Have you ever felt that the most beautiful things in life find us, we can’t really go seeking them out.
At least that is how I feel about my serendipitous encounter with Iyengar yoga. It was a completely random trip to a completely random town in the back of beyond in India and in a tiny corner shop I chanced on a copy of the book ‘Light on Yoga’ by BKS Iyengar. I was a very stiff 23 year old who thought yoga is either for super flexible people or old folks who want to sit and meditate. I know! Not proud of it. But luckily for me, the book intrigued me a lot and I bought it.
Over the last 25 years, this book and my husband have been the only constants in my life!
I have moved 7 cities, 3 countries and at least 20 homes. I am an engineer and an MBA in the traditional education setup. Worked in the telecommunications industry in a strategic role, did my CFA and then moved to banking as an Investment banker. And through all of that (and numerous injuries), Iyengar yoga has been with me throughout in some shape or form.
My first copy of Light on Yoga is dog eared with pages falling out but then I now have copies of it in all the rooms of my house!
What is it about Iyengar yoga that I find so fascinating and hope to pass on to all my students. The disciplined and structured approach. Clear instructions. How the same asana can be addressed in a multitude of ways to achieve a completely different experience.
Guruji said ‘Body is the bow, asana is the arrow and the soul is the target’.
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I have had students come into a class with a set mind that there is something they cannot do. It takes a while to convince them that ‘The study of asana is not about mastering a posture. It is about using that posture to understand and transform ourselves.’ After all, 'what does not challenge us cannot change us'.
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Classes are friendly and taught in a relaxed atmosphere. The teaching is precise and maybe a bit demanding but I will not expect a student to push themselves into achieving a shape or asana without adapting it to their own needs and ability.
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My journey with Iyengar yoga continues. I have ongoing studies with senior teachers in UK and India. I continue to train and learn. And I hope I will get a chance to share some of my passion and love of Iyengar yoga with you.