GEETA’S INTENSIVE: THREE PERSPECTIVES
but pranayama is needed to balance it.” Alignment in asana is
The afternoons of the intensive were full of other amazing events:
not just for the sake of physical health, but it increases our
Abhijata and Birjoo Mehta told moving stories of Guruji’s passing;
mental sensitivity and awareness and clears energetic blocks
we met representatives from the newest members of our Iyengar
where our prana may not be free to run. Without this, we will
Yoga world; we learned of ancient yogini cults; we were uplifted by
falter on our path to samadhi. Listening to the recording of this
Indian classical dance and music; and we were gifted with
session will be an essential guide to any practice.
numerous films and photos of Guruji.
Along with her teaching of the essence of pranayama, Geeta
Abhi left us by saying, “Where there is yoga, there is Guruji,”
instructed us about the invocation to Patanjali. She referred to
and it is evident that the sparks he and Geeta have lit within us
it as a “darsana,” a direct vision, of Patanjali. As we remember
will shine brightly on.
him and visualize his form, we must sit with absolute alertness and use Anjali Mudra to invite Patanjali and his wisdom directly
So now, the practice of yoga begins…
into the seat of our soul. Almost pleadingly, she requested that we not allow the invocation to become rote or ritual but to
Jennie Williford (Intermediate Junior I) is currently transitioning out of
experience it fully to delve into the very heart of yoga.
Rockford, Illinois, where she ran Pranayama Yoga Studio. This was her third trip to Pune, and she was ecstatic that the timing for it was just right.
Reflections on Our Belated First Trip to Study in India BY DAVID CARPENTER Although my wife and I have been regular Iyengar Yoga
practitioners of less than 10 years, it seemed like we could
practitioners for 15 years, we had never studied in India. The
handle it, although we still had some trepidation.
nominal reason was that the demands of my career precluded an extended stay at the Institute, although the truth is that we
We are so thankful that we overcame our fears and made this
were also a little intimated by the prospect of studying there.
trip. It was transformative to experience 10 consecutive days of
But when Geeta announced her intensive last summer, we
Geeta’s remarkable and heroic teaching and to commune with
signed up immediately. I had just retired, so the excuse of my
1,200 other Iyengar Yoga practitioners from around the world.
job was gone. And because the intensive was geared to
And it was poignant to do so in the aftermath of Guruji’s death.
Spring/Summer 2015 Yoga Samachar
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