The Belle of Bellur: Four Days of Gratitude with Abhijata Iyengar - Day 4

Celebrating BKS Iyengar’s birthday From the soil of his birth and in Bellur, India, and supporting his dream through the Bellur Trust  is a gesture. His granddaughter, Abhijata Sridha Iyengar expressed the emotions of love, respect, and reverence, all of those who have been touched by his work felt. We wanted to honor his birthday whether we ever got a chance to meet him in person or not. His energy is still very present. His life’s work continues to make it possible for people from all walks of life to experience the transformation of yoga.

Many refer to him as Guruji. It is from the word guru or bringer of light. It is very fitting for someone who put yoga into a language the modern world could understand —regardless of country, class, race, gender, age, or physical abilities or limitation. “Access” is a term we hear a lot relevant these days, and Guruji sought to find ways to offering any willing students access to the transformation of yoga.

Since its origins somewhere between the fifth and third centuries BCE, yoga has evolved and been packaged in innumerable ways. Diving into its depths is a daunting task, which is why BKS Iyengar’s work is such a gift. Anyone who has had the opportunity to observe or assist in the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute (RIMYI) therapy classes located in Pune, Maharashtra, has witnessed the healing powers of his work. It is why he has students from all over the globe. It’s not that he thought himself god-like as so many with his kind of influence tend to think of themselves. He worked, played, lived, and breathed yoga with the highest integrity any man can have. He gave us a learning method that aligns and connects us, mind, and body, because he knew once that happens, the yoga can do the yoga.

Tamas - inert, dull

Rajas - fire, dynamic

Sattvic - luminosity

There are three qualities of nature or Gunas: Tamas, solidity, Rajas, dynamism, Sattva, luminosity. They are ever-present and changing throughout nature and life. Abhijata brought awareness of the Gunas and the transformative power of yoga in her final class. She began and ended with a Savasana or corpse pose. She pointed out the vast difference of experience between the two asana. For some of us, it was very early morning; for some, after lunch, others, it was evening. Time, place, weather, level of study all affect the experience. Abhijata highlighted the Sutra of Sage Patanjali, which BKS Iyengar transcribes as “Perfection in an asana is achieved when the effort to perform it becomes effortless and the infinite being within is reached.”

II.47 prayatna shaithilya ananta samapattibhyam

Beginners may experience a generalized dullness, which is why Iyengar Yoga emphasizes standing poses in early training. They wake up the body. In Utthita Hasta Padasana, extended hands and legs pose, Abhijata taught with instructions such as lift the kneecaps and thighs and extend the arms from the sternum: the right sternum out to the fingertips and left sternum to the fingertips. Clear actions required the body and mind to engage progressively from the outer skin inwards to our muscles, bones, and nerves. The tamasic dullness moved into a more rajasic active state. Asana in an Iyengar class require intense focus and effort. Repetition allows that focus and effort to evolve. When we can better align and connect the mind and body, we move into another stage, a more rhythmic flow of effort, and a less effortful luminous state. These qualities of dullness, activity, and luminosity cycle within and around us day-to-day, moment-by-moment, class to class, asana to asana. With continuous practice, we can mindfully utilize these qualities of nature. When we need rajas, we can call upon it. When we are angry or agitated and we need to pause, we can call upon tamas. The harmony or balance of the two is sattva, so it is the more luminous state. We can learn to calibrate ourselves to adjust to inward changes or help us deal with outward changes in our environment.

In class, Abhijata generated rajas after the first few asana. She paused less between the asana, the rigor and intensity forced focused effort and then we experienced asana from the beginning of class again, now the effort was less effortful, the rigor and repetition transformed the body and mind, so by the time we got to Savasana, corpse pose for the second time, we were now acutely present with our legs, feet, ankles, thighs, hips, abdomen, chest, arms, neck, head, ears, eyes, mouth, nose and breath. We could actively surrender to earth from which we came and with it perhaps more conscious gratitude towards the man who helped us get there.

Iyengar Yoga is an experience not to be missed.

Thank you, Abhijata, for your willingness, your time, effort, and insight; Kishore for all of your patience and support; all of the panelists for demonstrating the poses and the many prop alternatives in the Iyengar repertory to address specific issues. I am grateful to you all. None of this could be possible without the birth of BKS Iyengar. Our continued experience, learning, and sharing of Iyengar Yoga can give him many happy returns.

Namaste.

The Belle of Bellur: Four Days of Gratitude with Abhijata Iyengar - Day 3

“If the foundation is firm, the building can withstand calamities. The practice of Yoga is the foundation, so that the Self is not shaken under any circumstances.”~B.K.S. Iyengar

Yoga is a metaphor for life and living. BKS Iyengar made the study of asana his life and gave us a library of learning to light our path, along with his lineage after him who have brought their insights into his work, and many other devoted instructors. He took as many as 40 years, Abhijata explained, to find a single word to describe a particular instruction. Abhijata distinguished the difference between her grandfather’s yoga practice and a student of Iyengar Yoga. BKS Iyengar studied with a teacher for only a few years. He spent the rest of his time in self study embodying the Sutres of Sage Patañjali :

Sutre 1:14 - sah tu dirgha-kaala-nairantarya-satkaaraa-sevito dhruddha-bhoomi-ha

Guruji transcribed this Sutra in Light On the yoga Sutras of Pantanjali as “Long, uninterrupted, alert practice is the firm foundation for retraining the fluctuations.” We have no concept of the decades of uninterrupted, discipline and devotion. We are the lucky recipients of it. As we celebrate his 102nd birthday on December 14th hold on to that thought.

Guruji has been quoted often as saying, “The body is my Temple. Asana are my prayers.” Asana were his prayers, so much so, he developed a specific Krama or sequence and order of asana to build a foundation for Tapas (self-discipline) and Svadyaya (self-study) and Isvara Pranidhanani (devotion). He also established the Krama of words to articulate instruction down to a level of subtly that brings a depth of unconscious to the surface that is truly remarkable —all in a systematic and sequential manner.

To appreciate why Krama is a crucial component of Iyengar Yoga, Abhijata gave a relatable example: we would never force a child who has just learned to walk to cross a wall or balance beam on their own. We have to build unity of mind and body, without it stress happens. Yoga means union. Abhijata explained interrupting children doing a puzzle or math problem can be very disruptive. They are focused, but can’t handle disruption. It is this kind of singularity of focus that Iyengar Yoga seeks to cultivate to a higher level. It is why Iyengar instructors do not teach a pose until the student has developed the necessary foundations to work in that asana safely and properly.

Stress is a word that is top-of-mind in this pandemic. It has come up often during the Bellur Iyengar Yoga Workshop. Upon research, etymologically, the word may be derived from the Old French word estrece, which means narrow or oppressed. Calamity like the pandemic has brought stress. There is a sense of chaos with fear of the unknown coupled with the pains of confinement and restriction. These stressful emotions can come up in difficult poses like Sirsasana, headstand. There can also be stiffness of the mind and body when attempting a forward bend or revolved pose. It can be a pre-existing condition or can come as a result of the idea of a difficult asana. Stiffness causes stress. However, Iyengar Practitioners develop more flexibility and freedom in both mind and body. They can stay completely present in a pose. Self-adjusting, pausing to evaluate the response throughout the body and mind, and continue to work like that while exploring deeper and deeper aspects of the posture. All the while they can also remain calm and steady despite disruptions, uncertainty, chaos or calamity.

Students who go to an Iyengar Yoga class can evolve into Iyengar Yoga Practitioners. It requires dedicated study with Certified Iyengar Instructors, following explicit directions so proper cultivation can be established. Dedicated Abhyasa (uninterrupted practice) and Vairagya (detachment) in every aspect of Kriya Yoga (action of yoga): Tapas (self-discipline), Svayaya (self-study), Ishvara Pranidhanani (Surrender of oneself to God) follows as the student transitions into a practitioner. The level of experience they can reach is high, thanks to the foundation of Iyengar Yoga. For over seven decades, Guruji dug into every fiber of his being to create a rich fertile soil for yoga to thrive.

What a gift.

Namaste.

The Belle of Bellur: Four Days of Gratitude with Abhijata Iyengar - Day 2

Day two of the workshop with Abhijata Sridhar, BKS Iyengar’s granddaughter, highlighted for me the grace and gratitude that Iyengar Yoga fosters. It is unfathomable for most of us to imagine leading a class as large as the Iyengars do, and yet, it is what BKS Iyengar and his daughter Geeta dedicated their lives to. It is what his son, Prashant, continues to do. Abhijata trained with all of them since she was 16. She carries the legacy of impeccable instruction forward.

She is such an inspiration. She mentioned today that if we didn’t know her grandfather’s birthday or he didn’t have the telling hair color ( read gray) — watching him in the studio before his passing; you’d never know his age. Likewise, listening to Abhijata, experiencing her wisdom, confidence and clarity, you’d never know she is only 38 years old. Her Kriya Yoga, acts of yoga: Tapas (self-discipline that burns impurities), Svadhyaya (self-study from the outer to the inner sheaths), and Ishvara Pranidhana (the ultimate surrender to the divine) have given her such grace.

Today she emphasized how we should never underestimate the importance of how yoga brings the unconscious (whatever you want to call it) to the surface. We explored extension of the frontal body and circularizing that with lengthening and engaging the back body in standing, revolved, and seated asana. We studied the Bhranti Darsana, delusion or false ideas that can come with attempts to find that extension in an asana that requires more than surface awareness like Parvritta Trikonasana or Parvrtta Parsvokonasana (revolved triangle and side angle pose respectively). These poses require us to explore beyond our superficial involvement to the much deeper place of internal awareness.

In some poses it is easier to stay on the surface. For example, Uttanasana, an intense forward bend, we can think we are extending. However, when Abhijata put our backs to the wall for feedback, we realized, what we thought was an big effort on our part to extend from pubic bone to sternum was in reality more shifting our buttocks towards our head side- as opposed to truly extending in the manner she instructed. We had a false sense of what was happening. A proper extension is an integral action to moving beyond capabilities in asana. It is a wonderful example of the difference between Iyengar Yoga and other yoga in the energy requirement of Tapas and Svadyaya that must take place to achieve it without illusion.

Students of other practices may go for years under the illusion they are conducting the right action. Iyengar Yoga has proven, student after student, how with explicit instruction, dedicated uninterrupted practice and detachment (Abhyasa and Vairagya), we can go beyond illusion and beyond what we expect of ourselves. Through Tapas, Svadyaya, and Ishvara Pranidhana, truth and possibility surface. In the process, we glimpse yogah cittavrtti nirodhah, the cessation of fluctuations of the consciousness. We glimpse freedom from stiffness of mind and body to a place beyond our perceived abilities. It brings confidence, and clarity.

Abhijata explained how easily humans get dejected and downtrodden by the smallest criticism or comparison to others we think are doing better. We all do it. When that happens, the body gets heavy. It doesn’t want to move. It wants to go to bed or be alone. Nothing positive can happen in that place. The Iyengars know when a student’s body is in this state, and they alter the perspective to shift the heaviness immediately. It’s why props are so important in our practice because they enable a student to experience the pose so they have a vision of where they can go. The Iyengars have an incredible sense of where students are because they have been through it themselves, and they have served hundreds or thousands of students going through it in all its iterations. They seem to know what we are capable of even if we don’t know yet.

In her clarity and grace, Abhijata demonstrated the magic of forgiveness. She forgave us for forgetting actions and having a false impression of what we were doing in class. She gave us more instruction to aid our understanding. She explained, we all forget. We all get deluded. She didn’t give up on us. We can’t give up on ourselves. We can’t give up on each other. We have to forgive and keep trying from every perspective we can. Imagine if we could all have her level of confidence, clarity, grace and gratitude—how different the world would be.

Thank you Abhijata, and all those who have worked tirelessly to make this event possible. I look forward to tomorrow.

Namaste.

Support the Atlanta Premiere of "Iyengar, The man, Yoga, and The Student's Journey."

Jake Clennell had a prophetic vision in this writer’s mind. His connection to the work of BKS Iyengar and desire to share the story behind the profound Teaching Method he developed that has become a worldwide phenomenon is a testament to how much Mr. Iyengar can transform us all.

Yes, present tense even though his body is no longer with us. His work. His message. His method’s ability to systematically and sequentially align our body and mind regardless of the color of our skin, our beliefs or physical abilities.

Kathleen Pringle owner of Stillwater Yoga will host the Atlanta premiere at the Midtown Art Cinema on July 30, 2019. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the man who developed the Teaching Method that has touched all of our lives whether in a yoga class, at the gym, in a physical therapy session, or athletic training session. It has seeped into our lives. No one has dedicated their entire life to teaching the masses the extraordinary benefits of the art, science, and philosophy of this 5,000-year-old path.

Yogaconnections.org hopes to see you there. Reserve your seat today >>

33 Reasons To Support Yoga For Mothers.

Mothers can put a lot of stress on their spine as their baby develops all the way up to the time their child is well past the toddler years. We can double that for Single moms —and many moms are single moms no matter what their partnership status may be.

Seven (7) cervical, twelve (12) thoracic five (5) lumbar, five (5) fused sacrum, and four (4) coccyx make up the 33 reasons moms need yoga. The stress on her vertebral column is affected by many situations.

During Pregnancy

The joints and ligaments begin to loosen to help the body adjust as the baby develops. This creates back pain for 50-70% of pregnant women. It’s important to distinguish the origin of the pain. There are two common origins: the sacroiliac joint better known as the SI joint, and the lumbar spine.

After Birth

We could argue that lack of sleep alone puts strain on the spine. Add the fact that a new mom is also picking a 6-10 pound newborn enumerable times a day —a newborn that is getting heavier by the week. With the joint laxity, exhaustion and stress overload new moms have the perfect recipe for throwing their back out completely.

In the sole

What moms put on their feet can contribute to back pain as well. High heels everyone knows are bad for the back. What some us may not consider is that flats can be just as bad if not worse. In a Redbook article on the subject, Michael Hisey, M.D., an orthopedic spine surgeon from Texas said, "The discs in your lower back are filled with cushiony fluid, but walking in flimsy shoes all day long wrings them out like a sponge."

Alignment Matters

In 80-90% of cases, understanding spinal pain doesn’t mean doctors can provide a solid diagnosis. That’s where Iyengar Yoga can help. With its deep understanding of proper alignment, even mothers with no physical training can find a safe way to bring strength, flexibility, and better alignment to their spine with Iyengar Yoga. The Iyengar Method of instruction begins with understanding gross actions in a progressive sequence of poses to build cognitive awareness of basic alignment of stabilizing muscles groups. Once this is achieved instruction moves deeper to more subtle actions that create communication synthesis between mental, skeletal, muscular, and nervous systems. The therapeutic effects of pregnancy yoga before and after birth, along with the effects of Iyengar Yoga specific to lower back pain are astounding.

When a pregnant mother-to-be works with a Pregnancy Certified Iyengar Instructor they can be sure they are giving their spine all the love and care it needs to support them now and in the years to come. Whether you’re a mother-to-be or have been playing Mom for a long time, Iyengar Yoga is here to support your wellbeing on Mother’s Day and every day. Namaste.

By Rhonda Geraci

Integrity & Iyengar Yoga: A place to begin.

Leaky energy leads to lack of integrity, which I believe comes from ignorance of our highest self.

We are human, but consider the idea that we have a divine spirit in the confinement of this human form that can teach us how to navigate the earth plane with more integrity. Integrity is hard to uphold regardless of spiritual path, age, gender, race or status.

Some people adhere to strict religious dogma or other rigid authority to keep them in line. But relying on someone else to tell us how to behave has its pitfalls eventually. We want to build an internal sense of integrity.

I believe Iyengar Yoga can help us with that, here’s why: The Iyengar Method teaches you to rely on your inner teacher. Imagine for a moment learning to hear a voice that is the highest part of yourself to show you how to move in the world? The Iyengar Method is a systematic and synchronistic way to connect to that divine part of yourself.

The Method follows an 8-limbed path that does have guidelines. It encourages you to study the 196 (or 197) Sutra’s written by the Sage Patañjali to ponder over and over along the way —until you have a visceral understanding of why this over-5000-year-old-proven path has the ability to expedite your evolution. Ultimately, it eliminates the need for rules because you get to a place where you see they are a part of you instead of something outside of you.

The Iyengar Method also requires that you begin your practice by taking classes with a Certified Iyengar Instructor. The Iyengar Method of teaching yoga takes you from the ‘periphery to the core’ and then ‘the core to periphery’ and back again, bringing awareness to every fiber of your being: your arms and legs, your muscles and bones, your bodily systems, your trillions of cells, your breath, and your life-force energy. 

From awareness, you move to alignment. From alignment, you move to clarity. From clarity, you move to wisdom. All along the way you refine and evolve until you get to the essence of your divinity. That’s the part of you that innately knows how to behave in the universe.

Once you get a glimpse of your highest most authentic self, you sense freedom there like you’ve never known before -freedom from your base desires and more. Eventually, you connect right action with that sense of freedom, which seals the leaks in your energy, and keeps you centered in integrity, so your evolution can accelerate forward and upward.

Namaste.

By Rhonda Geraci, Iyengar practitioner, Certified Iyengar Instructor & freelance writer

Iyengar Yoga: Awakening the body, mind and spirit.

Manouso Manos and Patricia Walden are the most senior teachers of the Iyengar Method in the United States. Their contribution to spreading the great work of BKS Iyengar in the United States and abroad is integral to maintaining the integrity of the vast wisdom yoga has to offer us all. 

Yoga has many definitions as Patricia and Manouso will attest; however, all definitions lead to one basic concept: self realization. Whether that realization comes from learning to deal with chronic back pain as in Manouso's history or realizing the wisdom within your own heart and mind as Patricia alludes to in this discussion. 

The Iyengar Method in the U.S. begins with body awareness through asana. However, many know that there are eight limbs in the Astanga (8-limbed) path of Iyengar Yoga. The first and second limb are behavioral. They are age-old precepts on how to conduct yourself from a personal and social level based on the natural laws of existence. Before there can be any kind of evolution from our base human state there must be an involution. We must first understand what will bring clarity of mind, body and spirit in order to move us to the next level of awareness. 

The third limb is learning the mechanics of the ten systems in our body through asana, which in Sanskirt means seat. Beginning with the most visible parts:  arms and legs, the Iyengar Method goes ever deeper and deeper into the wonderland of the physical, mental, and heart-centered self. From the periphery to the core and back again. Asana or seat is a practice to foster awareness and refinement in the functioning of all the systems in the body such that one can sit in still meditation in order to keep moving to more advanced levels of awareness.

Awakening. Enlightenment. They are not destinations. They are ongoing journeys that shed light on our innate wisdom and ignorance (read unawareness) in equal measure. We realize we are matter and non-matter, we are flawed and perfect all at the same time. It is the yoke of our existence to be fertilized by our own infinite resources.