On Teaching: A Tribute to Felicity Green, Pat Musburger & Katie Davidson

workshops both around the region and around the world. She taught in South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, Canada, and Switzerland. June Cooper, a teacher from South Africa, remembers that Felicity “was one of the first teachers from overseas to visit South Africa when we were all deprived of any guidance or firsthand teachings from the source.” Leslie Hogya, from British Columbia, called Felicity “hugely influential in developing our community.” Phyllis Rollins from North Carolina wrote: “Her teaching and guidance was instrumental in me becoming a teacher and I will always be grateful for her inspiration and support.” Sandi Jordan of the Silent Dance Center (HI) echoed those sentiments with,“Felicity was one of my first and most inspiring teachers.”And Ingela Abbott, who hosted Felicity yearly for week long teacher trainings in Washington, said, “One of the main gifts Felicity gave to us was her rich and in-depth understanding of the yoga philosophy that we continue to share with our students today.” In addition, Felicity was an IYNAUS assessor and a founding board member of the IYANW region.

In 1984, along with 4 other teachers, she established a yoga cooperative in Seattle called Community Yoga Circle. Reflecting on this part of her life, Felicity would tell the story of a dream she had about a place called Lopez. She turned her dream into reality when she purchased a property on Lopez Island. She named it “Lavanya” meaning naturally beautiful. Lavanya was special in part because of a 300-year-old Douglas fir tree—which Felicity called the Shiva Tree. She hosted summer yoga retreats at Lavanya until 1997 when she moved to Lopez full time and relocated to Midnight’s Farm. On the farm, she hosted karma yoga retreats and, with the help of students and friends, she built a small studio and landscaped the surrounding grounds.

Felicity was an avid gardener and lover of nature. She could identify any plant and recognize the song of every bird on the island. Felicity especially loved the wild turkeys that would wander through her front yard.

In 2005, at the age of 72, she taught a teacher training workshop in New Zealand for six hours a day for six days. After this trip she developed heart trouble and contended that it was pushing herself through the course of teaching and travelling that brought it on. Even though she longed to return to India, Felicity knew it was not wise and Guruji reinforced this, so she never went again.

During her later years, Felicity’s focus changed but did not waiver. As she aged, she wanted to help others going through the same process. Many workshops were devoted to navigating menopause or adapting practice

During her later years Felicity’s focus changed but did not waiver. As she aged she wanted to help others going through the same process.

to an aging body. She recorded a video on menopause and published a short book called “Creaky Yoga.” Her focus on Pranayama and philosophy were other areas of concentration as her Asana practice and teaching became more limited with age and health issues. She recorded a series of audiotapes to guide students in a pranayama practice and wrote a short introductory book to yoga philosophy.

In April 2008, Ascent magazine hosted an intensive with Geeta Iyengar in Victoria, B.C. Following the intensive, Felicity, Margot Kitchen, Leslie Hogya, Shirley Daventry French, and Joan White, all senior Iyengar teachers, gathered for a conversation about changes in their practice and teaching as they aged. The group concluded that they still had much to contribute to the community and learning how to balance life, work, and aging was a hard lesson learned.

Felicity’s final book, published in 2017, is an exploration of her life and discoveries as well as a roadmap for others. “Who Are You? For Thoughtful People Who are Curious About Creating a Life of Awareness” is a fitting legacy. One of her favorite quotes is from Voltaire,

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“A life unexamined is a life not worth living.” Felicity gave thousands of Iyengar Yoga teachers and students and many more friends and family the courage and tools to examine their lives as she did hers. Her influence and legacy will live on through us.

“How happy I am that I had the courage to take that leap of faith and follow my inner knowing rather than my rational intelligence.” —Felicity Green from “Who Are You?”

To learn more about Felicity Green, please read these articles from Yoga Samachar: “Felicity Green Receives Lighting the Way Award” by Pat Musburger, found here and “Lifelong Practice: Felicity Green” by Paul Cheek, found here

Pat Musburger is an Emeritus CIYT, Level 2 living in Seattle, Washington. She has served as Secretary of the IYNAUS Board and President of the IYANW Board.

Katie Davidson is a CIYT, Level 3 living in Bellingham, Washington. She is a member of the IYANW Board.

Save the Date for the 2nd Annual IYNAUS Coast to Coast event Nov. 11–14, 2021

Last year’s inaugural event was remarkable with almost 2,000 IYNAUS members participating in the wonderful array of classes taught by our senior teachers. Your support and positive feedback inspired us to plan a return engagement—our second, FREE, Coast to Coast member-benefit gathering.

This membership benefit provides an opportunity for our community to unite together via live, online classes. The goal is to give back to IYNAUS members for their dedication and support and to further promote the teachings of the Iyengar legacy. As always, we sincerely appreciate our senior teachers for their collective efforts in making this event a reality

once again by generously donating their time and sharing their teachings with our community.

IYNAUS membership is required to participate in the 2nd Annual Coast to Coast yoga community gathering. Look for registration information and a complete schedule of teachers and class times coming soon to your inbox!

We hope you will Save the Date to join us this November from Coast to Coast as we immerse ourselves in the wisdom, immense generosity, and benevolent teachings of the Iyengar legacy.

For questions, please email store@iynaus.org or director.operations@iynaus.org

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