B. K. S. Iyengar (1918–2014)
Author of Light on Yoga
About the Author
B.K.S. Iyengar is the world's most respected yoga teacher. Widely credited as the person who brought yoga to the West, his teaching practice has been hugely influential over decades. He lives and teaches in Pune, India.
Image credit: Mutt Lunker
Works by B. K. S. Iyengar
Light on Life: The Yoga Journey to Wholeness, Inner Peace, and Ultimate Freedom (2005) 423 copies, 6 reviews
Basic Guidelines for Teachers of Yoga ( Based on the Teachers Training for Preliminary Course Taught at the RIMYI ) (2002) 10 copies
Luz Sobre o Yoga: O Guia Classico de Yoga Escrito Pelo Embaixador do Yoga no Ocidente (2016) 6 copies
A Luz Na Vida. A Jornada Da Ioga Para A Totalidade Paz Interior E A Liberdade Suprema (Em Portuguese do Brasil) (2007) 4 copies
Meena and the Rabbit: Band 02B/Red B (Collins Big Cat Phonics for Letters and Sounds) (2021) 4 copies
Astadala Yogamala (Collected Works) Volume 8: Questions and Answers, Interviews Articles & Comprehensive Index for all Volumes (1 to 8) (2016) 3 copies
Light On Life - Hayata Isik; Bütünlüge Ic Huzura ve Nihai Özgürlüge Götüren Yoga Yolculugu (2019) 2 copies
Light On Yoga : Yoga Dipika 1 copy
Light On Yoga : Yoga Dipika 1 copy
Arogya Yoga 1 copy
Yoga als levenskunst: de weg naar heelheid, innerlijke vrede en totale vrijheid (Dutch Edition) (2014) 1 copy
Joga 1 copy
[B.K.S.] Iyengar: The Man, Yoga, the Student's Journey | NON USA Format | Region 4 Import - Australia (2020) 1 copy
Iyengar Yoga Posters 1 copy
Associated Works
Hatha Yoga: The Hidden Language, Symbols, Secrets & Metaphors (1987) — Foreword, some editions — 83 copies, 2 reviews
Yoga Unveiled:Evolution and Essence of a Spiritual Tradition (DVD) (2004) — Contributor, some editions — 2 copies
The science of Yoga and consciousness: Collection of papers presented at All India Conference on Yoga and Its Integration in Modern Education held at Kanpur on September 10 to 13,… (1987) — Contributor — 1 copy
Breath of the gods a journey to the origins of modern yoga [video recording] (2012) — Contributor — 1 copy, 1 review
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Canonical name
- Iyengar, B. K. S.
- Legal name
- Iyengar, Bellur Krishnamachar Sundararaja
- Other names
- Iyengar
- Birthdate
- 1918-12-14
- Date of death
- 2014-08-20
- Gender
- male
- Education
- Sri Tirumalai Krishnamacharya yoga school, Mysore
- Occupations
- Yoga Teacher
Yoga Acharya
author - Organizations
- Iyengar Yoga (founder)
Multiple Sclerosis Society of India
Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens - Awards and honors
- Padmashri ( [1991, 2002, 2004])
Padma Bhushan (2002)
100 Most Influential People in the World (Time Magazine ∙ 2004)
San Francisco Board of Supervisors (B.K.S. Iyengar Day, 2005-10-03)
Beijing branch of the China Post (commemorative stamp, 2011)
Google Doodle (2015-12-14) - Relationships
- Krishnamacharya (guru)
Iyengar, Geeta (daughter, student) - Short biography
- Bellur Krishnamachar Sundararaja Iyengar, (generally known as Yogacharya B. K. S. Iyengar) (Born December 14, 1918 in Bellur, Kolar District, Karnataka, India) is the founder of Iyengar Yoga. He is considered one of the foremost yoga teachers in the world and has been practicing and teaching yoga for more than 75 years. He has written many books on yogic practice and philosophy, and is best known for his books Light on Yoga, Light on Pranayama, and Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. He has also written several definitive yoga texts. Iyengar yoga centers are located throughout the world, and it is believed that millions of students practice Iyengar Yoga.
He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1991, and the Padma Bhushan in 2002. In 2004, Iyengar was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time Magazine. - Nationality
- India
- Birthplace
- Bellur, British India
- Place of death
- Pune, India
- Map Location
- India
Members
Reviews
This is a reread (well sort of, as I only read the first part of it previously). I'm hoping to go back to my Iyengar yoga class in the New Year, so following on from the previous book on breath was interested in returning to Iyengar's insights on breath work, etc.
The first two chapters (on the asanas, or poses, and breath) were interesting enough, but it wasn't long before I remembered why I'd given up after that previously. There's a lot of lecturing on inner wisdom and enlightenment, and show more despite a lot of text around successful yoga practice (and life) relying on loss of ego there seemed plenty of ego coming across from old Iyengar himself. Iyengar had a lot of opinions, and boy did he allow himself the luxury of examining them in minutiae detail in this book.
2 stars - recommended for insomniacs or those interested in alternative torture methods. show less
The first two chapters (on the asanas, or poses, and breath) were interesting enough, but it wasn't long before I remembered why I'd given up after that previously. There's a lot of lecturing on inner wisdom and enlightenment, and show more despite a lot of text around successful yoga practice (and life) relying on loss of ego there seemed plenty of ego coming across from old Iyengar himself. Iyengar had a lot of opinions, and boy did he allow himself the luxury of examining them in minutiae detail in this book.
2 stars - recommended for insomniacs or those interested in alternative torture methods. show less
Best for:
Anyone interested in pursuing a serious yoga practice.
In a nutshell:
Igengar provides a summary of the history of yoga, beyond what many folks consider when attending yoga classes or watching videos.
Worth quoting:
“The study of Yoga is not like work for a diploma or a university degree by someone desiring favourable results in a stipulated time.”
Why I chose it:
Part of my goal for 2021 is to live more of the life that I want, and building a consistent yoga practice is high on that show more list.
Review:
This is an interesting book. I’ve always known yoga is not just breathing and stretching, but based more in a broader way of living. As a white woman raised in the US, most of my exposure to yoga has been through a Lululemon view. A way to stretch and build strength and relieve stress, without really looking at where yoga comes from. I’ve been in classes where there’s some lip service paid to it, but nothing more.
Obviously, one isn’t going to understand an entire cultural concept like yoga from reading one book. But this is a good starting place. It discusses the connection between what is going on with the body and what is going on in the mind. I’ll need to read it over a few times to understand it better, but again, a good place to start.
After the introduction, Iyengar offers instructions and photos of over 200 poses, which are quite easy to follow. He then has put together three ‘courses,’ spreading across 300 weeks (yes, you read that right). Today I started with course one, which lasts about 32 weeks. It’s been seven or eight years since I regularly practiced yoga, and I can feel it, but I can also see how this is going to work, and I’m excited about it.
Videos are definitely an easy way to start learning yoga, and I don’t think a book can fully replace that for more visual learners, but I do think this book is a great place to start.
Keep it / Pass to a Friend / Donate it / Toss it:
Keep it show less
Anyone interested in pursuing a serious yoga practice.
In a nutshell:
Igengar provides a summary of the history of yoga, beyond what many folks consider when attending yoga classes or watching videos.
Worth quoting:
“The study of Yoga is not like work for a diploma or a university degree by someone desiring favourable results in a stipulated time.”
Why I chose it:
Part of my goal for 2021 is to live more of the life that I want, and building a consistent yoga practice is high on that show more list.
Review:
This is an interesting book. I’ve always known yoga is not just breathing and stretching, but based more in a broader way of living. As a white woman raised in the US, most of my exposure to yoga has been through a Lululemon view. A way to stretch and build strength and relieve stress, without really looking at where yoga comes from. I’ve been in classes where there’s some lip service paid to it, but nothing more.
Obviously, one isn’t going to understand an entire cultural concept like yoga from reading one book. But this is a good starting place. It discusses the connection between what is going on with the body and what is going on in the mind. I’ll need to read it over a few times to understand it better, but again, a good place to start.
After the introduction, Iyengar offers instructions and photos of over 200 poses, which are quite easy to follow. He then has put together three ‘courses,’ spreading across 300 weeks (yes, you read that right). Today I started with course one, which lasts about 32 weeks. It’s been seven or eight years since I regularly practiced yoga, and I can feel it, but I can also see how this is going to work, and I’m excited about it.
Videos are definitely an easy way to start learning yoga, and I don’t think a book can fully replace that for more visual learners, but I do think this book is a great place to start.
Keep it / Pass to a Friend / Donate it / Toss it:
Keep it show less
I wouldn't exactly call this a great read. The introduction is useful for anyone new to yoga but it could probably fill out an entire book on its own so you're really skipping over a lot of ideas in that essay. The bulk of the book is an index of poses and commentary on their usefulness. The index is ESSENTIAL. Particularly the suggested schedule of asanas. This book is defining a trajectory for my practice and basically changing my life. So, yeah, 5 stars for that.
I wouldn't exactly call this a great read. The introduction is useful for anyone new to yoga but it could probably fill out an entire book on its own so you're really skipping over a lot of ideas in that essay. The bulk of the book is an index of poses and commentary on their usefulness. The index is ESSENTIAL. Particularly the suggested schedule of asanas. This book is defining a trajectory for my practice and basically changing my life. So, yeah, 5 stars for that.
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- Rating
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