A Tribute to B.K.S. Iyengar (RIP)
Guruji left his mortal body at 3:15am this morning, 20th August 2014. Rest In Peace
There is such great sadness at a moment like this, and also a time of reflection and thankfulness for a life well lived. Guruji was an inspiration to so many people, and we can be grateful that his teaching will continue long into the future.
“I always tell people, live happily and die majestically.” B.K.S Iyengar
“Change is not something that we should fear. Rather, it is something that we should welcome. For without change, nothing in this world would ever grow or blossom, and no one in this world would ever move forward to become the person they’re meant to be.” B.K.S Iyengar
These are some beautiful words from his daughter Geeta Iyengar:
“Only his body has ended. One person’s efforts from inside out, changed the acceptance of yoga throughout the world. Nothing was hidden, from the time he began to practice, to his illness and death. Even last night he was telling Abhijata, “I have shown you all these things, now realize them for yourself.” What he has given cannot be encompassed by words. If a disciple is more developed, then that person will understand. What can be said in words, is that he was precious to us.”
Iyengar Yoga In Our Home and Life
As you all know, both my partner Geoffrey, and I, are keen Iyengar yoga students and teachers, in fact we met for the first time in an Iyengar class in 1992 and later got married in 1996. We then bought our first home, an Edwardian house in Nottinghamshire that had been virtually untouched since it was built in 1910. Apart from the original gas lights that had been replaced with electric lighting, the building was un-modernised and stood in its original state of decoration. Despite the damp and the rot, the place had a sense of peace. We could see that it had the potential to be a home for us, as well as a place to house both Geoffrey’s osteopathic practice and a small Iyengar yoga dedicated studio. With very little money and even less experience, we embarked on a long term renovation project, doing it ourselves and learning about everything from scratch as we went. A decade or so later, after many hours, months and years of careful work, with help from 2 good friends Morris and Paul and Geoffrey’s creative hand and eye; we have heating, plumbing, windows that don’t leak, wooden floors that aren’t rotten, a practice room for Geoffrey, and a fully equipped yoga studio modeled on B.K.S Iyengar’s design in Pune, and with a yoga rope wall built from a design in an Iyengar Yoga studio in San Diego. We practice there ourselves, and it works for up to 5 students, with a view of the local park and the setting sun as its aspect.
The Iyengar Yoga studio, is the most wonderful place for daily practice. Just outside the window there is a particular tree with red blossom that comes very early in spring; later on, the leaves become a glorious copper colour, and then the light and wind appear to react together with the tree reflecting its foliage and movement onto the walls. As this natural interplay of elements are revealed to me in our studio every day, I’m reminded of the way that yoga encourages us to listen to the dynamic and organic nature of the human body and mind. The studio is also a very good place to teach, it is quiet and we really appreciate being able to help individual students through the use of wall ropes and other equipment.
Thus, we feel most grateful, for the tools that B.K.S. Iyengar has provided us with through the Iyengar system of teaching, and training, how we are given well honed tools that are kept always alive and responsive through our direct contact with the Pune Iyengar Yoga Institute and the Iyengar Family who live and work there. Today is a very sad day, as we have lost our dear Guruji, but his teaching lives on through us and through the thousands of students and teachers he has touched.