Today I mourn the loss of the great teacher, philosopher and yogi, BKS Iyengar. His teachings and magnanimous presence have left an indelible mark on the world of yoga and the atmosphere now feels a bit less vibrant without his presence in it.
Though I was not directly a student of his I was dramatically effected by his teachings and his dedication to the practice, promotion and love of yoga.
My brother and I started to practice in 1969 when we only had access to books as our teachers. One of the first ones we came across was Light On Yoga. The power, grace and presence displayed within BKS Iyengar’s asanas conveyed an ocean of energy and depth far beyond his mere physical prowess. We would sit for hours in the park trying to emulate what we saw on the pages and attempt to gain just a small taste of what we knew he was experiencing so purely. His concise and erudite discourse and explanations of yogic philosophy dazzled us.
Decades later in 2005 I had a fortunate encounter with BKS Iyengar when he came to see my teacher K. Pattabhi Jois in Mysore, India for Pattabhi Jois' 90th Birthday. It had been 65 years since they had last seen each other and their reunion was electric. Like two bright suns merging into a dazzling effulgence of energy and light.
This photo captures the essence of that moment.
Thank You Mr. Iyengar! Your legacy will live on through the knowledge you shared so deeply with your students as well as from those of us that only had chance encounters with you through your written words and your magnanimous presence on this planet.
With Greatest Respect,
David Swenson
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