Sharon Cowdery: Behind the Scenes

MOVING TOWARD GRACE

“After his diagnosis, Ryan began the yoga of his life and death, which he approached with the same equanimity and clarity as he approached assessment,” says Cindy. “He inquired of his teachers, sought out the writings of Mr. Iyengar, and kept on living— right up until his last exhalation. On his bedside altar sat a photo of Guruji in Savasana. I imagine them practicing together on the yoga mat of the great beyond.”

Years of practice prepared Ryan for death. He accepted and spoke openly about his disease. He said cancer was the greatest spiritual teacher he ever had. With a smile, he told us he wished this teacher wasn’t deadly, but its relentless nature required him to pay attention in every moment. His practice shifted from vigor to restraint and eventually to an exclusive focus on Dharana, Dhyana, and Samadhi.

Showing yogic intelligence, Ryan conserved his energy through the dying process, at the end withdrawing from the attention that so many admirers would willingly have given in order to save precious words and emotions for his wife, son, and mother.

When I visited Ryan toward the end, I read to him from Here is a short Q&A with Sharon for those of you who would like to know her better.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR HISTORY WITH IYENGAR YOGA.

In 1994 I was unsettled and searching for “something” but unsure exactly what. My physical body was stressed from running and cycling, and my psyche was hungry. As luck would have it, I stumbled upon Iyengar Yoga at Yoga Northwest in Bellingham, Washington (thanks for your marketing efforts, Ingela!). I think my first class was with CIYT Kim Lacy. Over the next 10 years, I was lucky to study with and draw inspiration from CIYTs William Prelle, Lauron Ray, and Ingela Abbott. I can still recall the palpable fear about whether I’d be able to endure the whole weekend of my very first workshop with Dean Lerner. Decades later, his insistent voice still resonates in my brain, reminding me at regular intervals to lift my collar bones and expand my chest. Mr. Iyengar’s translation of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, and we discussed Light on Life, one of the few books he was able to continue reading even as his energy faded. We agreed that its clarity delivered a penetrating, life-affirming message. Facing his own death, Ryan never stopped being Ryan— selfless, whole, loving, and joyous.

Ryan once told me that a student at the Estes Park convention yawned during one of Guruji’s speeches. Although the person was far from the central stage, Mr. Iyengar saw and made it clear to everyone that it was important to pay attention because he would not be around forever. In the last class Ryan taught, he caught me yawning and called me out. I hear you, Ryan, and yes, I do miss you. I cherished Ryan. I am his student. I will always be his student.

“It’s our job to stand on the shoulders of the teachings of B.K.S. Iyengar and his students and all the people that we consider to be teachers and then become our own teachers.”

Ryan Conrad, Dec. 11, 2016

com/remembering-ryan-conrad.

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any IYNAUS members know Sharon Cowdery as the voice at the other end of the phone when they call IYNAUS. Others recognize her as one of the people who staffs the IYNAUS stand at our conventions. She does an immense amount of work behind the scenes keeping IYNAUS operations running. Recently, the IYNAUS Board of Directors voted to change her title from General Manager to Director of Operations.

For more tributes to Ryan, please visit http://onecenteryoga.

Kristina Bavik, IYNAUS store manager; Sharon Cowdery, director of operations; and Hiroko Karrfalt, operations assistant

IYNAUS has always been sustained by the efforts of superhero volunteers devoted to Guruji and eager to share the transformational benefits of Iyengar Yoga with others.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR HISTORY WITH IYNAUS.

Life is full of unexpected surprises, and in 2004, I relocated to Manhattan. As a way of finding my sense of place in the Big Apple, I sought out Iyengar Yoga. Over time, I prioritized class attendance over working late and began volunteering for the Iyengar Yoga Association of Greater New York (IYAGNY), ultimately managing the Iyengar Yoga Institute of New York (IYINY) under the guidance of Mary Dunn, James Murphy, and the IYAGNY Board of Directors. I transitioned to General Manager of IYNAUS in November 2008.

IYNAUS has always been sustained by the efforts of superhero volunteers devoted to Guruji and eager to share the transformational benefits of Iyengar Yoga with others. When I came on board, we consolidated the many volunteer activities under one umbrella: establishing a single point of contact, a single repository for historical records, a person to correspond with in real time about membership, store purchases, assessment, and where to find Iyengar Yoga classes. Over the ensuing years, we’ve tried to move into the “modern age” by moving dues payment and the teaching assessment application process online. We’ve worked hard to provide improved benefits and events for students and continuing education opportunities for certified teachers, and to imbue the sense of community with other Iyengar Yoga practitioners in the U.S., Pune, and all over the world.

WHAT DOES YOUR CHANGE IN TITLE MEAN FOR IYNAUS? AND HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE IYNAUS GROW IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS?

Going forward, we’ll continue to work on improving our website as a resource for teachers, students, researchers, and the general public. We’ll expand our library of practice sequences and learning tools for members and provide access to material from our archives. I’m so pleased that our efforts seem to resonate, judging from our steady growth in membership and newly certified Iyengar Yoga teachers. And above all, I’m probably most excited to work on our very longstanding goal of expanding opportunities to experience Iyengar Yoga in underserved communities.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR ASSISTANTS AND WHAT THEY DO.

In addition to our volunteer board of directors, I’m very fortunate to have the support of Kristina Bavik, an Iyengar Yoga student, teacher trainee, and assistant extraordinaire. Among her many responsibilities, Kristina manages the IYNAUS online store, handles fulfillment for online and wholesale orders, keeps our membership roster up to date, and sends acknowledgement letters for all donations received for IYNAUS and The Bellur Trust. I couldn’t do it without her hard work and good humor.

Most recently, Hiroko Karrfalt has joined IYNAUS as an operations assistant. Hiroko has been a dedicated student and member of the Seattle Iyengar Yoga community and is continuing her path toward certification. Hiroko has a background in accounting and will be a great asset, helping with financial data entry among other projects.

WHAT ARE SOME INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT YOURSELF THAT IYNAUS MEMBERS MIGHT LIKE TO KNOW?

When I’m not working or practicing yoga, I’m most likely outside riding my bicycle, walking, or enjoying time with friends. I’ve met my closest friends through Iyengar Yoga. It began simply: the shared love of dogs, the convenience of carpooling to class together so we could take advantage of the high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes and make it to class on time, witnessing my practice at the gym— all sparked a conversation that led to Iyengar Yoga and ultimately to deep, ongoing friendships.