special section:

the therapeutic yoga of

yogacharya b.k.s. iyengar
introduction by paul piscane and john hayden This methodology has been developed over the course
In tribute to our guru and teacher, B.K.S. Iyengar, on the auspicious of B.K.S. Iyengar’s nearly 75 years of daily practice. At his
event of his 90th birthday. institute in Pune, India, teachers of his method of Yoga come
from around the world to assist him in daily medical classes.
Upwards of 100 “patients,” whose ailments range from organic

I
t may be said that the one person

7
most responsible for the explosion of diseases to joint or spinal injuries, are treated in any given week.
interest in using asana and pranayama Specific sequences of asanas are prescribed for each patient to
“therapeutically” is B.K.S. Iyengar. We treat the condition.
hesitate to use the term “therapeutic The following two articles by Yogacharya B.K.S. Iyengar
Yoga” because it may give the misleading provide a glimpse into his philosophy of Yoga as therapy, and
impression that there are different kinds of are reprinted to honor his 90th birthday (December 14, 2008). ˆ
Yoga, with “therapeutic Yoga” being but
PAUL PISACANE is the former president, and JOHN
one variety.
B.K.S. Iyengar has spent his lifetime illuminating the fact HAYDEN the current president, of the Board of Trustees of
the Iyengar Yoga Association of Northern California. For more
that all Yoga is therapeutic. It is the ultimate art and science
information about the association, visit www.iyisf.org.
for liberating man from all suffering—physical, mental, and
spiritual. Physical and mental well-being are side-benefits of
one’s efforts on the path of Yoga. Major benefits to say the
least, but side benefits nonetheless.
In the past, B.K.S. Iyengar has been criticized for being a
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“furniture” Yogi. This criticism shows that his approach to the "OE
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practice of asana and pranayama has often been misunderstood
by those lacking his depth of knowledge in how to make Yoga
available to all, including those suffering from various physical
and mental maladies. The irony of course is that now Yoga
props are a multi-billion dollar industry.
B.K.S. Iyengar recently explained how during one of his
early trips abroad, a student expressed an interest in performing
sirsasana (headstand).The student had suffered a deforming
injury during World War II that resulted in the loss of a hand.
Guruji re-created the stability of the missing hand with the use
of a brick, allowing this student to experience the profound
benefit of this asana.
This is just one example of the ingenuity born of B.K.S.
Iyengar’s unceasing desire to not only understand the depths
of each asana in his own body but also to use his body as a
laboratory, re-creating the conditions of those who struggle.
With this approach, he has found ways for those who struggle
to experience the asana.
Over the years B.K.S Iyengar has taught that it is the $ĠğĥĚğĦĚğĘ
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asanas that hold the inherent ability to heal. He emphasizes
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of 4Ēğ
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that teachers of Yoga are obligated to know the correct actions ǽ Ǻ Ǿ  Ȁ Ǿ Ǽ  ǹ Ȃ ǹ Ȃ
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Ĩ Ĩ ĨĚĪ Ě Ĥ ė Ġģ Ę
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and proper alignment of the body in each asana so that a state
of firmness, steadiness, and benevolence can be attained. We TUBUF
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are taught to “see” the body and also the methodology for the BEWBODFE
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use of various props to direct the student toward this state.

3
December 2008 Yoga Therapy in Practice
 clearing misconceptions
about yoga “therapy”
by yogacharya b.k.s. iyengar

I
f modern science gives a name for certain movements as this whole science of Yoga, which tells how to use this energy
physiotherapy, it does not mean that you have to call a subject through the intellectual power, “therapy.”
like Yoga as Yoga therapy. These days, it has become a habit I feel it is a wrong word that has come into existence, and it is
for people to cash in on words coined by intellectuals. a big problem how to explain this to people. Suppose you are quiet
Therapy begins the moment you take birth. If you lead an and your body and mind does not function.
immoral life then you have to move towards a moral life, into an Isn’t something still moving in your body? This is what needs to
ethical code of living. Is it not therapy? Yes. be brought to the surface. This works as a protective power which
Then how can people compare Yoga therapy and physiother- keeps the inner man, the I, or the self in a happy state even after the
apy? These words are just an eyewash to fool the people. emotional and environmental upheavals in life.
The life force needs to be cultured. An iron gets rusted if it Patanjali says, “Prevention is better than cure.” If we can pre-
is not used. So also your physiological, emotional, intellectual, vent the aggressive elements from entering our body with Yoga,
and mental body gets rusted. then how can we call it a
Life becomes negative when mere therapy which cures
it gets rusted because the life diseases? One has to be
force does not move in the free from disharmony in
entire system to generate the the body, the blood circu-
life ingredients in it. lation, the breath move-
I do not consider that ment, and the circulation
any part of Yoga like asana, of the energy. We have the
pranayama, dhyana is thera- different systems such as
py. They bring about the cul- the neurological system,
tural growth for an individual the respiratory system, the
to reach their level of unison circulatory system. They
in life. all exist, but Yoga helps to
Health is dynamic, as use them to the maximum
I have said several times. level to get an optimal ef-
Health is a living force. fect. You then feel the
Health is not static. You need health in the body, mind,
not work at all if health is and the self. I am using the
static. Health is motion. As small self which is the ego
health is motion, mind is also or I or me. I am not talking
a motion, as mind is moving, about the atman. I consider
inner cellular system of the that Yoga is a science that
body also moves. So there activates the bio-energy
is nothing but movement in (prana sakti) and prana
the body whether it is inside (universal cosmic force).
or outside your mind. If the These exist, but if you acti-
movement is vibrant and vate them, then it is like the
dynamic with the positive river Ganga. If not, then it
life force added to it, then is like a local river which
life just moves, health just has water when it rains and
moves. So, health cannot be dries up otherwise. The
restricted to being free from B.K.S. Iyengar. Photograph by John Hayden. system of Yoga is given
diseases. Health is not just so that this drying does not
psychosomatic. The life force take place.
is the creation of God. It has no mind, it has no body. It moves and With the advancement of technology, man’s materialistic life
that is why it is called vibrant. is becoming more and more comfortable, people are always look-
Health is vibrant, so we have to keep on working at it so that ing for something more and therefore expressions such as holistic
we do not get rusted in our way of thinking and in our way of health, spiritual living, enlightenment are becoming so common. It
action. We have to channel the energy. Diseases set in when the is easy to use such expressions, but how do you manage to convert
energy does not move. Therefore, I do not feel that it is fair to call these expressions to experiences?

4
International Association of Yoga Therapists
 If you know the philosophy, it is said that “security is
insecurity and insecurity is security.” Have you seen how people
who are completely secure live? They stagnate. There is no life For Yoga Professionals
force in them to work. What do you do if you are insecure? You Healthcare Practitioners, Caregivers,
work. You do everything because you are insecure. Insecurity
is a pillar for advancement and growth. Do not take a negative
Students, Educators and Researchers
meaning of it. Security is a killer of the life force while insecurity
is the builder of life force. This is positive life. Insecurity is a pillar
for the evolution of each individual.
What are the modern comforts leading to? Want of movement,
laziness, heedlessness, carelessness. Patanjali has already said this
more than 3000 years ago. Yoga teaches us to be rich not only
outside but also inside. Material comfort is an objective richness,
but it is completely empty inside.
The Yogic science says “Do not sell the richness of the soul
for the richness of wealth.” Modern gadgets make you objectively
wealthy but a pauper inside. That’s all Yoga teaches. This is also
a therapy for the modern state wherein you build up richness in
body, mind, and intelligence. Having a bank account of millions
of rupees is not richness but poverty. You have nothing to express
and so you say I have so much money.
One who is full inside expresses what he is. Yoga is a therapy
from that angle too. It changes man emotionally, intellectually, and
psychologically, and develops stability. And from that stability
develops dynamism. Stability is not the end of life. Stability is
to be positively dynamic, to move further like a river, which is
dynamic from start to end. ˆ
This article was originally published in Yoga Rahasya (Vol
15, Issue 1, 2008) and is reprinted with the permission of the
author and publisher.

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December 2008 Yoga Therapy in Practice
 yogic therapy
by yogacharya b.k.s. iyengar
B.K.S. Iyengar with student. Photo courtesy of Yoga Rahasya.
Y
oga is a spiritual science which has been gifted to us by
our ancient risis for the final emancipation. But these
days the science of Yoga has become a popular subject
as a preventive and curative measure for human suffering. The
doubt arises in the common man’s mind as to whether Yoga
really cures diseases. This doubt is due to the fact that we have
narrowed the meaning of the word “cure.” To cure means to free,
to liberate from bondage. A disease is that which puts the body
and mind in bondage creating uneasiness. When one does not feel
“at ease,” one is said to be diseased, and this is the bondage.
Life is full of pleasure, pain, tension, stress, and strain. Man
is affected by inner and outer environment, social structures,
competition, and never-ending struggle. He is afflicted within
himself by anxieties, worries, desires, lust, anger, greed, aversion,
hatred, temptations, and so on. Modern living has changed simple
life into a complexity and affected the consciousness, whereby
it has lost it simplicity and originality. This is how life gets too
complicated, mixed, fabricated, soiled and scattered.
Yogic methods give the maximum and the minutest
techniques for the cure of a soiled body and mind. In this sense,
Yoga is therapy. Therapy is treatment. The treatment for a
6
International Association of Yoga Therapists
disorderly mental and physical condition or disease by remedial
techniques is called therapy.
Diseases are categorized mainly in three types, adhyatmike,
adhibhautika, and adhidaivika. Adhyatma means the one which
covers the Self. The body and mind cover the Self. The diseases
of these coverings—the body and mind—are called adhyatmike
diseases. Adhibhautika disease is that which is caused by
the matter of living beings, derived and produced from five
elements, namely earth water, fire, air and ether. Therefore, the
diseases caused by flood and draught (water), fire (agni), or
food poisoning come under this category. Adhidaivika disease is
one which is caused by the super-natural and divine bodies, the
movements of planets and so on.
Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad-Gita gives the five causes
for the accomplishment of any action:
Ahisthanam tatha karta karanam ca prthagvidham
vividhasca prthakcesta daivam chaivatra panchamam.
(XVII.14)
The body (adhisthana), the doer (karta), the five organs
of perception, as well as the intelligence, ego, and mind, and
 “Yoga therapy is not merely a therapy of diseases of the body
and mind but a therapy of consciousness.”
the five organs of action, are the causes or factors (karana). But
above all there is daivam or destiny, which is nothing but the
effect of previous karma.
Pantanjali helps us with Yogic method to eradicate this
root cause of diseases by bringing cleanliness in the body
(sarirasuddhi), cleanliness in the mind (manahsuddhi), purity in
action (karmasuddhi), purity in the consciousness (cittasuddhi),
and, as a result of these, there is atmasuddhi or purification of
the Self.
Patanjali says that Yoga is a science of preventing suffering.
Heyam duhkham anagatam (Y.S., ii.16), meaning, the pain
which is yet to come can be avoided through astanga Yoga on a
preventive level as well as on a curative level.
The body is the outer sheath of the self. This body is unable
to bear the slightest of pains but hankers for repeated pleasures.
The mind as an inner sheath of the body gets easily enamored
and becomes negative if it cannot indulge in pleasure. The asana-
pranayama therapy is effective on the body-mind apparatus.
Yoga, like Ayurveda, accepts two ways of treatment, called
sodhanavidhi, the method of purification, and samanavidhi, the
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December 2008 Yoga Therapy in Practice
method of pacification. Though asana-pranayama therapy falls
mainly under the method of pacification, it plays both roles.
The organic body machine functions on the biochemicals
which exist in the humours (dosa), constituents or ingredients
(dhatu), and excretions (mala). The five elements constitute the
chemical universe outside as well as a mini-universe in the body.
The asana-pranayama are not to be prescribed as medicine but
performed by the body through description. Here, the description
means a complete or thorough technique of asana and pranayama.
In order to generate the products or five elements towards health,
one needs to perform them very correctly with precise action and
adjustments.
As the consciousness gets involved in practice, change
in the biochemical substance of the body takes place through
proper blood circulation and metabolism. That is how astanga
Yoga works as a natural medicine. Through pranayama, the
prana within the body is vitalized for dynamic psychological
growth.
In medicine the drugs act on the body and body reacts to
the drugs, and the disease is eradicated. The drug is a chemical
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 substance which reacts on the biochemistry of the body.
Similarly, the asana-pranayama reacts on the organic body in
a like manner to those therapies with elements like calcium,
zinc, vitamins, enzymes, etc., in which the body chemicals are
vitalized.
While performing asana-pranayama, the application of
intelligence in utilization of the “body-mind substance” brings
the effective change. The asana-pranayama is performed by a
living person who animates the chemistry of the body by infusing
bio-energy into it. The body does not borrow the substance
but brings the required effect by producing physiochemical
substances and biochemical changes in the organs, hormones,
blood contents, and so on.
A common man understands asana as a posture in which
the sadhaka stays comfortably with cessation of all vrtti and
stays with mental poise. Sthira sukham asanam (Y.S., II.46).
What is perfection in asana?
1. Firmness in the body.
2. Steadiness in the intelligence
3. Benevolence in the consciousness
4. Ceasing of the efforts
5. Body and mind totally merging or assuming the
infinite form of the Seer
6. Finally, the ending of dualities and differentiation in
the level of body and mind processes
Until these are experienced, the efforts have to be continued.
The ideal state in asana, mentioned above by Pantanjali, is
found when the sadhaka is at a point of perfection where the
questions of disease, unhealth, pain, and problems do not arise.
From this angle one can use this art and science as a therapy.
Therefore, the sadhaka has to do the sadhana as tapas
to reach the above mentioned perfection. The method of
doing asana involves action which ultimately leads towards
passivity. Asana consists of the actions or movements such as
rubbing, squeezing, freezing, pacifying, activating, stimulating,
supporting, soothing, penetrating, narrowing, spreading, fixing,
warming, and cooling. The asana-pranayama is sensitively
grafted on the body. The movements consist of contortion,
contraction, expansion, extension, circumduction, and
abduction. Again, there are vertical, horizontal, circular, spiral
and circumferential movements.
The practice of various asana must reach from the
outer body towards the inner body from all directions; at the
same time, the body, along with mind and breath, holds the
asana in a required and effective way. Each asana with six
aspects, namely, quality, potentiality, intensity, effectuality,
substantiality, and relishability, works on the body in specific
capacities. The grouping of asana is done on this basis alone.
Therefore, one cannot expect quick relief by Yogic treatment,
since the body and mind have to undergo the change as an effect
of asana-pranayama mechanism.
The asana-pranayama therapy is administered according
to the root cause of diagnosed disease, though the visible and
peripheral symptoms are not neglected, since these symptoms

8 International Association of Yoga Therapists

need an immediate pacification. The order and sequence of
asana-pranayama on every disease is charted on the basis of
anatomical structures, physiological functioning, intensity,
purifying and pacifying capacity, the stage of disease, the
age and the basic constitution, as well as the combination of
diseases and disorders of the patient.
While doing asana, one has to undergo the three stages in
performance, namely:
1. Beginning of the asana to reach the asana (arambha)
2. Remaining in the asana (sthiti)
3. Concluding the asana to regain normal position of the
body (visarjana)
Larry Payne Ph.D., Dir., Rick Morris D.C., Assoc. Dir., Jamie Shaw M.P.T., CYT
All these three stages have therapeutic value and
psychological effect.
Besides these three stages and breathing techniques, the
utilization and involvement of a particular part of the body
varies. In the same asana, activation of certain parts and
relaxation of certain parts differ according to disease. Each Certification through
stage of asana and pranayama, whether intermediate or final, Loyola Marymount University Extension Program
can yield something as a therapy. Each action and movement by
the body, as well as the stability and establishment of the body, Train to be a yoga therapist with 25 of America’s foremost
are significant and important. The vital breath is circulated and health professionals including: Larry Payne, Ph.D., Leslie
perambulated through the system by a proper mechanism of Kaminoff, Veronica Zador, ERYT-500, Jnani Chapman R.N.,
inhalation, exhalation, and retention. Linda Lack, Ph.D., Rick Morris D.C., Richard Usatine M.D., Art
The asana is performed in different ways to bring the Brownstein M.D., David Allen M.D., Jamie Shaw M.P.T., Sherry
expected and required effect. One has to know where the Brourman P.T., Lori Rubenstein M.P.T., Robert Birnberg CYT,
impetus should be and where the gravitational center must be. Chase Bosart CYT, Amy Wheeler, CYT.
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Asana work to hyperactivate the slothful parts of physiology
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While doing pranayamic inhalation and exhalation, the
first part of the breath, the middle breath, the end breath, the
holding of the breath, the length of breath and its velocity, and
the required volume of the breath are taken into account. With
pranayama the cells of the body are planted and cultured in
the right way. Pranayama energizes the body and the mind to
flow with the breath for proper distribution and utilization. The “Larry Payne is one of the foremost Yoga teachers anywhere.”
varieties of pranayama serve the body, mind, intelligence, and Dean Ornish M.D., founder & president
citta in the spiritual pursuit, bringing the required changes at Preventative Medicine Research Institute
the physical, biological, physiological, psychological, moral, “Larry Payne is a longtime innovator in the field of Yoga.
and spiritual levels. His contributions as a teacher, Yoga therapist, author and public
This is how the asana-pranayama method works as a speaker have touched many lives around the world.”
Lilias Folan, author and host of the PBS Yoga series “Lilias”
preventive and curative measure. By the practice of asana and

9
December 2008 Yoga Therapy in Practice
 pranayama, the body and mind are cleansed and purified, and
one thinks of omkara-japa for the citta to become devotional.
This cleanliness, purity, and devotion sanctifies the body, mind,
and citta to reach the state of samadhi.
Therefore, while using the word “therapy,” I do not make
the meaning narrow or parochial. On the contrary, I take it
comprehensively, extensively, and expansively so that the aim
of cittasuddhi is attained.
The vrtti-sarupyam of drsta (Seer) itself is that state of
“disease,” whereas the svarupavastha of drsta is a state of “at
–ease.” (Sva means “one’s own,” rupa means “form,” avastha
means “state,” and when the Seer remains in his own true form
and pure state, it is called svarupa-avastha.)
In this state the bondages are broken; the Seer is freed from
the bindings of prakrti. Hence, Yoga therapy is not merely a
therapy of diseases of the body and mind but is a therapy of
citta or consciousness. Yoga is the oldest, greatest, finest, and
the ultimate therapy in this sense. ˆ

This article is reprinted from Astadala Yogamala (Vol.

3, pp. 131–135), with the permission of the author and
the publishers, Allied Publishers Private Limited (www.
alliedpublishers.com).

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5853

10
International Association of Yoga Therapists
Bobby Clennell (left) with Yogacharya B.K.S. Iyengar and Lindsey Clennell. Photo courtesy of Lindsey Clennell.
tributes to
Yogacharya b.k.s. iyengar
introduction by sonia sierra wolf
isiting Pune, India is like standing on the wave of time,
V juxtaposed between the past and present. The past slowly
recedes, making way for high tech, Bollywood magic,
and the influx of Western commerce. Where once there were
cows grazing among the many rickshaws and ox-pulled carts,
now stand newly constructed shopping malls, car dealerships,
and espresso cafes.
In the midst of this, on practically any given day, on a tree-
lined street, as many as 120 or more devoted Yoga practitioners
open class chanting to Sage Pantanjali. This is the home of the
living master B.K.S. Iyengar. Iyengar—the name alone makes
one stand a little taller and breathe a bit more fully!—turns 90
this year on December 14. Hundreds of Iyengar devotees from
all over the world will flock to Pune to participate in the many
birthday celebrations planned in December.
Guruji, as he is affectionately and respectfully known, has
achieved mytho-legendary status. What is not mythical, however,
is Iyengar’s monumental contribution to Yoga. His didactic and
December 2008 Yoga Therapy in Practice
incredibly refined and systematic approach is the largest single
influence in the world of Yoga today. Like a diamond, the
Iyengar method is clear, polished, and brilliant.
His daughter Geeta and son Prashant, amazing teachers
in their own right, continue their father’s living legacy. Both
teach at the famous Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute
(RIMYI), where locals and foreigners absorb the teachings. The
teachings are kept fresh and alive, without ever sacrificing the
tradition and heart of Yoga.
On the following pages, two of the country’s most respected
Iyengar teachers, Bobby Clennell and Elise Browning Miller,
reflect and pay tribute to the world’s greatest living Yoga master,
B.K.S. Iyengar. ˆ
SONIA SIERRA WOLF credits her healing to Iyengar and
his teachings as transmitted by her teacher, Joe Naudzunas.
She was fortunate enough to visit Pune and will never forget
that transformative experience. She has served on the Board of
Trustees of the BKS Iyengar Association of Northern California.
Contact: sswolf@ix.netcom.com.
11
“Guruji appears to improvise on the spot after observing the patients,
but his work is backed up by an encyclopedic knowledge of the body
and his unparalleled knowledge of Yoga. ” -Bobby Clennell
tribute by bobby clennell
“The belief underlying Yoga therapy is to enable the
human system to function as efficiently, effectively,
and naturally as it can. This natural process, however,
operates at its own rhythm and pace, and the pace may
be slow.” B.K.S. Iyengar, B.K.S. Archive Project,
2007. Published by the U.S. Iyengar Yoga National
Association.
N
amed one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential
people, and universally acknowledged as one of the
world’s greatest living Yoga masters, B.K.S. Iyengar
elebrates his 90th birthday this year. He continues to live as he
always has: simply, and in the service of others.
He rises early in the same modest house that he built 40
years ago and practices his pranayama. He then strolls across
the narrow pathway that runs between his house and his Yoga
institute. If it is the beginning of the month, he lingers in the
ground floor reception area to greet the influx of newly arrived
foreign students. He then climbs the stairs to the asana hall for
12
International Association of Yoga Therapists
the first of his two regular daily asana practices. As many as 50
students on any given morning will already be in the hall for this,
the designated time for group practice.
Guruji’s practice is varied and usually includes backbends.
The students closest to him—mostly locals—are in place, ready
to help him with whatever props he decides to use that day. Some
of the deep supported backbends require that the heavy trestle be
strategically placed close to the ceiling ropes. While he practices,
he also teaches those around him, effectively giving a private
class—except that many in the room gather round to watch.
B.K.S. Iyengar made Yoga accessible to hundreds of
thousands of people. He challenged the long-held view of the
traditionalists—that Yoga was meant only for an elite few—and
brought Yoga to men and women alike, whatever their social
station. He teaches all students: the aged and the young, the infirm
and the strong. With props, modifications, and myriad teaching
strategies, his method benefits all.
Iyengar Yoga emphasizes precision of alignment. With
progress, the practitioner learns to strive for meditation in action.
Asana, far from being only a physical pursuit, becomes a stepping-
stone on the path so clearly defined by Patanjali, to experience the
universal divine within us.
His development of Yoga props—now ubiquitous in Yoga
studios throughout the world—revolutionized the art and science
of Yoga. The other groundbreaking aspect of B.K.S. Iyengar’s
teaching is in the area of Yoga as therapy. Through trial, error,
and persistence, and with his belief system rooted firmly in Vedic
law and philosophy, he combines his considerable insight (many
would say genius) with the healing power of Yoga to attend to
the ills and diseases that beset humanity. Time and again he has
demonstrated that conditions as far-ranging as HIV/AIDS, cerebral
palsy, high blood pressure, MS, sciatica, all manner of musculo-
skeletal injuries, congenital defects such as scoliosis, conditions
afflicting the organic body, and psychological problems can all
be addressed with Yoga.
The twice-weekly medical classes held at the Ramamani
Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute in Pune, which are full of
people suffering from various disorders, are a fertile training
ground for Yogis seeking to understand the therapeutic aspects of
Yoga. Senior teachers are taught on their feet how to take patients
through specially prescribed sequences. This may be the first time
in his or her life that a patient has learned to rest and be quiet.
The restorative poses, intelligently sequenced and correctly
propped, have a profound effect on the body’s ability to heal. Still
others are put through some very exacting asana, and it’s often
hard for them. In one corner of the hall, a woman groans in pain.
Guruji runs to all, attends to all. His apparently stern exterior
belies his compassionate center. He knows that if he appears soft,
progress will be slow, and “the pupil tends to take it easy.”
Guruji appears to improvise on the spot after observing
the patients body conditions, but his work is backed up by an
encyclopedic knowledge of the body and his unparalleled
knowledge of Yoga. Countless medical practitioners have beaten
a path to his door to learn from him and are chastened by the
experience. Many more in the future will look to the work of
this great man not only for inspiration, but also for the concrete
practicalities that make up this body of knowledge.
As we begin to wake up to the limitations of allopathic
medicine, only time will tell how significant this work is and how
valuable it will be humanity. ˆ
BOBBY CLENNELL, author of The Woman’s Yoga Book: Asana
and Pranayama for All Phases of The Menstrual Cycle, lives in
New York and teaches at the Iyengar Yoga Institute of New York.
For more more information, visit www.bobbyclennell.com.

tribute by elise browning miller

B
.K.S. Iyengar, who will celebrate his 90th birthday this
December, continues to live his life with vitality and
youthfulness. He walks the talk and talks the walk when
it comes to living the life of a true Yogi. As a dedicated student
of Yoga for 74 years, Iyengar is living proof that Yoga can have
a tremendous influence on the quality and length of life. I have
never experienced a more vibrant and alive human being at the
age of 90.
Does this vibrancy at 90 years old come from his fine detail to
alignment or his use of props to support him at such an age? I think
we must probe much deeper to find the secret of his youthfulness.
From the beginning, he has had the fortitude and dedication to
pursue Yoga on the deepest level. Iyengar was a victim of malaria,
typhoid, and tuberculosis in his childhood. At the age of 16, he

You Can Change Lives!

was introduced to Yoga by his Guru Sri T. Krishnamacharya. He
practiced Yoga for hours a day and transformed his body and healed
himself from a weakling to a strong Yogic body in two years. At
the age of 18, he became so proficient in his Yoga demonstrations
that he was sent by Krishnamacharya to Pune to teach.
Make Yoga Accessible
From an early age, he learned to bring his awareness and
Continuing Education for Yoga Teachers:
intelligence to his practice to bring such a transformation. The
depth that B.K.S. Iyengar exemplifies, exploring each asana with
curiosity and passion, gives us the key to understanding how to
Teaching Adaptive Yoga for
approach Yoga therapeutically. From this attention to his own
practice, he has been able to assist others suffering from many Multiple Sclerosis
diseases and deformities. Before we as Yoga teachers can assist with Karen O’Donnell Clarke
others with therapeutic Yoga, we must first heal ourselves.
Originally, I came to Guruji to counter the physical effects The many gifts of yoga offer hope and a sense of well-being for
of my severe scoliosis, as well as to learn proper alignment in the students who live with this complex neurological disease. Learn
asanas. I have certainly been guided over the years by him as to how appropriate yoga practices can help students of all ages
how to adjust the poses to correct my scoliosis. The most profound and abilities retain, improve, and even regain function.
lesson though is understanding that his healing powers have come Sponsored by yoga centers and local chapters of the National Multiple
from his practice. I came home from my first trip to India and had Sclerosis Society throughout the U.S. Join the movement!
no teacher in Oregon where I lived. I had to learn from going deep Earns up to 15 CEUs.
within my own practice. I feel that exploration has helped me to
assist others therapeutically with scoliosis and other conditions. www.yogahealsus.com
I have been inspired by his dedication to serving others
through Yoga over the past 30 years. In the medical classes in
Pune, I have watched him work with all ages with many different
conditions. What other qualities in him have given him such an
Karen O’Donnell Clarke, ERYT500
ability to work so successfully in a therapeutic manner? Diagnosed with MS 1997
One key quality I have observed watching him in the medical (860) 204-0797 • yogahealsus@yahoo.com
classes is “seeing” the whole person, not just the condition. He
13
December 2008 Yoga Therapy in Practice
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14
International Association of Yoga Therapists
 “The depth that B.K.S. Iyengar exemplifies, exploring each asana with
curiosity and passion, gives us the key to understanding how to approach Yoga
therapeutically....Before we can assist others, we must first heal ourselves.”
-Elise Browning Miller

has the most amazing ability to be able to dive deeply inside
someone’s body, feel their condition from inside, and come up
with a therapeutic sequence that is appropriate for that person at
that moment. It could be a different sequence from someone else
who has the same condition.
This is called being present and seeing all aspects of the
person: her eyes, the expression on her face, how her skin moves,
how her body moves—not just in a Yoga pose but when she walks
in the door—and her psychological makeup. This is getting your
ego out of the way to see clearly the person in front of you.
Another quality that has been a guiding light for me is his
willingness to take a risk. I have seen B.K.S. Iyengar try different
approaches and different props, and if it doesn’t work, he tries
something else until it does. He risks being wrong, and he doesn’t
give up until he has found a pose or a way of adapting a pose that
will help the individual. Taking risks gives one the ability to be
more creative and inventive, which is certainly something that is
B.K.S. Iyengar’s trademark.
There is so much to learn from his teachings and the teachings
of his children, Geeta and Prashant Iyengar, on the adaptation of
poses for different conditions and their application with the use of
props. We need to respect these teachings and continue to learn with
a lifetime commitment and foundation. But from there we need to
have a strong practice and explore ways to work therapeutically
with our own bodies.
We need to learn to be present and see the students who come
to us for therapeutic Yoga. We also need to be willing to risk,
to use our intuition, and to trust ourselves. With these qualities
and a deep desire to serve others with the open-hearted, passionate
approach that B.K.S. Iyengar exemplifies, we can begin to humbly
assist our students in healing. ˆ
ELISE BROWNING MILLER is best known for her pioneering
work on Yoga for scoliosis and back care. She serves on the faculty
of the Iyengar Yoga Institute of San Francisco and has her own
studio in Mountain View, CA. She is the author of Yoga: Anytime,
Anywhere. For more information, visit www.ebmyoga.com.

The College of Purna Yoga

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teaching the heart of yoga ™

The College Director - Aadil Palkhivala, CYT, ND, JD

Internationally-renowned Teacher of Teachers • Founder of Purna Yoga
Trained with BKS Iyengar since age 7 • Author, Fire of Love-For Students of Life, For Teachers of Yoga

The College Programs

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15
December 2008 Yoga Therapy in Practice