Pranayama Instruction

2020 is a cathartic year, a game changer. I am sure that each of you has endured some event in your life that seemed to put the world upside down; wherein all your fantasies or plans for the future were suddenly called into question. For some it is a health issue, for others financial, marriage, children. Now, we have a collective moment of seeming chaos. Something will emerge; it seems inevitable at this point that we cannot go back to “same old same old”. We have reached a tipping point.

So, how to prepare. Individually we must be strong, calm, clear headed and kind hearted. To navigate a ship as big as our economic and political system takes time. I would hope that we act locally even as we donate, sign petitions, vote, and do whatever we need to do to keep the winds of change moving. Friends in Santa Monica showed up to clean shattered glass, vandalized stores, to remove graffiti, and to show solidarity. Little things lead to bigger things as long as we keep up the practice.

Which brings me to pranayama practice. Little things lead to bigger things. I find that my daily pranayama practice supports my physical, emotional and mental health and helps me prepare for another day. The practice lightens and lights up the day.

Attached is the set-ups that I will use for this week and for next week’s practice. Join me! Visit https://www.yogaworks.com/classes/live/ Wednesdays at 7:30am PT for pranayama, and Fridays at 9:00am PT for Iyengar 2-3 asana.

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Join me at 12pm Sat. for Spaceship Earth Q&A

Join me at 12pm PT Sat. May 16 on Zoom for stories about this surreal, yes all too real, adventure that I took with my late father, Roy Walford, one of the eight “Biospherians.” It was a historic experiment. I look forward to answering questions and sharing a few never-before-told tales. During his two years as the medical officer inside Biosphere 2, Roy and I wrote what could be the first paperless book together! If you’ve not seen the amazing documentary Spaceship Earth, (88 on Rotten Tomatoes!) please visit here for more details, and how to see it. It’s free on Hulu, and available on most major streaming services. The Zoom meeting details are below:


Topic: Spaceship Earth, a discussion with Lisa Walford
Time: May 16, 2020 12:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

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Yoga props for home practice

The steadiest companion I have had throughout my life has been my home practice, my yoga mat. There have been days where I practiced on picnic tables and in campground bathrooms (I never touched the floor). I have used toilet paper rolls as head support in Downward facing dog; rolled off of hotel beds for Dwipada Viparita Dandasana; and configured AirBnB flats to be practice rooms. Everything is sacred when it comes to my home practice. Now, finally, after encouraging students to begin a home practice, people are finding the benefits of creating a place at home for yoga.

Now that I am teaching in the streaming environment, I can see what advantages students have in their home to help build a yoga practice. Staircases, kitchen sinks, foot stools! I love seeing people pull out pillows, towels, chairs, books, and even more yoga props. Now is a great time to stock your home with what will become your favorite furniture add-ons, bolsters, slant boards, blocks, straps, and yoga chairs. My halasana box doubles as a lamp stand.

Resources for practicing at home: Israel Avendano has been supplying the Iyengar Yoga Institute with props for years, as well as the Los Angeles YogaWorks studios. At the moment, during the pandemic, he does not ship, but he will deliver within the greater LA area. Please contact him directly:
Israel Avendano: +1.310.625.5052. You can text or call.
For wooden props such as Setubhanda benches, Viparita Karani boxes, trestles, I recommend https://PineTreeYoga.com or https://AuthenticHardwoodYogaProps.com

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Spaceship Earth launches May 8th! And I was there

Announcing the streaming release of a documentary that is all too vivid for me, as I lived in the shadow of this amazing story. My father was one of just eight Biospherians,  the medical officer, inside Biosphere 2.

So strap yourselves in, as May 8th is the international launch date for the 2020 Sundance Film Festival selection: SPACESHIP EARTH.

Trailer: Spaceship Earth is the true, stranger-than-fiction, adventure of eight visionaries who in 1991 spent two years quarantined inside of a self-engineered replica of Earth’s ecosystem called BIOSPHERE 2. The experiment was a worldwide phenomenon, chronicling daily existence in the face of life threatening ecological disaster and a growing criticism that it was nothing more than a cult. The bizarre story is both a cautionary tale and a hopeful lesson of how a small group of dreamers can potentially reimagine a new world. Neon, director Matt Wolf

This amazing documentary will stream on Hulu, and at a (virtual) theater near you! Visit https://neon-rated.webflow.io/films/spaceship-earth#virtual-cinema for a list of theaters in the US. We saw it at its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January. You don’t wanna miss it!

One of the extraordinary friendships in my life was with my father, Dr. Roy Walford. He and I worked together writing two popular books on his life extension research at UCLA. He was the medical officer inside Biosphere 2, where he was sequestered with seven other people for two years, Sept. 1991 – Sept. 1993. While I watched from outside, the Biospherians grew and harvested their own food, they recycled their precious water used to sustain life for all the species and plants that were brought on board the hermetically sealed futuristic looking Biosphere. It was truly a magical time of hope; hope that this 200-million dollar experiment could model a different kind of relationship between man and our earth. Hence the name Biosphere 2.  And it was my privilege to work virtually alongside my father, from my office in his home in Venice, California.

He hoed, cooked, and ran scientific experiments; he documented both audacious art projects and the social dynamics of being cooped up for two years with seven other pioneers; he resigned as head of his research laboratory at UCLA to enter this adventure. Now the story is told. Dad, I hope you are watching, wherever you are up there, in here, in timeless space.

Biosphere 2 is in Oracle, Arizona. It still exists, although its magnificence has long since morphed into something simpler. This fascinating documentary shows how a small group of visionary individuals and eccentric adventurers accomplished something fantastic. With extensive footage from my father’s 500 hours of video he shot inside Biosphere 2, as well as historical recordings going back fifty years that introduce the idealistic and forward thinking pioneers who built it, this documentary is riveting.

Some perspective. In the 1990s I lived two lives. I was a newly certified Iyengar yoga teacher. While my father was inside Biosphere 2 I was producing, marketing and selling a computer software program, Dr. Walford’s Interactive Diet Planner,  to track nutritional profiles and help people live healthier lives. I had an office inside a corner of his home. My mornings were spent practicing and teaching yoga and during the afternoon I would create nutritionally dense recipes and participate in online nutritional support groups. My father and I wrote what was probably the first paperless book while he was inside the Biosphere, The Anti-Aging Plan, Strategies and Recipes for Extending your Healthy Years. I remember telling him that his “edits” were coming in upside down, and could he turn the page so that I could incorporate his notes without standing on my head. Technology had limits in those days!

Now, technology will enable us to meet virtually, you the viewer and I, for an informal discussion on my years in the light of this story, in the shadow of my father, and my inspiration from having participated in this amazing saga. To join this discussion, visit https://zoom.us/j/96794507168 on Sat. May 16th, at 12:00pm PDT. You can also call +1.346.248.7799 and enter meeting ID 96794507168# when prompted.

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The potency of pranayama to bring poise and peace

Wonderful people, tender people, courageous people, weary people, you, and you, and me. I am reading inspirational verses from people who never knew they could write, or pray, or stand up and shout truth to power, or get down and weep. What connects us now are our aspirations and fears, air hugs and virtual communities. Connecting… this is the new norm.

Waking up to a new world we have options, choices, and wow! How about that! If your day used to begin with that alarm pushing you to the morning joe and out the door, now you have this rare opportunity. A new day-to-day routine.

Join me each Wednesday at 7:30am for an hour of practice. Please have several yoga blankets or thick towels which you can fold lengthwise to support your spine.  Streaming with YogaWorks at https://www.yogaworks.com/classes/live/. Please review this pdf on how to prepare your blankets.

I begin each day with pranayama and meditation. Those early morning moments when I am between my shadow/dream life and the daily waking me-self are the most precious gems of experience. Connecting with the vital and subtle energy in my being through my breath reminds me of the rhythmic ebb and flow inherent in everything corporal. And the in-between moments, the pause before the next cycle, that is where grace hovers, waiting for me to inhale its fragrance of tranquility.

This practice cultivates great sensitivity. In Light on Life, Śrī B.K.S. Iyengar says “Sensitivity is not weakness or vulnerability, it is clarity of perception and allows judicious, precise action.” To awaken and greet each day with an affirmation of life; to clear the cobwebs of sleep and tune my mind to a finer sensibility; to set my heart aright and true to myself; and to recognize the potency of this simple thing we call breath, this is what the pranayama practice does for me.

In these unique times, I find myself vacillating between feeling overwhelmed and either manic or paralyzed with what I seem to have no control over. At other times, gratitude fills me and I succumb to a tenderness for all of humanity when I see the sacrifices people are making to protect and save others. Like a pendulum, my emotions swing. Yoga has trained me to watch and see these natural tendencies in my thoughts and behavior. Yoga has also given me the tools to lesson the momentum of the swing, to cultivate a middle way, and to find an inner poise even within these challenges.

The Bhagavad Gita includes a dedicated breath oriented practice as a sacrificial act “some offer inhalation into exhalation and others, exhalation into inhalation, restraining the path of inhalation and exhalation, intent on the control of the vital breath.” -Sloka IV.29.

Let this ocean of energy bear up the lungs and let it purify the body and refine the consciousness. –Light on Life, pg. 76

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Yoga Sūtra Study with John Casey at IYILA

Sat. Feb. 29th, 2:30-4:30 at the Iyengar Yoga Institute of Los Angeles. For more information, or to register online click here or call +1.310.558.8212.

In Conversation with the Yoga Sūtras

I will be assisting John in a series of six sessions throughout the year.  John has taught courses on World Religions, Sanskrit, Buddhism, and Yoga Studies at local colleges, while also helping to establish the MA program in Yoga Studies at Loyola Marymount University.

John: There are few texts from classical India that have had such an long-running influence on the perspective of spiritual seekers than the one which bears the name of Yoga Sūtra. Written nearly two thousand years ago by the sage Patañjali, this text of less then two hundred pithy aphorisms may be read in its entirety in less than an hour. And yet, this elegant work, divided into four brief chapters, outlines a profound and effective contemplative path which can lead to radical spiritual enlightenment and freedom. In this series of presentations, we will open up the contents and deeper implications of the Yoga Sūtra, laying out the philosophy, psychology, practice, and consequences of the contemplative lifestyle that has inspired and edited countless generations of serious yoga practitioners.

John Thomas Casey has been a Yoga scholar-practitioner since 1971, and holds a doctorate in Asian and Comparative Philosophy from the University of Hawaii. I have known and studied with him for over ten years. Last year we taught together for the fist time and promised to do it again. John is a scholar with a sense of humor and respect for his students that makes studying with him a joy.  This is an excellent opportunity for our local community dive into the Yoga Sūtras. By stretching the course out over the year, students will be able to read, study and apply the practices in the Yoga Sūtras into daily life. Bring any version of the Sūtras that you like and John will distribute his own translation.


Iyengar Yoga Institute of Los Angeles (map)

1835 South La Cienega Blvd, Suite 240
Los Angeles, CA, 90035 USA
+1.310.558.8212institute@iyila.orghttps://iyila.org/

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Roots and Shoots, Standing Poses at IYILA

Sat. Feb. 29th, 11:30-2:00 and a Teacher’s class, Sun. Mar. 1st, 12:30-3:30 at the Iyengar Yoga Institute of Los Angeles. For more information, or to register online click here or call +1.310.558.8212.

In this workshop, I will introduce basic anatomy through handouts and asana practice to help you understand where you need stability and where you need mobility in the legs, back and arms. Come to learn, to practice, and to grow.

This body is a miracle of physical structures, physiological processes, psychological patterns and what I consider the metaphysical guide from an inner nobility of grace. Higher attributes like compassion, patience and equanimity are generally possible when we have some understanding and control over our lives. One of the most basic building blocks to wisdom is to embrace the relationship with our own structure, the body.

Standing poses are the foundation for all levels of our inner structure in Iyengar Yoga. Our legs propel us forward while our arms reach and grasp; both serve to enable us to live life fully. Standing poses free the shoulder and hip joints while they stabilize the core of the body. Each of us is unique, and the framework special. A teacher gives general instructions, and from there we each need to apply ourselves to understand what is helpful. Just as a gardener prunes each plant according to its shape, we each need to adapt the general practice for our knees, hips, backs and bodies.

A sound and informed practice both reinforces a balanced body and avoids potentially stressful practices. Come to learn, to practice and to grow.

I look forward to seeing you there!


Iyengar Yoga Institute of Los Angeles (map)

1835 South La Cienega Blvd
Suite 240
Los Angeles, CA, 90035 USA
+1.310.558.8212institute@iyila.orghttps://iyila.org/

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Reflecting the Iyengar way


Wendy Jacob visits Lisa at Triyoga in London and talks to her talks to about her commitment to Iyengar yoga.

Arriving at Triyoga in London’s Soho is an experience in itself. If anyone has any preconceived ideas of the ideal environment for yoga – this would not be it. The crowded streets, shops that open on Sunday late into the evening and the clatter and chatter from the courtyard restaurants beneath the studio, make the establishment of a successful yoga studio an unlikely proposition.

Inside the purple doors, there is a different vibe – wooden floors, a calming welcome and a feeling of peace and solace from the stresses and strains of the busy city.

Lisa Walford is presenting her final workshop in a series of three days of structured asana practice – ‘through the lens of sacred texts’. She is in London with her husband and will spend time in Europe before returning to her home in California.

Entering the studio, Lisa has presence; but when she stands alongside one of her students, you realise she is minute – a tiny frame beneath a defined, strong face and walnut tanned skin. Few will have faced the challenges or chosen the journey that has preceded Lisa’s invitation to teach at Triyoga. Author of The Longevity Diet and daughter of Dr Roy Walford – who pioneered research into a diet of calorie restriction – she was diagnosed HIV positive in 1985. By strengthening her immune system through the diet, practising yoga and adopting a positive outlook, Lisa continues to live a long, full life, inspiring others to nurture their minds and bodies.

She says she has been gratified with her reception in London and has felt a deep connection with the students who have mostly attended the entire course. Talking to students as they leave the building, the feeling is reciprocated, praising her ability to communicate with each individual and encourage them to engage more deeply with their practice

Lengthy rigorous training

The teachings of B.K.S. Iyengar are largely credited for the popularity of yoga in the west – technique and rigorous training emphasising precision and alignment and using props such as straps and blocks, to improve the quality of the pose. Poses may be held for longer than in other styles, encouraging lengthening of muscles, stability and focus. Teachers undergo a rigorous training, lasting several years and producing teachers committed to teaching Iyengar yoga throughout the world.

BKS Iyengar said: “The practice of yogasana for the sake of health, to keep fit, or to maintain flexibility is the external practice of yoga. While this is a legitimate place to begin, it is not the end. Even in simple asanas, one is experiencing the three levels of quest: the external quest, which brings firmness of the body; the internal quest, which brings steadiness of intelligence; and the innermost quest, which brings benevolence of spirit.”

Lisa has been following this quest and teaching for 30 years. She has a BA in dance, but a professional career was thwarted when she tore an abductor muscle. Luckily, this led her to yoga and Iyengar, who gave a demonstration at a yoga convention in 1982. “His presence formidable – a sense of authenticity from practice and experience, which is contagious”, says Lisa. “Since then, I have been fortunate to watch him practice, develop and learn how to modify his mind.”

Cultivating the language

In the 80’s, very few people knew about Iyengar yoga, but Lisa was hooked. Asked why she was attracted, Lisa says there are a number of reasons and these remain true today. “There is a consistency of language between teachers and as I always loved poetry and the mystical, I found that this cultivation of language helps with the movement. Teachers are well trained and this makes it the safest, most consistent form of teaching, developing quality amongst the students.”

Lisa is highly articulate, emphasising muscular skeletal rhythm, coordinating with the breath and creating freedom in movement. Communication is not her only tool, as she explains that the power of observation is a skill that takes many years to cultivate. “It is important to observe what a person can do physically – their practice and how they approach themselves. I give a lot of physical instruction, but practice is not so much applying yourself to the pose. It is about discovering your capacity through the pose – the pose becomes one of action and reflection. We often don’t consider the emotional underpinning of the practice. If we are competitive and approach it in the wrong way it will affect our practice”, explains Lisa.

Throughout the workshop, Lisa encourages enquiry and reflection. “Where is there congestion? Where is there volume? Where is there stability?” she asks. “Use the breath to help you move more eloquently. Incorporate an intimate relationship with your breath,” she encourages.

Students respond by moving deeper into increasingly complex and demanding twists. After each pose she leaves time for enquiry; “What is the sensory impression (shadow) of the pose? Was it energetic/emotional/muscular? What does this mean?” A line of enquiry, which takes student beyond the physical challenge, into a deeper feeling of integration and reflection.

“My sequences are very progressive.” She explains. “We are not interested in ‘getting’ the pose but in finding mobility, stability and space. The sequences are progressive creating a sensed memory – an imprint – aimed at developing a discriminative, reflective capacity in the students.”

The workshop demonstrates not only Lisa’s commitment to Iyengar and her own teaching skills, but her personal compassion, which shines through the detailed physical instructions, encouraging students to develop a sense of enquiry and to bring ‘compassion’ into their yoga practice and the rest of their lives.

“With all the sensations that come to us from the physical body – such as walking into a new environment – it is important to consider how this evolves into our sensory system. Watch the process and the sequence of letting go and cultivate a quality of joy and honour.”

For those who have completed the full workshop, her final advice would have been welcome. “Find equanimity to practise, or not practise and welcome these qualities.” Wise advise from a committed teacher.

Following the death of BKS Iyengar, Lisa Walford wrote the following poem to her teacher:

To Guruji
The sky is great, vast
The sea is deep, and mighty
Guruji, your Sadhana was life itself
The thorns and roses
The fragile knees and sibilant exhalations
The cry of painful release and sighs of relief
Students leaving medical class
Playful and joyous with your great granddaughter
Amidst peals of laughter, gently taking her upside down
Sitting at your desk in the library, coffee in the afternoon
Dictating your advice and instructions to teachers worldwide
Politely receiving guests, graciously greeting friends
Accepting salutations and flowers in the lobby
So many coming from France, Israel, China … everywhere
And the moments of complete rapture
Listening to you explain the finer points of Tadasana
Your white dhoti, golden trim sweeping the asana floor
Preparing for practice, timer in place, Sirsasana
Wherever I positioned my mat, whether I could see you or not
You knew. The days to be kind, the days to be firm
Fearless in the face of my illness
You steered me through the fading of my health
To a practice that became my resurrection
Pranams Guruji. Once I found myself flat on my stomach
Outstretched with my hands touching your feet
Not sure how I got there, but it was tender
Your eyes (and eyebrows)!
Your feet!


This article was published in BWY Spectrum magazine, Winter 2014


Lisa Walford holds an Intermediate Senior Iyengar teaching certificate and has been teaching yoga in Los Angeles since 1982. Through yoga, she continues to explore the introspective process of balancing the physical with the energetic body while deepening her appreciation for the creative spirit. Lisa is on the Board of the not-for-profit organization Iyengar Yoga Therapeutics and the Iyengar Yoga Association of Los Angeles. She is on the advisory board of the International Association of Yoga Therapists and the Yoga Studies program at Loyola Marymount University. Lisa has a BA from UCLA and is co-author of The Longevity Diet, now in its second edition, and The Anti-Aging Plan.

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Arambhana Kriya, Commencement W/Prashant

The Commencement Act –

Prashant frequently says “well, anyway…” Many people are fascinated by his wisdom, many people are bewildered, some people are bored, and for a few, Prashant’s teachings have transformed the way they practice. When he says “well, anyway…”, it means that he has realized that he went off on a tangent, or what he thought was a tangent. He does this frequently, for he himself is delighted by and completely absorbed in the traditions of Yog. For example, he explains how the modern “yoga” culture is only invested in a “physiocracy” while what we should be studying is “Yog”, the essential yoga.

“Early on, they thought that being in good health and being able to do good poses meant that you would be a good teacher. Now, you must be a good student, this must not escape. You need conviction to be a good teacher, but you must always protect your own studentship… Studentship is forever an infant…”

“Yog” is the subject, the object, the fixation and the beloved for Prashant. Over the last fifty years he has developed his unique style that draws us into deeper dimensions of experiencing one’s Self and “Yog”. Although he would not say that his approach is unique at all. And some say that it is so unique that it is not even Iyengar yoga. Both Abhijata and Prashant reminded us that Guruji never called his yoga “Iyengar” yoga. We study Yoga, capital Y. Fluent in the Vedic texts, Bhagavad Gita and Yoga Sutras, Prashant weaves threads from these inspirations throughout his discourse while giving us practical instructions to help explore and reflect on the breath, sensations, thoughts and experience in practice.

“Describe, define, explain the process, consequences, effect, to cultivate literacy in your studentship.”

“Yoga has the possibilities to not only train you, you should be empowered, not just getting training and more training. It is an educational process, you get intelligence, or should decide what you should be doing, there is some logic, some reasoning behind it. Classes are not the place to learn yoga.”

“Arambhana Kriya, the commencement act – each must develop the literacy on how to identify where your focal point is. Inhalation connects the core to peripheral, exhalation connects periphery to core, ex: feel how the inhalation effects the shoulder blades, and what happens on exhalation, commentate, you will develop your vocabulary, literacy. Sensitize, perceive, the consequences of flushing out deeply and what happens to that area on inhalation. You must cultivate a good vocabulary to be a good commentator.” (refer to Yogasana: The 18 Maha Kriyas of Yogasana, Prashant Iyengar)

Each morning of the week began with a class with Prashant. He systematically and experientially took us through ways to introduce his scheme that would enable us to go deeper into “Yog”. Some of us were thrilled and found that the patience and penetration required to work this way yielded a rich dimensionality of being and becoming. Others were restless and to move. By the end of the week, everyone appreciated the rich tapestry of Prashant, the weave of his teachings, and the texture of his love for Guruji and for us.

“So this is not Prashant’s class, this is your head, face, brain class. Emotional, psychological processes. Understand your nature, you have so many teacher within you, understand what is proper for you”

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Sunrise in Iyengar Yoga, December in Pune, India

Whenever I watch a sunset I know that the same light will rise upon awakening friends somewhere else in the world, and a new day will begin. Over the last few years my community of Iyengar yoga has watched several sunsets. It is a tumultuous time in our world. On the global spectrum we are struggling for the waning resources of water and air. The political narrative of populism and nationalism seem like a resurgence from the dark ages, where feudal wars would decimate any opposition and crusades silenced free speech. My community at YogaWorks has likewise witnessed darkening skies of grief and change. Yes, we are living through the saga of a setting sun.

Where will the sun rise? Who is waking up to change? And to new light?

Abhijata Iyengar is perhaps our Phoenix, rising from the ashes of our grief from losing both her grandfather Sri BKS Iygenar (Guruji) and most recently, her aunt Sri Geeta Iyengar (Geetaji). Abhijata (or as her students affectionately call her, Abhi) is bold, bright, gracious, welcoming, young, a mother, educated, and savvy in the ways of our international community. Abhi brings change. For the Europeans she hopes to bring some cohesion. In America, Australia and England, where assessment has become a goal oriented step ladder that has institutionalized what should be an organic process – that of studentship –  Abhi has asked for a very different structure that emphasizes mentoring, personal experience and subjectivity (I will elaborate in a future post). She is asking that we join her in a dialog to explore how we can make our studies more congenial, sophisticated, layered, and cooperative.

Abhi embodies and is embracing her heritage. Having been mentored for almost twenty years by her grandfather, Guruji, and having traveled internationally to conferences with her aunt, Geetaji, Abhi has seen how a dogmatic approach can create what she calls “cookie-cutter” teachers. Every family has its struggles, and our Iyengar “family” is no exception. Abhi has been listening and watching for a decade. Now she has ideas on how to address our “issues”, and she has invited us to join her in an open dialog.

For context, she explained that, in the mid-twentieth century, yoga was unknown. Guruji initially had to promote yoga and himself through public demonstrations. The original script for Light on Yoga included three times as much material, but the publishers told him that it was too esoteric and too long for the general public. Even so, the interest in integrated body/mind practices and in Indian spirituality along with Guruji’s infectious enthusiasm caught the imagination of people on every continent. His teachings inspired the creation of Associations worldwide. Fast forward to today when everyone studies yoga (Prashant: “every Tom, Dick and Harry” is a euphemism for the everyman). Yoga, in the sense of Yoga as a body/mind/spiritual practice, has been exploited and manipulated to fit many commercial ventures. It has become an industry. Iyengar yoga has been pigeon-holed and is defined in the Oxford dictionary as a yoga that uses furniture.

Our approach to teacher training is similar, she explained. We package teacher trainings. But “can you”, she said, “honestly package spiritual studies, Svadhyaya?” Prashant is very vocal about this. Teacher Trainings (TTCs) have become “money making ventures” he frequently says. Iyengar yoga must redefine itself.

“There are two types of education; formal education, which is a set pattern, predictable, replicate, rigid format, a ‘cookie cutter.’ And the second is an informal education; it is effective, iterative, contextual, and geared to the ‘individual.’ No set rules. There is a third way. It is a non-formal way; through direct experience. It is a life-long process where science, art, and philosophy come together. How do we learn yoga? It is not linear, we grow, and we fall,” Abhi said.

She continued, “In early days we adopted the formal way because it was easier to scale and to replicate. Even though early learners learned the informal way, with refined sensitivity, we understood that the linear way is not effective. We now want to create a world that encourages curiosity.” This third path attribute is that it is “pulsatizes” (beats), it is alive, a vibrating system in resonance with reality.”

We spent seven days exploring, experiencing, and discovering ways to expand the paradigm of Iyengar yoga. Rather than orienting our practice around the familiar actions or points of an asana, both Abhi and Prashant worked with cross-categories of poses, with breath dynamics, Uddyana Kriya and steered us away from identifying Iyengar yoga as asana centric. “The core of Iyengar yoga is Yoga” Abhi said.   “Connect your students and yourselves to the mother ship of Patanjali and yoga. For whatever reason a student comes to yoga, connect them to YOGA.”

How refreshing. How brave. How honest. How forward thinking. There is a sun rising, and light is upon our community.

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