News & Announcements
IYNAUS Bulletin for July 2010 now online
Get the latest about the IYNAUS Board and upcoming events in the Iyengar Yoga community.Download the IYNAUS Bulletin now!
Patricia Walden reads audio version of "Light On Life"
An audio-book version of B. K. S. Iyengar's Light on Life, read by Senior Teacher Patricia Walden, is now available. Published by Macmillan Audio, Light on Life is available in two formats, as an abridged CD (five hours, four discs), $24.95, or in a five-hour digital audio version, $12.95.
New in our research page: Yoga tops exercise in many health measures
Since its founding in the early 1990s, IYNAUS has had a Yoga Research Committee to foster medical research and exchange research findings on yoga-related issues. About this same time, the National Institutes of Health created what would become the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. This branch of NIH began to seriously study -- and provide funds to study -- yoga, meditation, acupuncture, herbal medicine and more. With NIH leading the way, research studies began to find more funding.
However, few of us read medical and research journals. Sometimes information will filter down and make its way into Parade Magazine or Reader's Digest or get a mention on the Dr. Oz show. But these mentions are often brief or generalized. Where do you go to find the full story? That is the purpose of the IYNAUS Research webpage.
Here you’ll find results from studies, primarily involving Iyengar Yoga, on a wide range of topics. Articles first appeared in publications and websites such as the International Journal of Yoga Therapy, Current Oncology, the Oxford Journal, Medicalnewstoday.com and Healthlibrary.com.
The most recent addition to the page comes from The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine and supports the belief that yoga may be as effective or better than exercise at improving many measurable aspects of health. Iyengar Yoga teacher Alyson Ross (Introductory, Bethesda, MD) authored it when a PhD candidate at the University of Maryland School of Nursing.
Please, use and contribute to the Research page. Let us know of articles you have read or research you are doing. We will post them to continue to heighten the profile of Iyengar Yoga and broaden access to this important information.
Help a community member
In April, Iyengar Yoga teacher Karen Mauthe of Santa Fe, NM, was diagnosed with very severe aplastic anemia. This life-threatening disease means that Karen’s bone marrow has stopped producing red and white blood cells and platelets. She requires blood and/or platelet transfusions every few days to stay alive. Over time, the body begins to develop antibodies to the blood products and eventually refuses them entirely. However, with modern transfusions and antibiotics, patients can be supported for some time. According to western medical experts, a bone marrow transplant is her best hope to survive.
She was referred to the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle and they are currently looking for a bone marrow donor. There is no donor match at this time so Karen has returned home to Santa Fe to be with friends and family. She has closed her yoga studio and is currently unable to work.
IYNAUS is reaching out to our community on Karen’s behalf. There are a variety of ways you can help. Please consider registering as a bone marrow donor. Information on bone marrow donorship, as well as ways to contribute blood, thoughts, prayers or financial assistance, can be found on Karen’s blog: http://www.yogadifferent.blogspot.com. You can contact her by email at fieldofcosmos@gmail.com
In a note to IYNAUS Karen wrote: "My most immediate need is, obviously, white blood cells and platelets. I am dedicating the next few months to work to improve my condition through my yoga practice and alternative healing methods too. Nobody can predict how long it will take to find a suitable bone marrow donor. For people in my area, I need help with the daily chores like grocery shopping, meals, cleaning. I need to conserve what energy I have for healing. Prayers are always welcome. Bless you all, Karen"
Illuminated with Geetaji’s teaching
Dr. Geeta S. Iyengar led the first convention on Iyengar Yoga therapeutics at Reflection, May 11 - 16 in Portland, OR. In morning sessions, Geetaji presented the theory and principles of therapeutics for each category of asana (supine, prone, sitting, forward extensions, standing, backward extensions) and Pranayama. In the afternoon sessions, assistants from the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute (R.I.M.Y.I.) in Pune presented a closer look at the props and hands-on adjustments used with the work presented in the morning, deepening participants’ understanding.
Geetaji emphasized that these sessions were only the beginning. Participants were urged to study the DVDs of the sessions, to work with other Certified Iyengar Yoga Teachers to familiarize themselves with the teachings, and over the next 18 months to two years, to absorb the information and deepen their awareness of their own bodies in order to understand the approach for therapeutics.
Participants will be sent an outline of the work and information about ordering DVDs.
Accompanying Geetaji were her sister, Sunita Parthasarathy, her niece Abhijata Sridhar, Kobra Akbar Dashti (Gulnaz), Mondira Dutta, Kannarakoti Venkatachri Parthasarathy, Sunita’s husband, Nidmarti Rajlaxmi Sudhirkumar and Zubin Zarthoshtimanesh.
Participants who turned in feedback forms overwhelmingly rated the convention positively, with 8s, 9s and 10s (out of 10) dominating the numerical ratings. Many thanked co-chairs Gloria Goldberg and Julie Lawrence, Curriculum Chair Lois Steinberg, and the Iyengar Yoga Association of the Northwest and its team of 250 volunteers, led by Tonya Garreaud and Nina Pileggi.
Watch excerpts from Geetaji's profound and insightful teaching at the Canadian Intensive and order the DVD, Yasodhara.
Geeta Iyengar's teaching at the Yasodhara Ashram in Kootenay Bay, British Columbia, was a series of compressed, progressive classes designed for beginners. The DVDs offer a unique "how to" on teaching, filmed in an intimate setting. Geetaji is brilliant, humorous, inspired. Watch our excerpts from Day One as she teaches Utthita Trikonasana for the first time.
Then demonstrates the various ways the posture can be taught using the wall, with emphasis on the "hip indent" and the health of the hip.
Order the complete 4-DVD Asanas and Lectures set and 2-DVD Pranayama set.
Announcing the IYNAUS blog
Welcome to the IYNAUS Blog and our first topic, Home Practice.
Periodically we'll select a topic and ask our members to submit based on that theme. Posts can be as short or long as you'd like, and may have images, links, videos - all the things you see in other blogs.
Each post is open for comments. We encourage you to participate by reading, writing and responding.
We've started you off with two essays - enjoy!
Geeta-ji’s teachings in Canada newly out on DVD
The teachings of Dr. Geeta S. Iyengar last spring in Canada are now available on DVD.Geeta-ji taught a benefit workshop for Ascent magazine at the Yasodhara Ashram in Kootenay Bay, British Columbia, last April 22 - 27. This series of videos documents this unique learning experience. Available for order by clicking onto the links below, these videos were filmed by IYNAUS, which receives a portion of the profits from them.
The 4-disc asana set includes the asana portion of Geeta-ji’s teaching, lectures and question-and-answers.
https://www.createspace.com/262165
A 2-disc set records the Pranayama teachings, including questions and answers.
https://www.createspace.com/261589
Guruji's New Book Due
Yoga Wisdom & Practice, the new book by B. K. S. Iyengar, is due soon. The IYNAUS bookstore will offer the new volume as soon as possible.The new book "combines the best aspects of his previous works and weaves them in one beautiful offering," according to a press release from the publisher. "The wisdom and personal voice of Tree of Yoga and Light on Life are on full display here, as are the attention to detailed asana instruction of Light on Yoga and The Path to Holistic Health. The design of the book is decorative, colorful and richly textured."
Three main sections of the book are: Reflections on My Life, in which descriptions of poses especially meaningful to Guruji are interspersed with personal reminiscences on his beginnings in yoga and facing the end of this incarnation; Light on Daily Practice, the longest section, includes Guruji's writings on the definition of yoga and the Sutras, the thread of intelligence, evolving as a yogi and the art of teaching; the final section, A Yogic Approach to Life, considers yoga for relaxation and overall health, ethics and a stress-free life.Throughout there are detailed descriptions of the asanas and color photos of the relevant practices. The Table of Contents follows:
I. Reflections on My Life
- How Yoga Transformed Me
- Dandasana
- Janu Sirsasana
- My Guruji
- Marichyasana I
- The Light on My Yoga
- Tadasana
- How the lyengar Method Evolved
- Utthita Trikonasana
- Virabhadrasana II
- On Using Props
- Baddha Konasana (with weights)
- Upavistha Konasana
- Viparita Dandasana
- A Creative Approach
- Urdhva Dhanurasana (with props)
- Halasana (with props)
- Purvottanasana
- The lyengar Legacy
- A Continuing Practice
- Parsvottanasana
- A Day in the Life
- Yoga and Aging
- Ustrasana
- Bhujangasana I
- On Death and Dying
- Savasana
II. Light on Daily Practice
- Yoga Defined
- Methods of Yoga
- Patanjali and his Yoga Sutra
- Salamba Sirsasana
- Yoga is for All
- The Supple and the Stiff Body
- Ardha Chandrasana
- Yoga for Women
- Paripurna Navasana
- Jathara Parivartanasana
- Invocatory Prayers
- On Asana
- Parivrtta Trikonasana
- Vasisthasana
- Alignment in Asana
- Virabhadrasana I
- Garudasana
- The Thread of Intelligence
- Adho Mukha Svanasana
- Urdhva Mukha Svanasana
- Utthita Hasta Padasana
- Urdhva Hastasana
- An Intense Practice
- Uttanasana
- Ardha Matsyendrasana I
- Finding the Center of Gravity
- Sirsasana Variations
- The Sensitivity of Skin
- Halasana
- Karnapidasana
- I Am Asana
- Salamba Sarvangasana
- Parsvakonasana
- The Art of Sitting
- Svastikasana
- Siddhasana
- Virasana
- Bhadrasana
- How I Began Pranayama
- Patanjali on Pranayama
- Savasana (with support)
- The Importance of Chinlock
- Preparation for Bandhas
- Jalandhara Bandha
- Pranayama and Deep Breathing
- Ujjayi Pranayama
- Viloma Pranayama
- Nadi Sodhana
- Patanjali on Meditation
- Padmasana
- The Mantra Aum
- Malasana I
- Evolving as a Yogi
- Pincha Mayurasana
- Virabhadrasana III
- The Art of Teaching
- Preparing for Salamba Sirsasana
- Bharadvajasana
III. A Yogic Approach to Life
- Yoga and the Body
- Vrksasana
- Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana
- Utkatasana
- Yoga and Blood Circulation
- Viparita Karani
- Marichyasana III
- Pasasana
- The Spinal Column
- Urdhva Dhanurasana
- Yoga for Overall Health
- Encouraging Relaxation
- Yoga for a Stress-free Life
- Adho Mukha Vrksasana
- Salamba Sirsasana (with props)
- Yoga and Ethical Living
- Paschimottanasana
- Yoga and Diet
- Yoga as a Nature Cure
- Can Yoga be a Therapy?
- Sarapanjarasana
- Yoga for Mental Equilibrium
- Setubandha Sarvangasana
- Yoga for a Better Life
- Halasana to Paschimottanasana
- Yoga for Athletes
- Supta Virasana
- Baddha Konasana
- Yoga and Dance
- Natarajasana
- Yoga for Children
- Viparita Chakrasana
