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Geeta Iyengar

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Geeta Iyengar
Born(1944-12-07)7 December 1944
Died16 December 2018 (2018-12-17) (aged 74)
NationalityIndian
Occupation(s)Yoga author and teacher
Known forYoga for women
FatherB. K. S. Iyengar

Geeta S. Iyengar (7 December 1944 – 16 December 2018[1]), the eldest daughter of Yogacharya B. K. S. Iyengar, was a yoga teacher credited with advancing yoga for women.

Life and work

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Geeta Iyengar, eldest daughter of the founder of the worldwide Iyengar yoga method, Yogacharya B. K. S. Iyengar, was described as "the world's leading female yoga teacher".[2]

Iyengar studied yoga with her father from an early age. After graduating high school in 1961, she began substituting for her father when he was away on international teaching tours.[2] When he retired in 1984,[3] she became co-director, with her brother Prashant S. Iyengar, of the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute (RIMYI)[4] as well as undertaking her own international teaching tours.

Teaching

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Further information: Yoga for women

Iyengar adapted her father's method of yoga to the specific requirements of women.[5] Specific asanas, pranayama and sequences are given for different stages in a woman's life including menstruation, pregnancy, postpartum, and menopause. Like her father, Iyengar explained how yoga is used as a method to unify body and mind, and strengthen the respiratory system, circulatory system, nervous system, muscles, epidermis, and the mind.[6]

In addition to teaching at RIMYI, Iyengar periodically toured worldwide to carry on the Iyengar Yoga lineage. She was a well-known figure in yoga around the world, in North America,[7][8][9] Australia,[10] South Africa,[11] and Europe.[12]

She trained yoga teachers around the world, for example in Italy.[13] She died on 16 December 2018, two days after her father's birth centenary, aged 74. She was unwell and used a wheelchair for more than a year. She had said that she would not depart this earth until she had completed her father's 100th birth anniversary celebration.[14]

Publications

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  • Iyengar, Geeta. Yoga: A Gem for Women, 2002. ISBN 978-0-931454-98-1
  • Iyengar, Geeta. Yoga in Action – Preliminary Course, 2000. ISBN 978-81-87603-01-6
  • Iyengar, Geeta. Yoga in Action - Intermediate Course-I, 2013. ISBN 978-81-87603-22-1
  • Clennell, Bobby; Iyengar, Geeta. The Women's Yoga Book: Asana and Pranayama for All Phases of the Menstrual Cycle, 2007. ISBN 978-1-930485-18-1
  • Iyengar, Geeta. Iyengar Yoga for Motherhood: Safe Practice for Expectant & New Mothers, 2010. ISBN 978-1-402726-89-7

References

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  1. ^ Nair, Manjula (December 16, 2018). "Geeta Iyengar, renowned yoga exponent, passes away at 74". The Times of India. Retrieved December 16, 2018.
  2. ^ a b Mungen, Donna (8 June 2001). "Mastering the Meeting of Mind and Body". Los Angeles Times.
  3. ^ Rosin, Mark Bruce (2004). "Iyengar Yoga: 'Food for the Spirit'". Beliefnet.
  4. ^ "Short Biography". Retrieved 6 May 2013.
  5. ^ Dubrovsky, Anna (Winter 2012). "In Loving Gratitude". Yoga International. Archived from the original on 2015-12-22. Retrieved 2013-05-08.
  6. ^ Iyengar, 2002.
  7. ^ Iyengar, Geeta (2008). "We Are All Karma Yogis". Ascent magazine. Archived from the original on 2011-11-07.
  8. ^ Morton, Colleen (September–October 2001). "In Her Father's Light". Yoga Journal.
  9. ^ Dobish, Patrina (July–August 2001). "An Odyssey with Geeta Iyengar". Yoga Chicago.
  10. ^ Hollingworth, Michael (February 2010). "Geeta Iyengar in Australia" (PDF). Australia Yoga Life. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-12-22.
  11. ^ Bacon, Gillian (August 2011). "Srimati Geeta S Iyengar's second visit to South Africa". Yoga Awakening Africa.
  12. ^ Iyengar, Geeta (2009). "The Practice of Women During the Whole Month" (PDF). Iyengar Yoga.org.uk. First published in Poland 2002. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-04-16.
  13. ^ "Teachers". Instituto Iyengar Yoga Firenze.it. 2013. Retrieved 8 May 2013.
  14. ^ "Geetaji's Icchamrityu". yogdand.com. 2019. Retrieved 13 Feb 2019.
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