Tribute to Yogacharya B.K.S. Iyengar
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Bellur Krishnamachar Sundara Raja Iyengar was one of the most famous and important contemporary yoga teachers in the world. Yo him goes much of the credit for spreading yoga in the West.
He was born on 14 December 1918 in Bellur, in southern India, in a very poor family. His parents belonged to the Bramihni caste, his father was a teacher. Eleventh of thirteen children, he was suffering from very poor health, suffering from malaria, typhus and tuberculosis. It was his state of health in 1934 that prompted his brother-in-law, the very famous Professor T. Krishnamacharya, defined as “the father of modern yoga” to call him to start practicing yoga under his direction and take care of his health. In 1937 at the age of 17, at the request of Krisnamacharya, she began teaching groups of women and a year later, without speaking English well and still in poor health, she moved to Pune to teach at the famous Deccan Gymkhana Club. In 1952 for B.K.S. Iyengar his way to the West was opened through the meeting with the famous violinist Yehudi Menuhin, who was fascinated by the strength of his teaching and his charismatic personality, became his friend and took him to teach in London, Geneva, Paris.
In 1943, at the age of 25, Guruji married Smt. Ramamani with whom he had six children. His wife died in 1973, the Pune school was built in her honor. B.K.S. Iyengar, at the age of 90, continued to practice asanas for 3 hours and pranayama for one hour a day. He died on August 22, 2014 at the age of 93.
Yogacharya B.K.S. Iyengar:
Uniting Through Yoga
A tribute documentary put together from 100+ hours of crowdsourced material sent by more than 500 participants from 20 countries in 10 languages, this 75 minute documentary takes you on an emotional journey encompassing the yogic practice and personal life of one of the greatest yoga masters to have ever lived.
Directed and Edited by: Vishaal Desai
IYENGAR YOGA
Free session
By SUSANNA PETRUZZELLA & FRANCESCA STELLA
TUESDAY JUNE 21 | 6:30 pm
“Yoga is like music: the rhythm of the body, the melody of the mind, and the harmony of the soul create the symphony of life.”
B.K.S. Iyengar, Light on Life
The system of yoga known as Iyengar Yoga was created and developed over 75 years ago by Yogacharya B.K.S. Iyengar. Mr. Iyengar devoted his life to the evolution of his approach to yoga, which is based on the traditional eight limbs of yoga taught over 2500 years ago by the sage, Patanjali. Mr. Iyengar believed that yoga goes beyond being a physical discipline- it is also an art, a science, and a philosophy, that he developed with this in mind.
Iyengar Yoga is accessible for all ages and all body types. It is known for its focus on precision and timing and the use of props, which were designed by Mr. Iyengar and help the practitioner to achieve perfection in any asana. Regular practice of Iyengar Yoga integrates the body, mind, and emotions.
Teaching is oriented toward gradual but steady progress rather than quick and fleeting results. Each Iyengar Yoga class is a unique sequence developed by the CIYT to guide students through a safe and systematic progression. Through skilled instruction and practice, students learn to penetrate beyond the physical body to the inner kosas (layers) of mind, energy, and spirit, gaining vitality, clarity, and calm.
Iyengar Yoga is a powerful and sophisticated discipline that can be practiced in all stages of life. The benefits are far-reaching and will assist the practitioner in every aspect of daily living.