At the news of B.K.S. Iyengar’s passing, we reached out to our community of teachers, asking them to share a message from their hearts. Mr. Iyengar, thank you for broadening our awareness of yoga and giving us the tools to become better, brighter humans.
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Iyengar has inspired me to learn about my body. His teachings and teachers have helped me see that my body is a gift to be cherished and great full for, rather than something that should do something for me. I am grateful for all he has offered us in his life time. – Matt Giordano, Wanderlust Teacher and AcroYogi
Iyengar was one of the last remaining OG yoga teachers and it’s a sad feeling like when a grandparent dies and you stop going to their house every Christmas for ham and scallops. A little bit of tradition dies with him and there won’t be a way to get it back. – Kirk Hensler, General Badass, Creator of Kale & Cigarettes
Iyengar was in a documentry I saw once. He was giving a description about yoga and the effects of how it healed his body when he first started practicing. It registered with me because I was on the same journey and was fortunate to have a healing outcome. He was so bold in speaking the truths of taking our healing into our own hands. Like a plant, the more attention you give it, the more efficent it grows, the less attention, the more life happens to it. This is why B.K.S. is so special to me. Through him, I’ve gotten the chance to be taught and empowered from that same mold. He will be missed. – Keith Mitchell, Former NFL Player, Yoga & Wellness Enthusiast
BKS Iyengar brought me into a deep understanding of alignment, discipline and dedication to breath as life. I am honoring his wisdom with this quote on my puja and always in my heart : “The body is your temple. Keep it pure and clean for the soul to reside in.” – Erica Jago, Yoga Teacher and Co-Author of Art of Attention
It was remarkable to watch The Master Iyengar practice. He would stay in poses for 10-45 minutes and the poses were sometimes inversions, sometimes deep backbends. The sheer willpower he had is legendary. It was also remarkable to watch Mr. Iyengar teach. His passion for yoga was tangible and when he stepped into the room to teach or practice his electrical energy filled the room. He was an energetic, unapologetic, revolutionary, fierce, direct, and challenging teacher. Iyengar said, “Yoga cannot be taught, it has to be caught.” His adjustments would often change the pose from a barely breathing, disconnected, energetically weak pose, immediately to a fuller, more potent, more sustainable version of the asana. He knew the way to make the poses sing in each of our bodies. May Guruji rest in peace and may all of his students carry the torch of his teachings into the world. – Ryan Leier, Yoga Teacher
I include: “Our specific field of exploration is ourselves, from the skin to the soul,” in all my teacher trainings because, for me, the moment I read that, it seemed to be the clearest mapping of the purpose of Hatha Yoga. We start with the gross, which our ordinary minds can grasp, and we move to the subtle, inner landscape as our consciousness evolves from ordinary to extraordinary. Right now I feel no sadness at all. He was 95 years old! That’s a cause for celebration!! He had so many years living in his earthly body and touched the lives of an unimaginable number of human beings. He lived an incredibly full life in the noblest of roles, that of teacher. I don’t think he’d want us to mourn or feel sad; I think he’d tell us to get back on our mats and channel that energy right! – Gina Caputo, Yoga Teacher
I’m eighteen years of age when a man, a master, BKS Iyengar, sharing his depth of experience and vision in the art, science and wisdom of yoga, touches me. He describes a path, a method for an exalted life and, in so doing, changes my life forever. On his passing, I remembered just how much his passion and words affected me as well as countless others. But, perhaps the real measure of his greatness was a ceaseless commitment to practice. Thank you. Thank you, sir for burning so bright and for the sharing of that light with the world. Om Shanti. Peace. Peace. Peace. – Rod Stryker, Yoga Teacher and ParaYoga Founder
Today I learned something new about my body. And in turn, as always, unearthed a new layer of myself I had yet to know. Like countless other times just like this, I am filled with awe and shed a few tears. But today my gratitude is all encompassing for your impact on my life is profoundly immeasurable. I see my body as a temple because your work challenges me to do so. I remember I have the wisdom to heal my aches because your dedication inspires me. I feel my mind infused with my body because, after pouring over Light on Yoga for hours a day and years on end, your knowledge still humbles me. Thank you, sweet soul for codifying this divine wisdom for us. You have and will continue to raise human consciousness infinitely. Maha blessings to you great one. Here’s to a graceful transition into the unknown. Om Namah Shivaya. – Ashleigh Sergeant, Yoga Teacher
Iyengar said that he would “die majestically…” Couldn’t help but smile when I saw that his departure date was August 20th- and because of the time difference we found out on August 19th. Even in death, Iyengar gets the last laugh… – Sarah Ivanhoe, Yoga Teacher
The first time I saw BKS teaching asana I was reminded of my first martial arts teachers. I saw in him a true teacher, who was passionate about his craft. I was inspired to move forward and teach yoga as a discipline, an art and a philosophy. – Cameron Shayne, Founder of Budokon