Yesterday I happened to read an interview of B.K.S. Iyengar in Reader’s Digest. He is a great example of what will power can do to one’s life. Some of the points mentioned in the interview are as follows:
He is 88 and still practices Yoga for four hours. Three hours asanas and one hour pranayama
He had scooter accident and doctors told him that he will never be able to do Yoga again. But with his strong will power he proved them wrong.
He had two heart attacks till date but never stopped doing Yoga
At a point in time doing heavy backbends caused a lot of trouble to him. He them stopped doing backbends for an year and then started again.
During his childhood he was a T.B. patient and was very weak
When he tried Yoga for the first time even touching hands to the toes was painful for him
He used to demonstrate Yoga postures to college students and get 4-8 annas (25-50 paise)
He mastered the art and science of Pranayama by practicing 10 years.
His wife played a major role in his perfect ness and accuracy. She used to watch him doing the postures and point out even minor mistakes.
He is writing his 21st book on the subject these days
He ended the interview saying “I am still a Yoga student”. A sign that he is a true master.
Yes it might be considered so.Don’t think because one is from India he has all the answers.Although he is great at Hatah yoga, unfortunately there are greater results from other methods.
L&L
Dave
I just posted what was printed in the interview. Let’s not try to show that someone is inferior and others are superior. Let’s pick up the moral of the interview. We should look into our own lives and check if we have that kind of dedication and will power that he shown. Also, nobody is trying to say that just because he is from India he is great. I don’t know why somebody should feel that way.
People are always picking out different angles on things here; I suppose that’s forum life. It’s good when you get used to it, but it can be uncomfortable experience if you are hoping for one motion to go forward alone on a subject.
I am not uncomfortable at all. I have seen many such forums. The way others can express their thoughts I have right to express mine. That is what I did.
He…he…he. Do you know that most of the AYP practices are directly taken from Hatha Yoga and Kundalini Yoga? Many people have wrong impression like yours that Hatha Yoga means just postures. I suggest you study Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Goraksha Samhita, Gheranda Samhita and then you will realize what it is. Existance of other so called better paths doesn’t make Hatha Yoga bad in any way.
>Don’t think because one is from India he has all the answers.
Who said so? Is it there in the original post or the interview? I guess you have some bias against Indians better clear it out.
I know. My point is that just like meditation other things such as postures, pranayama are equally important. It is reality that many people simply pretend to be “meditating” where as in reality they are just “trying” to meditate . Many people don’t understand that Meditation is very well a part of Hatha Yoga. It prepares you step by step rather than directly jumping to meditation. That’s why I said study Hatha Yoga first and only then you get authority to say if it is good/bad/right/wrong etc.
There’s definitely a gruff, adversarial aspect to this discussion, which seems unnecessary and can be relaxed out of.
Bipi starts with wanting to show that Iyengar has inspiring dedication – a fine angle to express. Chiron wonders why on earth there was all that hatha yoga and very little meditation – a fine angle to express.
At some point, some defensive and adversarial vibes kicked in. What did it? Was Chiron being personally derogatory to Hatha Yoga? Or Riptiz to Indians? Had it actually become about inferiority and superiority already?
Dave (Riptiz) by the way is not putting Indians down but rather speaking (somewhat out of context) against the mythologization of Indians in the Yoga world, which is something he has seen and is familiar with.
Nice observation David
I was hesitating to jump in on this discussion,
and my thoughts were going along your line.
So, is there anybody offended (and to what degree) ?
Love and Light
Wolfgang
Dear All,
It was not my intention to offend anyone and I apologise if I have.On the contrary my guru is Indian and my satguru is also. In fact as David can testify I have been a vehement defender of both my satguru and other gurus who are genuinely there to take ones from darkness to light.My comments were simply intended to point out that no single person has all the answers and just as I found when studying martial arts, the Japanese are not strictly the best at what they teach either.I could tell you a similar story about my guru who as a yogini practising Kundalini Maha Yoga has had to be just as dedicated to continue even when suffering verbal and physical abuse in her life, and I’ve seen the scars!
Quote
" Yes it might be considered so.Don’t think because one is from India he has all the answers.Although he is great at Hatha yoga, unfortunately there are greater results from other methods."
I was simply pointing out that other systems give more effective ways to realisation , not that he is not a great yogi.There is no doubt of his abilities and of his dedication.
BTW I have a great affection for the Indian people and a great respect and I loved my time in India and hope to go back.Race, religion or creed is no basis for making a judgement, something which I try not to do with anyone.
L&L
Dave
There is a misconception in the world today about Yoga, even throughout India, in that most people associate Yoga with asanas only. This is what irritates me and this is why I’m participating in this thread. God forgive me if any of my words are insulting, I only wish to be truthful.
The main practice of Yoga is meditation. Asanas and pranayama are additional practices which enhance the effectiveness and duration of meditation.
I have a book of BKS Iyengar with great illustations and explanations. Yet the book only covers asanas and pranayama. Same as the summary of the interview in the opening post of this thread. If there is no meditation, what is the point of doing asanas and pranayama? Why doesn’t Iyengar stress the importance of meditation and himself doesn’t spend any time meditating?
This is why I cannot regard Iyengar as a true master, because he contributes to the above-mentioned misconception about Yoga.
You learn to meditate by trying to meditate. Just like you can’t learn to drive a car by reading theory, you must get behind the wheel many times before you master it.
Maybe these quotes will describe better what I feel:
Why practice Yoga for only 4 hours a day when you can practice it with your every breath, your every heartbeat and your every thought? Does God go on vacation during the other 20 hours of the day?
Chiron,
You are getting me wrong. I am NOT saying that meditation is unimportant. I am saying that other aspects such as asanas, pranayama are also important. You or anybody ignoring them doesn’t make them unimportant. You are making assumptions about BKS based on a single interview. How do you know that BKS Iyengar doesn’t live Yoga with every breath? Has he or the original post said so? BKS has simply told to the interviewer about his Asana and Pranayama duration. That’s it. Have u met him personally? Have you read his books? If not then it is my friendly suggestion that read them if you can. Light on Life, Light on Yoga, Light on Pranayama, Light on Patahnali’s Yoga Sutras, Tree of Yoga all these titles are worth reading. Nowhere he has said that meditation is unimportant. Now what he wants to stress in his books is his choice. Isn’t it? You and me can not dictate him what to write in his books
I think this thread is going far away from the point. So let me not add fuel to this further.
After reading this thread I feel that Mr iyengar seems to be very misunderstood. He absolutely DOES practice meditation in his own practice. It is my impression that he feels that meditation falls under the heading of religion and while he is a bramhin by birth and has always practiced the religious rituals of his tradition he does not teach meditation in his school. I don’t really understand that opinion myself and remember asking ramanad Patel (one of iyengars most senior teachers in the USA) about meditation. His reply was that Iyengar certainly was in favor of meditation but that he felt that it was advanced practice and didn’t want it taught at his institute. When I asked Ramanand for any help in finding a meditation teacher outside of the Iyengar system I am afraid that he was no help, just steering me away from some well known traditions since the practitioners did not seem very happy. I am not sure why this attitude exists in the iyengar system but I thought that I would add my 2 cents here to clear up some confusion.
Hi All:
The new AYP book, “Asanas, Mudras and Bandhas - Awakening Ecstatic Kundalini,” attempts to address these issues in full, while honoring all sides which have brought such wonderful contributions. It is not a matter of right or wrong. Only a matter of everyone having the opportunity to find balance across all the limbs of yoga. The necessary adjustments are not as radical as it might seem. But the results are.
The guru is in you.
he feels that meditation falls under the heading of religion
It is a puzzle indeed. Do you think his not teaching meditation has some connection to the prohibitions of the caste system? If true, it wouldn’t be at all a unique occurance.
Dear David,
There is nothing in brahmin caste to prohibit meditation. My guru is a brahmin and she told me that meditation is only done by a few as it is regarded as for those on a higher spiritual path.She told me that Iyengar was reborn to return the knowledge of Hatha to the world , similar to a born again siddha returns to teach the path of K.Of course there will be many doubters of this concept but this is the belief.In this he has given a great service to the world.
L&L
Dave
