B.K.S. IYENGAR
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Internationally acknowledged as the modern master of yoga, B.K.S. Iyengar (1918-2014) is universally honored for the depth of his un- derstanding and teaching of the art, science and philosophy of yoga. He is the author of Light on Yoga, the most authoritative modern yoga text, Light on Pranayama, Light on the Yoga Sutras, Tree of Yoga, Light on Life and other exceptional reference works.
B.K.S. Iyengar is acknowledged as yoga’s most proficient and knowl- edgeable practitioner—an inspiration to countless students and yoga practitioners around the globe.
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During more than seventy years of teaching, he developed the innovative and inspired method of yoga, which is taught under his name. Iyengar Yoga is not only one of the world’s most widely practiced methods of yoga; its principles are now incorporated into the teaching of yoga under many names as well as into many other forms of exercise, therapy and movement.
Mr. Iyengar is also a pioneer in the therapeutic applications of yoga to the treatment of many medical conditions and physical problems.
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Medical professionals and research in many disciplines and countries have recognized the efficacy of his method. His revolutionary use of yoga props allows students of all ages and abilities to work to their fullest potential while overcoming limitations. It is perhaps his greatest achievement that B.K.S. Iyengar has made yoga accessible to and relevant for everyone.
GEETA & PRASHANT IYENGAR
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Geeta S. and Prashant S. Iyengar, Mr. Iyengar’s daughter and son, teach and refine this constantly evolving method at the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute (RIMYI) in Pune, India. Teachers and practitioners from all over the world come regularly to hone skills for their own development and to take back to their own Iyengar Yoga communities.
Smt. Geeta S. Iyengar is the eldest daughter of B.K.S. Iyengar and one of the world’s leading authorities on yoga in her own right. She mastered the art of yoga at a very young age by observing her father in practice. She is also a graduate in philosophy and a doctor of ayuverdic medicine. She is presently the Director of the Ramamani
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Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute (RIMYI). Since beginning teaching in 1962, Geeta-ji has taught thousands of students. Her pioneering work in adapting yoga for every phase of a woman’s life has been explained in her many writings, including the seminal Yoga: A Gem for Women. She is also the author of Yoga in Action: Preliminary Course.
Sri. Prashant S. Iyengar is the son of B.K.S. Iyengar and one of the world’s most respected yoga and philosophy teachers. He is presently the Director of Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute (RIMYI). His knowledge of the scriptures and the ancient texts informs his teach- ings. Prashant-ji has written many important texts on yoga.
MARY DUNN, IYAGNY SENIOR TEACHER
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Mary Dunn, one of yoga’s most gifted, experienced and beloved teachers, was the longtime Senior Teacher at the Iyengar Yoga Institute of New York.
She was a founding director of IYNAUS, the Iyengar Yoga National Association of the United States, and was instrumental in the formation of three Iyengar Yoga Institutes in the United States: San Francisco, San Diego and New York, where she remained a tireless inspiration for the activities of the New York Association. Her efforts led to the opening of the new Institute in New York.
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Mary began studying with B.K.S. Iyengar in 1974; her mother, Mary Palmer, brought Mr. Iyengar to the United States for his first sustained teaching here. Certified as Advanced Junior, Mary said that Iyengar Yoga was the place where her life interests and life work came together. In her teaching, she drew on her education at the University of Wisconsin in English, history and philosophy and on her interests in communications, the arts and music.
As Senior Teacher in New York and a workshop teacher worldwide, Mary brought a unique teaching style—enthusiastic and motivating, grounded in thorough knowledge of the method, intelligent and humorous—to the training of generations of students and teachers.
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Mary maintained regular study with the Iyengar family throughout the years. After she was diagnosed with advanced peritoneal cancer, she maintained a blog (www.marydunn.blogspot.com) about her treatment and her thoughts.
Mary passed away in 2008. Her legacy and teachings are carried on in the faculty at the Iyengar Yoga Institutes of New York and Brooklyn.
JAMES MURPHY, IYAGNY SENIOR TEACHER
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James Murphy began practicing yoga in 1988 and has taught since 1990. He has made ten extended trips to India to study with B.K.S. Iyengar and Prashant and Geeta Iyengar. James began his study of Iyengar Yoga with Mary Dunn and Kevin Gardiner after a ten-year career with the Alwin Nikolais Dance Theater.
Describing his experiences in classes in India, James says, “Besides gaining invaluable insights into the physical aspects of yoga, I ob- served how Mr. Iyengar works on a psychological level to challenge students to go beyond their limits.”
At the Institute, James teaches a full range of classes, including a class for those living with HIV/AIDS, the Teacher Training Program, and the Specific Needs Class. As Senior Teacher, James continues his lead- ership role in creating and evolving programming for Iyengar Yoga teachers and practitioners in the four-state area. He is also active in the IYNAUS Certification Committee, which assesses teachers.
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In addition to his study of yoga, James is keenly interested in people and cultures around the world. Providing yoga study and experiences in people-to-people understanding, James leads groups to Cambodia, Bali and Turkey through Yoga Out There.
A yoga practitioner of unusual integration and ability, James is featured in the Yoga Journal book, Yoga, has appeared in the Yoga Journal calendar, and has been interviewed for numerous articles in national magazines.
Through rhythm and sequencing, James creates an experience of integration in his classes that is both challenging and sensitive to the subtler aspects of the practice.