Yoga Vaani 96 – December 2008
Message from the President
President Alan Goode's message celebrating Yogacharya BKS Iyengar's 90th birthday and acknowledging his profound contributions to yoga practice worldwide over 75 years.
A Letter from Guruji
A personal letter from BKS Iyengar expressing gratitude for the birthday celebrations planned in Australia, including 90 minutes of yoga practice, 90 asanas, and 90 backbends.
Yoga the Eternal Light
BKS Iyengar explores yoga as the restraint of consciousness and the union of head with heart, explaining the eight limbs of Ashtanga Yoga and their role in spiritual development and emancipation.
Latest News - A Visit by Geetaji
Announcement of Geeta Iyengar's upcoming visit in September 2009 for a 7-day event featuring asana, pranayama, therapy, lectures, and Q&A sessions for experienced members.
Latest News - New Board
Announcement of newly elected board members for the Iyengar Yoga Association for 2009, including Alan Goode as President and departing member Karen Wilde.
Guruji: profile of a yogi. Part 4: The Ancestry and family connections of Yogacharya BKS Iyengar and the parallels of history
Part 4 of a series exploring BKS Iyengar's life as a yogi, focusing on his family ancestry tracing back to Sri Ramanuja in the 11th century, and drawing parallels between Guruji's mission to democratize yoga and Ramanuja's spiritual liberalism that overcame caste barriers.
Learning Through Practice
BKS Iyengar's reflective essay on his continued yoga practice, describing the development of wisdom through innocent observation and exploring metaphorical understandings of the body—as petals of a flower, a kite, and a potter's vessel—to illustrate the integration of consciousness, intelligence, and self.
Yoga Sutras: Understanding the Four States of Prajna
Detailed exploration of Patanjali's Yoga Sutra I:17 explaining the four types of awareness (vitarka, vicara, ananda, asmita) and their relationship to brain function, heart intelligence, and asana practice. Discusses how the frontal and back brain must unite to create seamless physical, mental, and spiritual action.
Grades of the Sadhaka and Learning to Recover from Fatigue
Exploration of the four grades of practitioners (mrdu, madhyama, adhimatra, tivra) and how to balance heart and brain intelligence in asana practice. Emphasizes practicing with an innocent mind to understand the body's feedback and recover from fatigue intelligently.
Guruji's Practice: Notes from 22nd February 2008
Detailed practice notes from BKS Iyengar's 90th year documenting his daily backbend practice sequence and his teaching adjustments to a student (Abhi) in Sirsasana and Bharadvajasana. Includes specific alignment cues and the exploration of Yoga Sutras YS:I.7, YS:I.49, and YS:III.13.
Bharadvajasana - Class Notes with Guruji
Class notes documenting Guruji's teaching on Bharadvajasana, focusing on lateral movement, spine alignment, flank engagement, and the relationship between body structure and proper twisting technique.
A Biographical Sketch of Yogacharya Krishnamacharya - Guruji's Guru
Comprehensive biography of Yogacharya T. Krishnamacharya (1888-1989), BKS Iyengar's guru, detailing his ancestry, education, studies in Tibet, and his revolutionary approach to teaching yoga at the Royal Palace in Mysore.
Sri Ramanujacharya
Biographical article on Sri Ramanuja (AD1017-1137), a great Acharya, saint and social reformer who founded the Bhakti movement and advocated for devotion to God transcending caste barriers and birth rights.
Sri Ramanuja: His Life, Religion & Philosophy
A comprehensive biography of Sri Ramanuja, the 11th-century Indian philosopher and spiritual leader who founded the Vishistadvaita (Qualified Non-Dualism) philosophy and played a pivotal role in spreading Sri Vaishnavism across India through his teachings, writings, and establishment of temples and monasteries.
Under the Light of My Father: An Interview with Geeta Iyengar
An interview with Geeta Iyengar discussing the chanting of Patañjali slokas before classes, the meaning and significance of these prayers, and philosophical insights on yoga practice, women's independence, and her mother's yogic lifestyle as a householder.
With No Instrument
An introductory speech by violinist Yehudi Menuhin before a yoga demonstration in Saanen, Switzerland in 1966, featuring parallel philosophical reflections between Menuhin and BKS Iyengar on topics including yoga, music, freedom, creativity, perfection, and the human body.
Bellur – Guruji's Vision
An account of BKS Iyengar's philanthropic vision and initiatives in his birthplace of Bellur, India, including the establishment of the Bellur Krishnamachar and Seshamma Smaraka Niddhi Trust (BKSSNT) to provide education, healthcare, and community development.
The Next Generation: Father-Teacher
An interview with Prashant Iyengar exploring his father BKS Iyengar's teachings on yoga philosophy, the subjective nature of yoga practice as adhyatma sadhana, and Prashant's own approach to teaching yoga with emphasis on self-exploration and understanding rather than imitation.
Interview with Prashant S. Iyengar on the Essence of Yoga
An interview excerpt discussing the essence of yoga as the union of the individual self with the highest self, and the role of sadhana as a purification process to destroy impurities and discover yoga.
A Chronology of Major Events, Awards and Honours given to Guruji
A comprehensive chronological listing of major events, awards, honours, and achievements in the life and career of B.K.S. Iyengar (Guruji) from 1918 through 2005, documenting his yoga demonstrations, teaching positions, international recognition, and numerous accolades.
Honouring the Earth and the Elders
An article exploring Aboriginal spirituality and the concept of the Dreamtime, drawing parallels to the reverence for elders and teachers in spiritual traditions, with a reference to B.K.S. Iyengar as a unique spiritual teacher.
Yoga and Aboriginal Culture: A Comparison of Universal Spiritual Principles
An exploration of parallels between Iyengar Yoga philosophy and Aboriginal Australian spiritual practices, examining how both traditions connect physical practice to spiritual consciousness and earth-based spirituality.
Iyengar Yoga in Australia and the BKS Iyengar Yoga Association of Australia
A historical account of the development and establishment of Iyengar Yoga in Australia, tracing the founding teachers, key visits by BKS Iyengar and Geeta Iyengar, and the formation and growth of the BKS Iyengar Yoga Association of Australia.
The Essence of Guruji's Teachings
An exposition of BKS Iyengar's core teaching philosophy emphasizing the integration of body (sarira), energy (prana), and consciousness (citta) through asana and pranayama practice, with focus on awareness, will power, and the cultivation of spiritual consciousness.
Space, Prana Sakti and Citta Sakti
Discusses the integration of space, pranic energy, and consciousness in asana and pranayama practice, emphasizing the balance between physical, energetic, and mental dimensions of yoga.
What is in a Name?
Explores the meaning and significance of BKS Iyengar's full name - Bellur Krishnamacharya Sunderraja - and explains why he is referred to by various titles including Guruji by his devoted students.
Words, thoughts and Inspirations
Collection of inspirational quotes and wisdom from BKS Iyengar on the practice of yoga, covering themes of divinity, light, peace, synchronization of energy, and the holistic nature of yoga practice.
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Published in: Yoga Vaani
