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IYENGAR YOGA NEWS
The magazine of the Iyengar Yoga Association of the United Kingdom
ISSUE NUMBER 15
AUTUMN 2009
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IYENGAR YOGA
ASSOCIATION (UK) ®
www.iyengaryoga.org.uk
I YENGA R YOGA NE W S
President: Yogacharya Sri B.K.S. Iyengar
I ssu e No .1 5 A ut umn 20 09
EDITORIAL
Welcome to the latest edition of Iyengar Yoga News. Much of this issue is taken up with reports of the fabulous week of yoga we had with Dr Geeta Iyengar in May. She is truly an inspired and inspiring yoga teacher. If you missed the convention, we still have copies of the DVD for sale.
Next year, Zubin Zarthoshtimanesh is teaching at our convention and you can find details and an application form in this magazine, or you can sign up online at www.iyengaryoga.org.uk.
We are always on the look out for articles, photographs, reports etc. so please do feel free to send material in. We also welcome letters from readers with questions about yoga practice or comments on articles published in this issue. In particular, we are keen to have articles about yoga postures written by senior teachers, so if anyone feels they can help with this, please get in touch. We hope you enjoy the issue.
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT During Jo Duffin’s maternity leave, her work will be covered by Katie Owens. Emails sent to admin@iyengaryoga.org.uk are now being redirected to Katie but if you wish to contact her by telephone or mail there is a new number: 07510 326 997 and a new address: IYA (UK), PO Box 4667 SHEFFIELD S11 0EG. Note that for a period of three months mail sent to the old London PO Box address will be redirected to the new address
Editorial Board: John Cotgreave, Philippe Harari, Judith Jones, Rachel Lovegrove, Lucy Osman Layout & Design: Lucy Osman Articles to: editor@iyengaryoga.org.uk Copy deadline 1 December 2009 Advertising: John Cotgreave jcorgreave@hotmail.co.uk IYA Office: admin@iyengaryoga.org.uk Printed by: Blueprint Press, Cambridge, on paper made using wood from sustainable forests and without the use of chlorine ® used with permission of BKS Iyengar, Trade Mark owner
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Focus on Geeta Iyengar’s European Tour
2. 5. 12.
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Devotion by Geeta S. lyengar The IYA (UK) Annual Convention European Iyengar Yoga Convention Cologne Geetaji Visits Dunkenfield
Features
14. 18. 22.
Guruji in Moscow Sri Ramanujacharya Teaching Yoga in Mental Health Settings
Member Information
32. Reports 35 Professional Development Days 28. Teacher Trainers 29. Assessment Results 42. Institues and Events 44. Advertisements 47. 2010 Convention Booking Form
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Devotion by Geeta S. lyengar The second part of an article published in Yoga Rahasya, VW. 13, No, 2; 2006, pp. 13-25. Many thanks to Rajvi Mehta, Yoga Rahasya editor, for giving us permission to reprint this article. Yoga is a binding thread which unifies all of us from different cultures and backgrounds. However, our society, religious practices and upbringing being very diverse often makes it difficult for us to understand certain dimensions and aspects of yoga which are possibly very unique to Indian culture. One such aspect is devotion. Once a question was asked to Geetaji at the New Zealand lyengar Yoga Convention in May 2003 that many students do not practice devotion to God or Gods and they wondered as to whether they could be true lyengar yogis if they did not practice devotion. The response given by Geetaji is reproduced here.
since you do not practise devotion to God. He answers, "Have faith in yoga and practise the methodical eight aspects of yoga with faith. Have vigour [and] keen and sharp memory of the goal so you proceed on the right path. Develop the process of contemplation and increase the awareness. You might be either quick or slow but go through the whole process. If your intelligence is ripe enough, surrender yourself to God." So it seems that he is giving alternative methods.
If the concept of God is unknown, if you do not know what God is, then how can you surrender-Isvara pranidhana?
The stages of Samadhi Sage Patanjali speaks about the four stages of samadhi [profound meditation] namely vitarka, vichara, ananda and asmita samadhi. The whole process of samadhi is such that the intelligence has to get purified and ripened. You have to cleanse your consciousness, your citta, to transform it in such a manner that it undergoes the different stages of samadhi to get itself purified. It is a long process. Sage Patanjali also knows that people like you will ask him what will be your fate 2
When two different dishes of food are placed in front [of you], you may ask whether ...[you] should have this or that. [In that case] then it means that ... [you may choose from] .. .any of the two. But, here there is no alternative. Sage Patanjali says that generally people cannot directly develop devotion from the heart. Therefore, they cannot have [achieve] Isvara pranidhana. and cannot surrender to the Lord. We may [also] use the word bhokti - devotion, dedication because the word... [is] simple. But he [Patanjali] knows Isvara pranidhana is not that easy. If the concept of God is unknown, if you do not know what God is, then how can you
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surrender? If I say, "Now, all of you are going to surrender yourself to God," you will ask "please tell us what is God?" Otherwise, how can you have devotion and dedication to an unknown object, an unknown entity? So Patanjali says: first follow the whole process of yoga methodically. In following the process you develop devotion. If your intelligence reaches a state of maturity, then you don't need [to make] any [extra] efforts as Isvara pranidhana happens naturally. You surrender to the Lord without any effort. You do not even doubt the existence of God. But when you question how to practice devotion to God, know well that you [because you have this question, if only at this stage] practice the surrendering to the unknown entity. How can you surrender to the
These afflictions are mentioned in the second chapter: avidya, asmita, ruga, dvesa, abhinivesah nescience, pride, attachment, aversion, clinging to life (sutra 11.3). All these afflictions are our weaknesses. We think we know everything. We think that everything is real in this world. We take it for granted that everything is going to be permanent. That is the lack of understanding which is called avidya. That is the first affliction.
unknown entity? And that's why the question comes, what is God? If the unknown entity is known, then the devotion arises and flows directly from the heart.
Then we have raga [desire, attachment, pleasure] ...springing from our attachment to [that] very "I." Dvesa, aversion, exists because of attachment. We say, "Oh! I like that person." Then we say, "Oh! I
Asmita is a kind of egoistic approach; [an approach] which is attached to that "I" which is not the real "I." This relates [to] feelings such as "I am a practitioner of Yoga. I am so and so; I have got a big house." It makes us identify ourselves with our belongings. That is asmita.
Nescience, pride, attachment aversion, clinging to life are our afflictions, our weaknesses. So Patanjali says, klesa karma vipakt asayaih aparamrstah purusavisesah Isavara [God is the Supreme Being, totally free from conflict, unaffected by actions and untouched by cause and effect] (sutra 1.24). The nature of God as defined by Patanjali is absolutely opposite to what we are. We are caught in klesas, afflictions, all the time. Our afflictions and our karmas. Iyengar Yoga News No. 15 - Autumn 2009
dislike the other one." The root of these "likes and dislikes" is within us. We are attached to some human beings, some friends of ours, in one way, and we have an aversion towards other people whom we do not like. This is our nature and that is why Patanjali points it out. We are so much attached to ourselves that we are afraid of our own death. Therefore, we remain clinging to this life [abhinivesah], thinking that it is 3
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permanent. We are totally caught in these afflictions. God is beyond these afflictions and unaffected by them. We think of God [as] having a human form. We think that he takes birth and dies like us. This is not so. Here, Patanjali makes us realise that God is the one who is free from all
of perception to see something, touch something, feel something, smell something, so how to know this God? So if God has to be known,Patanjali says, "The name of God is aum. God is represented in aum. Aum is called pranava." From time immemorial, God is recognised with the
God is recognised with the sacred syllable aum. A true and faithful practitioner of Yoga will automatically develop devotion. afflictions. He is the Supreme Being in that sense. That is why he is called purusa visesa. We each have an individual soul. This soul is called purusa. But God is above purusa. Therefore, he is purusa visesa. He is a special soul and not like one of us.
We get afflicted with klesas. These afflictions lead us towards karma. We store these karma, which give their fruits in every birth. We have to see that these karma will be [can be] lessened. How can we do this? Only by doing good, virtuous karma! Behind each karma there is a certain desire, intention and inclination which depend upon afflictions. So the klesa leads towards karma, and karma gives vipaka, the fruits of actions. We all get the fruits of our actions. That is how out destinies are made. Patanjali is not bothered about who is good, who is bad. He says, "You clarify yourself, you cleanse yourself, by performing good actions and dedicating the fruits. Do not hanker after enjoying the fruits." God is above all afflictions, actions and fruits of actions. He is untouched by these aspects. Aparam sprstam means untouched. That is how God is. That is how Isvara is. How do I know God?
"How am I to know this God?" That is the question that arises in your mind. God, as explained by Patanjali, is not in the human form. Patanjali's concept of God is formless. How am I to know? How am I to visualise God? We only have senses 4
sacred syllable aum. You open the mouth to speak. The first pronunciation is "a a a". Then when you go halfway with the process of closing, you say "u u u". Then when you close your mouth to finish you say "m m m". So with the pronunciation of "m m m," the lips get closed.
The syllable aum indicates the beginning, middle, and end of the process of speech. Read Light on Yoga and you will know the different aspects of aum. The word aum is like a spectrum of light indicating the wholistic and holistic concept of God. According to Patanjali that is the name, the expression of the God. You need to do japa [a repetitive prayer] of the sacred syllable, divine symbol aum, repeatedly with freshness of mind so that the meaning of aum is self-revealed. In order to have the emotional bearing in your heart about the Supreme Soul, you need to do Isvara pranidhana. Isvara is God and pranidhana means to have intense devotion with total one-pointed attention of citta. If you are unfit to have such devotion then Patanjali asks you to follow the set up programme of astanga yoga - namely yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, etc, - in the frame of tapas, svadhyaya and Isvara pranidhana. The feeling of devotion and dedication
The [feeling of] devotion and dedication is an inner feeling. It does not come from the head but from the heart. If you have to become a real yogi, Iyengar Yoga News No. 15 - Autumn 2009
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you have to practise yoga. You have to practise [the] eight aspects [of yoga] and one day it just happens. You just feel a spiritual heart filled with devotion. You may feel like having an idol of Sage Patanjali and do the puja and worship. So do it. You may begin to do japa, again, simply do it. Just as Lord Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita that even if you offer him anything - such as leaves, flowers, fruit, water - or repeat his name, or surrender the fruits of [your] actions [to him], he is pleased, he is satisfied. [But] your mind has to be clear. It is not that God is going to drink the water offered by you. Basically you have to [your goal is to] develop devotion and dedication. Through karma and jnana, you have to reach [arrive at] bhakti. So the yogic path is inclusive of all these aspects. It is a complete path. Knowing that you are on the right path, you need not worry about how to worship God. You just practise and the day will come when you begin to understand that [bhakti]. A true and faithful practitioner of yoga will automatically develop devotion. Yoga cannot be practised without devotion to God.
lyengar-Yoga is basically teaching you to develop this awareness. In order to have this sama-buddhi, you need devotion. Primarily, the ego has to drop so that buddhi remains untainted. Such clear and pure intelligence cleanses and sanctifies the consciousness - citta. Devotion comes from that pure heart. Therefore, when it is said that yoga is samadhi and samadhi is yoga, understand that this is the approach.
So knowing very well the problems of neophytes, Patanjali hasn't forced Isavara pranidhana. He knows that all cannot surrender to the God - the unknown entity. Isvara pranidhana requires not only a different mental set up but also maturity of intelligence. Therefore, one should have sraddha (faith), virya (vigour to practice), and smrti (memory). Remember that you are practising yoga. Remember the ultimate aim of yoga, the very purpose of yoga. Yoga is not practised for earning money or to build up your profession. Lastly, after sraddha, virya, and smrti [you find] samadhi-prajna - the maturity of intelligence which leads towards samadhi. Sama means equal and dhi means buddhi. Buddhi is intelligence, the inner intelligence. Prajna is intense awareness. The intelligence has to spread equally every-where with sharp awareness when you practise asana, pranayama or dhyana [meditation]. The memory of the ultimate aim is hidden in this samadhi-prajna. Iyengar Yoga News No. 15 - Autumn 2009
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The IYA (UK) Annual Convention London May 2009 by Sharon Klaff
Early March 2008 brought the good news we had all been waiting for - Geetaji had agreed to come to the UK to teach at the IYA (UK) 2009 yoga convention. Immediately the ball was set in motion and the search for a suitable London venue intensified. Budgets were tweaked; committees were established; the organisation of the 2009 IYA (UK) Convention began in earnest.
Finding a suitable venue in London to accommodate almost 1,000 people was indeed a Herculean task. If the location was right, the hall was too small. If the hall was large enough, access was difficult. Finally, the old fish market building at Billingsgate was 6
recommended, viewed and considered a possibility. Billingsgate is an imposing Victorian building in the City of London with a magnificent river frontage. It was decided that the location was very desirable situated as it is neatly between Tower and London bridges, but the fish, what would Geetaji think about the fish! The details were all explained to her emphasising the location and size of the accommodation whilst enlightening her to the historical use of the building as the fish market in London. Geetaji agreed that the convention could be held there given that the building had not been fish friendly for several decades.
There were many problems to overcome in preparing this vast Victorian emporium to serve as a huge yoga studio. The costs were enormous, not only financially but also in terms of organising a successful event. Although the hall is huge and the ceilings extremely high, it is supported down the middle by huge pillars that carry a mezzanine gallery so the ceiling at that mid section is low. The floor is carpeted with grey carpet tiles and wall space is limited.
The organising team went into action with military precision with a chair for each task assisted by a small team. Several meetings were held over the ensuing year during which there was much debate – where to place the stage, should there be giant screens to overcome the imposition of the mezzanine gallery, how could such a vast hall be decorated on a tight budget, should lunches or simply snacks be inclusive, where would Geetaji’s private room be situated, should the drapes be black or white? Every little detail was debated, considered and ultimately resolved.
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afford this six day convention in London.
The good news was that the IYA (UK) had applied for and become a visa authorising organisation, so the task of organising Geetaji and Abhi’s visas seemed simple. However, for some reason the paperwork was held up in India and Philippe, the IYA (UK) chairperson, lived on a knife edge for a couple of weeks before the convention was due to begin until at the eleventh hour news arrived that all the paperwork was in order and Geetaji was on her way. Her tour began in Germany with a short break in Spain after which she came to London. An apartment was hired across the river where Geetaji would stay for the week.
Staying in London can be very expensive and since the convention was to take place during the entire last week of May, many people felt that it would be too expensive to attend. In true camaraderie fashion the London members were asked to help out with accommodation. This worked very well and thanks to the generosity of the locals, many people were able to
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Sunday morning 24th May dawned and the entire organising team arrived at Billingsgate to ensure that the hall was prepared for a 1.30 start. At 9.00am it seemed hardly possible that this vast Victorian space would be ready for use within a few hours. It was dark and grey, there were people tracking wires all over the place, scores of trestle tables and hundreds of chairs lay about, boxes kept spewing into the hall. However, every person simply carried on with their own task starting with the rota for delivery vans to the erecting of the decor. A huge sigh of relief could be heard when the huge backdrop to the stage was hauled up as suddenly the pieces of this jigsaw puzzle visibly fell into place. All was ready by 1.00pm – the medical corner was sectioned off and the equipment set in place, the Puja table looked serene, the stage was simple yet very beautiful with the logo and lotus flower backdrop in shades of lilacs and purples, the t-shirt corner was in full swing, the registration desks ran like clockwork and the four great video screens were in place. The mezzanine gallery housed the exhibition that was brought over from India from Guruji’s 90th
birthday celebrations and the market stalls were set up.
Suddenly, with all the participants sitting on their mats, an expectant silence replaced the buzz that had dominated the morning. To great applause Geetaji walked into the hall and took her place on stage. It hardly seemed believable that this vast Victorian hall had been transformed into a vast yoga centre in which a week of intense yoga practice was to take place as well as chanting, discussions and therapy sessions.
Finally all that preparation and expectation came together in the most fantastic way. There were participants literally from across the globe – the Americas north and south, Asia, Africa and Europe. Old friends reacquainted and others made new friends. The atmosphere was electric with expectation and none were disappointed.
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IYA (UK) Convention 2009 Judith Jones her health it was proposed that Geetaji might come to just two locations in Europe – the UK and Germany. After several invitations we were overjoyed when she agreed to come in May 2009. The huge convention planning machine was immediately set in motion.
Geetaji’s first visit to the UK was in May 2002 when she taught a four day convention at Crystal Palace in London. This convention was the culmination of an extensive European tour in which Geetaji taught and lectured in nine different countries.
Geetaji left a deep impression on everyone and we all wanted her to return. However the tour had involved a lot of tiring travel between countries over a period of six weeks, with little time to rest in between conventions. For the sake of
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Now it is all over. The conventions in Cologne in Germany and in London were both wonderful, memorable events. Geetaji’s teaching was superb. In London there were over 800 participants all keen to give Geetaji their absolute attention as her penetrating words pinpointed something new, corrected a fault, reminded of what had been forgotten or neglected. She was able to maintain complete control over the huge class, seeming to be aware of everything and everyone in the room, spotting students not using equipment correctly or doing something stupid; directing helpers to struggling students they had not themselves seen; dealing with individual problems on the platform; directing the cameramen on what and who to film; keeping all the participants working to their maximum level of concentration. Every class was a masterpiece of teaching
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everyone so very deeply and sometimes unexpectedly. She has the ability to open and reach into the heart of everyone. The event had come to an end but what every individual had gained has no end. Our gratitude and respect to Geetaji must not just be with words but with action - our own dedicated practice of yoga.
This poem was inspired by the convention:
following the methods of her father BKS Iyengar, who she often referred to with admiration during the classes. At the end of a memorable backbend class even the cameramen applauded her as she left the platform. In the pranayama classes the security guards standing by the doors were spotted trying to manipulate their fingers on their noses, while the film crew started practicing Savasana during the lunch break!
At the end of the last amazing class where Geetaji taught jumpings with standing poses, forward extensions, twists, backbends, inversions, pranayama, pratyahara, and dhyana, everyone had a tear of emotion in their eye as they stood up to applaud her. Geetaji is an inspiration. She has such a depth of personal experience in yoga and can bring all the various facets of yoga together in a single class. Her love and generosity touches Iyengar Yoga News No. 15 - Autumn 2009
Blue skies bowed above St. Magnus bells delighted clamouring out laughing over the rolling river that danced before our Palace with golden fish leaping from its spires awaiting Geetaji’s fires that filled its halls where 800 feet spread 800 drawn within and there, as one to share the teaching that flowed as the river constant, carrying one to the inner truth where stillness lies in the sound of silence, the song of the asanas leads us on each note setting in our symphony of life fresh footprints to where the breath strokes clear the past and present and settle here. Yoga, union, compassionate springs Patanjali, Guruji, Geetaji light and loving, Steps placed deep in sands of our forever. Shanthi, Shanthi. Shanthi, Aummmmmmm. By Felicity Goodson
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IYA (UK) Convention 2009 by Michelle Mangeolles The convention was held from Sunday 24th - Saturday 30th May at the well located Billingsgate Fish Market, which was a wonderful choice for the event. I have volunteered to write an article about the event to share what was taught by Geetaji, with people who were unable to attend the convention themselves. Unfortunately we were not permitted to take notes in the classes so my account is taken from what I was able to remember.
The first day began with an introduction and asana class at 2.30pm. Everybody readied themselves in good time, and waited for the teacher. Within a short time Geetaji arrived greeting her students with a warm-hearted smile, and hands in a very welcoming namaste. Geetaji took to the stage and the convention began. She began with a talk about the week ahead and spoke about how she intended the teaching to be suitable for beginners. Over the week it became apparent that her main objective was to educate teachers and students with the knowledge of how they can teach or how they should work in the poses which they cannot do, due to limitations through stiffness, injury or age. She explained throughout the week
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that the pictures in Light on Yoga were selected by the publishers and not by Guruji. 'The pictures do not equip the student with a full knowledge of how to work towards the final asana. Geetaji emphasised many times the importance of having knowledge over attaining certificates.
Day 1 Adho Mukha Svanasana, (walk into) Uttanasana, Utthita Padangusthasana, (chin forward at flat back position), Paschimottanasana, (feet wide, looking up) Urdhva Upavistha Konasana (keep mid thighs down, look up with both eyes), Salamba Sarvangasana. Main focus of class: dorsal spine in. This instruction was repeated many times and the following day I was very sore in the dorsal spine.
Day 2 Uttanasana/ using a block between the thighs (turn the legs inside out), Urdhva Baddha Hastasana (lift the armpits and the lats), Utthita Trikonasana, (back leg thigh back, stick used), Utthita Parsvakonasana, Parsvottanasana (turn back leg thigh in, so back thigh is like the spine of a book opening out), Sirsasasana, Setubanda Sarvangasana.
Day 3 Uphavistha Konasana (support back of knee if a space), Baddha Konasana (block between feet lifting hips), Janu Sirsasana (draw the front thigh to the hip socket), Padmasana (keep knee low and soft), Sirsasana/ Sarvangasana/ Savasana, (legs wide, no support). Day 4 Trikonasana, (take care with students that have vertigo), Parsvakonasana, Virabhadrasana III, Ardha Chandrasana (the mind is in the back leg, foot higher than body), Parivrtta Trikonasana, (abdomen to turn, Geetaji demonstrated using blanket on student at wall), Parivrtta Parsvakonasana, Parivrtta Ardha Chandrasana, Bharadvajasana I, Sirsasana, Sarvangasana, Eka Pada variations. On day 4 one student had talked about suffering from sciatica and so Geetaji incorporated lots of helpful methods of teaching poses that are beneficial to this problem, mainly the wide angle of the extended leg. Day 5 Supta Baddha Konasana (one leg extended wide) fold opposite leg into Baddha Konasana & take the knee to the floor and release. Repeat. Supta Padhangusthasana II, Salab-
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hasana (feet width of mat to allow tail bone to move inside, soft buttocks! Bring feet together). Dhanurasana, (folding and raising one leg up at a time, opposite hand at chest to support as in Chaturanga Dandasana) Ustrasana (block between thighs to encourage front thigh lift and back thigh broadening), Supta Padangusthasana I and II/ Janu Sirsasana/ Bharadvajasana I/ (look up) Sarvangasana. Day 6 Baddha Konasana/ Ustrasana, Urdhva Dhanurasana (arms at right angle as in Dwi Pada Viparita Dandasana and head back, rolling into that position several times to penetrate upper back chest. Sirsasana, Setubandha Sarvangasana, Savasana. Geetaji spoke a great deal about how to help people who suffer neck problems in shoulder balance on this day and I recommend getting the DVD if you have the same problem On day 6 one student had asked how to acquire motivation for home practise, so Geetaji demonstrated this with jumping between asanas to kick start the body. Day 7 Lots of jumping from Uttanasana and Adho Mukha Svanasana into poses. When practising Sarvangasana lots of rolling onto the shoulder in Chatushpadasana/before Sarvangasana.
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IYA UK Convention by Sheila Haswell The convention with Dr. Geeta S lyengar in London was excellent. Anyone who has been taught by Geetaji before would have expected no less. It becomes a personal experience as she has a way of working which makes you feel as though she is teaching you directly, even whilst teaching almost 800 people. Her knowledge is vast and she misses nothing as her eyes search the class in front of her. For me I love the way she brings clarity to the asanas making sure we know exactly what she wants us to do. She also clarified some contentious issues: do we raise the heel inVirabhadrasana 1? She mentioned that if the heel comes up then it comes up but you shouldn't lift it up. In Sarvangasana she said that we should move the shoulders further onto the support so that the neck is supported and not left hanging, another area where there is often confusion. The asanas that changed for me were Salabhasana and Dhanurasana. These are not my favourite asanas (which means I should practice them more!) but in Salabhasana we had to raise the shoulders and arms whilst keeping the head on the floor to make the dorsal spine active, when you then raise the head the lift is better (I could get to Iike this one). In Dhanurasana we raised one leg at a time whilst keeping the other hand in Chaturanga Dandasana position; it shows where the thighs have to extend to get the correct lift. There was so much more and I am now looking forward to getting the DVD's for further clarity.
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European Iyengar Yoga Convention Cologne Mary Heath The plans for a Convention of Iyengar yoga teachers in Europe were laid in Pune when Rita Keller from Germany, Lydie Driviere from France and Judith Jones from the UK jointly put a request to Geetaji, to which she graciously agreed. I have so many happy memories of my week in Cologne: our cruises on the picturesque Rhine, the excitement of the last-minute preparations, the camaderie of five teachers living and laughing together - Germany, France, the USA and the UK united by the universality of Iyengar yoga - as well as meeting or reuniting with around 450 teachers not just from Europe but from all over the world, and of course five whole days of Geetaji's inspired and inspiring teaching!
The Convention was held in the atmospheric setting of the beautifully restored Gurzenich building, right in the heart of historic Cologne from 12th to 19th May. Each day started with pranayama, and we were required to remember the imprints on the body from the pranayama session - for example, moving the back ribs in like an arrow piercing, then opening the chest to the sides - so that in the later asana class we had the necessary intelligence in the back of the body. Virabhadrasana I was practised first in the normal way, and then with the arms down level with the back of the hips, and Virabhadrasana II in the same way or with the arms clasped behind (if no trapezius problems). Adho Mukha Virasana was practised (before Sirsasana) first in the normal way, then with the forehead on a brick and the arms folded in front and lifted, and then with the chin on the brick and the same lift of the arms. Try it! In 'Eka Pada' Uttanasana, with the feet wider than the hips but narrower than Trikonasana and taking the trunk down over the
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right leg, we had to lose the hump on the left side of the back, and take this imprint into Parivrtta Trikonasana to the right, and vice versa. This was followed by Ustrasana, before coming back to repeat Parivrtta Trikonasana. All of this served to make each class a penetrative and profound Photo by Lydie Driviere experience and an uplifting and joyful one. There was laughter all around when on one occasion Geetaji showed, with a deft downward-slicing action of her hand (oh alright then, a slap !) on a teacher's shoulderblades, the movement required and declared "Count your age by the thickness here (trapezius) not by the number of (birthday) cakes you have cut!"
On the last day, during the morning teabreak, a teacher with a medical condition came over and introduced himself to me and we talked about the help and advice Geetaji had given him not just at the Q&A session but in the asana classes. He told me that before coming to the Convention he was on the verge of giving up teaching his yoga class, but that because of Geetaji's guidance he felt encouraged to carry on teaching and more able to manage his condition. What better tribute to the compassion, the generosity and the wisdom of Dr. Geeta S. Iyengar.
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Geetaji Visits Duckinfield The Manchester and District Institute of Iyengar Yoga were honoured to welcome Smt. Geeta S. Iyengar to open their new yoga studio on King Street, Duckinfield.
She travelled by train from London to Manchester for the day, accompanied by her niece Abhijhata Sridhar, just before the week-long convention in London in May 2009. The Manchester and District Institute of Iyengar Yoga (MDIIY) is the oldest Iyengar Yoga Institute in the world, and they were delighted that Geetaji agreed to open their new studio. The speciallyinvited 100-plus guests on the day were entertained by world-class musicians from India, Indian classical dancers and a puppet show of stories from Indian culture. Local caterers served up authentic Indian Thali dishes. With the studio opened in this auspicious way, the Manchester & District Institute of Iyengar Yoga will continue its many and varied classes of yoga, passing on the benefits and wisdom of yoga to all in our area and beyond.
the tree of yoga has bloomed very well.
My only word of caution is that the people should not be distracted from the pure path of Yoga.
I am very glad to visit this Centre in Manchester and I know the teachers of the Centre from the 1960’s when they would come to Pune.
Seeing them teach here in the Institute makes me feel proud as they are safely conveying Guruji’s (B.K.S. Iyengar) teachings.
Yoga is meant for all, irrespective of religion, nationality, cast, gender etc. I am overwhelmed to see this actualised.”
In opening the new studio, Geetaji said: “I am very happy to see that so many Westerners are attracted to yoga and ardently practising it.
My father had to struggle in the 1950’s and 1960’s to sow the seed of yoga in this land. Now Iyengar Yoga News No. 15 - Autumn 2009
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Guruji in Moscow 23rd to 26th April 2009 Amparo Rodriguez The news of Mr. Iyengar going to Moscow took most of us by surprise; it all happened very quickly and not many people knew about his visit to Russia. To make things more difficult the initial information was published in Cyrillic script.
Guruji was invited personally by Derk Sauer, the publisher of Yoga Journal magazine in Russia. According to Khatuna Kotiashvili from Yoga Journal Russia, whom we met during the convention, Guruji agreed to go to Moscow two months before, but even they were not sure that it was going to be possible to arrange such a major event in such a short time. Together with a colleague and friend Jose Barrientos, I was one of the few lucky people to hear about Guruji’s visit to Moscow two weeks before the event. We knew straight away that we wanted to go, so we started the frustrating and expensive negotiations to get the required visa to Russia, an essential letter of invitation from the tourist board and finally the ticket. Despite these frustrations it proved to be well worth it.
Before Guruji travelled to Moscow he told the Indian press: “I am looking forward to this visit, because I am very keen to see the changes that have taken place in Russia over the last twenty years.” “I will be discussing and demonstrating yogic asanas and pranayama techniques in great detail, thus all sessions will be video documented. It will be a good gift for posterity.”
Russia has 30 to 40 yoga studios; most of them in 14
Moscow with thousands of yoga students, the majority of them practise Iyengar Yoga. To bring Guruji to Moscow the organising team tried to charter a private plane but this attempt fell through so they got scheduled first class tickets instead for Guruji and his 14 assistants.
Jose and I arrived to Moscow the night before the convention was due to start to very mild weather; Guruji had arrived two days earlier to find that it was snowing. During the two days before the convention, Guruji gave press and television interviews where he talked about the therapeutic benefits of yoga. He was also due to meet with the President, Dmitry Medvedev “an ardent yoga practitioner”. I now know that this was not possible but he did meet the president’s wife who said that all Russians should practise yoga every day.
Initially the convention was due to take place in a smaller venue but the response of his Russian students and the few from other countries required the organisers to find a bigger place to accommodate 650 participants.
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The VVTs, known as the All-Russia Exhibition Centre, a former Stalinist “theme park” that once extolled the achievements of the Soviet economy, decorated with mosaic-encrusted fountains, iconic monuments and many pavilions was chosen to house the convention. The Russians attention to detail despite the short preparation time available was such, that they had even thought to arrange for a bus to pick people up from the main entrance of the VVTs to the pavilion five minutes away on foot. However, the system for placing our yoga mats was left to the kindness of us yoga pupils, which proved disastrous as we all wanted to be close to him.
The first day, Thursday 23rd, the convention was due to start at 9:30am. Jose and I left our rented apartment at 7:30 to give us plenty of time to find our way by Metro, luckily three stops away from the venue but nevertheless time consuming, as all the signs are in Cyrillic script.
When we got to the venue we found it full. Most people got there at 8am to wait for the door to open at 8:30 and then stampeded to get a place close to the front. Two stages were requested by Guruji, one of them in the centre to make sure that everyone managed to see the demonstrations. Guruji travelled with his grand daughter Abhijata Shridar; Indian students, Devki Desei, Arti Mehta, Zubin, Amit Pawar, Raya and others as well as some of his senior teachers: Faeq Biria (France), Manouso Manos (US), Patxi Lizardi (Spain) and Clé Souren (the Netherlands).
At 9:30 Guruji came into the room to be greeted by a delighted and expectant crowd. Guruji reminded all of us that this was his second visit to Russia; the first was in 1989 when the health minister of the Soviet Union had invited him to give some lectures and yoga demonstrations. Iyengar Yoga News No. 15 - Autumn 2009
Apparently in those days of the Communist regime it was not permitted for people to practise yoga at all and the few people that were practising were doing it with the help of an illegal photocopy of Light on Yoga.
He remembered addressing 300 people during his first visit; today we were more like 650.
Gurujis teaching was enthusiastic, deep, humorous and sometimes fierce. The asana practice from 9:30am to 1pm every day was taught by him, his instructions interspersed with constant Russian translation. He spoke about the importance to maintain the balance of mula- Prakrti in our asana practice, showing in Abhi’s demonstration of Utthita Trikonasana how earth (prthvi) is present in the feet and the legs, water (ap) on the top side of the trunk, air (vayu) on the top arm and hand, and fire (tej) in the solar plexus. He then added that to master an asana it may take a life time, but if we don’t do it in this life we may do it in the next one. Asana, he said has to be practised with the body for the soul. Asana has to be full of green lights not red lights. If I understood correctly he was referring to the obstacles that we encounter in our yoga practice.
In Tadasana he emphasised the rotation of the top of the thighs, all the standing poses need to be done with legs wider to feel the inner groins in Utthita Trikonasana we should use maturity and intelligence like a seed that has to open, it may take years but like a seed it has the potential to sprout. To stabilise in Utthita Trikonasana, the root of the nail of the middle finger (vayu) has to remain firm, the skin from the wrist to the shoulder socket has to extend down but the flesh has to extend up. 15
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Ardha Chandrasana was demonstrated and taught many times lifting the leg from the inner groin; in Parsvottanasana again the inner groins were the centre of the teaching, the inner groin of both legs have to go back, the same in Prasaritta Padottanasana, he even said that if we do this asana correctly we will know the meaning of grace. In Parsvottanasana the back of the hands were on the floor, the Parivrttas were demonstrated between two trestlers for direct perception.
Adjustments that we make in our bodies have to move from gross adjustments to subtle ones to create and find freedom. “With the self, by the self, for the self.” In Bharadvajasana 1, the somatic ego (the outer hip) has to remain stable to turn away from it, feet, buttocks and inner groins down, rotate the fingers on the floor to turn.
For us, there were very intense four days as after the classes we visited the tourist sites, travelling in the showcase Metro with hundreds of stairs: from Red Square we saw St. Basil’s Cathedral, Lenin’s Mausoleum, the Kremlin walls and the GUM department store nearby. One night, with the help of one of the Russian students we were very fortunate to get tickets to the ballet at the Bolshoi Theatre to see Spartacus, arriving exhausted to our rented apartment for a well deserved rest… Until the next day.
When we are performing an asana, we should aim to reach all the cells of the body like the Russian President aiming to reach all the people of Russia.
In Paschimottanasana, Gurujii told us that the legs were the legs of Chaturanga Dandasana; the shins as in Urdhva Mukha Svanasana; the outer hips and thighs have to work as in Adho Mukha Svanasana to be able to extend further.
Mind blowing information, instructions and demonstration were generously given during all the asana sessions, so many that my mind, weeks later is trying to process all the information. Without showing signs of fatigue after teaching the asana class of the morning, Guruji then spent 15 to 20 minutes every day of the convention signing books.
In the afternoon, two hours Pranayama was taught on the first day by Gurujii and the others either
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by Manouso, Patxi or Faeq. On one of the afternoons the film Leap of Faith, was shown with subtitles in Russian.
Sadly our return to London was on the afternoon of the last day of the convention so we missed the closing ceremony, which I heard that was very emotional.
Having reached 90 years of age Gurujii still continues giving and giving in an unselfish way. May he pass this generosity to all of us to share with others what he gives us. In praise of the Russians, Guruji said: Russians are unique; they have an occidental head and an oriental heart. This makes them very interesting. They are also very intellectually and philosophically sound”.
I would like to thank Guruji for his teachings, Jose Barrientos, for his company and comments for the article, and to Richard Agar Ward for reading and correcting the article.
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Guruji’s Influence Judith Richards
When I wandered into my first yoga class in Kitwe, Zambia in 1970 I thought nothing of it. That is to say, I thought nothing of the global and historical context of what I was doing. (As a matter of fact, I was so thrilled with the experience I vowed to continue for the rest of my life, but I was only thinking of myself.) Millie Martin was a local teacher – the only one in town, I think. She had trained with an Indian yoga teacher who had visited Southern Africa and written a book, Light on Yoga.
Little did I know that this man, B. K. S. Iyengar, and this book were in the process of revolutionising yoga the world over. No book before this had shown photographs of the practitioner. No practitioner before this examined in such detail the fine changes in mental and physical balance which are brought about by precise anatomical alignment. Look back through the books and journals of the last 30 years and you will see, even where Iyengar’s teachings are not overtly followed, that alignment and extension have entered the vocabulary of yoga. Iyengar had been teaching in Pune for 20 years when Yehudi Menuhin was introduced to him. We must remain indebted to Yehudi Menuhin for bringing Iyengar to England in the 1950’s, to Iyengar’s early students in the West who embraced his teachings and to the Inner London Education Authority (ILEA) who insisted that no other form of yoga be taught in their classes. (ILEA also stipulated that the spiritual side of yoga should not be made explicit which, paradoxically, has led to the great strength of Iyengar yoga in showing that the mental and spiritual Iyengar Yoga News No. 15 - Autumn 2009
goals of yoga can be achieved through attending to the body and its actions.)
The UK now has the largest Iyengar Yoga Association in the world. The first Iyengar Yoga Institute in the world was formed in Manchester (MDIIY) in 1972, followed by IYI in Maida Vale, London. In 1975 the B K S Iyengar Yoga Teachers’ Association was founded, which amalgamated with Light on Yoga Association in 2001 to form the present IYA (UK). There are over 60 Iyengar Yoga Associations throughout the world, and many more countries where small groups of people practise Iyengar yoga without a formally constituted association, making Iyengar yoga the most practised form of yoga in the world. Many international events take place every year, and practitioners from around the world also meet in Pune at the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute. There are moves to open up better communication between countries and share knowledge and information.
So when you go to your local yoga class – the nearest one, the one you can fit in to your busy schedule – and a precise movement or position strikes a chord of satisfaction, of joy, of peace, of courage or equanimity, remember that Indian teacher of fiery and indomitable spirit who wrote a book (and many more) and showed the way to reach the goal of yoga through asana – Mr. B.K.S.Iyengar.
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Sri Ramanujacharya Richard Ward Sri Ramanuja was a great Acharya, saint and social reformer. He had a tremendous influence on the spiritual and philosophical heritage of India and was the founder of the Bhakti movement. He argued that devotion to God is paramount and he valued spiritual attainment above birthright. He is also credited with having brought the masses back to the Vedic religion. This article aims to give a brief introduction to Sri Ramanuja and his life. Sri Ramanuja’s Birth Sri Ramanuja lived in the 11th and 12th centuries AD (AD1017-1137). He was the son of a learned Brahmin, Asuri Kesavacharya, who was an expert in vedic rituals. He lived in Sriperumbudur, a village approximately 30 miles south west of modern Chennai (Madras). In this village the temple with the image of Yatiraja (prince among ascetics) as Sri Ramanuja can be seen even today.
Sri Ramanuja’s parents had had no children for several years when they sought divine help at a sacred shrine. Here his father had a dream in which God told him he was pleased with his observance of Dharma and his devotion and displeased with humanity’s misinterpretation of scriptures, and would therefore incarnate himself as an Acharya to help humanity onto the right path. One year later when this child was born he had the divine marks of Vishnu and was named Ramanuja which means Laksmana, brother of Rama. (Note: Laksmana was an incarnation of Adisesa, Vishnu’s couch. Patanjali is considered to be an incarnation of Adisesa). Sri Ramanuja’s early education As Ramanuja grew up he proved highly intelligent and was drawn to holy men. He studied Sanskrit
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and the Vedas under his father and when he was sixteen went to study in Kanchipuram, in those days a great centre of learning, under the renowned scholar Yadavaprakasa, an authority on Advaita Vedanta (non-dualism). Ramanuja was a devoted student but as time went on differences between them began to emerge; in particular Ramanuja believed in devotion to a personal God, but Yadava Prakash, a radical non-dualist, did not accept such a concept.
A plot to murder Sri Ramanuja Yadavaprakasa grew jealous and was concerned that Ramanuja might establish a qualified monistic doctrine so he plotted to murder Ramanuja! To further this end he suggested to his other pupils that they all go on a pilgrimage to the Ganges with the intention of murdering Ramanuja and then washing away the sin in the Ganges. After several days’ travel Ramanuja was warned by his cousin and co-disciple Govinda who advised him to flee and joined the party. All assumed he had been killed by a wild animal in the forest.
So at eighteen years of age Ramanuja was alone in a forest infested with wild animals and robbers. He was taken care of by a hunter couple who were going on a pilgrimage in the direction of Ramanuja’s home. They led him through the forest to a place to rest and next morning to a well. Ramanuja brought water from a well for the couple only to find to his surprise on the fourth trip they had disappeared. He asked around and was astonished to discover that the well was in fact already in Kanchipuram, his home town. He realised the couple who had helped him were divine beings. Iyengar Yoga News No. 15 - Autumn 2009
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Exorcising a spirit from the Princess When Yadavaprakasa returned to Kanchipuram he was very surprised to see Ramanuja but pretended to be pleased and Ramanuja returned to his Gurukula. The Princess of Kanchipuram was possessed by a spirit and all attempts at exorcising including by Yadavaprakasa himself had failed. The spirit demanded Ramanuja be brought and put his feet on the Princess’ head. This was done and it left her body, much to Yadava’s annoyance. It wasn’t long before philosophical differences arose again between the two owing to their fundamentally different outlooks and Yadavaprakasa sent Ramanuja away. Interestingly, however, Yadava ultimately accepted discipleship under Ramanuja - since his treachery he had known no peace of mind.
other disciples grumbled. Ramanuja taught his disciples that the couple were more worthy “Know this, that it is the qualities of the head and heart which are the causes of good and not the caste. Relinquishing all your pride of caste, take pains to acquire good qualities.”
There are many other examples of Ramanuja’s non-casteism (and his wife’s resistance to this). For example, Ramanuja noticed that a low caste servant who was giving him an oil bath was very thin, so he asked his wife for some rice to give him but his wife said there wasn’t any. Ramanuja found that in fact there was and gave it all to the man and had his bath later. Another time Ramanuja’s wife insulted his Guru Mahapurna’s wife who had accidentally spilt some of her water into Ramanuja’s wife’s pitcher. In her eyes it was contaminated as Mahapurna’s wife came from a low caste. Eventually Ramanuja tricked her into leaving his house and took this opportunity to renounce wealth and wife and devoted himself totally to God.
One year after Yamunacharya’s death the devotees lead by Mahapurna, asked Ramanuja to be Acharya and to be fully initiated into Vaisnavism by impressing the seals with Chakra (discus) on the right shoulder and Shanka (conch) on the left shoulder and telling him the Vaisnava Mantra. [Note: Even if born into a Srivishnaivite family one is not formally Srivishnaivite until the Chakra and Shanka are stamped on the arm in a special ceremony. Guruji himself was about to carry out such a ceremony a few days after our interview with Savitaji: this he is entitled to do as he is the preceptor of the family.] Ramanuja stayed in Kanchipuram for six months with Mahapurna as his Guru.
Sri Ramanuja’s non caste-ism After the split with Yadava Prakash, Ramanuja turned towards the Vaisnavas and prostrated at the feet of a great devotee, Kanchipurna, wishing to become his disciple, but Kanchipurna refused as he was a man of low caste, whereas Ramanuja was a high-born Brahmin. Ramanuja’s view however was that Kanchipurna’s devotion to God was far superior to high birth and learning.
Ramanuja also took on two disciples (Dhanurdasa and his wife) who were not Brahmins and his Iyengar Yoga News No. 15 - Autumn 2009
Sri Ramanuja’s three vows to Saint Yamunacharya Around the time of Ramanuja’s split with Yadava Prakash, the leader of the Vaisnava community, Saint Yamunacharya, was aware that he had not long left to live and had been praying that Ramanuja would take his place. He sent a senior disciple, Mahapurna, to persuade Ramanuja to come to Srirangam. Ramanuja was very honoured but on arriving he found that Yamunacharya had already died. He saw that the Guru had three fingers on his right hand folded, which Ramanuja took to be the Saint’s message of three unfulfilled wishes. Ramanuja declared three vows ie. upholding Sri Vaishnavism and propagating the path of devotion to God; writing a commentary on the Vedanta Sutras of Badarayana, the Sri Bhasya; and naming one greatly learned Vaishnava after Muni Parasara, who produced the Vishnupurana. As he declared each vow a finger relaxed. He later fulfilled all these vows.
Sharing the sacred Mantra with the people Mahapurna sent Ramanuja to to go and learn
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from the most eminent Vaisnava scholar Goshtipurna. Ramanuja was refused by Goshtipurna eighteen times. At last Goshtipurna took pity on him and gave him a sacred potent eight syllable mantra with its mystic meaning, saying he must promise to keep it a secret and never tell others. Ramanuja at once went to top of the temple and gathered a crowd and then gave them the manta “Om Namo Narayanaya” The guru was furious with Ramanuja and said he would go to hell for breaking his promise. Ramanuja replied that he was prepared to pay personally with hell for his sin of disobeying his Guru to do this service of helping others achieve salvation. Goshtipurna forgave him and gave his son Saurnyanarayana as his disciple. After this incident Ramanuja was generally regarded as the incarnation of Laksman.
Writing the Sribhasya One of the vows Ramanuja had made on Yamunacharya’s death had been to write the commentary on the Vedanta Sutra (also known as the Brahma Sutra), his Sribhashya: this is his most important work. In order to do this he needed to study a sacred text (Bodhayana’s Vrtti on Badarayana’s Vedanta-Sutras) which was in Kashmir. He went with his disciple Kuresha. It took three months to get there but the scholars who had it in their possession didn’t 20
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want to part it to him as they were afraid that he would weaken their doctrine of nondualism. So they pretended it had been eaten by worms. There are several variants of what happened next, one is that Ramanuja had a vision of the Goddess Sarada and she presented him the book, another that the King of Kashmir was so impressed with him that he ordered his scholars to give Sri Ramanuja the book to be read and returned. Sri Ramanuja said that he would it read loudly. Kuresha who had an unbelievable memory, memorised The Bodhayana’s Vrtti as Ramanuja read loudly for him to remember. Fortunately Ramanuja’s companion Kuresa was able to write everything down from memory which enabled Sri Ramanuja to write the Sribhasya. Besides the Sribhasya Sri Ramanuja wrote eight other works, including on Vedanta, Upanishads and the Gita.
Spreading Sri Vaisnavism After writing the Sribhasya Sri Ramanuja travelled far and wide in south and north India meeting other philosophers and spreading Sri Vaishnavism, building monasteries and transforming people towards “sharanagati”, path of Bhakti marga. (Total Surrender of oneself to God is sharanagati.)
Fleeing from the Chola King When he was seventy-nine Sri Ramanuja had to flee Srirangam for Mysore to protect himself from Kulottunga the Chola king of Tamil Nadu, a very staunch Shaivite who was persecuting Srivaishnavas (this king was the one whose sister Sri Ramanuja had earlier exorcised). The king wanted forcibly to convert Sri Ramanuja, as the leader of the Vaishnavas, or to kill him. Kuresa one of Sri Ramanuja’s disciples suspected something was afoot so exchanged clothes with Sri Ramanuja and met the king saying that he was Ramanuja and said that he will not utter God in any name except as Narayana. The king tortured and blinded Kuresha. Sri Ramanuja was able to escape to a Jain kingdom in what is now modern Mysore. Sri Ramanuja defeated the Jain scholars in a debate and converted the king and a large number of Jains into Sri Vaishnavism. Under this king’s patronage he founded several temples. (When the Chola Kulottunga died a more benign ruler took over and so was able to return to Srirangam. He lived there peacefully for the rest of his life). The Temple at Melkote During this time of exile Sri Ramanuja built the temple at Melkote, near Mysore. He had had a dream about Narayana and the next day when he was in the forest smelt the scent of the sacred tulsi plant in an ant
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hill. He had it dug up and discovered an idol of Narayana and the diamond crown belonging to its counterpart image. An ancient temple there had been destroyed by Muslim invaders and the image had been hidden for safe-keeping. Sri Ramanuja had a large temple built there, which is at the place now known as Melkote. However there was still no counterpart image (the image taken outside the temple in processions) as this was in the possession of the daughter of a Muslim ruler in Delhi. Sri Ramanuja went with a disciple and ingratiated himself with the ruler to get hold of the image. He addressed the image of Selva Pillai and asked him to come to him. The image moved towards him and Sri Ramanuja carried with such a speed that the group of raiders had to return. But the Princess decided to follow her devoted deity and followed Sri Ramanuja. Sri Ramanuja recognized in her a great devotee and although she was born a Muslim he allowed her to enter the temple and remain there. He also opened the Melkote temple to all castes. There is now an image of Sri Ramanuja in this temple.
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Monism, Qualified Monism & Dualism Sri Shankara propounded the philosophy of Radical NonDualism or Monism (Advaita Vedanta). Monism says there is just one absolute reality Divine Power, ie there is just one thing that is absolutely real and in existence and that is Brahman. ‘Reality’ in the sense of the perceived world is nothing more than illusion. Brahman is indivisible and without attributes (nirguna), therefore Atman (one’s true Self, Soul) is not a part of Brahman because Brahman is not composed of parts, it is Brahman, ie Self and Brahman are identical. Sri Shankara put forward the path of Jnana Marga (knowledge) as the ultimate means through which ignorance is removed and liberation attained.
Sri Ramanuja introduced the philosophy of Qualified Monism/Qualified Non-Dualism (Vishistadvaita). This upholds that there is only one Absolute Reality and that is Brahman, but it is qualified because Brahman is attribute as well as nonattribute. Spirit and matter and Souls and God are not identical, but distinct from each other yet also unified; souls are embodiments of and wholly dependent on God. The phenomenal world is real. Whilst accepting Karma Marga (action) and Jnana Marga as important Ramanuja upholds Bhakti (devotion) as the highest path.
Sri Madhwa propounded the idea of dualism (Dvaita). Dualism asserts that there is a distinction between individual souls and the universal spirit and matter and spirit. Souls and matter originate from Brahman but Brahman is essentially different. Reality exists. God is saguna (with attributes).
Vaisnavism & Shaivism Sri Vaisnaivites are followers of Lord Vishnu and his consort Lakshmi in all their forms (eg Krishna & Rama are incarnations of Vishnu). For them Vishnu is the Supreme Being. In contrast Shaivites worship Shiva as the main God. -----------
Bibliography Life of Sri Ramanuja Swami Ramakrishnanada Sri Ramanuja: his life, religion & philosophy Swami Tapsyananda Ramanuja Amar Chitra Katha illustrated classics
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Teaching Yoga in Mental Health Settings Laura Potts
For fifteen years, I have been teaching a weekly yoga class at a local psychiatric hospital. At the time, I was just starting teacher training with Lilian Biggs, and she urged me to find a class to teach to get experience – that was the form in those days. While originally the class was offered through the Workers’ Education Association (WEA) Mental Health branch, during the last decade I have been employed directly by the Primary Care Trust (PCT), through the Occupational Therapy (OT) team. I have also taught several classes in community mental health settings, working with the charity MIND, and at local day centres for people with enduring mental health problems. This article draws together some personal reflections on this work, and some more analytical observations that I contributed to the Mental Health Guidelines – Yoga produced in 2008 by the Foundation for Integrated Health (see below; a valuable resource if you are interested in this topic). I’m grateful to Alan Brown for pointing me in the direction of the FIH piece of work; I learned a great deal from having to organise my thinking and experience for it.
The Guidelines refer to several pieces of clinical research which have identified the biochemical and physiological processes by which yoga benefits those with mental health problems, so if this area interests you, it is a good resource to use. And, of course, much of the Iyengars’ teaching makes reference to the benefits of specific asanas and pranayama too, which are to be found in all the main texts we have available to us. Perhaps most fundamental is Guruji’s explanation that 22
asanas tone the whole body. They strengthen bones and muscles, correct posture, improve breathing and increase energy. This physical wellbeing has a strengthening and calming impact on the mind. Taking certain poses to either calm or energise, restore or pacify both mind and body is familiar to us all through our own practice; the work I do with people with mental health problems is informed by those same principles, but working with additional knowledge of the nature of those problems.
During these fifteen years, mental health services have changed quite dramatically: more people are treated in the community, and hospital admissions tend to be only for those suffering acute episodes that can’t be managed outside. Consequently, the students who come to class now tend to be more distressed or disturbed – and vulnerable too, so the requirement to have a CRB check is an important safeguard. Nursing staff may be required to escort some people to class; I always firmly encourage the nursing staff to join the class, insisting yoga is not a spectator sport, and usually they are happy to do so, unless someone requires constant observation. My teaching focus is to treat all those who attend as students, not as patients or staff (and it’s not always an obvious distinction between the two – I have made mistakes!). For the same reason, I never ask staff for anyone’s diagnosis, coming to trust, over the years, my own ability to provide a class to meet their need, with no preconceptions. This is a very important aspect of the work, and one that is valued by those attending; I come to Iyengar Yoga News No. 15 - Autumn 2009
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do the class with them from outside the hospital, not as a nurse or doctor, and offer an hour of activity that addresses them as a person, a student, not a patient. I’ve had very positive responses from many students who have found the yoga a real help in their recovery because of how different it is from most of the other therapeutic treatment they receive in hospital. And quite a few do continue to practise when they are discharged; my community-based classes are designed to support that transition, and are a strong factor in the enthusiasm health service managers express for the hospital class.
Changes in service philosophy and provision mean that staff more frequently deem patients too unwell to attend at all, which means classes are now smaller with people attending towards the end of their hospital stay, rather than throughout. One of the greatest challenges has always been not knowing who will be in the class: students I know and have worked with before, or a totally new group? I can never plan a class, so thinking on my feet, developing a quick sense of what will work, what students’ capabilities seem to be, is of the essence. And so my teaching has to be responsive to who and what I see as they come into the room (a spacious light room partly used by the physiotherapy team with gym equipment and partly carpeted for other activities). Do they seem nervous, agitated, withdrawn, excitable, passive? I nearly always start the class with supta tadasana; lying in contact with the ground, not having to see anyone else, and bringing the body into alignment, is steadying, and just about everyone can do this, so their confidence in taking part is helped. It’s important to dispel the fears that yoga is ‘hard’ and only for the flexible and strong, so I tend to choose asanas that are not too complicated, and make full use of the props that were bought at a time when there was unaccountably some money to invest in the service. The class is inevitably a compromise that will not meet everyone’s needs exactly, but I would not, for instance, teach standing postures to nervous, anxious or agitated students. And Iyengar Yoga News No. 15 - Autumn 2009
while chest-opening asanas can be hugely beneficial to depressed and hopeless students, they can be frightening to those feeling more disturbed or anxious, leaving them too exposed and vulnerable.
I cannot, and do not, insist on the same kind of standards of dress and cleanliness that teachers might expect in other classes. In these settings, one has to be differently sensitive to how students present themselves for class – and I am impressed weekly by the courage required just to attend a new activity when they are already in such a difficult situation. Not all people with severe mental health problems will want to be touched and individuals may have particular areas of their body that hold a lot of distress; I always ask permission to touch a student, and tell them what I intend doing. Over the years I’ve come to recognise how some women protect their lower trunk, not taking wide strides or opening the pelvic area at all – and I’ve learned not to demand they do, assuming experience of physical or sexual abuse. Often my observations of students in class is helpful to the Occupational Therapy and nursing teams, but I have refused to take a part in more formal or written assessment of their engagement, determined to remain a teacher, not a part of the care system. I always ask all the students for feedback after the class, so I have learned a great deal about how different asanas are experienced and can draw on that in future classes. If students come to class for several weeks (or sometimes for months), or are regularly admitted to hospital, that gives richer opportunity to plan for their apparent needs; sometimes I will ask them what they feel they need at the beginning: to be less distracted, less agitated, more energised or more relaxed. These reflexive approaches, recognising students’ states of mind, being more explicit in communicating with them, and working with where they’re at, have, I think, enhanced my other yoga teaching too.
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Breastfeeding and Yoga Indira Lopez-Bassols As a three times breastfeeding mum and an Iyengar yoga practitioner, I feel very passionate about breastfeeding in a world where it is more and more on the verge of extinction.
We all know that breastfeeding is best for mum and baby. In fact, the World Health Organisation recommends: “Exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life. At six months, other foods should complement breastfeeding for up to two years or more.” Despite these guidelines, the UK sadly ranks top in bottle feeding rates in all Europe; and nowadays 50% of women give up breastfeeding when their babies are only six weeks old.
Thus, how can our yoga practice support us while we are breastfeeding? Over the years while breastfeeding and practising yoga, I have realised that my energy levels tend to fluctuate enormously. The other way round also held true: the way I practised yoga seemed to make an impact on breastfeeding. Breastfeeding a newborn during the early weeks or a baby who is not yet on solids is quite time and energy consuming, while nursing a one year old once or twice a day in established lacta-
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tion can be less tiring. In that sense, how often and how much I was nursing seemed to affect my yoga practice differently.
Geetaji states the importance of breastfeeding by saying that: “The child must have pure breast feeding.” She recommends soon after delivery the practice of Savasana and Ujjayi Pranayama I as it helps the establishment of lactation: “Pranayama and Savasana ensure that milk is purified, and lactation increased.” Afterwards she recommends a series of asanas that “stimulate the pituitary gland which secretes prolactin that controls lactation.” Similarly, Dr. Krishna Raman recommends: “For the first three months, no exercises are to be practised. This is to allow the body to recover. It is also to prevent interference with lactation of breast milk, as exercises change hormonal responses.” In Mexico, the “cuarentena” refers to approximately 40 “golden days” where mums are pampered and taken care of by other family members. Geetaji underlined the importance of this postnatal period: “The mother has to feel healthy and get her strength back, at this
time, and build up energy to continue her responsibility of motherhood.” Interestingly enough, these 40 days (approximately four to six weeks) correspond to the time it takes for the full establishment of our milk supply.
I must confess that during my “cuarentena” with my first child I did nothing other than variations of Savasana when I had a chance. Back then in Mexico, my main teacher, Herta Rogg, suggested I follow Geetaji’s Yoga: A Gem for Women’s guidelines on postpartum yoga practice and beyond. With my second child also born in Mexico a few years after, it took me even longer to reestablish my yoga practice. I had to juggle with a baby and a toddler, and had little time to myself and very little energy left. My third child Ilan was born in the comfort of our home in London. I had religiously attended Johanna HeckmannMohan’s pregnancy classes at the IYIMV. Several months down the road after giving birth, I was keen to resume my classes.
As I started attending the Institute once again, I spoke to
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several senior teachers and inquired about how my practice would be altered while breastfeeding. Silvia Prescott told me kindly to follow what felt right and to avoid any strong asanas including twists. Richard Agar Ward said to me: “You should practise plenty of chest opening poses and do not do jumpings or strenuous poses”. Johanna Heckmann-Mohan gave me several variations as well as an adapted Setubanda Sarvangssana instead of Sarvangasana at the end of certain classes. Sheila Haswell in preparation for the backbends PD day told me: “Strong backbends and vigorous practice are not recommended as they can dry up the breast milk.” When Ilan was six months old, my menstrual cycle resumed. Coincidentally, it was the first day of the IYA (UK) Convention in June 2007. Rajlaxmi was very generous with her time. She came to me over and over again to show me how to adapt certain asanas. She told me to do the standing poses with the support of the wall and tailored an asana sequence designed for my combined breastfeeding and menstruation period (with lots of height in forward bends to avoid breast compression and supine asanas to rest and recover). Afterwards, during a four day residential retreat in Mexico, Jawahar Bangera also suggested variations to my practice. He understood my need to go and
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breastfeed my baby when my breasts were too full at the end of a long session. By then, I knew already of the importance of honouring my body’s needs by adapting my practice. In 2008, I made the pilgrimage to Pune to attend the RIMYI. I arranged to take along Ilan and my husband. I decided to do so mainly because I was still breastfeeding Ilan. As a parenthesis, I must note that even though my husband succumbed to a tummy bug like many foreigners, the amazing immune protection properties of my milk protected Ilan during the whole month of our stay in India.
Upon arrival to the Institute, I was advised by one of the teacher assistants to request in writing a meeting with Geetaji. Breastfeeding was obviously not a medical condition so the medical class was not an option, and yet I was aware I would benefit enormously from Geetaji’s direct guidance.
During the interview, Geetaji recommended the following changes to my yoga practice while breastfeeding: standing poses with support, backbends with support, no strong twists, no strong standing poses such as Parvrrita Parsvkonasana, yes to inversions and particularly rope Sirsasana, and Viparita Karani. She also mentioned that Sarvangasana, Ardha Halasana and Setu Bandha Sarvangasana helped the pituitary gland to
maintain the hormonal balance. At the end of the interview, she added: “Do not do too much to build up your energy”, which till today resonates with what I have learned through my journey of how energy levels fluctuate while breastfeeding.
Even though my yoga practice has been adjusted, I have enjoyed immensely my nurturing breastfeeding relationship with Ilan. But, in life every beginning has an end. Therefore, I didn’t forget to ask Geetaji the last question: When the time of weaning came, what direction should my yoga practice take? Her main guidelines were: standing poses, unsupported backbends, Chatuspadasana, Pinchamayurasana and Adomukha Vrksasana. I have come to realise how as women we can become a constant source of strength to one another, by nurturing one another through our experiences. I hope this brings a bit of light to the path of all new and future breastfeeding mums and Iyengar yoga practitioners. I am deeply grateful to Geetaji for her generous guidance and to all my teachers who have taken me from the darkness of ignorance closer to the light of the soul. Indira is a qualified Iyengar yoga teacher. She also supports on a voluntary basis mums+babies as an accredited La Leche League GB breastfeeding counsellor; please visit www.laleche.org.uk for more information.
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Teaching Yoga in Leeds Prison Helen White
I have been teaching yoga in HMP Leeds since May 2008, thanks to the Iyengar Yoga Development Fund (IYDF). It is a local, men’s prison, built in Victorian days of dark stone, looking rather like a castle on the hillside.
I have wanted to teach there since the beginning of my teacher training. Alice, my yoga teacher,
It took about nine months. First I wrote to the prison suggesting they had yoga classes – the reply was that it was a good idea but there was no money available. I then applied to the IYDF, and when I got approval, I wrote back to the Governor. It was agreed I could teach in the Safer Custody unit – small groups of vulnerable prisoners spend four weeks doing programmes
read an extract of a letter from the Prison Phoenix Trust newsletter one day, written by a prisoner, and perhaps that inspired me. I had been teaching for five years before starting in the prison.
such as anger management, assertiveness, relaxation etc, and yoga fitted in well to their work. Then I had to have training in diversity, fire awareness, key security, and how to kick, push, punch and shout.
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There are between four and nine men in a class. Sometimes I teach the same people for two or three consecutive weeks, other times I have a new group, and then people come back to Safer Custody after a period of months. One of the major problems is not having a regular group, and never knowing week to week who may be coming. Many men attend just one class.
My first week, an officer did the class with the men, and another week an officer came in and sat at the front ‘to keep an eye on’ one of the men, but I asked him to leave. The room has lots of windows onto a corridor, and the officers are just across the corridor. Just once, I asked an officer to take someone from the room as he didn’t want to be in the class and was being very disruptive and spoiling the class for the others. The men are all very polite (I am always called ‘Miss’ rather than Helen), and most are genuinely interested. Very few have ever come across yoga before and ask a lot of interesting and relevant questions.
me they sleep well after the class (and sometimes in savasana), and tell new people to the class that they will feel better afterwards. I have also learned a huge amount about yoga and what it means to me: when someone asks what yoga is about, and I have only one or two classes with them, I have to try and condense 3,000 years of scholarship and wisdom into something they can grasp. I am incredibly lucky to be able to do such a rewarding, and useful job: many of the men ask about yoga classes ‘on the out’ so hopefully, some of you will meet my pupils in your classes.
The incredible scale and range of injuries: bad knees, bad backs, shoulder and ankle problems are extremely common (a few men have told me it is an occupational hazard), as well as untreated injuries. There are also problems with poor circulation (from years of drug abuse), and mental health problems (ADHD, depression, addiction). I have had tremendous support and advice from many yoga teachers to help me help them.
It is incredibly rewarding to teach people who have never thought about yoga before, and have no idea what to expect. A lot of the men spend time in the gym, and they enjoy having a good stretch out (someone described warm up exercises as being like a big yawn). It surprises them that one shoulder is stiffer than the other (gomukasana arms), and they often struggle with the alternative clasping of their hands (Urdhva baddhangullyasana). The other week, I had a whole class doing Virabhadrasana 1 really well: when I said they were working well, someone said ‘that’s because we’re hardened criminals, Miss’. They tell Iyengar Yoga News No. 15 - Autumn 2009
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Breast Cancer Lumpectomy and Yoga Jaki Nett Q: Do you have any suggestions for poses to avoid or poses to include for a breast cancer survivor? I have had a lumpectomy and axial node dissection and chemo and radiation. Helen Birmingham, Alabama
A lumpectomy is the removal of a lesion from the breast, preserving the essential anatomy of the breast. An incision is made directly over the tumor and after the tumor has been removed, usually the skin is the only incision that is stitched. This provides a better cosmetic result than trying to stitch the breast fat and subcutaneous tissue.
For optimal cosmetic results dissection of the axillary nodes is performed through a separate incision in the armpit. During the process, connective tissue is dissected and many muscles, nerves, and veins of the upper torso are affected. Some of the major muscles that may be effected are the pectoralis major and minor, latissimus dorsi, serratus anterior and subscapularis. The drain tubes exit the 28
body posteriorly. Because muscles that participate in shoulder and arm movements have been compromised and some removed it is important to reintroduce range of movement. When restarting your yoga practice, start with poses that free up the shoulder area. Bring as much balanced freedom of movement to the shoulder blade, collarbone and humerus as possible. Learn to move the shoulder girdle through its full range of movement. This involves: • Elevation – shrug the shoulders upward, toward the ears • Depression – shrug the shoulders downward, away from the ears • Protraction (abduction) - the shoulder blade moves away from the spine as when reaching forward. • Retraction (adduction) squeeze the shoulder blades together
Learn all the movements of the arm bones, which are extension and flexion, medial (inward) and lateral (outward) rotation,
adduction and abduction.
Postures to aid in these movements are:
• Urdhva Hastasana Urdhva Namaskarasana - and these teach elevation of the shoulder girdle and external rotation of the humerus • Paschima Namaskarasana internal rotation of the humerus, flexion at elbow and pronation of the hands. • Gomukhasana and Garudasana arms only - demands the arms to move into full adduction and the shoulder blades into full protraction. The intertwining of the lower arms and the hand will produce more opening between the shoulder blades. These poses can be performed in a seated position. • Adho MukhaVirasana - arms stretched forward is beneficial for the armpit area. • Tadasana - a gentle way to open the chest: take the arms behind your back into extension, interlace the fingers and lift the arms away from the buttocks. Actively retract the shoulder blades. This will start to release Iyengar Yoga News No. 15 - Autumn 2009
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the front chest muscles and adhesions. This arm position and action can also be practiced in Prasarita Padottanasana. • Trikonasana and Virabhadrasana I, II and III - demand holding the arms out in space against gravity - use props like the wall, ropes or a trestler as a support until the body becomes strong again. Postures like Urdhva Dhanurasana, Dwi Pada Viparita Dandasana and Pinca Mayurasana can be problematic until healing occurs and strength returns. Wait until healing is well established before reintroducing these or similar postures.
Most importantly, be very gentle. This is a different body now. Give it time to heal. Start on the path of recovery with slow, aware steps.
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Goodbye and thank you to Pam Butler The IYA (UK) lost one of its senior teachers in May 2009. Pam Butler sadly passed away on 2nd May after a short but very intense illness. Pam had been involved in Iyengar Yoga in the UK since the early 1970s; she was a senior teacher, a teacher trainer and an assessor. Many of you will remember Pam as a sincere, hardworking student of the Iyengar system yet she would quietly go about her work without drawing attention to herself. Behind the quiet exterior was a strong person who gave her all to the yoga that she loved. Pam leaves behind two sons, Wayne and Craig, many students and lots of yoga friends. Wayne recently commented: Craig and I are bowled over by the kindness, generosity and respect which all the 'yogis' have shown. It's really rather humbling. It must have enriched mum's life tremendously to have known you all.
We had a collection in Pam’s memory at the IYA (UK) convention in May and raised £400. This has been sent to Guruji for the Bellur Trust at the request of Pam’s sons.
She will be greatly missed by all those that knew her.
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Letters Page Dear Editor
In the last issue of Iyengar Yoga News there was an article where Geeta details pranayama practices.
On page179, Chapter 3, note 6(a), concerning Bhastrika and Kapalabhati, in "Light on Pranayama" (Thorsons, 1992, original was 1981) Mr Iyengar advises: "they (Bhastrika, Kapalabhati) should not be performed by the following: (a) women, since the vigorous blasts may cause prolapse of the abdominal organs and of the uterus while the breasts may sag". However, Geeta's article (as far as I can see) doesn't mention this caution.
Since I have Mr Iyengar's caution in "black and white" (i.e. in print) my predicament is, as women, are we to do these practices - or does Mr Iyengar's caution still stand? Or can women now approach Bhastrika and Kapalabhati without worrying too much? Bridget Leigh
Answer to Bridget Leigh’s question:
I am not sure whether anyone other than Geetaji herself can truly answer this question. The article Bridget mentions is very clear about the stages of bhastrika, how to start, how to progress and what cautions to apply. Clearly Geetaji wrote this article for women as well as men. Like many other women I have been taught bhastrika and kapalabhati by Geetaji in Pune. As her classes generally have a majority of women in them and the women are of all ages, I think we can take it that these practices, done 30
properly, are safe. Recently Geeta taught these pranayamas at conventions in Cologne and London. In Germany, Geetaji pointed out, as she does in her article, that the sound of the blasts has to be correct. A thin or snorting sound means that the abdomen has been dropped and the chest therefore collapsed. Perhaps it is this tendency in beginners that led Guruji to originally say that women should avoid these pranayamas? We have to remember that Light on Pranayama was written for a general audience at a time when not so many people were fortunate enough to have experienced the lucid teaching of Guruji and his son and daughter. Geetaji details in her article how to practice bhastrika and kapalabhati with sensitivity. We must not persist in a wrong practice. The ideal for Bridget would be to be taught by Geetaji herself. Failing that, perhaps she could find a senior teacher who has practiced under the watchful eyes of the Iyengars, practice first in that teacher’s classes, read Geeta’s words carefully and build up her home practice in stages. Best wishes for the journey. Elaine Pidgeon
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Beach Yoga for Bellur! Elaine Rees The met office said thunder and lightning at 7pm that evening. With a churning in my stomach, I struggled to think of a contingency plan. “For what?” I hear you ask? For 50 Iyengar yoga students, a dozen spectators and a very large pot of curry! Essential ingredients for a ‘Yoga on the Beach’ class – to be held on the golden sands of beautiful Bournemouth!
The idea was mooted one day by one of our members and a student of mine, Chris. “You arrange the class, I’ll cook the curry” he said. And so the deal was done. Invites went out to all the students in my weekly classes and the enthusiasm was infectious.
The evening arrived, the forecast happily wrong in our part of the beach and 50 yogis gathered under a hazy sky. The only ‘props’ we had were ourselves, a beach towel and the sand. Yoga on sand is an interesting experience. When you jump you land a lot deeper than normal. Balancing can be a bit tricky – especially on one leg! And, your buttock bones tend to sink more heavily than your legs when sitting down. Savasana, however, is bliss... The sand softly contouring to your body.
Standing on one leg in Vrksasana and Garudasana is largely comical. Elongating into the Virabhadrasanas was wonderfully uplifting.
Clearly our antics provoked interest from passers-by who stopped to ponder, rang cycle bells and even joined in! I believe we may have recruited some local 6th formers who performed Trikonasana remarkably well. While we were all stretching, Chris steamed over his curry pot and Tim stirred up a pot of Pimms! Right on cue, out of Savasana and straight into a delicious feast.
Watching representatives from every one of my nine classes enjoy their yoga, chat happily to each other and greatly appreciate their curry and Pimms was joyful. Patanjali had responded to my prayers for a perfect night.
And the bonus to all this was that we raised £269 for Bellur – the rural home village in India of Mr Iyengar – where funds are being raised to improve conditions for the villagers living there.
Sitting cross-legged overlooking the sea, a gentle breeze and clear sky, listening to fifty people chanting the invocation was strangely touching.
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IYA (UK) Reports Chair’s Report
- Philippe Harari
Since I reported in the last issue of IYN we have had a particularly busy time, mainly due to Geetaji’s visit to London in May. Geetaji first travelled to the UK in May 2002 when she taught a 4-day convention at Crystal Palace as part of a major European tour. After many invitations we were delighted when she agreed to teach for a week in the UK in May 2009. On the 9th of May Geetaji, accompanied by her niece Abhijata, left Pune for Germany where she taught a 5-day teachers’ convention. They then spent a few days resting in Spain before flying to the UK, arriving at Heathrow airport on May 20th. After a couple of days’ rest, they travelled to Manchester where Geetaji visited the Manchester and District Institute of Iyengar Yoga (MDIIY) to bless their recently opened studio. The Convention took place at Old Billingsgate, a beautiful Victorian brick building with a glass roof supported by enormous iron pillars, situated in the very heart of London. The 800 people who had travelled from all over the world to attend the convention fitted easily into the space; a film crew recorded every moment and this was relayed live on four large screens (we still have some DVDs of the event for sale from Yogamatters).
On Sunday afternoon, Geetaji formally opened the convention with a puja and then taught an asana class. The pattern for each of the next five days was the same: a pranayama class followed by a break and an asana class. Geeta and Abhijata then returned to their apartment for lunch and a rest. Abhijata then led the chanting of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, the 108 names of Patanjali, and other prayers, all in Sanskrit. Each day ended with a talk or therapy demonstration by Geetaji.
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Geetaji closed the convention with an amazing final class which included jumpings, standing poses, sitting poses, twists, backbends, inversions, pranayama and dhyana. As organisers, we were extremely pleased with the way the convention ran so smoothly. However, the large team of people responsible for putting on the convention were really just constructing the blank canvas. The picture has to be created and brought to life by the artist and Geetaji produced a masterpiece!
Our AGM took place during the Convention and I had the honour of being re-elected as Chair for a second term of office. Our rules state that an individual can only stand for two successive threeyear terms so we will need someone else to take on this job in 2012.
Next year, we are delighted to welcome Zubin Zarthoshtimanesh to teach at our 2010 convention in Nottingham; he has worked closely with the Iyengars for many year and now runs and teaches at the Iyengar Yogabhyasa centre in Mumbai. There is an application form for the convention in this magazine and you can also book a place online at www.iyengaryoga.org.uk. The other thing that has kept me busy this year was helping to get our new website and membership database working properly. It is all highly complicated and none of us are professionals at this kind of thing! However, we have made good progress and there are further improvements in the pipeline.
Finally, I would like to wish Jo Duffin, our membership administrator, all the best during her maternity leave. She gave birth to her first baby – Rosalita May Duffin - on the 9th September and will be taking a year off from working for us. We will miss her and send her all our love. Jo is being replaced by Katie Owens and you can find Katie’s contact details on the first page of this magazine.
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Treasurer Report
Secretary Report
- Pam Mackenzie
- Helen White
The membership fees and assessment fees for 2010/11 are listed below. These were presented at the AGM in May 2009 and formally accepted. The only fees to change in 2010/11 are the individual members and overseas supplement and teacher members, which have been increased by £1.00.
I’ve been the secretary of the IYA for just over a year – and am still discovering things I should know but don’t! My main role is organising the Executive Council (EX) meetings, and taking minutes, and I have found these meetings really interesting. It’s great to be a part of the organisation, and get an insight into how many people do such a lot of work for the benefit of Iyengar Yoga! I have been really pleased that new Institutes are being set up: I check through the constitution of the new Institutes and forward other queries they may have that I can’t answer.
The Financial Statements for 2007/08 as at 31 March 2008 as reported in the Spring 2009 IYN issue were presented and formally accepted at the AGM in May 2009. The Financial accounts for 2008/09 are currently being prepared and will be put forward to the Executive Council in September 2009.
Membership Fees Institute members Individual members Individual members overseas supplement Individual teachers Affiliated centres Teachers supplement Teachers concessionary rate
Assessments Fees Introductory I Introductory II Junior Intermediate Senior Intermediate Teacher Training Registration
£ 6.25 16.50
16.50 16.50 100.00 36.00 21.50 60.00 95.00 95.00 95.00 35.00
Hello!
I have recently taken over the administration of the Iyengar Yoga Development Fund (IYDF), which I feel is a great privilege. I have been teaching yoga in Leeds prison for 15 months, funded through the IYDF, and am very grateful that I have this opportunity to teach people who would otherwise never go to a yoga class. Apart from yoga, my other great enthusiasm is my allotment: we have a great crop of soft fruit this year!
The Certification Mark fee for 2010/11 will be updated on 1st November 2009. The fee is currently based on US$50 and the exchange rate will be that in place on 1st November 2009.
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Office Reports
By the time you have this magazine I will have started my maternity leave. I will be off for a year, in which time I am leaving you in the capable hands of Katie Owens. Katie will be picking up any emails sent to admin@iyengaryoga.org.uk, but will be using the phone number 07510 326 997 and the address: IYA (UK), PO Box 4667, SHEFFIELD S11 0EG.
The old PO Box address only has a very short re-direction set up, so don’t worry if you have just sent something to that address, it will get to the office, but please make sure you do not send any further correspondence to the London PO Box address.
The new database is now up and running, and despite a few teething troubles early on, which is only to be expected, we predict that next year’s renewals will run much more smoothly now it is in place. So thank you for your patience this year.
It has been great working with you all for the last two years. Please extend a warm welcome to Katie, and I hope I will continue to see many of you at classes and events over the next year.
Jo Duffin
Jess Wallwork
I hope everyone had a good summer.
Thanks to everyone for their patience over the Geeta Convention. It was a wonderful experience and the DVDs are a valuable reminder. As one member wrote to me, it is quite extraordinary to realise how much of Geeta's teaching had already sunk into the consciousness and to remember that her teaching felt so new at the time. If you ordered a set of DVDs at the convention and have not received the box by now, please be in touch with me. If you would like to order a copy of the DVDs now, please go to yogamatters.com. I wanted to use this opportunity to give particular thanks to Philippe, who is always there to discuss things as they arise and gives his time so generously so that things are done to an extremely high standard. Love, Jess
Introducing Katie Owens I have been doing administration for Frances Homewood at Sheffield Yoga Centre since August 2007, and it was through her that I heard about this job, so thanks Frances! I will be continuing with this alongside my work for the IYA.
I am looking forward to a year supporting the IYA while Jo takes her maternity leave. It is wonderful to have the opportunity to work for an organisation that encourages such a worthwhile practice. Namaskar Katie
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Area
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DHIYI
West & South Wales AIYI Greater London & South East NELIYI IIYS
IYIMV IYISL North West Region MDIIY & LDIYI
East Central & North SADIYA & BDIYI
North East & Cumbria NEIYI
South Central ORIY
Scotland Edinburgh Glasgow Ireland Dublin
County Sligo
Northern Ireland
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Professional Development Days
South West SWIYI Chagford
West Central MCIYI
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Organiser
Date
Moderator
Edgar Stringer 01249 716235 (Office hours) yoglyded@yahoo.com
7 Feb
Brenda Booth
Nancy Clarke 020 8442 0617 nancyclarke@btinternet.com Brian Ingram 01444 236714 brianiyoga@tesco.net Korinna Pilafidis-Williams 0207 6243080 korinnapw@btinternet.com Glenys Shepherd 0208 6940155 iyisl@btclick.com
8 Nov
Dave Browne
28 Nov
Elaine Pidgeon
21 Nov
Judith Jones
21 Nov
Tricia Booth
5April
Meg Laing
14 Mar
Penny Chaplin
Anita Butcher 0136 465 3012 peter.butcher@virgin.net Kim Trowell 01202 558049 kimtrowellyoga@gmail.com
Margaret Hall 01457 871296
Martell Linsdell 01943 870618 Martell@talk21.com Dorothea Irvin 0191 3888593 gdirvin@talktalk.net Jayne Orton 0121 608 2229 jayne@iyengaryoga.uk.com
Sheila Haswell 01494 521107 sheila@sarva.co.uk Marianne Farish 0131 454 0334 or mazvingo@hotmail.com Helen Graham 01416420476 helengraham88@mac.com Aisling Guirke 00353872891664 aisling_guirke@hotmail.com Helen Gillan 00353 719146171 helengillan@eircom.net Margaret Gunn-King 0282 586 1202 mcgk120hotmail.com
Iyengar Yoga News No. 15 - Autumn 2009
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Teacher Trainers NAME Kirsten Agar Ward Richard Agar Ward Gordon Austin Margaret Austin Rosamund Bell Brenda Booth Tricia Booth Alan Brown Julie Brown David Browne Joe Burn Sophie Carrington Gerry Chambers Penny Chaplin Diane Coats Lyn Farquhar Helen Gillan Grainne Gilleece George Glen Helen Graham Sheila Green Aisling Guirke Cecilia Harrison Sheila Haswell Julie Hodges Dawn Hodgson Frances Homewood Judith Jones Marion Kilburn Meg Laing Susan Long Alaric Newcombe Christina Niewola Jayne Orton Sasha Perryman Elaine Pidgeon Silvia Prescott Lynda Purvis Pen Reed Judith Richards Ursula Schoonraad Judith Soffa 36
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Italics indicate those still training to be Teacher Trainers.
AREA Bath & North East Somerset Bath & North East Somerset Tyne and Wear Tyne and Wear London Kent Derbyshire West Yorkshire Cheshire Tyne and Wear Aberdeen London Bristol London Tyne and Wear Perthshire Co.Sligo Co.Dublin Midlothian Glasgow Herefordshire Co.Dublin Nottinghamshire Buckinghamshire London County Durham South Yorkshire Berkshire Manchester MidLothian Essex London Cheshire West Midlands Cambridgeshire MidLothian London Bristol Cheshire Surrey London Merseyside
EMAIL TELEPHONE office@bath-iyengar-yoga.com 01225319699 office@bath-iyengar-yoga.com 01225319699 yoga@austinmg.fsnet.co.uk 01915487457 yoga@austinmg.fsnet.co.uk 01915487457 r.j.bell@open.ac.uk 02083409899 brendaboothkent@aol.com 01892740876 tricia@booth1.plus.com 01663732927 alan@dianalan.plus.com 01535637359 julie.brownie@virgin.net 01625879090 davebrowne100@yahoo.co.uk 01915213470 joe.burn@virgin.net 01224591271 sophie_am_carrington@yahoo.com 02087787640 office@yogawest.co.uk 01179243330 pennyyoga@btopenworld.com 02076244287 coats@ukonline.co.uk 01914154132 01786823174 helengillan@eircom.net 00353719146171 grainne.gilleece@ireland.com 0035382393410 georgeglenok@yahoo.co.uk 01875320765 helengraham88@mac.com 01416420476 jonathanmgreen@hotmail.com 01981580081 aislingguirke@eircom.net 00353872891664 cecilia.harrison@ntlworld.com01159857692 Sheila@sarva.co.uk 01494711589 harriesjh@aol.com 02083929120 01325721518 franceshomewood@hotmail.com 01142335753 jjyoga@btinternet.com 0148871838 marionkilburnyoga@hotmail.com 01614429003 m.laing@ed.ac.uk 01316677790 01245421496 alaricnewcombe@yahoo.co.uk02072819491 chris@niewola.com 01260 279565 info@iyengaryoga.uk.com 01216082229 sashaperryman@yahoo.co.uk 01223515929 elaine.pidgeon@virgin.net 01315529871 02076244577 office@yogawest.co.uk 01179243330 penreed24@aol.com 01614271763 judithrich@btinternet.com 02083981741 enquiries@iyyoga.com 02086727315 mail@yogastudio.f9.co.uk 01517094923 Iyengar Yoga News No. 15 - Autumn 2009
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Teacher Trainers NAME Sallie Sullivan Judi Sweeting Elizabeth Tonner Judith Van Dop Sue Vassar
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Italics indicate those still training to be Teacher Trainers.
AREA East Sussex Gloucestershire West Yorkshire Cornwall Somerset
EMAIL sallie.sullivan@virgin.net ciyc@talk21.com liztonner@hotmail.com judithvandop@hotmail.com susan.vassar@btinternet.com
TELEPHONE 01273478271 01285653742 01484315736 01736360880 01643704260
All teachers who are working towards Junior or Senior certificates or who are teaching others need to be familiar with the up-to-date syllabuses for the relevant level. This information is available on the IYA website in the ‘Policy Documents’ section or from the IYA office.
Assessment Passes
Congratulations to all those who gained success in their assessments Intermediate Junior assessment in March 2009:
Level 1 Catherine Barnes Holt Darren Bloom Yvette Blumberg Elizabeth Mary Cant Murielle Carrasco Kim Cavanagh Bernadette Corrigan Rozz Cutler Maria Davies Karen Dunne Sissi Gill Rachel Graves Eva-Lena Hedvall Jen Henwood Tracey Hudson Sarah Izzard Avril Keegan Ute Kelly Nicholas Long Hannah Lovegrove Jacqueline Mangold Larissa McGoldrick Patricia McLochlin Manuela Meadows
Catherine Mitchell Susie Murray Ann-Kristin Nilsson Marian Nolan Mary Phelan James Pritchard Kate Rathod Erika Repassy Susanne Sturton Tara Walsh Cathy Whelan Lisbet Wikman Cecilia Winter Maria Zervudachi
Level 2 Dominque Baikoff Michael Balshaw Elizabeth Biggin Vula Bolou Yves Bouvy Julia Dale Mairead Dunne Julie Fanciullacci Ayala Gill Ruth Hancock Charlott Hill Bonar Hutchison Isabel Jones Fielding
Iyengar Yoga News No. 15 - Autumn 2009
Peter Kosasih Teresa Lewis Janet Lintonbon Anne Lynn Tessa Martin Virginia Owen Elaine Rees Christine Rumley Meg Scott Caroline Smith Jacky Taylor Melanie Taylor Vivien Thickett Simon Turner Barbara Vidion
Level 3 Dominic Batten Miriam Brady Lyn Buckby Tessa Bull Annette Cahill Emily Druiff Grazietta Farina Carolyn Ferguson Jill Fuller Alexia Hudson Jon Hunt Isabelle Khellafi
Sharon Klaff Jayesh Mistry Melanie Palmer Paula Savery Roberto Silva Andy Tait
IMPORTANT If you have applied for an Intermediate Junior Level Assessment in March 2010, you should have received an email with paperwork attached. If you do not have the paperwork please contact Jess at jess@iyengaryoga.org.uk The deadline for copies of your answers is 30th November 2009. Please note: if you are a re-take candidate you do not have to re-do the test paper. 37
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Classes at RIMYI
If you wish to attend classes at the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute, Pune, you must apply through the IYA (UK). Individual applications sent directly to the RIMYI will not be accepted (people from some other countries with less well established national associations do apply directly to the Institute using a form that they download from the RIMYI website, but this option is not open to people from the UK, and definitely does not result in getting onto classes earlier). The application process is as follows: 1. Download an application form from the IYA (UK) website www.iyengaryoga.org.uk) or (w contact our Office Manager on 020 8269 2595 or at admin@iyengaryoga.org.uk
2. Fill out the form and send with a Bankers Draft for US$150 made out to Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute" to: Penny Chaplin, Flat 1, St. Johns Court, Finchley Road, London NW3 6LL Please do not include photos or personal mail. Please note: For admission, the RIMYI requests that the student’s practice of eight years reflects an understanding of the foundation of Iyengar Yoga. This would include the regular practice of inverted poses (8-10 mins. in the inverted postures), and the regular practise of pr … y ma. Women should know what is to be practised during menstruation. All students should have read, at the minimum, the introductory chapter to Light on Yoga 38
and be familiar with the terms and principles covered in that chapter; RIMYI offers one or two months admission. No extensions beyond two months under any circumstances; The total cost is $US400 a month and a $US150 must be paid in advance, with the balance payable on arrival at the RIMYI. The advance deposit is part of the fees and hence not transferable to any other person or course. It is non-refundable. In additon to the balance of $US250 payable on arrival at the RIMYI, you will need to present your letter of confirmation and two photocopies of your passport and visa; Six classes are given per week, each for two hours duration. A schedule will be given on arrival; The last week of each month will be pranayama classes; The classes will be conducted by BKS Iyengar or his daughter or son or by staff members; When applying please include relevant bio-data with any health conditions; Certificates will not be issued at the end of the course; You will need to make your own arrangements for board and lodging; Applications are for individuals only - no groups. However, if you would like to go at the same time as a friend, you should both indicate this clearly on your application form.
the RIMYI, please enclose a s.a.e.. All application forms are automatically forwarded to Pune and there is absolutely no selection process at this stage.
4. When the administrator at RIMYI, Mr Pandurang Rao, receives your application form he will automatically place you on the next available course and send you a confirmation letter. Please note: The RIMYI receives many applications from all over the world; the waiting list for classes is around two years; You may have to wait from three months to a year to receive your confirmation letter; If your confirmation letter comes direct from India please let Penny know. You will know the letter has come direct from India by the stamp and postmark. If you receive a photocopied letter posted from London then your confirmation letter has gone through Penny and you don’t need to inform her. (Pandu sometimes sends a group of confirmation letters to Penny for her to forward to applicants); Do not ask to change the date you are given unless you have a serious need to do so on compassionate grounds.
Check the IYA (UK) website for more information, travel details, contact numbers for accommodation etc. www.iyengaryoga.org.uk
3. If you would like a confirmation that your application form and bankers draft has been sent to
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Yoga Rahasya
Yoga Rahasya is a quarterly Iyengar yoga journal published in India. Four issues a year are mailed to you, normally starting from the next available issue. Back copies are sometimes available at ÂŁ4.00 each.
If you wish to subscribe or renew your subscription please send your name, address with post code, telephone number and email address to: Tig Whattler address: 64 Watermoor Road Cirencester Glos. GL7 1LD. email: ciyc@talk21.com Cheques payable to IYA (UK)
Please write a separate note listing any back copies you might require. If you need a receipt please include a self addressed and stamped envelope
Iyengar Yoga News No. 15 - Autumn 2009
Special Announcement
Two new Member Institutes in Ireland!
We are delighted that there are two new Iyengar Yoga Institutes in the Republic of Ireland, that have become members of the IYA(UK): one in Dublin, and one in Munster. If you live in Ireland, and want to get in touch with, or join, these new Institutes, the details are as follows: Dublin Iyengar Yoga Institute, contact Eileen Cameron (eileencameron@eircom.net)
Munster Iyengar Yoga Institute, contact Dorothy Walshe (dorothy.walshe@gmail.com) We wish them every success!
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Officer
Chairperson Treasurer Secretary Membership Sec. Vice Chairperson Chair of EC Chair of AT
26/09/2009
Rep.
AIYI BDIYI CIYI DHIYI ESIYI GWSIYI IIYS KIYI LIYI Deputy Treasurer MCIYI MDIIY MDIIY NEIIY NELIYI Constitution Off. ORIYI SADIYA SWIYI RoI Rep RoI Rep Hon Mem Individual Individual Individual Individual Individual
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IYA (UK) Executive Council
Name
Philippe Harari Pam Mackenzie Helen White
Telephone
philippe.harari@runbox.com 01223523410 pammackenzie@blueyonder.co.uk02083738356 white.helen@btinternet.com 01132746463 Brenda Noble Nesbitt b.noblenesbitt@gmail.com 01913884118 Ros Bell r.j.bell@open.ac.uk 02083409899 Judith Jones jjyoga@btinternet.com 0148871838 Alan Brown alan@dianalan.plus.com 01535637359 Edgar Stringer edgarstringer@googlemail.com 01249716235 Martell Linsdell martell@talk21.com 01943870618 vacancy Andrea Smith andrea@iyengaryoga.me.uk 02392466750 Linda Head head1@blueyonder.co.uk 01315552651 Liz Sumner lizsumneryoga@goog;lemail.com 01415869677 Mary Mulligan mulliganit8@btinternet.com 01273604588 Brenda Booth brendaboothkent@aol.com Helen Green helengreen124@hotmail.com 01517287207 Prabhakara prabhakara@freeuk.com 01214497496 debrabartholomew@btinternet.com 01706841942 Deb Bartholomew Janice Yates janice.yates@sky.com 01613683614 Gael Henry
Tessa Bull Emma Pinchin
Wendy Weller Davies
Janice Chesher Aisling Guirke Eileen Cameron Elaine Pidgeon Patsy Sparksman Louise Cartledge Diane Goldrei Sharon Klaff Judith Richards
gaelhenry@btinternet.com
tessabull@onetel.com ezpinchin@brookes.ac.uk wendy@wellerdavies.co.uk janicechesher@waitrose.com aisling_guirke@hotmail.com eileencameron@eircom.net elaine.pidgeon@virgin.net patsyyoga@aol.com louise.cartledge@btinternet.com dianegoldrei@googlemail.com sharon.klaff@btopenworld.com judithrich@btinternet.com
01914775904
02083402091 01235527202 01142363039 01872552867
00353872891664
0035312841799 01315529871 02084556366 01428645825 02083981741
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IYA (UK) Committee Members Committee chairs are in bold. Co-opted (i.e. non-Executive Council) members are in italics.
Management Committee
Philippe Harari, Ros Bell, Alan Brown, Helen White, Pam Mackenzie, Judith Jones, Brenda Noble Nesbitt
Planning
Ros Bell, Alan Brown, Louise Cartledge, Philippe Harari, Pam Mackenzie, Brenda Noble Nesbitt, Emma Pinchin, Prabhakara, Helen White
Ethics and Certification
Judith Jones, Elaine Pidgeon, Ros Bell, Penny Chaplin, Pen Reed, Judi Soffa, Judi Sweeting, Tig Whattler
Assessment and Teacher Training
Alan Brown, Margaret Austin, Debbie Bartholomew, Brenda Booth, Sheila Haswell, Susan Long, Jayne Orton, Sallie Sullivan, Elizabeth Tonner
Communications & Public Relations
Moderators
Richard Agar Ward, Margaret Austin, Brenda Booth, Tricia Booth, Julie Brown, Dave Browne, Penny Chaplin, Diane Coats, Sheila Haswell, Judith Jones, Marian Kilburn, Meg Laing, Sasha Perryman, Elaine Pidgeon, Jayne Orton, Pen Reed, Judi Sweeting,
Professional Development Days Co-ordinator
Judi Sweeting
Senior Intermediate Assessment Organiser
Jayne Orton
Junior Intermediate Assessment Organiser
Elizabeth Tonner
Introductory Assessment Organiser
Sheila Haswell
Philippe Harari, John Cotgreave (IYN), Diane Goldrei (PR), Judith Jones (IYN), Rachel Lovegrove (IYN), Mary Mulligan (PR), Lucy Osman (IYN), Andy Roughton (website)
Archives/Research
Debbie Bartholomew, Suzanne Newcombe, Janice Yates
Conventions/Events
Patsy Sparksman, Tessa Bull, Judith Richards
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Iyengar Institutes & Events Listings
Avon
Please contact the events organiser for details of events
Bradford and District
Please contact the events organiser for details of events
Cambridge
Please contact the events organiser for details of events
Dorset and Hampshire
Please contact the events organiser, Kim Trowell on
Dublin Iyengar Yoga Institute (DIYI)
Please contact the events organiser for details of events
East of Scotland
Please contact the events organiser for details of events
Glasgow and West of Scotland
Please contact the events organiser for details of events
Sussex
Please contact the events organiser for details of events
Kent
6 Feb 2010 Marion Kilburn 24 April 2010 Judi Sweeting
Bob Philips yogabob@homecall.co.uk 0117 9639006
Alan Brown events@bdiyi.org.uk 01535 637359 www.bdiyi.org.uk
Sasha Perryman sashaperryman@yahoo.co.uk 01223 515929 www.cambridgeyoga.co.uk Elaine Rees 01202 483951 www.dhiyi.co.uk
Chair: Eileen Cameron 00353 12841799 eileencameron@eircom.net www.eastscotlandyoga.org
www.gwsiyi.org
Brian Ingram brianiyoga@tesco.net 01444 236714 www.iiys.org.uk
Angela Hulm angelahulm@hotmail.com 020 8462 5868 www.kentyoga.org.uk 42
and classes, or see the ‘events’ page on the IYA (UK) website: www.iyengaryoga.org.uk
and classes, or see the ‘events’ page on the IYA (UK) website: www.iyengaryoga.org.uk
and classes, or see the ‘events’ page on the IYA (UK) website: www.iyengaryoga.org.uk
01202 558 049 for details of events and classes, or see the ‘events’ page on the IYA (UK) website: www.iyengaryoga.org.uk
and classes, or see the ‘events’ page on the IYA (UK) website: www.iyengaryoga.org.uk
and classes, or see the ‘events’ page on the IYA (UK) website: www.iyengaryoga.org.uk
and classes, or see the ‘events’ page on the IYA (UK) website: www.iyengaryoga.org.uk
and classes, or see the ‘events’ page on the IYA (UK) website: www.iyengaryoga.org.uk
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Iyengar Institutes & Events Listings
Liverpool
Please contact the events organiser for details of events
Midland Counties
Please contact the events organiser for details of events
Manchester and District
10 October - Pen Reed
Judi Soffa mail@yogastudio.f9.co.uk 0151 7094923 Brian Jack jacksis@btinternet.com 01789 205322 www.mciyi.co.uk Janice Yates janice.yates@sky.com 01613 683614 www.mdiiy.org.uk
and classes, or see the ‘events’ page on the IYA (UK) website: www.iyengaryoga.org.uk
Munster Iyengar Yoga Institute (MIYI)
Please contact the events organiser for details of events
North East
Please contact the events organiser for details of events
North East London
Please contact the events organiser for details of events
Dorothy Walshe, dorothy.walshe@gmail.com
Gordon Austin yoga@austinmg.wanadoo.co.uk 01915 487457 Nancy Clarke
nancyclarke@btinternet.com
0208 44 20617 www.neliyi.org.uk
O . R . I . Y. I .
and classes, or see the ‘events’ page on the IYA (UK) website: www.iyengaryoga.org.uk
and classes, or see the ‘events’ page on the IYA (UK) website: www.iyengaryoga.org.uk
and classes, or see the ‘events’ page on the IYA (UK) website: www.iyengaryoga.org.uk
and classes, or see the ‘events’ page on the IYA (UK) website: www.iyengaryoga.org.uk
Oxford and Region
Please contact the events organiser for details of events
Sheffield and District
Please contact the events organiser for details of events
South West
Please contact the events organiser for details of events
Jenny Furby jenny.yoga@btinternet.com 01264 324104 www.oriyi.org.uk Dominic Batten dominic.batten@btinternet.com 0114 264 9418 www.yogasheffield.org Jean Kutz jean_kutz@hotmail.co.uk 01872 572807 www.swiyengaryoga.ukf.net
Iyengar Yoga News No. 15 - Autumn 2009
and classes, or see the ‘events’ page on the IYA (UK) website: www.iyengaryoga.org.uk
and classes, or see the ‘events’ page on the IYA (UK) website: www.iyengaryoga.org.uk
and classes, or see the ‘events’ page on the IYA (UK) website: www.iyengaryoga.org.uk
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Advertising in the Iyengar Yoga News We only print quarter page adverts (80mm wide by 118mm high); you can either send the completed artwork (as a ‘press quality’ PDF, a high resolution JPEG or a QuarkXpress document) OR you can send the images (as high res. JPEGs) and wording and we will make the advert up for you. Please note:
Yoga Supplies Inexpensive
INDIAN YOGA BELTS, BANDAGES, BOLSTER SETS, PRANAYAMA SETS, ROPES. Call: 01225 319699 or E-mail: kirsten@bath-iyengar-yoga.com for prices
· Advertisements for yoga classes, events, holidays etc. - will be only be accepted from certificated Iyengar Yoga teachers · Advertisements for Yoga Centres will only be accepted from official Iyengar yoga organisations · Where yoga equipment is itemised in an advert, this will only be accepted for equipment which is used within the Iyengar method. The name ‘Iyengar’ must not be used as an adjective attached to specific items of equipment e.g. use ‘blocks for Iyengar practice’ rather than ‘Iyengar blocks’ etc. · Goods or services which are not used in yoga and/or which are not acceptable within the Iyengar method will not be advertised in IYN · Advertisements for other goods (e.g. Books/CD ROMS/videos) will only be published if they concern the Iyengar method or have otherwise been approved by the Ethics & Certification Committee of the IYA (UK)
If you wish to advertise in the next issue of Iyengar Yoga News, please send all text, photographs or artwork by the next issue deadline of December 1st, 2009 to jbcotgreave@hotmail.co.uk
Advertising rates Circulation: 2800 Quarter page: £40; Small ads: 50p per word NB. the Editorial Board reserves the right to refuse to accept advertisements or parts of advertisements that are deemed to be at variance with the stated aims of the Iyengar Yoga Association (UK). IYA (UK) does not necessarily endorse any products etc. advertised in this magazine.
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The east clare yoga centre, a family-run rural retreat centre in the West of Ireland, offers residential IYENGAR Yoga Weekends with highly trained teachers from February to October each year.
2 Day Weekends - €335 3 Day Weekends - €450 Price includes yoga tuition, accommodation, all meals, daily snacks and XVERWJIVW XS JVSQ 7LERRSR -RXIVREXMSREP %MVTSVX 'S 'PEVI (MVIGX ¾MKLXW XS Shannon available from Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester, & London (Gatwick, Heathrow, & Stansted). Colour brochure available on request. Please visit our website at www.eastclareyoga.com for details of our 2010 weekend breaks.
ború oak lodge, raheen road, tuamgraney, co. clare, ireland. t 353 (0)61 640 923 w www.eastclareyoga.com e info@eastclareyoga.com
Instructional Iyengar Yoga DVD/Video
DO YOU NEED HELP TO PRACTICE YOGA AT HOME? ‘Practice and Enjoy’ with Julie Brown
Designed to help you practice yoga at home as well as in your class. For beginners and experienced students alike. 5 sessions of 15-20 minutes each. Includes a relaxation session, plus limbering-in poses for the beginning of each session.
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To order ‘Practice and Enjoy’ with Julie Brown or for fur ther information : 01625 879090 julie.brown61@o2.co.uk £12.99 each plus P&P (Discounts for bulk orders) Julie Brown has taught for over 25 years and is a Qualified Senior Teacher of Iyengar Yoga Iyengar Yoga News No. 15 - Autumn 2009
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NOTTINGHAM 2010 - IYA (UK) ANNUAL CONVENTION Friday 30TH APRIL to Monday 3RD MAY
Nottingham University
This year we have chosen Nottingham for the venue for our annual convention and we are taking advantage of the bank holiday weekend to offer you an extra day of yoga. Nottingham has good transport connections to all parts of the UK and the university is only 10 minutes taxi ride from the station, situated in lovely rolling green grounds with woods and a lake which you can enjoy in your breaks. Accommodation is in modern student rooms, almost all with en suite facilities. We anticipate putting everyone in en suite rooms unless there is exceptional demand for places, in which case they will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. The food will be totally vegetarian. We have worked with the university caterers to provide nutritious and varied menus, and those with special dietary requirements should be able to find what they need on the menu. Ask us for a copy of the menus if you need to! Zubin Zarthoshtimanesh
We are very pleased to welcome Zubin to his first UK convention and tour. Zubin will be familiar to many of you who have visited Pune, as he has been working closely with the Iyengars for many years. He now runs and teaches at the Iyengar Yogabhyasa centre in Mumbai. You may also have seen Zubin featured in the film, “Leap of Faith” about Guruji’s life. Or you may have heard from your European friends how much his European tour was enjoyed in 2008. Programme:
Each day of the convention will start with an early Pranayama session. There will be two asana classes on each full day and one on Monday, finishing around 1pm. Monday lunch will be available as an optional extra. A light breakfast and lunch will be included in the price for non-residential participants, with the addition of accommodation and evening meal for residents.
The weekend of Saturday to Monday will be open to all practitioners of Iyengar yoga (membership of IYA(UK) required) with the addition of a full day of yoga on Friday for teachers and trainee teachers.
A detailed programme and further information including directions will be sent out about six weeks before the event and posted on the IYA(UK) website. IYA Events Team Judith Richards judithrich@btinternet.com Tessa Bull tessabull@onetel.com Patsy Sparksman patsyyoga@aol.com
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2010 Convention Booking Form Name Address
Postcode Telephone Mobile Email
Friday - Monday residential incl. all tuition, full board Friday - Monday non-residential incl. all tuition, breakfast & lunch Saturday - Monday residential incl. all tuition, full board Saturday - Monday non-residential incl. all tuition, breakfast & lunch Arrival night accommodation Thursday or Friday Arrival night dinner Thursday or Friday Monday lunch T-shirts Pre-ordered UK clothing size: Men’s Women’s loose Women’s fitted IYA(UK) Membership No: Or to join for 2010 If you wish to rent a stall, please contact Patsy Sparksman patsyyoga@aol.com
Total :
£320.00/£300.00* £190.00/£175.00* £230.00/£215.00* £140.00/£130.00*
£34.00 £12.50
£8.00 £7.00 (Convention price will be £12)
£16.50
£
*A discount is offered to those booking before 31st January 2010
Payment Options: Cheques payable to IYA(UK) Send to Jess Wallwork, IYA (UK) Bookings and Finance,15 West Grove, Bristol BS6 5LS To book online, see www.iyengaryoga.org.uk
Cancellation conditions: Fees will not be refunded for cancellations received after 1st March 2010 unless there are exceptional circumstances. All changes to bookings and cancellations before this date will be subject to a £5 administration charge. Reduced fees may be available to those experiencing financial difficulties and who can provide proof of their circumstances. Please contact Jess at jess@iyengaryoga.org.uk or 0117 307 9092.
IYA Events Team Judith Richards judithrich@btinternet.com Tessa Bull tessabull@onetel.com Patsy Sparksman patsyyoga@aol.com
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