – Heather Haxo-Phillips IYASC-LA – Kat Lee Shull IYASC-SD – Cyndy Cordle IYASCUS – Paula Weithman IYASE – Alex Cleveland, Phyllis Rollins IYASW – Lisa Henrich IYANW – Tonya Garreaud IYANE – Greg Anton

Scholarship and Awards Committee Leslie Freyberg, Chair

Chris Beach, Linda DiCarlo, Richard Jonas, Lisa Jo Landsberg, Pat Musburger, Mary Reilly, John Schumacher

Service Mark & Certification Mark Committee Gloria Goldberg, Attorney in Fact for B.K.S. Iyengar Rebecca Lerner, Board Liaison Marla Apt

Systems & Technology Committee Chris Nounou, Chair

Ed Horneij, David Weiner

Yoga Research Committee Phyllis Rollins, Chair

Julie Gudmestad, Jacqueline Kittel, Beth Sternlieb, Lisa Walford, Kimberly Williams Fall 2011 /Winter 2012 Yoga Samachar

IYNAUS Senior Council

Chris Saudek, John Schumacher, Patricia Walden 1

IYNAUS Board Member Contact List Fall 2011/Winter 2012 Chris Beach 21 Harvey Ct. Irvine, CA 92617

Rebecca Lerner P.O. Box 941 Lemont, PA 16851-0914

David Carpenter 1948 N. Maud Chicago, IL 606145

Janet Lilly 3417 N. Cramer St. Milwaukee, WI 53211

Patrina Dobish 2650 W. Belden #313 Chicago, IL 60647

Christine Nounou McKinsey & Company 875 Third Ave., 534 New York, NY 10022

Leslie Freyberg 31 Topstone Rd. Redding, CT 06896 Elizabeth Hynes 4228 Huntsfield Rd. Fayetteville, NC 28314

Phyllis Rollins 204 Front St. Cramerton, NC 28032 Sharon Cowdery 1952 First Ave. South Suite 1B Seattle, WA 98134

Please contact your Board Members at: iynaus.org/iyanus/iynaus-board-staff

Fall 2011 /Winter 2012 Please visit the IYNAUS website: www.iynaus.org 1952 First Ave South, Suite 1B Seattle, WA 98134 • 206.623.3562

Letter from the President Dear Fellow IYNAUS Members, I have just returned from the Midwest Regional “From the Heartland” Conference in Chicago. The conference was a great success, with inspiring teaching both by a strong cohort of Senior Teachers and by a group of very committed and talented Intermediate Junior teachers from the Midwest area. The conference was extremely well-organized— thanks to the efforts of Laurie Blakeney and her excellent team—and the Palmer House hotel in downtown Chicago was a beautiful venue.

This was the second regional conference that has been jointly sponsored by IYNAUS and one of our regional associations. The first conference was in Providence, Rhode Island in 2009, co-sponsored by the New England Association, and the next will be the “Maitri” Regional Conference in Washington, D.C. in May 2012, co-sponsored the Southeast Association. I have been asked to clarify the distinction between National Conventions and Regional Conferences. Unlike Conventions, which are held every three years and are primarily geared toward teachers, Regional Conferences are open to all students of yoga, even those who have not previously studied the Iyengar method. Regional Conferences are held in the years in which no Convention is scheduled. The next Iyengar Yoga National Convention will be held in San Diego in 2013 and will be a combined conference and convention. The conference will take place over the first two days; the convention will follow immediately afterwards. If you are a member of a region that would be interested in hosting the 2014 Conference, please let us know!

The next Iyengar Yoga National Convention will be held in San Diego in 2013 and will be a combined conference and convention.

I would also like to take this opportunity to welcome our newest regional association, the Iyengar Yoga Association of the Southwest (IYASW). The Southwest Region recently came together through the joint efforts of Aileen Epstein-Ignadiou and Lisa Henrich. Aileen, the longtime president of the Southern Nevada Region, was planning to disband IYASN in 2011. Instead, the new region will now encompass both Nevada and Arizona. The Iyengar Yoga community in Arizona has been growing fast, and by forming this new region Aileen and Lisa hope to promote Mr. Iyengar’s teachings even more effectively.

Finally, I want to thank all of you who provided us with feedback during the recentlycompleted process of revising our Bylaws. We now have an election process in place that will provide direct regional representation on the IYNAUS Board, and that will encourage improved communication between the national organization and the regions. We will be notifying the regional representatives of these changes in the coming months.

Namaste, Chris Beach, President Iyengar Yoga National Association of the United States

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Yoga Samachar Fall 2011 /Winter 2012

From the Editor Aloha, We hope you enjoy this issue of Yoga Samachar. From Guruji’s historic journey to China to the Heartland’s outstanding regional conference in Chicago, there’s a broad range of perspectives offered in this edition. This issue also includes many voices remembering and honoring beloved teachers. We would love to hear your voice.

Please send us articles, ideas, editorials, research findings, sequences, poetry, pictures, prop innovations, artwork, quotes, book reviews, and anything else you’d like to share. Selected submissions might also be posted on the IYNAUS website.

Please send all comments and submissions to yogasamachar@iynaus.org. We encourage you to visit the newly revamped IYNAUS website for additional articles and workshop listings.

As editor of this issue, I enjoyed talking with many Senior Teachers and practitioners in our community. On the topic of teachers, especially a yoga teacher’s role in the transformative process, here’s what Manouso Manos had to say: “Most of us think we can write the script of who our yoga teacher is but we can’t.

Of course, you have to find a yoga teacher who speaks directly to your understanding. But that doesn’t mean that the yoga teacher should not be pushing your buttons once in a while, saying, ‘Hey, there’s a little more to this.’ You can’t structure the box of what your yoga practice is. In fact, yoga is, by definition, transformative. The joke that I tell, and I’m not the first one to say this, is that you cannot change and stay the same at the same time.

And this is an example of what most of us want to do in a yoga class. Okay, I want to control this. I want to have this, I want to understand this and you’re not going to push my button. And the answer is, the yoga teacher should always push you into at least a minor state of discomfort. This will encourage you to move into a state where you’re willing to step out of that hard box that most of us are in, out of that control freak and that ego that tries to box us in.”

Regional Association Contacts Inter-Mountain (Colorado): IMIYA Leslie Bradley leslie@imiya.org • imiya.org Minnesota: IYAMN Elizabeth Cowan iyamn@iynaus.org • iyamn.org Northern California: IYANC Heather Haxo Phillips – haxo@hotmail.com Sarah Harvey – sarah@iyisf.orgrg Southern California, San Diego: IYASC-SD Lynn Patton iyengarsd@sbcglobal.net • iyasc.org Southeast: IYASE Diana Martinez iyase@iynaus.org • iyase.org Southwest: IYASW Lisa Henrich lisa.henrich@sccmail.maricopa.edu Northwest: IYANW Tonya Garreaud iyanw@iynaus.org • iyanw.org New England: IYANE Greg Anton iyane@iynaus.org • iyengarnewengland.com Greater New York: IYAGNY Ann McDermott Kave iyagny@iynaus.org • iyengarnyc.org Midwest: IYAMW Jennie Williford iyamw@iynaus.org • iyamw.org Southern California, Los Angeles: IYASC-LA Kat Lee iyascla@iynaus.org • iyasc.org South Central US: IYASCUS Rose Bily iyascus@iynaus.org • iyascus.org

For more information visit: iynaus.org/iynaus/regions

With gratitude to Guruji, Geetaji, and Prashantji, and a big Mahalo—Thank you—to all who contributed their time and wisdom to our magazine.

Namaste, Robin Mishell Honolulu, Hawaii

Fall 2011 /Winter 2012 Yoga Samachar

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2010 Certifications Here are the names of all those who successfully passed their 2010 Iyengar Yoga certification examinations. Many from the Introductory I—and candidates at all levels—have passed their 2011 assessments, but we won’t have all of those names till the final assessments are completed later this year. Congratulations to everyone. We celebrate your hard work and dedication.

Intermediate Senior II

David Sirgany

James Murphy

Lucienne Van der Honing Holly Walck

Intermediate Junior III Aida Amirkhanian Siegfried Bleher Susan Goulet Randy Just Christine Stein Intermediate Junior II Naghmeh Ahi Kquvien DeWeese Christine Havener Brian Hogencamp Peggy Hong Lisa Landsberg Becky Lloyd Nancy Mau Octavia Morgan Rogelio Nunez Yves Oberlin Nancy Sandercock Catherine Wright

Intermediate Junior I Greg Anton Marcela Clavijo Rose Dwyer Kathy Horak Sally Jekel Jennifer Kagan Jessica Kane Janet LeFrancois Aretha McKinney-Blevins Hugh Millard Koren Paalman Marilyn Rubin

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Gregory White Jennie Williford

Introductory II Jay Averell Jessica Becker Moran Ben-Shaul Peggy Berg Cynthia Berliner Rose Bily Doerthe Braun Karyn Bristol Maria Antonietta Capotondi Colleen Clark Chris Clawson Libby Collins Regina Cowell Katie Davidson Douglas Dee Colleen Duggan Becky Estes Shannon Fischer Titas Rose Goldblatt Diane Goldstein Laura Golub Lisa Hajek Madeleine Hexter Pam Lindberg Kate Marshall-Chase Rachel Mathenia Bonnie Moeller Kelly Moore Rupa Narayana Cynthia Nelson Steven Norber

Caitlin O’Connor Terence Ollivierra Kathryn Olson Mege Posner Michael Ruccolo III Amy Rumbel Stephen Salkin-Krucker Michael Schreiber Netta Sella Diana Shannon Carlyn Sikes Cara Sorkin Kathleen Swanson Jonathan Troen Manju Vachher Valente Vincent Marie Volovsek Coretta Washburn Mary Wixted

Kit Ford Becca Franklin Patti Gagne Esta Herold Terese Ireland Patricia Kalman Kimberly Lee Larry Lopez Leslie Lowder Rosemary Mathy Victoria McGuffin Lori McIntosh Deborah Morin Katie Murphy Linda Murphy Chris O’Brien Dana Olson Marilyn Patton Jeff Perlman Katrina Petekanakis

Introductory I (formerly called Teacher-in-Training)

Marianne Reagan

Yael Ben-Chanoch

Rosa Maria Richardson

Anastasia Bizzarri

Gay Gay Richie

Barbara Boris

Charlotte Sanpere

Megan Cannon

Lauren Schumacher

Aude Cardona

Jacqueline Shea Murply

Yvonne Caro Caro

Sharon Smith

Karen Chandler

Judith Summers Brown

Jerry Chiprin

Chere Thomas

Annie Clark

Kaori Tominaga Landau

Kisa Davison

Mary Ann Travis

Thea Daley

Yuki Tsuji-Hoening

Wendy Devitt

Mark Vierra

Vairagya Eiger

Rebecca Weisman

Tracy Erickson

Jennifer Wert

Maria Reyes

Diana Erney Kelli Fish

Yoga Samachar Fall 2011 /Winter 2012

Patricia Walden:

By Richard Jonas Photo Laura Barisonzi

“Lighting the Way”

She is an ambassador of Iyengar Yoga, sharing Guruji’s teachings, many imparted personally to her, with the larger community. She is a “face” of Iyengar Yoga—and its incredible back-bending silhouette— advancing the method with yogis of other styles.

Patricia Walden’s life is a continuity that begins with her personal practice and extends to her classes, her decades of volunteer work at the regional and national levels, and her worldwide reputation as one of the most beloved Senior Teachers.

Patricia received the Lighting the Way award at the From the Heartland regional conference in Chicago this fall. Created by IYNAUS to commemorate distinguished volunteer service, Lighting the Way has been awarded previously to Senior Teachers Joan White, Mary Dunn, and Felicity Green.

Patricia was co-founder with Victor Oppenheimer of the Iyengar Yoga Association of Massachusetts, and president for its first four years. “We were the second tier of American students of Guruji,” Patricia recalls of herself, Oppenehimer, Manouso Manos, and a few others, “after Mary Dunn, Joan White, and that group that brought Iyengar Yoga to the U.S.” One of the first teachers to join the Certification Committee, she remained a member until very recently; she continues as an assessor. She has also served on four curriculum committees for national conventions and is vice president of the recently-launched Iyengar Yoga Association of New England.

Fall 2011 /Winter 2012 Yoga Samachar

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month of September, at the time of the regional conference in Chicago. As far as my understanding goes, no doubt she is a deserving person for this award. May the award inspire her more and more towards the practice of yoga. With my grateful appreciation to both Patricia Walden and IYNAUS, With Love.”

—B.K.S. Iyengar “Patricia Walden has risen from being a yoga practitioner to being one of its icons. Her pictures worldwide have come to symbolize yoga in the modern age. This is common knowledge, but those of us who know her have witnessed how tirelessly she works to spread this subject. She encourages others to work to their true potential and stands as a beacon in the yoga world, calling others towards its greatness.” —Manouso Manos, Advanced Chris Beach, Board president, and Leslie Freyberg, Scholarship and Awards Committee chair, present Patricia Walden with the Lighting the Way award. Photo by Steve Wiley

Senior I, San Francisco, CA “As a woman practitioner, I have appreciated Patricia’s balance of strength and grace. I was glad the greater public would see

Patricia also chaired the second national convention in 1987

her gorgeous asanas and follow them back to the source, B.K.S.

in Cambridge, where Guruji gave “one of his most exceptional

Iyengar and Iyengar Yoga. Watching Guruji give her personal

demonstrations” at Harvard’s Sanders Theater. “He was no

instruction in the Pune practices, we all learned. Her devotion to

longer young, he had already begun to grow his hair long,

Guruji is inspiring. Patricia’s volunteerism in the certification

so it was even more incredible, the power of his asanas,”

process and regional organization inspires newer teachers to

Patricia remembers.

give back, makes us all a stronger voice for this tradition, and enriches our community.” —Mary Reilly, Intermediate Senior I,

The Lighting the Way award was designed to highlight volunteer

Petoskey, MI

service and inspire newer teachers and students to join in. “I didn’t even think about it as volunteer work. We just did it,

“Patricia has given many gifts to all of us. She is one of my

although of course we’d complain at times,” Patricia laughs.

dearest friends and I am very happy for her and proud of her

“But we always felt absolutely privileged to serve. We—Mary,

and her life of dedication and accomplishment. One note:

Joan, and I—always felt that not only were we serving our

Although Patricia has brought so much to her students and

community, but we were serving Guruji. There was something

colleagues through her superb teaching and her tireless work

deeply satisfying in helping to carry out his wishes in as many

for and in the community, I appreciate most the inspiration she

ways as we could.

provides through her passion for practice and the example she offers to all of us as someone who lives what she teaches.”

“Many of us feel very fortunate to be a part of a community. And

—John Schumacher, Advanced Junior I, Bethesda, MD

we love the opportunity to serve the community: that is part of yogic practice, part of the yogic life. The Bhagavad Gita has many verses and chapters on this. The essence of Karma Yoga is that you do without any expectation of appreciation or anything in return. That’s Nish Karma.”

‘The essence of Karma Yoga is that you do without any expectation of appreciation or anything in return.’

Here, members of the Scholarship and Awards Committee that choose the

– Patricia Walden

recipient, Senior Teachers, and our beloved Guruji himself, congratulate Patricia:

“Patricia and I have been close friends since 1974 and I know firsthand how hard she has worked and how dedicated to this

“It is heartening to hear that the Iyengar Yoga National

method she is. Her endurance and will power, self-discipline,

Association in the United States (IYNAUS) will be honoring

and dedication have been an inspiration to me and to many,

Patricia Walden with the award of Lighting the Way in the

many others.” —Joan White, Advanced Junior I, Philadelphia, PA

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Yoga Samachar Fall 2011 /Winter 2012

‘I didn’t even think about it as volunteer work.

We always felt absolutely privileged to serve.’

– Patricia Walden

“Patricia has done so much for our community with her open

“Her grace and eloquence connects with those who are not part

hearted-approach to Iyengar Yoga. Nationally she has been at

of the Iyengar community and introduces them to its joys of

the helm of a convention, a conference, and the Light on Life

balance in all things. She allows us to watch as she continually

tour. Her Teacher Training Program has enriched aspiring

matures in body, mind, and spirit. She freely shares this journey

teachers; many have gone on to become Certified Iyengar Yoga

with us, and that act is particularly meaningful to women.

teachers. She introduced Edwin Bryant to her students and has

Patricia is not one to think of herself as a role model but she is,

championed in-depth study of the Yoga Sutras and the Bhagavad

and I can think of no better one.” —Pat Musburger, Intermediate

Gita. She has been an inspiration to me on many levels!”

Junior I, Shoreline, WA

—Linda Di Carlo, Intermediate Junior III, Cranston, RI

Moving Toward Hanumanasana For experienced and adventurous students Sequence by Patricia Walden Inspired by Geetaji Adho Mukha Virasana

Virabhadrasana III

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Adho Mukha Svanasana

Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana – if possible, hold foot with both hands

Sirsasana

Parsvottanasana

Adho Mukha Virasana

Urdhva Prasarita Eka Padasana – full pose

Sarvangasana

Parvsottanasana – twice on each side

Parivrttaikapada Sirsasana

Uttitha Hasta Padangusthasana Virabhadrasana I – twice on each side Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana Eka Pada Adho Mukha Svanasana Virabhadrasana III Urdhva Prasarita Eka Padasana – preparation (hold right ankle with right hand)

Fall 2011 /Winter 2012 Yoga Samachar

Halasana Supta Padangusthasana – if possible, final pose Hanumanasana – if upper thighs are not in contact with floor and/or if hips are not aligned as in Parsvottanasana, must use support of horizontal bolster or 2 folded blankets

Savasana – calves on chair, if needed Jai Hanuman!

(Uttanasana can also be integrated into this sequence.)

Contraindications: Hamstring injury, Sacroiliac injury, Groin injury

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Guruji in China: Photo by Raya

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Yoga Samachar Fall 2011 /Winter 2012

An Interview with Manouso Manos

By Robin Mishell

This may be the best yoga teaching I’ve ever heard— even from him. I’ve been at this nearly 40 years and I’m thinking, how is it that he continues to teach me and these raw beginners and I’m getting so much wealth out of this mountain of yoga information?

B.K.S. Iyengar conducted a historic three-day Yoga convention in Guangzhou, China in June, 2011.

The convention commemorated 600 years of friendship and diplomatic exchange between the Indian and Chinese governments. As Zubin Zarthoshtimanesh, a long time student of Guruji, notes, “Yoga is booming in China. There are more than 400 yoga centers in Beijing alone, and there are 5 to 6 million yoga practitioners in China today” (“The Great Mountain meets the Great Wall,” Rahasya Vol 19, No. 3, 2011).

Gurujii invited two Senior Iyengar Yoga teachers from the United States to assist him: Manouso Manos of San Francisco, and Patricia Walden of Boston. Patricia said of the experience, “The Chinese community welcomed us from their hearts and showered us with love. Guruji was indefatigable, dynamic, and passionate. His teachings were simple yet profound. He talked about the heart continuously and the divinity that lives within it.” Patricia relayed that Guruji said, “Don’t practice for cosmetic beauty, practice for cosmic beauty. Practice for inner beauty and inner light. Go from the cosmetic state to the cosmic state.”

Manouso Manos also shared some of his insights and experience with Guruji in China.

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Imagine a man taking his life’s work— more than 75 years of uninterrupted practice—and standing before people and describing what that subject is.

the most important poses to give to beginners, describing them as building blocks. To take three and a half hours to teach those poses and give the fullness of what the subject is—that’s hard for most people to comprehend, but that’s exactly what he did.

You’ll see that if the DVD’s come out. They did a 6-camera shoot. I really hope it comes out as eloquently, or gives some understanding of how well he taught these classes.

He has this ability to let everyone in the room feel like he’s

Q: Tell us about Guruji in China and how he began the convention.

talking directly to them, to have them feel like there’s a direct communication coming out of the guru to every one of the 1300 people in the room. This is not my imagination. You could tell

A: Imagine a man taking his life’s work—more than 75 years of

by the way they were clapping, the way tears were coming to

uninterrupted practice—and standing before people and

their eyes when we were ending. They were really quite moved.

describing what that subject is. It has been distilled and filtered so many times that you know that you’re going to get the

Q: Did Guruji incorporate God or the chants into his teaching?

essence—the cream of where we all should be going.

A: He was warned not to. He did not start with the chant or the He started by holding up this leaf. Guruji explained, “Just as the

om’s that we’re so used to doing in the Iyengar tradition, but

veins of the leaf spread outwards, so too the skin and muscles

after a day or so he said, “You’ll have to excuse me a moment. I

of the legs. The entire body should not only vertically extend

want to do my prayers to my Lord Patanjali.” Those of us who

but also horizontally expand if one is to have a rhythmic

knew it joined in with him. He was warned by the government

stretch in the asana. Just as a leaf dries from its outer edges

that he was not allowed to have any religious connotation or

towards the inner core. Similarly, the human body generally

they would literally shut him down. But he had it his own way.

ages from the outer musculo-skeletal body to the inner core of

He didn’t begin that way, but he made sure that the chant got

the being.”

in there at some point. This is Mr. Iyengar’s way. He realizes he’s got his own way of seeing things and he’s going to bring that

He starts from there and literally went through all the sutras as

crowd to him rather than just follow that hard party line.

the days went on, changing what he said daily. He began by talking about what it’s like to be conscious. He talked about the states of mind and the five elements. He weaved it all into this

Q: Tell us about a personal moment you had with Guruji in China.

remarkable tapestry so it would make sense and become a living tradition. Instead of reading the sutras like a novel, we

A: They wanted him to come out and see The Great Wall. It’s

open it up and ask, “Does this have any meaning to me? Does

one of the most remarkable things constructed by man. We

this have anything to do with my humanity as I understand it?

went out there and he was beat up by the trip. He had already

Does this have anything to do with the transition that might be

done so much. His 2-hour classes stretched to nearly 3-1/2

possible in my life?”

hours. They told him to sit down and he never sat down during class. He just kept firing off this is what yoga is, this is what

I left the Saturday morning class and told more than one

you’re going to do, and this is how you’re going to work with it.

person, “This may be the best yoga teaching I’ve ever heard— even from him. I’ve been at this nearly 40 years and I’m thinking,

When we got out to the wall they asked him to take a small

how is it that he continues to teach me and these raw beginners

walk and he said, “No. Let me look at this beautiful site and

and I’m getting so much wealth out of this mountain of yoga

breathe in the fresh air. All of you go.” And, of course, nobody

information?”

would move. Guruji said for everyone to go and that he would do Savasana. I said, “Let me guard him. I’ll leave him alone.

Q: Can you describe Guruji’s teaching?

All of you go ahead.” I gave Guruji the excuse of my hips being what they are and still having to teach in Russia. I said to him,

A: He’s got an ability to control a room unlike any yoga teacher

“Just let me sit here with you. I don’t need to go anywhere. Let’s

I’ve ever seen. He brings them in towards him. On Friday, he

just sit for a moment and enjoy each other’s company until

taught Utthita Trikonasana, Utthita Parsvakonasana, Prasarita

they go and then you can take Savasana. You know, I won’t

Padotanasana, Parvotanasana and Tadasana. Guruji said those are

bother you.”

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Yoga Samachar Fall 2011 /Winter 2012

Being able to be at the Great Wall and be with my teacher and spend those

In Memoriam Tia Maytag Beckman

few private moments was really

Marilynn Enns

quite astonishing.

Karen Mauthe Chelsea Michaels

Faeq Biria, Guruji, and I sat and had coffee together and talked about old times and appreciated where we were. It really was a magical moment for me. Being able to be at the Great Wall and

Verse from the Bhagavad Gita, II. 20

be with my teacher and spend those few private moments was really quite astonishing.

na jayate mriyate va kadacin nayam bhutva bhavita va na bhuyah

Q: Can you describe Guruji’s intensity during the trip?

ajo nityah sasvato ’yam purano na hanyate hanyamane sarire

A: They took us to this very beautiful Indian restaurant in Beijing. I sat near Guruji and we started talking about

“You were never born; you will never die.

nothing—politics, the weather, whatever. His voice was very

You have never changed; you can never change.

low. I’m leaning way in to hear him and I’m thinking he’s got to

Unborn, eternal, immutable, immemorial, you do not

be so tired. Someone comes from the embassy and whispers in

die when the body dies.”

Translation: Eknath Easwaran

his ear, asking him if he would talk to a reporter. They put on the recorder and ask him about yoga. His voice starts to turn up and he starts to bang away because he’s on his subject. All

na – never; jayate – takes birth; riyate – never dies;

of a sudden, instead of the mundane things we were talking

va – either; kadacit – at any time (past, present or

about he’s right back on target, describing to people this most

future); na – never; ayam – this; bhutva – came into

remarkable subject that he’s revolutionized. I’m watching him

being; bhavita – will come to be; va – or; na – not;

go from this aged man who is speaking softly to one who is

bhuyah – or has coming to be; ajah – unborn;

explaining and shouting out to the world that this subject is

nityah – eternal; sasvatah – permanent; ayam – this;

important. It was a rather remarkable and profound transition.

puranah – the oldest; na – never; hanyate – is killed; hanyamane – being killed; sarire – by the body.

The Reading Corner

Yoga and Scoliosis: Journey to Health and Healing Yoga and Scoliosis: A Journey to Health and Healing by Marcia Monroe is a source of encouragement, knowledge, and healing for those who have scoliosis and want to treat it without surgery. The book briefly covers the history of scoliosis, along with conservative and non-conservative treatments options, looking at motor and perceptual human movement development.

Yoga and Scoliosis explores the complexities of the concept of alignment in the asymmetric body using the Iyengar system of yoga to work with scoliosis based on the author’s experience. The book begins with a foreword by Sri B.K.S. Iyengar, with subsequent chapters giving instruction in yoga asana for scoliosis and discussing yoga practice in daily living. A sequence from Yoga and Scoliosis is available at iynaus.org. The book will be available November 2011.

Fall 2011 /Winter 2012 Yoga Samachar

11

By Robin Mishell Zen art by Andy Kay

Mary Obendorfer, affectionately known as Mary O, is an Intermediate Senior I teacher based in San Diego, but not for long. Mary and her husband, Eddy Marks, are off to Hawaii next year where they’re building a new home with plenty of space for family and gardening. They both teach workshops around the country.

One of the first things you’ll notice about Mary, besides

Q: Can you tell us how she helped you?

her standing over 6-feet tall, is the immense joy expressed in the sheer delight of her laughter. This self-

A: She was such a natural teacher. She just

described slow learner is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate

flowed and gave me what I needed, which

with degrees in Political Science and Computer Science,

included support, help, and encouragement.

specializing in data bases.

That was a huge lesson in teaching. Asana was painful for quite a while, but it was a different

Q: Tell me about the beginning of your yoga journey.

kind of pain from what I had become used to living with. I went to every class she would let

A: “It began before it began.”

me attend until I thought she was sick of me.

But she was nice enough not to say so. I

It was real close to my 21st birthday. I was in college

never went anywhere else. I had Mary

and working as a life guard when I found out I had a

Dunn. She was the ultimate expression of

malignant melanoma. Luckily, the surgery took care of

generosity in every way. She wasn’t tall

it. They patched me together and said, “Your muscles

and she called me big Mary, and I said, “No,

are not going to work like they used to.” I was in a lot of

you’re big Mary, and I’m little Mary.”

chronic pain. I couldn’t sit long enough to finish my studies. I couldn’t do anything. I kept looking outside of myself for a fix. I was going for acupuncture, massage, and

Q: How long did it take before you felt better?

to an herbalist. I’m a slow learner. It took me a while to figure out that I was going to have to fix myself.

A: It was six or seven months before I could move and sit and be decent around

Q: How did you come upon yoga?

my family and friends. It had been the first time that I ever had my world

A: A good friend of mine had been urging me to try yoga,

narrowed. That’s an important thing for

which I didn’t know anything about. My friend gave me

me to honor. Knowing experientially

the name of her teacher, Mary Dunn, so I called her. I

what an illness or condition can do and

was this brash, ignorant person. I said to her, “If

how it makes your world a fearful, small

there’s some kind of dogma that you have to believe in order to participate, then I’m not interested.” Mary said, “Please come and I’ll let

place. Because the only direction, when you’re in the middle of all that, is down. It’s a further narrowing.

you know if I think I can help you.” She was just wonderful. She really believed that I could

Mary, with her expertise, belief, and

change. When I didn’t believe I could

confidence, gave me back the wide expanses

change, she believed enough

to look at. So now, when somebody comes to a

for the both of us.

class of mine and says, “I have this aching thing, this nagging thing, or this condition,” I feel almost a special duty to try to help. I’m not

12

Yoga Samachar Fall 2011 /Winter 2012

As you’re going through teacher training, you drop your ego and listen to what somebody else is telling you about your shortcomings or areas you need to work on.

That helps shape you as a person.

the most knowledgeable

need to know and then I’ll go back and do my practice.” Of

person, but to use what

course, at first, she was hopping up and down like a jumping

I’ve been taught and

jack! It was so typical of Mary Dunn, and so respectful of me as

understand is what I try

a beginning teacher. She did that for a whole year. She donated

to do. It’s because I know

a year of her time. It still makes my eyes tear up. She had two

how significant that

young children at home and a husband. She had a busy life, but

lifeline was for me. It was

she made room for me.

everything to me.

Q: How did you begin teaching yoga?

Q: Do I understand correctly that your life transformed because of the cancer?

A: Talk about being in the right place at the right time. It’s one

A: I finished up school

of those ironical things. This illness. This injury is really going

and was waitressing until

to be the thing that is the making of you. Who would have ever

midnight every shift.

thought, that if not for cancer, I would never have stepped into

Mary Dunn had a trip to

a yoga class if I hadn’t had that condition to recover from. It

India coming up and

wasn’t a direction I ever would have gone in. I was a swimmer,

asked me to substitute for

a racquetball player.

her. There was no formal teacher training back

There’s something Mr. Iyengar said that has never left my mind.

then. She asked me to assist her. I started with that. Then, she

“All of us, every single one of us, have the grace from heaven

said, “Okay, Thursday mornings you teach my class, and I’ll stay

continuously falling on our heads. And sometimes we’re awake

in the back of the room and do my practice. If I hear you go

enough to notice it, and then take it in a good direction, in a

wrong, I’ll get up and re-teach the pose that you didn’t do really

sense, to take it to help yourself and others for the greater

well. That’s the signal between you and me that you didn’t do a

good.” We often don’t have the awareness of that. It’s our task

good job and need to sharpen up. I’ll teach to the points you

to become aware of that grace, and honor it.

James Murphy on Mary Dunn, who passed away in 2008, at the age of 66: What Guruji saw in Mary Dunn was a very raw and eager student who didn’t have other layers of stuff on top. She had a body that hadn’t been imprinted with different kinds of yoga or training. She was able to accept his teaching very freely and the respect that went with it. He imparted a lot onto Mary Dunn. Mary got it and got it quick.

Mary’s teaching was so spontaneous and full of joy and she used what was available. I mean she’d get sparked by what was in the room. By an article she had read, or a restaurant she went to the night before, or something she saw in a museum. She just loved words and puns on words. She was always tickled by the way Guruji used humor and she used that too. One of the things that stood out about Mary is her generosity. She was willing to share and give enormous amounts and there wasn’t any kind of greed or holding on to the learning or teaching that she had been given. When she was in the classroom situation she was at her best and she wanted to be at her best and it would all just come out. She would just transcend and sparkle.

She loved to teach and her whole last year was a teaching. She shared her entire journey, from the initial diagnosis right up until her last breath, and that was a huge gift to all of us. She stayed unbelievably positive throughout, to the point where one would say, “You can’t possibly be positive about this,” but she would always find something. She would weigh the different options and then look for the positive direction to take from where ever she was. It was a wonderful teaching of being in the present, moment by moment.

Fall 2011 /Winter 2012 Yoga Samachar

(James Murphy is an Intermediate Senior II teacher in New York City.)

13

Q: What happened in 1989 when Mary Dunn left San Diego for New York?

doesn’t make the subject matter trivial. It usually helps us to get over the

A: Everyone in our yoga community was equally bereft. I

hard, difficult ground

missed her like crazy. I said to myself, if you’re going to keep

of transformation

doing this you’re going to have to support yourself. You’re going

more easily.

to have to go beyond practicing what you’ve been taught and

generous input that would sustain my inquiry until the next time.

Q: How does the ego play a part in this process?

Q: Tell us about Geetaji.

A: Guruji always

practice for inquiry. That was my thinking. The month or two I spent each year in India became like a fountainhead of fresh,

correctly says to set

A: When I first met her in 1986, she was the expression of

aside the ego. Geetaji

energy, effervescence, joy, commitment, untiring, giving,

says as long as the door

delighted, and delightful. It was like taking an energy bath to be in

to understanding isn’t

her presence of possibility and positivism and stick-to-it-iveness.

open, there’s no hope.

I mean what an inspiration she is to me. Seeing her stay with

Humor helps me take a

some kind of equilibrium when there’s the demands and pains of

look at those serious

an illness and injury or conditions bearing down on you… that’s a

things. Is this Abhinivesha

yogi. She doesn’t waiver in her commitment to her own practice

or is this pure ego? Am I

and she transmits what she thinks we can grasp.

fired up because the pose is demanding, which

Q: Can you tell us something she’s said that has really stayed with you?

Am I fired up because the pose is demanding, which throws me back into some past experience that I thought I was done with? Oh God, I thought I was done with that, but there it is again, in front of me. That’s some pretty hard ground to keep plowing every time.

throws me back into some past experience that I thought I was done with? Oh God, I thought I was done with

A: At her 65th birthday celebration she gave the world a 5-day

that, but there it is again, in front of me. That’s some pretty hard

course for over 600 people in Pune. Someone asked her what

ground to keep plowing every time.

her habit for her birthday was and how she liked to celebrate. I still have her answer on a sticky note on the refrigerator. I look

Humor is like something you would put in the earth. We just

at it every day. She said, “For my birthday and every day, I just

planted some sage and native plants. You have to plow through

simply practice.” That humble statement is so inspiring to me.

the earth with gypsum to break through the clay. Humor is like

She continues to inspire me in the way she lives and teaches.

that gypsum that makes the ground receptive to a plant

She doesn’t give up on us. I don’t know why she doesn’t give up

growing in it. I want to grow this philosophy, and humor is

on us. It would be like Einstein having to always teach

nurturing. Every class, I hope that students walk out lighter.

kindergarten! We’re all at such a basic level, and she comes

More with themselves.

down from her understanding, as all the Iyengars do.

The practice is not only in the asana room. It’s outside in the

Q: What else can you tell us about Geeta?

world. Why did I do that? How did that affect others and myself? Am I still staying on course with my aim or am I off

A: Her laugh builds with intensity and she’s got the most

track? The habit that yoga has given you is the habit of

mischievous smile and those teacher’s eyes. Oh my God. Those

reflection. Instead of just act, act, act and the next thing, next

teacher’s eyes. They pin you and you know she’s talking to you.

thing, next thing. Ask yourself what’s going on, then let that

It’s such a wonderful and effective combination for both

reflection color your next action so that slowly your aim gets

learning and hope.

honed truer and truer. It’s easy to get knocked off course.

Q: I can’t help but notice how you infuse humor in your teaching. Can you speak to that aspect of your teaching?

Q: Can you explain the evolution of your teaching?

A: Mary Dunn used to say, “Don’t be grim—grin.” My experience as

perception and observation skills are so honed that he sees

a learner is that it’s easier when there’s humor. It opens me up to

things that aren’t obvious to anybody else or even visible to

be in a lighter place. Don’t work from a fear-based place. Humor

anybody else. It’s his yoga practice that has honed that and his

A: It took me a while to realize that Guruji’s senses of

14

Yoga Samachar Fall 2011 /Winter 2012

My highest aspiration is to be an accurate conduit for the information and understanding that I’ve been given and shown.

devotion to it. After some

issues so I had to switch gears. Geetaji has such a solid

years of practice, I

understanding that she can walk in to a group of strangers, half

understand a bit more. I’m

of them with 10 different injuries, and she can make it all work.

a slow learner, but I see more than I used to.

Q: Can you talk about your study of the sutras?

In the public classes in

A: When Guruji said you should memorize the yoga sutras, I

India they shower you,

said, “Okay, I’ll do it.” What was totally and completely

each class, with at least

surprising and delightful was how the chanting had become a

one profound connection

part of me. At various times, or in the middle of some fraught

they’re drawing. They’ve

situation, a sutra would just pop into my mind and I’d think,

done all the hard work. My

“Oh, that was appropriate. I wasn’t reaching out for it—it was

hardest work is to try and catch what they’re telling us. My

just there. It was there when I didn’t even know I needed it!”

highest aspiration is to be an accurate conduit for the

That was amazing to me. I thought, “Wow, this is powerful.”

information and understanding that I’ve been given and shown.

Q: Can you tell us about the assessment process?

Q: Do you take notes after each class in India?

A: Becoming certified is like following the path of yoga. The side A: Over the years, I’ve written all my notes into a data base

benefits you get from the Asana and Pranayama practice are

which is really helpful. Now, I can type in a pose or a phrase or

increased health and vitality. Those are very obvious benefits

a philosophical aspect that caught my attention—maybe

that people come seeking, and that’s the end of the story for

something that Geetaji uses over and over again—and every

some of them. But some people get pulled in by the beauty of

class that she’s used that phrase in comes up in the data base. I

the philosophy.

can pull up every class where that’s been referenced and look at the whole context. I also write the sequences of the classes

So when it comes to practicing and applying yourself toward

and can flesh out some connections. Then I can put this into

certification, the aim may be certification, but the fringe

my own practices and see if I can replicate and understand it.

benefits are what you get from applying yourself to a certain syllabus. You’re being asked to study a body of material that

Q: Tell me about the rewards of teaching.

gives you a chance to go in depth in a way that you may never have done otherwise. As you’re going through teacher training,

A: One of the things that just blows me away about yoga is that

you drop your ego and listen to what somebody else is telling

everybody who walks through the door of my yoga center has

you about your shortcomings or areas you need to work on.

already made a decision that they want to change something or

That helps shape you as a person. I think that there is so much

they wouldn’t be there. That thing may be on the outward

learning when you go through the process, whether or not you

level—an illness or injury—but sooner or later this art is so

get the certificate.

deep that it penetrates their entire being. You hear stories of people with other careers who go to the office and say, “There’s

Q: Tell us about Guruji.

this jerk at the office,” or “My boss is a jerk,” or whatever, but in yoga people are there sharing in the idea of transformation. I

A: He inspires me with awe. He explained that you learn a little

mean, my God, that’s cool!

bit every day in regard to your Asana and Pranayama practice.

That learning is an asset you obtain like a savings account.

Q: Do you plan your classes?

You’re building up your savings account. God forbid, if you should ever need to withdraw because of some crisis or

A: I have a systematic, structured approach. I have a plan for

demand, then you can gather wealth in that form of stability,

each class and each workshop I teach. I check off what I

of rectitude, of right action. If something should happen where

actually taught and the points that I covered. It helps me to

you might veer off again in a direction you’re not quite sure or

have a quiet mind. I’m not the fastest learner. It still startles me

clear about, and you’ve just begun that turn, you can draw

to walk into a group of 30 to 50 people that have this problem

on that wealth and it will stand you in good stead. It will keep

or that. How am I going to pull this together so it’s a cohesive

you going.

experience? I still get nervous. I don’t want to waste their time or money. I don’t want to let them down. It doesn’t always go as

Robin Mishell is a high school English teacher at St. Francis School in

planned. Like today, I had a third of the class with shoulder

Honolulu, Hawaii.

Fall 2011 /Winter 2012 Yoga Samachar

15

Developing

Tolerance through Yoga

Photo by: Todd Semo

16

Yoga Samachar Fall 2011 /Winter 2012

By Zubin Zarthoshtimanesh

Today, when yoga has become a multi-billion dollar industry and promises to correct and remedy everything from physical aches and pulls to lifestyle diseases, it is important to realize its varied potentials and depth and look at how one can develop not just physical health but also tolerance and wisdom.

The social human being is actually quite a tolerating chap.

Can there be a greater example before us than the one of Jesus

We all tolerate a lot in life, but that does not mean that we are

Christ? Not only did he bear physical pain and humiliation but

evolving. Tolerance increases and becomes a virtue not if you

refused to blame his detractors even when on the cross. “Forgive

tolerate more but if it synthesizes itself with other qualities like

them, oh Lord, for they know not what they do!” He exclaimed.

patience (titiksha), forbearance (sahana shakti), peacefulness, calmness (shanta guna), forgiveness (kshama), knowing,

The above line is very important if we are to understand the

determination, and compassion.

concept of tolerance. Essentially, a person becomes intolerant because “he knows not”! In other words, knowledge (jnana) is

Let me illustrate this with Bhishma’s life story. You are all

very important. Studying for an examination is different from

familiar with Bhishma’s terrible vow in the Mahabharata—he

learning for life. Religious consciousness starts where formal

resolved never to marry and finally gave up his rights to the

education stops. In life, it is not just intellectual development

throne of Hastinapura. All those familiar with the story of the

but also development of the intelligence of the heart which

Mahabharata know that Bhishma not only tolerated but also

marks you out as a refined, sensitive, and sentient being.

fulfilled his duties perfectly. It is expressed in the Gita that we

Emotional intelligence is deathless, broad, and vast.

should not be attached to the results or the fruits; the most

Intellectual intelligence (vitarka and vichara) grows like a

important point is that the quality of the fruit or action should

coconut tree, which though tall cannot give shade to those

be perfect and not compromised in any way. Don’t be attached

who are under it. Emotional intelligence, on the other hand,

to the fruit, but the tree should finally beget a fruit of the

being broad, accommodates, shelters, and helps many with

highest possible quality through unremitting perseverance.

friendliness and compassion. And that is why in all cultures across geographical boundaries tolerance is said to be the

We should not only learn to tolerate but also transform that

starting point of religious consciousness.

‘holding on’ to bear us to a higher, realized state. In fact, on his deathbed—the bed of arrows—Bhishma delivers a memorable

Sage Patanjali, who is said to have lived around 2,000 years

commentary on various aspects of philosophy, life, and death,

ago, compiled the ancient wisdom dealing with the

which has come to us as the Shanti Parva. So his forbearance did

emancipation of the self into 196 Yoga Sutras, literally

not embitter him but made him evolve into a sthitapragnya (one

‘threads’ of yogic wisdom. In the first chapter, Patanjali

who has attained steadfast wisdom). You know, we can all bear

states: “Maitri, karuna, mudita, upekshanam sukha duhkha

great pains, and then what do we do the next moment? We

punya apunya visayanam bhavanatah citta prasadanam.” He

crack, and at the first opportunity we become critical, impatient,

mentions the qualities one has to inculcate to develop the

and abusive.

heart intelligence: Maitri, karuna, mudita, upeksha. These have to be balanced with the vertical growth (intellectual

Fall 2011 /Winter 2012 Yoga Samachar

17

…staying in asanas like Sirsasana or Halasana can help you develop forbearance, calmness, and patience.

Setubandha Sarvangasana can not only make the brain fresh, but also give you inner quietude. intelligence) brought about by vitarka, vicara, ananda and

forbearance, calmness, and patience. Setubandha Sarvangasana

asmita. Thus, tolerance in yogic terminology is the sum total

can not only make the brain fresh, but also give you inner

of friendliness (maitri), compassion (karuna), joy (mudita) and

quietude. Hence any purifying practice of ours has to

indifference (upeksha) to asmita which acts as a distracting

encompass the panchakosas.

force. Patanjali guides us to discard even that joy of self realisation—atma darshana—and to show indifference to it.

What are the panchakosas? According to yoga philosophy, we are divided into panchakosas, or five sheaths of the self: anamaya

Tolerance is not merely tolerating a bitter foe; one has to

(physical body), pranamaya (energy body), manomaya

gradually cultivate the bhava (feeling) within for the qualities

(psychological sheath), vijnanamaya (sheath of intelligence) and

mentioned above to develop sensitive intelligence to progress in

finally anandamaya (bliss body).

the conscious self. So one has to initially cultivate tolerance, but gradually and ultimately strive and evolve to develop qualities

Often, our practice is contained within the anamaya kosa. The

of compassion and gladness (contentment) so that tolerance

beauty of yoga and the yogasanas that we practice is that they

and toleration becomes the natural condition of being.

have given us the means to access the subjective conditions of mind and emotions through any and every part of the body.

Toleration can also be understood through the trigunas. Merely

Something very physical like the stretch of the knee or the

tolerating something can be tamasic in nature. For example,

opening of the chest or the expansion of the armpits (in say an

many people say they tolerate pains but quickly become bitter

asana like Adho Mukha Svanasana) has an enormous impact on

and despondent. Then comes rajasic—it is like the mother who

the subjective mental and emotional conditions. A depressed

tolerates her child but also firmly disciplines for the child’s

person, for example, has a collapsed chest, so opening the chest

betterment and improvement. A sattvic nature is to just be and

region with back-bending postures not only has a physical

continue to be true to one’s dharma (duty-mindedness). (But first

impact but transforms the vitality of the mind. That is why the

one has to find one’s true dharma and constantly evolve it.) Here,

yogasanas have to be done with tremendous integration and

take Gandhiji’s example in 1948 to quell the riots in the small

awareness in the body, mind, breath, and senses.

town of Noakhali in Bengal. The army was called in but was ineffective. That is when Mahatma Gandhi stepped into the

In the 25th Yoga Sutra of the third chapter, Patanjali says, “Balesu

town. It was an impossible situation. But his mere presence

hasti baladini,” which means that by samyama on strength, the

worked. A truce was called immediately and the peace held on

yogi will develop the physical strength and endurance of an

even after his death. Thus a saint does not just tolerate, but

elephant. Now as you all know, elephants, in addition to their

remains calm from within; toleration thus becomes possible

physical attributes, are also known to have perfect memory and

for others.

tolerance. Strength is normally taken only in the physical dimension, but the same being (the elephant) also embodies a

Cultivating tolerance through Yogasans

perfect memory. Hence, we too should learn to penetrate our

The Asanas and Pranayamas that we learn and practice in yoga

inner kosas through our yogic practices to acquire the strength

have the potential to develop in you qualities like tolerance,

in various dimensions.

forbearance, duty-mindedness, and other virtues. But the fact is that we only concentrate on the objective (or physical) benefits

Zubin Zarthoshtimanesh is a long standing student of Yogacharya

of the asanas. For example, many do asanas to merely lose

B.K.S. Iyengar and now teaches at his own yoga centre, Iyengar

weight or overcome sluggishness or to get rid of diabetes. But

Yogabhyasa, in Matunga, Mumbai.

staying in asanas like Sirsasana or Halasana can help you develop

18

Yoga Samachar Fall 2011 /Winter 2012

From the Heartland

Photo by: Steve Wiley

Fall 2011 /Winter 2012 Yoga Samachar

19

Matthew Sanford, keynote speaker

Laurie Blakeney, Senior teacher

Chris Saudek, Senior teacher

Koren Paalman, as Hanuman on stilts

A d ream

Attendees in the Palmer House

Photos by: Steve Wiley

Kirtan entertainment

team of senior Iyengar Yoga teachers

including Laurie Blakeney, Kristin Chirhart, Dean and Rebecca Lerner, Manouso Manos, Mary Reilly, Chris Saudek, Lois

Bob Whitinghill, Peggy Hong, Patrina Dobish and Leslie Freyberg

Steinberg, and Patricia Walden assembled at Chicago’s historic

The evening continued under the exquisite domed ceiling as

Palmer House Hotel September 15-18, 2011. Two years of

Alicia Rowe played J.S. Bach’s solo cello suites in sync with Dan

dedicated volunteerism, led by the tireless efforts of Ann Arbor’s

Blakeney’s silent film tribute to Guruji’s amazing practice

Laurie Blakeney, culminated in a transformative weekend for

through the decades. “We hope that the ‘Off the Mat’ activities

over 400 participants at the “From the Heartland” regional

inspire you to expand your view of life through the lens of

conference, co-sponsored by the Iyengar Yoga Association of the

artistry that yoga practice develops in us all,” Laurie Blakeney

Mid-West and IYNAUS.

said about her vision for the conference.

The conference kicked off with an inspirational keynote address

Students traveled from as far as Italy to attend the conference,

by Matthew Sanford at Chicago’s Cultural Center. Matthew, who

which was billed as an inclusive event for all—beginners,

is paralyzed from the chest down after surviving a devastating

veterans, and students from all methods. Scheduling was

car accident when he was 13, is a certified Iyengar Yoga

impeccable, volunteers were plentiful, and activities included

instructor based in Minneapolis. He runs the non-profit

vintage yoga movies, a yoga art exhibit, dinner circles, and

organization Mind, Body Solutions, whose mission is to

chanting sutras with Leslie Freyberg. Fifty local teenagers were

“transform trauma loss and disability into hope and potential

invited to attend introductory classes for free during the

by unlocking the connection between mind and body.”

weekend, and 34 full scholarships were given out to practitioners.

Matthew spoke eloquently about the silence that gives

How fitting that this event was held at the Palmer House as the

expression to what he identified as the “part in me that precedes

Mid West honors Mary Palmer, the woman responsible for

disability.” He encouraged us to release the space between the

bringing Guruji back to America in 1973 at the Ann Arbor “Y.”

muscles and the bones and not to impose the postures on our

Mary Palmer passed away in March 2011. (Please see Joan

bodies, but to let them grow organically. “You have to know the

White’s tribute to her beloved teacher in this issue.)

parts and pieces,” he said. He spoke of Guruji’s focus on alignment and precision as revolutionary—and so simple.

The next regional conference, the Maitri Southeast Iyengar Yoga

They create an effortless level of sensation that transcends even

Conference, will take place in Washington, D.C., May 3-6, 2012. Visit

a severed spine.”

iyase.org for more information.

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Yoga Samachar Fall 2011 /Winter 2012

Sutra Study—why?

In the fall of 2007, the Iyengar Yoga Institute of New York added to its programming a study group of The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, led by Carrie Owerko and Julia Shaida. The idea of the group was to provide an opportunity for shared study of the sutras. Neither Carrie nor Julia came to this with expertise in Sanskrit or philosophy—they wished to share the study they were doing with others.

S

vadhyaya, literally “self-study,” is the second component

of the actions of yoga as defined by Patanjali (YS II.1).

It traditionally includes study of authoritative texts. In

this group, we focus on one sutra at a time. We chant the sutra in Sanskrit, consult available commentaries (the foremost being Mr. Iyengar’s Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali), and consider the implications of the aphorism to our practice and our life.

Four and a half years later, the initial group continues, and the institute has added a monthly philosophy study group, as well. Faculty members Naghmeh Ahi, Carolyn Christie, Marcela Clavijo, Matt Dreyfus, and Tori Milner take turns co-leading the groups with Carrie and Julia. We asked participants to describe what the group has brought them and why they make time for sutra study in their schedule.

Continued on next page

Fall 2011 /Winter 2012 Yoga Samachar

21

The Great Thing

Sanskrit names (for example, ut means “up” or “extreme,” tanu

The “why” of this, for me, is about communion. It is about

means “stretch”—thus Uttanasana is “extreme stretch pose.”)

cultivating something the writer Parker Palmer describes as a

The Sanskrit name teaches us about the structure and intent of

“community of truth.” This is a place where a subject, in this

the pose. We deepen our understanding as we dwell on the name.

case The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, becomes available for relationship. It is by this relationship, this very real encounter

A college professor of mine once said, “There are no synonyms.”

in the present moment, of a very old text with some very live

Each word—in any language—has its own particular resonance,

people, that something magical and wonderful can occur. The

its own layers of references and signifiers. In translation from

text reveals itself in this relationship. And we reveal something

one language to another, something is always altered; a new

of ourselves.

slant is given or an intonation lost.

Each of us has the opportunity to commune with a text and to

For example, as B.K.S. Iyengar says in Light on the Yoga Sutras, “It

embrace the text, or as Edwin Bryant says, “to hug the text.”

is extremely difficult to convey the meaning of the word citta.” It

These words are indicative of a type of intimacy, a willingness

is a noun that derives from the Sanskrit root cit, which means

to enter into and listen closely to the inner life of the text and let it speak to our own. And it is the communion of our own inner life with that with which we are communing that helps us see the sacred in that thing. We can see the sacred in something like a book, or a pose, or a person.

Studying the sutras has given me an inner stability equal to the stability I work to find on my mat.

I believe that it is important to do this in solitude, as well as in a group, because solitude supports a very

to perceive. Our words “mind” or “consciousness,” which are

special type of communion. Alone, we are able to see that the

often used to translate citta, do not convey the word in the

practice of yoga is about exploring, and bringing clarity to, our

sense that Patanjali uses it: an aspect of nature that can attune

inner landscapes. But togetherness also brings something. By

to the smallest of all particles, open up to the largest of large,

gathering around a text, especially a great one like the Yoga

and yet not be pure awareness itself.

Sutras, the grace of this “great thing” (to borrow words from Rilke), helps bring out the grace in ourselves and our communal

If I translate citta as mind, I get boxed in when I learn the

landscape, and our community becomes kinder and clearer and

definition of yoga in YS I.2: Yogah cittavrtti nirodhah. “Yoga is the

more compassionate. The “great thing” changes us. We start to

calming of the turnings of the mind.” Vrtti, which is literally a

see deeper into others from a deeper and truer place from

turning (from the root vrt, to turn, as in Parivrtta Trikonasana),

within ourselves.

can be considered to be a thought or a feeling. It is a movement in the citta, and it is most certainly a disturbance of citta. Yet if I

We have learned that when exploring the text within the group,

understand citta to be my mind or consciousness, and if I

it is better if we speak in the first person, from our own

understand my mind to be my thoughts, my consciousness to

experience, about our observations of ourselves and about

be my feelings, what is left of my mind or my consciousness if

things that matter. We are exploring ourselves, our inner

my feelings and thoughts stop? It is an existential terror. It is

landscapes, and our own reactive tendencies, not the

through the Sanskrit words themselves that I approach

tendencies of others. In other words, we are not using this

Patanjali’s message: even the most auspicious vrtti is a

exploration to—in any way, shape, or form—judge other people

disturbance to the vast knowingness of citta.

or groups of people. Deeper inquiry can be difficult; that is why we have observed these boundaries when in group discussion.

In Tree of Yoga, Mr. Iyengar writes, “You need to rub yourself with

This has been our way of carefully cultivating a place and space

words and works. Put the words to the test of your experience.

for the exploration of the truth within ourselves, and for the

Do not be carried away by my words or anyone else’s words.

grace of the “great thing” to reveal itself to us, whether we are

Rub yourself with each word through work and practice.

studying in solitude or with each other.

Rubbing means to experience. Go with it! Find out!”

—Carrie Owerko If I “rub” myself with these two untranslatable words, vrtti and

Rub Yourself with Words

citta, then I open up to the possibility that there is a knowing, a

Students and teachers in the Iyengar tradition learn the

seeing, a feeling that is not a “thought,” a “concept”—that is not

Sanskrit names for poses, and, over time, the meanings of those

indeed even expressible in words. This is using words to go

22

Yoga Samachar Fall 2011 /Winter 2012

beyond words, to move toward the true goal, which is, to use a

possible to have a visceral experience of the meaning without

phrase from the Western tradition, “the peace that passeth all

actually having a translation to cross check. The sutras I know

understanding.” —Julia Shaida

from memory have become the spiritual lifeline of my practice.

To write a sutra on one’s heart is to wear it forever.

The sutras I know from memory have become the spiritual lifeline of my practice. To write a sutra on one’s heart is to wear it forever.

—Jennifer Roy

Questions Like asana classes themselves, more questions seem posed than are answered in sutra study. It has taken me a while to accept that mystery. But as asana classes have helped me learn to better use my body, so has the act of unpacking the sutras furthered my efforts to see what I think and see who I am. I have had to learn, in this process, to speak from my own voice, instead of saying what others say.

Finding the Sutras of Patanjali Carrie Owerko’s subtle use of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras to frame

I’m uncertain how it works, but chanting this week’s sutra,

asana practice in her Level II class were my first moments of

hearing group members’ thoughts about it, and listening for

“sutra consciousness,” specifically: Yogah cittavrtti nirodhah.

how all of that fits with my life today has made for real growth

As I listened on Sunday mornings, it seemed that Carrie’s

in me. Becoming more comfortable to sit with things that have

involvement with the sutras and the Bhagavad Gita played out,

long frightened me, especially aspects of my disability, is, I

somehow, on different levels—physical, philosophical, and

think, a natural outcome. What keeps me coming back most

spiritual. As all those things are important to me, and I am

weeks is the prospect of nearing better understanding, and the

especially susceptible to philosophy, I thought, “Why not give

attraction of more questions. It is another aspect of the gift of

the study group a try?”

yoga for me. —Marc Zarowin

The first four or five meetings were confusing, particularly as I

Samyama, or Integration

tried to understand the different commentaries. Chanting felt

The weekly sutra study group has become a valued component

awkward. And the subsequent sharing about how the sutras

of my practice. It provides a wonderful sense of community to

impact one’s physical practice and affect one’s life made me

the students who attend and to the teachers who facilitate. We

very uncomfortable. TMI! Do I want to know all this about

have shared insights, concerns, and information regarding the

these people?

wisdom of the sutra in relation to asana on the mat and experience in the world.

Yet I found myself going back, and going back, and becoming ever more involved. Somehow regular immersion in Pantajali’s

Most recently, we have been discussing the concept of samyama,

work, under the lovely ministration of all the “facilitators,”

or integration. We discussed YS III.9 and its description of a

brings out kindness, spirituality, poetry, humor, skin-crawling

state of quiet that naturally arises as a result of yoga practice. I

candor, and beauty. Also magic. A year and a half later, if I am

was able to correlate that sutra with experiences I had in class

in the city, I will do everything I can to get to the study group. I

that very week. My teacher asked us to pause in each pose to

feel a loss, an emptiness, if I can’t be there. —Jim Lichtenberg

sense its full benefit. Clearly the ability to pause, even in the execution of complex movement, has practical resonance. In

To Write a Sutra on One’s Heart

another class, the same teacher taught us a profound lesson in

Attending the sutra study group is a way, for me, to refine and

samyama: a cell phone went off repeatedly, but rather than

clarify my intentions as I develop my physical practice on the

making the intrusion an obstacle, it became an aid in our

mat. It’s a constant reminder of the reasons I practice, and is

education when he asked us to practice being non-reactive.

often there to fill in the gaps when I feel “stuck” in my body or

He said there’s so much in life that we need to let go of—why

on my mat. It has widened my understanding of what it means

not start now.

to practice all of the limbs of yoga in asana.

The communal chanting of the sutras in Sanskrit is of itself an Studying the sutras has given me an inner stability equal to the

extremely beneficial experience and has expanded my

stability I work to find on my mat. I most enjoy chanting the

knowledge of that beautiful, sacred language.

sutras and learning the words themselves; I do believe that by

Continued on page 32

simply chanting a sutra, learning it, and repeating it, it is

Fall 2011 /Winter 2012 Yoga Samachar

23

Remembering Mary Palmer (1916 –2011)

By Joan White

Mary Palmer, a pioneer of Iyengar Yoga in the United States, passed away on March 31, 2011 in Ypsilanti, Michigan at the age of 95. She was my teacher from 1968-1973 and she was my friend for life. Many of you know her as the mother of beloved Senior Teacher Mary Dunn who died in 2008. Mary Palmer’s husband, William B. Palmer, a professor of Economics at the University of Michigan, died at the age of 93 in 1990. Mary Palmer is

‘The lure of yoga demands from one the highest potential. At the same time it reveals one’s weaknesses. The moment of truth cannot be experienced without the constant play of these opposing forces.’

—Mary Palmer

survived by her son, Adrian Palmer, of Utah.

At age 51, Mary Palmer embarked on her yogic journey. She wrote of her decision in “The Lure of Yoga” that “Physical disturbances of unknown origin, general depression, energy loss, trauma in aching knees, chronic sinusitis and a general helplessness in the efficacy of prescribed treatment, demanded that something be done” (Iyengar, His Life and Work).

Mary and her lifelong friend, Priscilla Neel, attended their first yoga classes at the “Y” in Ann Arbor, Michigan. When their teacher departed two years later, they took over her classes, and this is where I met Mary Palmer. In 1968, I was a recently married ex-glassblowing graduate student taking my first class with Mary and Priscilla. I fell in love with these two teachers, and I fell in love with yoga.

I was the first in a long line of teachers that Mary Palmer trained. Now, as a certified Advanced Junior I teacher based in Philadelphia, I think fondly about the many wonderful times we shared. She left the world a better place for everyone who came in contact with her.

Mary was a student and great admirer of Mr. Iyengar. In 1973, she brought Guruji back to the States and introduced Iyengar Yoga to the rest of us. She was a generous, creative, innovative, and disciplined teacher who was very interested in all aspects of yoga, particularly therapeutics.

In addition to her yoga practice and teaching, Mary was a pianist, graduating from the University of Michigan in 1937 with a degree in music theory. She headed the Ann Arbor Music Society and hosted many musicians at her well-known home, the Palmer House, designed in 1952 by Frank Lloyd Wright. The design of the Palmer house is based on the triangle, foreshadowing the practice that would define the second half of her life. We used to laugh a lot about all these triangles. Even the guest bathroom was triangular.

Renowned violinist Yehudi Menuhin was staying with the Palmers in 1969 when he chided, “You haven’t done yoga unless you’ve studied with B.K.S. Iyengar.” Shortly thereafter, Mary Palmer showed up on Guruji’s doorstep. “She went to the top in anything she was interested in,” remarked Priscilla Neel, who recently celebrated her 93rd birthday.

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Yoga Samachar Fall 2011 /Winter 2012

When Mary Palmer first arrived in India in 1969, Mr. Iyengar wouldn’t let her take class.

Guruji had been in Maryland, invited by the Harkness family in 1957, who wanted him to teach them yoga. When he arrived, there were several ladies clad in Bermuda shorts on the lawn, awaiting his tutelage. Their commitment to learning yoga was perhaps bested by their desire to be in the photo shoot Life magazine did of the event. Guruji felt Americans weren’t serious about yoga and vowed never to return to the United States.

Mary was undaunted and didn’t leave. She spent three weeks observing classes before Guruji consented, “Okay, I’ll let you take the class, but if you come down in headstand before I say to come down, you will please go away, and not come back.” Although Mary had never done headstand for more than two to three minutes max, he kept her there for 15 minutes. She stayed because she wanted to learn yoga from him and she wanted to share it with the rest of us. When Mary set her mind on something she was not easily deterred.

She was intelligent, intense, and the consummate hostess. Her smile lit up the room.

Mary was a well-educated, well-traveled, self-assured, and genuine Southern lady. She was well-versed in the arts, architecture, fashion, current-events and of course, music.

She immersed herself in yoga with all the gusto, tenacity, and dedication that she brought to any endeavor she pursued. She wrote, “My own practice was producing changes. Relief came slowly. A sense of well-being gradually replaced depression. The impact came from the practice of the full range of postures as taught by Mr. Iyengar. The interplay of the various asanas was fascinating in the results they produced, not only in my own body, but in the great number of students who have participated in the Ann Arbor "Y" yoga program.”

‘Mary was a student and great admirer of Mr. Iyengar. In 1973, she brought Guruji back to the United States and introduced Iyengar Yoga to the rest of us.’

—Joan White

Mary Palmer made five trips to India and several trips to England to study with Guruji. She reflected that, “The lure of yoga demands from one the highest potential. At the same time it reveals one’s weaknesses. The moment of truth cannot be experienced without the constant play of these opposing forces.”

In 1973, I was injured in a serious horseback riding accident. I called Mary and asked her what I should do. In her thick southern accent she said, “Don’t worry, honey, because this will be the reason that I will get B.K.S. Iyengar to come back to this country.”

Nine months later Guruji returned to America and taught 40 people at the Ann Arbor “Y.” And the rest is history, thanks to Mary Palmer and her love of yoga and Guruji. She wrote, “My chosen path in yoga is with my teacher leading and sometimes by my side, strengthening and guiding me so that some day I may walk alone—with the spirit.”

Mary Dunn on her mother, Mary Palmer: “We have a wonderful topic of conversation each day. We share this interest that has allowed us to go a little beyond the mother and daughter relationship and have something else in it. We have this framework on all the important questions about life. The important things like what is the meaning of life and how one should conduct one’s life to have the most productive and satisfying kind of life.

We are two seekers who are involved in something that has meant a lot to both of us and that gives us constant, new insight into all the important questions.”

—Mary Dunn, 1996

Fall 2011 /Winter 2012 Yoga Samachar

25

Drawing Young People to Iyengar Yoga, Part II < MORE OF YOUR RESPONSES TO THE IYNAUS SURVEY > Early this year a survey was sent to IYNAUS members about the future of Iyengar Yoga and how we can encourage young people to embrace our method as teachers, practitioners, and students. Three hundred and eighteen members completed the survey, giving overwhelmingly positive responses. People credited Iyengar Yoga for transforming their lives, healing their bodies, and 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.

Here are answers to the second half of the questions in the survey; additional responses appear online at http:// iynaus.org/yoga-samachar. Some responses have been condensed and edited for length; ellipses do not always appear when part of an answer has been deleted. We have made every effort to respect the intent of the writer.

We appreciate all responses; if yours was not selected for publication, it is likely because others had a similar theme. 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 can we teach to younger people without sacrificing the attention to alignment and “meditation in action” which are hallmarks of our method?

“ Some ‘other’ yogas are wildly popular in Denver. I often feel we Iyengar teachers are like the kids who do not get asked to the prom! We need to let the community know we’re not just here to work with folks who are ill or dealing with injury. Our image has got to be that this style works for ALL—the fit, the weak,

A large percentage believed that classes with more movement

the strong, the old, the young. One suggestion: have advanced

and less detail would appeal to young people. Writers also

teachers teach some beginner classes. Experienced teachers

advocated less rigidity, more playfulness. Many gave Guruji’s

have the nuance, the sophistication, and the deep knowledge

teaching as a model. “Don’t underestimate youth,” one

to make the subject attractive. This can be hard for a beginning

respondent wrote. “They are fully capable of understanding and

teacher. I have seen beginning teachers teach as if they were

appreciating the Iyengar method.”

going up for certification, with too much detail, too much demonstration, etc.” —Deborah Baker, Introductory II, 48

“ Work them harder and gradually correct their alignment unless they are doing something that is dangerous. Give them

“ Please don’t sacrifice!!! Never, ever! The reasons why younger

a chance to see what they can do, then guide them little by

people like other practices, aside from the movement/

little to correct alignment.” —Joan White, Advanced Junior I, 67

sweatiness, could be superficial, such as nicer studios, postclass tea sessions, monthly unlimited passes and so on.”

“ Teach our teachers how to teach children, the absolute

—Catherine S. Marquette, teacher, 34

opposite end of the spectrum to our normal demographic. For ages 3-8: No instruction! There are other guidelines for the

“ We should not sacrifice the method in order to teach to young

8-to-adolescents group. Teens are also interesting, and so-on

people. We need to just find those young people who do enjoy

up to students in their 20s.” —Bobby Clennell,

the hallmarks of our method.” —Aaron Fleming,

Intermediate Senior I, 68

Introductory II, 36

“ Repetition until simple postures become familiar. Don’t

“ Emphasizing the benefits of discipline and bodily awareness.

sacrifice the speed needed for young people. You have to watch

Many young people take dance and martial arts, and many

them—how they move, how they behave—and take them at a

athletes take yoga as an alternate part of their training.

pace which they are familiar with.” —Cathy Rogers Evans,

Emphasizing the strengths that the Iyengar method has for

Intermediate Senior III, 56

these benefits could be of use. For instance, awareness of

26

Yoga Samachar Fall 2011 /Winter 2012

bodily alignment can help prevent injury in young athletes, and developing discipline and body awareness are invaluable skills.” —Hillary Burgess, student, 26 “ Keep the poses basic. Do lots of sun salutations at the beginning to tire them out, then go to standing poses to focus on the ‘meditation in action.’ I think they would love the ropes.”

‘A lot of young people sit at a computer all day and don’t move.

They really need us.’

nurtured. You can’t ask a young person to focus on ‘meditation in action’ beyond their ability/awareness any more than you can ask anyone else.” —Janet Langley, Intermediate Junior I, 47

—Anna Hindell, teacher, 32 “ Why do we have to sacrifice anything? Either we believe in

“ Attention has to be

“ The young people in my classes are as attentive to alignment

what we are doing or we don’t. There are a lot of young people

as my older students. I teach according to Iyengar principles

who are not active, sit at a computer all day and don’t move.

and keep the class moving. I also use the wall ropes, the wall

They really need us.” —Anonymous teacher

and chairs frequently. I introduce concepts such as ‘meditation in action’ after a student has studied with me for a while. I

“ The way the teacher brings energy into a room makes a class come to life. If a teacher is demeaning, dogmatic, and flat, the

don’t expect them to understand that early on.”

—Anonymous Certified Teacher

class energy will suffer. If a teacher is bright, enthusiastic, and warm, the very same class will have an entirely different energy.” —Aretha Blevins, Intermediate Junior I, 34

“ Go from the gross to the specific, the Annamaya kosha to the Anandamaya kosha. Don’t be so concerned with too much alignment in the beginning; pick basic actions, basic

“ Meet the students where they are, bringing awareness of their

principles.” —Leslie Dillingham Freyberg, Intermediate Junior I, 61

alignment to them. Develop their ability to focus. The young have huge challenges these days and yoga can be a comfort, refuge, and structure.” —Betty Eiler, Introductory II, 76

“ Rather than ‘stop and go’ teaching, try ‘stop, go, go, go.’ I enjoy the classes that develop a rhythm, not classes when I am sitting around for half the class watching the teacher.” —Laura

“ Simplify and state what is most important and not to be

Golub-Matthews, Introductory II, 32

disturbed, then focus on the rhythm and flow of each pose, like Mary Dunn was so good at doing. The mood and intent has to

“ Use language that resonates with them. It is not changing the

be set at the beginning of class and carried through.”

method, it is speaking about the method in language that

—Cynthia Worby Nero, Intermediate Junior III, 54

appeals to them.” —Lisa Jo Landsberg, Intermediate Junior II, 53

“ What brings people in the door is not necessarily what keeps

“ Alignment can be taught without slowing down the pace of the

them practicing over time. We have to teach to the person first.

class. If teachers insist on making students ‘come watch’ a

If you want to slow a horse down, you have to first run along

demonstration of every asana as if teaching it for the first

side it, grab it by the reins, and slowly bring it under control

time, the class may be too slow for younger students who are

and into the direction you want it to go. Guruji had a dynamic

ready to move. Meditation in action comes through being

practice when he was young—naturally. You can’t force

absorbed in the practice and younger students need to be

maturity.” —David Sirgany, Intermediate Junior I, 49

given the opportunity to do a full practice. They have to first experience the joy of practice.” —Anonymous Certified Teacher

“ Keep our language simple and clear and use sequences that are simple and clear. As they get more used to the method,

“ Watch any of the videos of B.K.S. teaching in his heyday. He

then you add more. Keep an enthusiastic attitude and keep

knew how to do it. Sometimes perfect alignment has to be

them moving.” —Elisa Aueron, Introductory II, 54

sacrificed for some other end. And meditation in action isn’t synonymous with stasis.” —David McDonald, student, 60

“ We should be upfront about the meditative aspect and appeal to those who have the capacity for this practice. Iyengar Yoga

“ We can’t. That’s our yoga. Some people like it, some people

is not for everyone. Guruji has put a lot of effort into

don’t. I’m not sure it has anything to do with age.”

maintaining the purity of yoga and I do not think it is

—Anonymous teacher

appropriate to compromise it.” —Janet Macleod, Intermediate Junior III, 62

“ While observing beginning classes at R.I.M.Y.I., I noticed they kept the pacing brisk, and while there were demonstrations, the demos were simple so that class could keep moving.”

—Nina Pileggi, Intermediate Junior II, 48

Fall 2011 /Winter 2012 Yoga Samachar

27

“ Young people are corrected constantly by teachers and

“ As a young person it is very comforting to pay attention to

parents. More of that authority stuff probably won’t appeal to

alignment and attempt some form of meditation.”

them.” —Pamela Eyden, Introductory II, 62

—Kate Morse Harris, student, 30

“ We need to make sure they understand that many

“ I was a competitive gymnast and found yoga in college. I love

preconceptions about yoga being a ‘feel good’ workout don’t fit

the focus and challenge needed. The benefits followed.”

with what a true spiritual practice is. Younger students like the

—Anna Hindell, teacher, 32

music some yoga teachers play, the ‘fun’ atmosphere, etc., but if I talk with them about being able to bring a subtle internal

“ I stayed because of the instructor’s encouragement and the

awareness to their practice, I can see a shift in what they think

process of learning the poses. I was the student in the corner

yoga is. Then, the music becomes a distraction!” —Peggy Berg,

reading a book. I was never the athlete.” —Anonymous teacher

Introductory II, 62 “ When I took my first Iyengar Yoga class in 1977, I was attracted

When you were young, what attracted you to yoga? To Iyengar Yoga? What didn’t you like?

to the vigorous actions and sequences. I could do a lot more poses, more vigorously, and more safely, than I could in other methods.” —Victoria Austin, Intermediate Junior III, 57

‘I loved the way yoga allowed me to use my body, to do things (like stand on my head) I never dreamed I could do.’

Those who found yoga when they were young said they

“ I’ve taken classes on and off since I was 14, and have been the

wanted to stretch or calm

youngest, or one of the youngest, in the class. Perhaps having

down; some athletes and

classes that target young people so the environment has a

dancers came to heal injuries.

social peer aspect would make it more comfortable and

Two were inspired to do yoga

appealing.” —Hillary Burgess, student, 26

by the Beatles. People said they liked the intelligence and depth of the Iyengar

“ Even though much of it was strange and alien to me, I felt right at home in yoga.” —Ute Zahn, student, 46

method, its potential for healing, and the integration of the spiritual. Dislikes

“ I was seeking a discipline where action of the body and mind were both required.” —Anonymous Certified Teacher

included rigidity, a too-close attention to detail, and “perfectionism” from teachers. “I still am young,” one person wrote. “I still love it.”

“ I was not attracted to yoga when I was young because it was marketed as similar to dance/aerobics classes. I did not want to wear the clothes; I did not like the celebrities like Madonna

“ The way it made me feel. The fact that I could do things (like

who advertised it.” —Anonymous student, 50

stand on my head) that I had never dreamed I could do. I was never very good at gym or many sports at school. I loved the

“ I love the precision and accuracy of Iyengar Yoga; to me, it is

way yoga allowed me to use my body. Young people can get

taught as a science versus an exercise, which is what I love.”

very stressed; growing up is a difficult process. Many young

—Catherine S. Marquette, teacher, 34

people are very self conscious about their bodies and don’t like it when a teacher draws attention to them.”

—Cathy Rogers Evans, Intermediate Senior III, 56

“ I didn’t start young, but I still wanted vigor. What I didn’t like was getting hurt, which I did, occasionally.” —David McDonald, student, 60

“ I was introduced to Iyengar Yoga at 14 by my mother, an ardent practitioner and teacher. As a young person, I felt the benefits

“ The stress relief as I was at a crossroads in my life. I liked the

of doing yoga, but may have been turned off by the attention

idea that Iyengar Yoga was taught as a discipline, not as a

to detail and structure that I now see as the strength of the

‘do-whatever-feels-good’ American idea of yoga.”

practice.” —Hillary Burgess, student, 26

—Nina Pileggi, Intermediate Junior II, 48

“ When I was younger I was more into the physicality of the

“ The beauty of the poses, the quietness, the idea of working on

practice and I definitely wanted to do things I thought were

something challenging that didn’t involve kicking a ball

‘hard.’ I also really enjoyed the instructions I received in class. I

around.” —Pamela Eyden, Introductory II, 62

found that I was able to do more. I really enjoy learning. I think a practitioner of Iyengar Yoga has to want to learn.”

—Aaron Fleming, Introductory II, 36

28

Yoga Samachar Fall 2011 /Winter 2012

‘I am able to see better, understand more, and enjoy my Pranayama practice more than when I was younger.’

“ I came to yoga to try and slow

the method. There has been nothing I dislike about the Iyengar

my mind down. At first I did

method, just the horrendous Iyengar Yoga politics that have

not like the bright lights and

gotten in the way of movement forward for so many folks.”

some of the attention.” —Paul

—Jyoti Hansa, Intermediate Junior III, 76

Cheek, Intermediate Junior I, 49 “ I was 32 when I started (which now appears ‘young’!). I

What are your own experiences with study, teaching or practice which relate to age— any age?

liked the precision and how light I felt during and after the

Older students fell into two categories: those practicing a long

practice. I liked the ways the

time, and those who began at a later age, from the late 40s even

practice quieted my mind—but

into the 70s. Many were grateful for the safe environment

I did not notice nor label that

created by teachers and the props. Some wrote about reaching

benefit until later. I didn’t like how confused I felt by the use of

“plateaus” and slowing down, but also about a practice that

props (because I was in my head rather than in my body, as are

began as mostly physical but deepened and became more

many beginners). I did like the benefits the props gave me. It

meaningful with the inclusion of Pranayama, yoga philosophy

was the feeling of awkwardness that I found uncomfortable,

and the lessons of aging and injury. Typical comments: “Yoga is

not the use of the props themselves.” —Jan Barrett,

ageless” and “I feel better than I did when I was 18.”

Introductory II, 59 Guruji’s vitality as he has aged is an inspiration and proof of “ Watching my teachers practice amazes me. Because I’m

yoga’s effects, people wrote. Maturity in practice is not

completely addicted, I love watching online videos of B.K.S.

necessarily tied to chronological age, according to others. Here

Iyengar practicing—they’re completely inspiring. That, along

and in answer to other questions, some wrote about teaching

with reading what Mr. Iyengar had written, attracted me to

children, although the survey dealt mainly with drawing young

yoga. Such physical, mental, and spiritual evolution really

adults. Still, many believed that beginning with children is key.

moved me and made me want to discover what it was about.

Pranayama definitely threw me off when I began studying. I was

“ I am able to see better, understand more on a deeper level, and

unsure of what it was, or why I was doing it. It was difficult to

enjoy my Pranayama practice more than when I was younger. I

grasp the importance of it when I felt so lost.”

have learned now that yoga is not just about asana but has a

—Naomi Lazny, student, 18

much deeper and very meaningful level which I had not even touched as a younger practitioner.” —Joan White,

“ I wanted a deeper understanding of yoga. I was not looking for

Advanced Junior I, 67

a ‘workout.’ I did not like it when I felt like an outsider to the community and I did not like the arrogance of some teachers.”

—Robyn Harrison, Introductory II, 53 “ I loved it all.” —Sophia Penelope Anastos, student, 55

“ I am younger now than I was when I started my practice.”

—Joanna Zweig, Introductory I, 73 “ I mainly teach people over 65. I work in a rec. center while attending teacher training. I am preparing for my first

“ I have loved yoga since I was 15 and my beloved aunt taught

assessment, which helps my clarity in teaching more than I

me my first backbends. I was hooked! Then she sent me Yoga:

would have thought four years ago. When I teach I am able to

A Gem for Women; between Geeta and my aunt, I was inspired.

block out any personal issues and get to it. I really enjoy

My first yoga class was a beginning level; to be honest, it was a

working with the senior population; they not only are good

little slow and boring. So I asked the senior teacher if I could

students, but they teach me a ton as well.” —Angie Capell,

take his class, which he allowed, and then I was hooked. The

teacher, 33

challenge was what I needed.” —Monica Rose, Introductory II, 34 “ My practice has slowed down, but I stay in poses longer, which “ I started with Richard Hittleman’s TV program. Wanting to

is a good thing. Not only can I do many poses I could not do 10

know I was executing asanas correctly got me to my first

years ago, but my understanding has deepened, which allows

classes. I found Light on Yoga. Driving across country for a

my practice to bring compelling new dimensions to my entire

weekend workshop with Mr. Iyengar, meeting him, and

life.” —Julie Lawrence, Intermediate Junior III, 60-plus

recognizing him as my Guru, cinched it. Being an army brat and accustomed to discipline in my life made it easy to love

Fall 2011 /Winter 2012 Yoga Samachar

29

“ As students mature in age and practice they begin to appreciate the intelligence and nuances of our practice, appreciating the care we take with the organic as well as the

How can the guidelines which Guruji and the Iyengars have given for teachers be applied to younger students?

physical body. In later life stages still, the steady, measured pace, and safe, knowledgeable teaching practices mean a lot to

Iyengar Yoga is for all ages; guidelines should not be altered for

them. Also, of course, the use of props in our practice is

the young, most wrote; teachers should teach the students in

formidable! We should market these better. Other styles of

front of them. Others felt younger students should be offered

practitioner seem to think we use them as crutches—these

less-detailed, more action-oriented classes, including jumpings.

should be used as a selling point.” —Anonymous Certified Teacher

Teach the young with an equal measure of discipline and love, several recommended; others pointed to Yoga for Children by

“ I teach the ‘7 and under crowd’ and I incorporate circus skills and imagination play, letting the children have some leeway to

Swati and Rajiv Chanchani as a guide, feeling that stories and analogies work well with younger students.

make up their own poses. I teach chair yoga to the over-80 crowd and they like the results of feeling challenged.”

—Annie Hoffman, Introductory II, 56

“ The beauty of Iyengar Yoga is that it evolves. It’s so creative and dynamic a form of yoga, it evolves wherever you need to go. People take the teaching hierarchy as a negative, something

‘Iyengar Yoga is so creative and dynamic, it evolves wherever you need to go.’

“ I’ve been teaching children

that cramps their style, not realizing Mr. Iyengar’s brilliance in

for eight years, at first with

creating a way to keep his teachings flowing. Our duty as his

little success. They run

teachers is not to fight with it or become egotistical about it.

around, tell you they are tired,

We need to do our best to understand and impart his wisdom

don’t want to do the pose,

on this subject, not as rules but intrinsic principles for

want a snack. I teach in

transformation.” —Anna Delury, Intermediate Senior II, 51

schools where many of the children have emotional disorders and are on meds. I

“ When Pune was young, we did a ton of jumpings!”

—Bobby Clennell, Intermediate Senior I, 68

have to focus on one point of the pose, like how to cross the shins when sitting. I need to be

“ Students should be encouraged to move on to more difficult asanas if they show the ability to do so, even if it means that

clear, and make it warm and fun. Language needs to be age-

they have to switch teachers. Younger teachers have to be

appropriate. Five-year-olds don’t know the word ‘interlock,’ but

encouraged to practice more levels than the one they are

they understand how to put the hands together. Yoga at an

certified to teach. If they are going for Junior Intermediate I,

early age can become a tool for life. I started as a teenager with

they should be working on the poses from Junior Intermediate

braces, and yoga has gotten me through college, grad school,

II and III, which will give them more insights in how to teach

marriage, and kids!” —Michelle Hill, Introductory I, 42

the poses they are certified to teach. They will become more interesting and more confident teachers.” —Joan White,

“ Apart from the fact that I am getting a little creakier in places,

Advanced Junior I, 67

I feel age in itself is largely irrelevant (but that might change as I age).” —Ute Zahn, student, 46

“ Follow the guidelines, and be sensitive to the needs of each person. We will find a way to inspire younger people if we are

“ Nighttime study and teaching gets more difficult with age. The

open to their needs. Not all young people are the same; we

certification process is difficult with parenting.” —Lynn Brandli,

need to see who they are and be flexible to change.”

Introductory II, 43

—Cathy Rogers Evans, Intermediate Senior III, 56

“ When a student is young, you have to see the character: do they want to be ‘pierced’ or not? Older people are more careful

“ Lighten up or our wonderful method will die an unnecessary death!” —George Purvis, Intermediate Senior III, 61

and critical. A lot of them have shopped around or have an injury or different motivation for coming to study. I try to find

“ Guidelines can easily be tailored to students of different ages

out. It is about making a connection as a teacher with any

and physical goals. After all, look at how active a practice

student. I’m careful not to slow down the class for a student

Guruji had when he was young!” —Gary Reitze,

who is less able, but also adjust to the speed of the young.”

Intermediate Junior II, 63

—Lucienne Vidah, Intermediate Junior I, 48 “ I don’t see any difference essentially.” —David Sirgany, Intermediate Junior I, 49

30

Yoga Samachar Fall 2011 /Winter 2012

“ The teaching syllabus for Introductory I and II provide more

“ I have much more refinement. I have to address all my

than enough challenge for most students of asana.”

limitations and I am much more drawn to the meditative

—Gregory White, Intermediate Junior I, 48

aspect.” —Annette Murphy, Intermediate Junior II, 50

“ Use stories and analogies to exemplify the guidelines and

“ I have learned the importance of surrender. Surrender of the

engage younger students.” —Janet LeFrancois,

ego, surrender of the always cogitating self. Patricia [Walden]

Intermediate Junior I, 57

used to say to me, ‘Chris, you’re doing it too much with your brain.’ At that time, I was a graduate student in literature, and

“ Don’t look at age as the primary consideration. We need to

my life was very much about thought and intellect. Over the

teach to the students in front of us no matter what age, and

past 25 years, I have been able to let go of some of that, which I

use our knowledge to move their lives in a positive way.”

think has helped my practice. I experience the asanas more

—Janet Macleod, Intermediate Junior III, 62

with my heart and less with my brain.” —Christopher Beach, Intermediate Junior II, 51

“ Children told how to dance end up dancing in a restricted way.

Teachers must lead students to follow where safety advises, and be playful in other situations.” —Anonymous Certified

“ My practice is more consistent and longer. It has become much more exploratory.” —Becky Lloyd, Intermediate Junior II, 44

Teacher “ As I am not very flexible by nature, the first 10 years was finding that. The middle 15 years was exploring the more

“ Gotta keep the joy in it!”

—Leslie Freyberg, Intermediate Junior I, 61

complicated poses; some were surprisingly available, some really not. The last few years is to moderate. Humor and an

How has your practice changed over the years?

‘I experience the Asanas more with my heart and less with my brain.’

Nearly a third said their

open mind is required!” —Bobbi Goldin, Intermediate Junior III, 73 “ When I started my practice, it was all about strength,

practices were slower and more

flexibility, and being able to do more physically. Now it’s all

organic and that they worked

about the subtle actions: alignment, cultivating intelligence,

more from the inside out.

Pranayama, meditation, and spiritual awareness.”

Others said their practice had

—Gary Reitze, Intermediate Junior II, 63

become more refined, intense, consistent; some now include more meditation and Pranayama.

“ It continues to have an ever-increasing hold on my interest and absorption. It is the only thing I can think of, except

A few practiced fewer asanas but held them longer; some said

perhaps the love for my wife and family, whose trajectory is up

they were less ego-driven.

through the passage of time rather than diminishing.”

—Louis Cortese, student, 61

“ I was a beast, now I’m a wimp!” —George Purvis, Intermediate Senior III, 61

“ My practice has become more integrated; I have developed a value for service and recognize the importance of yoga beyond

“ I don’t do as many jumpings. I don’t practice things I need a spotter for unless I have a spotter. I try to practice similar to

the formal practice as the state of the world seems to be deteriorating.” —Janet Macleod, Intermediate Junior III, 62

the way Guruji does.” —Donna Hood Pointer, Intermediate Senior III, 74 “ After menopause I have to listen to myself more. I practice

How has your mind state changed?

People were calmer, happier, and more even-spirited. Some

with less ambition and more for depth of understanding. I

wrote about greater penetration in their practice, and the way it

have a less athletic approach to the asanas now, a more organic

has integrated body, mind, and spirit.

approach.” —Cathy Rogers Evans, Intermediate Senior III, 56 “ When I am disciplined in my yoga I am complete, calm, “ It’s become more methodical, more self-teaching, introspective.

I’m still becoming more flexible, and am finding a point of

together… mind, body, and spirit!”—Tessa Manning, student, 27

stillness more in the poses.” —Allan Nett, Intermediate Junior III, 64

continued on page 35

Fall 2011 /Winter 2012 Yoga Samachar

31

Sutra from page 23

‘Rub yourself with each word through work and practice.

Rubbing means to experience.’ —B.K.S. Iyengar I feel a sincere sense of gratitude to the sutra study group for

The Fi eld

guiding me toward a deeper understanding of my self and for

In this narrow field, before the

helping me begin to integrate the ancient knowledge of the

Identification of object

sutras into the fabric of my daily life. —Jerry Eaderesto

Seizes the mind, There is a wedge,

Robin Simmonds wrote the following poem as a reflection on

Where the senses are

YS I.43: smrtiparisuddhau svarupasunya iva arthamatranirbhasa nirvitarka. (“In nirvitarka samapatti, the difference between memory and intellectual illumination is disclosed; memory is

Fresh with dew, And the heart is as ripe As a fragrant peach.

cleansed and consciousness shines without reflection.”)

Seek out these soft places: Julia Shaida lives and teaches Iyengar Yoga in Westchester County,

Flowers pressed between the pages of perception.

New York. She is certified at the Introductory II level. Carrie Owerko

The field will widen into

lives and teaches in New York City and is certified at the

A vast tundra.

Intermediate Senior I level.

—Robin Simmonds

Product Review:

Three Minute Egg

®

By Joan White

As an Advanced Iyengar Yoga teacher, I understand the resistance to yoga props that are not yet being sold by the Institute in Pune. For this reason I was very careful and thorough in my “eggs-perimenting” with a new prop, the Three Minute Egg, created by Jason Scholder. Response has been so positive that I have been introducing the eggs at all my workshops and have given some to Guruji for R.I.M.Y.I. The “egg” is an egg-shaped prop that can be used like a block. As Jason Scholder noted, however, the big difference is the shape: “Your body’s not square, so why should your yoga blocks be?” Jason created the prop to support his own practice. “In a constant search for new ways to stretch my spine,” he explained, “someone turned me on to the heart block. The curve was a bit intense for me to use as intended, but I liked the way it felt. I had leftover pieces of wood that were curved on one side, so I made them symmetrical, laid down on one, and got precisely the stretch I’d been searching for all along.” Jason started making them with foam after getting user feedback. “People said they loved the shape but wished they were softer, [so] I made the switch to foam.”

I have found that the eggs help open my back in all the supine poses. I also love using them in Adho Mukha Svanasana to support both my head and my forearms, and they support my back beautifully in Setu Bandha. These are just three asanas that I particularly like to do with the eggs, but there are so many more ways to use them. My students, always my greatest teachers, keep coming up with new ideas. For more information and to see them, go to www.ThreeMinuteEgg.com.

32

Yoga Samachar Fall 2011 /Winter 2012

Joy & Presence Where in the world is Lois Steinberg? Whether it’s a remote village in Brazil or in the Ukraine, this Advanced Junior II teacher shares all she has gleaned from Guruji as she traverses the globe. Here are excerpts from an in-depth interview with Lois at the Peace Café in Honolulu, Hawaii in March, 2011. The

with Lois Steinberg

You can’t let extraneous thoughts such as “I can’t

you are using your body and increasing your range of awareness to get yourself quiet. This is using the body as a

entire interview can be read online at iynaus.org.

do it” interfere with

Q: What does your practice bring to you?

learning. You have to

A: Joy and presence. It brings me to the quiet state. I don’t think

keep an open mind, be

Q: Can you talk about the ego and how it relates to practice?

present, and not have

A: I know that when

of it as any particular religious belief, but that coming to yourself and coming to the presence and coming to what the second Yoga Sutra describes as stilling the fluctuations of the mind. And how to get to deeper layers of your consciousness

any expectations.

source of meditation.

Guruji is teaching, if you’re thinking too much,

where it’s present and spreading and not being interrupted by

if your mind is interfering,

unnecessary thought.

he won’t teach you. He can’t teach you. In fact,

I was telling Guruji this the last time I was there (Jan. 2011) that

the very first class I had with him, he said, “You keep your

I became so quiet in one of his classes. He said that’s practical

minds empty.” It’s not about emptying the mind. It’s about

Samyama. That’s practical absorption. It’s when you’re

stopping those thoughts that disrupt your mind that keep you

practicing asana—you’re using the body as a point of

from learning. The ego interferes. It’s not about a big or small

meditation. You become so quiet—it’s absorbing. It’s a spiritual

ego, but that ego can interfere with learning. It can interfere

absorption and a practical one. A practical one meaning that

with getting to the source of your true self. You can’t let extraneous thoughts such as “I can’t do it” interfere with learning. You have to keep an open mind, be present, and not have any expectations.

Q: What are some of the most amazing things Guruji has ever said to you?

A: Everything that comes out of him is amazing. Many of us wish we could attach a recording device to him all the time. He explained that yoga is an art, science, and philosophy. The philosophy is Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi. The science is Asana, Pranayama and Pratyahara. The art is Yama and Niyama.

To break it down like that and have us think and give us pause, and let us change our habitual way of thinking, is something he’s so gifted at, and there’s nobody else who does that.

Photo : Lois Steinberg

Fall 2011 /Winter 2012 Yoga Samachar

33

Iyengar Yoga Events Each “per workshop date” listing, for Certified Teachers and IYNAUS member sponsors only, costs $25.00 and includes listing on the IYNAUS website. (For example, Teacher Trainings that meet more than one time must pay $25.00 per date listed.) Please submit your listings with payment (check made to IYNAUS) to IYNAUS, 1952 First Ave South, Suite 1B, Seattle, WA 98134, 206.623.3562 generalmanager@iynaus.org, Deadline for the Spring/Summer 2012 issue is March 1, 2012.

Marla Apt Ongoing Monthly Teacher Training Sessions on Friday evenings Yoga Fitness Campbell, CA 95008 www.iyoga.com 408.777.9642 jitoyumibe@sbcglobal.net Mary Obendorfer Teacher Training December 2–4, 2011 Boise Yoga Center Boise, ID vickie@boiseyogacenter.com Felicity Green with Vickie & Jerry Aldridge Pura Vida Costa Rica January 7–14, 2012 vickie@boiseyogacenter.com Eddy Marks & Mary Obendorfer Kauai Yoga Vacation January 13–17, 2012 Kalaheo Yoga Center www.sandiegoyoga.com/instruction/ vacations 808.212.3344 or 619.226.2202 indiaed@sandiegoyoga.com Karin O’Bannon IYASE sponsored workshop for Advanced Studies for levels Junior Intermediate I, II, III January 20–22, 2012 Stillwater Yoga Studio Atlanta, GA Aretha Blevins advstudies@iyase.org Eddy Marks & Mary Obendorfer Bimba Pratibimba – reflector & reflection Asana and Teacher Training immersion February 2–5, 2012 A five day immersion with Eddy and Mary.

Each day will include two asana classes and one teacher training. Teacher Training will 34

be divided into certification levels from Introduction to Senior I. The BKS Iyengar Yoga Studio of Dallas Randy Just 214.365.9642 dallasiyengaryoga@sbcglobal.net www.dallasiyengaryoga.com Eddy Marks & Mary Obendorfer Kauai Yoga Vacation February 17–21, 2012 Kalaheo Yoga Center www.sandiegoyoga.com/instruction/ vacations 808.212.3344 or 619.226.2202 indiaed@sandiegoyoga.com Patricia Walden Gather at the River Intermediate Retreat for Men & Women February 17–23, 2012 Sharon Conroy 504.331.0177 sharon@greatwhiteheron.net Patricia Walden Gather at the River Advanced Retreat for Women Only April 13–19, 2012 Sharon Conroy 504.331.0177 sharon@greatwhiteheron.net Mary Obendorfer The Deeper Meaning of Compactness in Asana Teacher training from introduction to Senior I April 20–22, 2012 Randy Just 214.365.9642 dallasiyengaryoga@sbcglobal.net www.dallasiyengaryoga.com

Mary Obendorfer May 4–6, 2012 Boise Yoga Center, Boise ID vickie@boiseyogacenter.com Chris Saudek Asana Workshop May 18–20, 2012 Investigating the Intermediate and Senior 1 Syllabus Randy Just 214.365.9642 dallasiyengaryoga@sbcglobal.net www.dallasiyengaryoga.com Rebecca Lerner July 13–15, 2012 Boise Yoga Center, Boise, ID vickie@boiseyogacenter.com Kathleen Pringle IYASE sponsored workshop for levels Introductory I, II July 15-17, 2012 Stillwater Yoga Studio Atlanta, GA Aretha Blevins advstudies@iyase.org Stephanie Quirk’s Therapeutic Course in Colorado 2012-2015 First session: September 15–18, 2012 in Boulder, CO Intro 1 & 2 teachers welcome first 2 days Int. Jr. and above only days 3 & 4 Jointly sponsored by: Iyengar Yoga Center Boulder, Laura Antelmi laura.antelmi@gmail.com, 303.444.9642 Iyengar Yoga Center Denver, Craig Kurtz & Lisa Wolf info@iyengaryogacenter.com, 720.891.2070

Swati & Rajiv Chanchani Iyengar Immersion Hawaii Retreat May 4–9, 2012 Big Island Hawaii Kila Lau, kila.yogiam@gmail.com 720.891.0144 Yoga Samachar Fall 2011 /Winter 2012

Survey from page 31

‘I used to be more dedicated to feeling bad. Now I see there’s a choice.’

“ I used to be more dedicated to feeling bad. Now I see there’s a choice.” —Aaron Fleming, Introductory II, 36

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“ My mind state has changed from studying the sutras and the Gita. I’m applying the philosophical more and more.” —Allan Nett, Intermediate Junior III, 64 “ From depression before, I started to believe that I have a great life—which I do.” —Anonymous teacher

was proud to sponsor

Reflection, the 2010 Certified Iyengar Teachers’ convention in Portland, Oregon.

“ I’m more able to penetrate, more quiet, more involved, and integrated.”

—Anonymous Certified Teacher

We supplied over 300 standard

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—Annette Murphy, Intermediate Junior II, 50

sized and tall chairs for use with Geeta S. Iyengar’s instruction.

“ More optimistic, outgoing, hopeful, calmer, and I have resources to draw upon to bring myself to more positive states of mind.” —Anne-Marie Schultz, Introductory II, 44 “ Our practice is always opening doors of understanding. My mind state is ever changing and evolving as my practice matures.” —Aretha Blevins, Intermediate Junior I, 34

yogachairprop.com 415.686.4547

Iyengar Yoga products wanted!

Yogamatters is Europe’s leading distributor of Iyengar Yoga resources. Do you have any Iyengar products that you would like distributed in Europe?

Please contact: paul@yogamatters.com

Photo courtesy of: IYC, La Mesa

Fall 2011 /Winter 2012 Yoga Samachar

35

IYNAUS Membership Membership is open to all persons who study the art, science, and philosophy of yoga according to the teachings of B.K.S. Iyengar.

Membership, renewable each calendar year, is a condition for holding a United States Iyengar Yoga Teaching Credential.

To become a member, complete this form and mail it to the address below, or visit www.iynaus.org/join.php to join online.

Mail-in Member Application Form Personal Profile Information – Print Clearly Complete and submit this form with the appropriate dues. Keep a copy of this completed form for your records. Your privacy is important to us. No personal information entered below is sold or displayed to the public.

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New members may select membership directly with IYNAUS or through your local region to insure that you receive information pertinent to your area. $30 is retained by IYNAUS with the balance sent to your selected region. Either membership entitles you to IYNAUS Newsletters and to participate in elections, order certification materials, apply for certification assessment, attend special events in Pune, and other benefits. If you would like to be a member of more than one Regional Iyengar Yoga Association, contact the IYNAUS Membership Chair.

Check mark your Regional Iyengar Yoga Association membership selection: ________ Greater NY . . . . . . . . dues $65

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Mail this completed application with a check made payable to IYNAUS to – IYNAUS: c/o Membership, 1952 First Ave. South, Ste. 1B, Seattle, WA 98134 • Phone 206.623.3562 / Fax 206.428.7121

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Questions? www.iynaus.org/contact www.iynaus.org

animation of

equanimity truth embraces all

it abstains from

flexion suspended

2006, copyright to author.)

structures that promote the common good through well-being of body, mind, and spirit. (â&#x20AC;&#x153;Savasanaâ&#x20AC;? previously published in Milwaukee Journal Sentinel,

and is a member of Eight Limbs, a housing cooperative based on yoga principles. She applies her work as a yoga teacher and writer to create community

Peggy Hong is an Intermediate Junior II instructor in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where she directs the nonprofit Iyengar Yoga center, Riverwest Yogashala,

breezed clean mind

settle into nameless

purge sedimental attachments

blood and lymph pulse in saline

mountains grow deeper underground

into forgiving earth

a perfect circle

body spreads

space of nothing

careless breath ushers

air enters and leaves

yesterday

tomorrow forsake

swimming into stillness forget

SAVASANA

In equipoise old as opposites I am enfolded

between heels and head in every flexion

extension in every extension

IYNAUS 1952 First Ave South, Suite 1B Seattle, WA 98134 www.iynaus.org

Front row, from left to right: Joan White (USA), Guruji, Abhi, Ajay, Faiq Beria (France), Paxti Lazardi (Spain).

Back row: Gloria Goldberg (USA), Jose Marie Vigar and his wife (Spain), couple from Indonesia, James Murphy (USA), Jordi (Spain).