Geetaji’s 79th Birth Anniversary | She remained unmarried throughout her life, dedicating it to yoga until the end of her life.
Original Iyengar Life Iyengar Life 2023-12-07 09:06
Whenever we find our bodies stiff, our hearts should be especially soft. What has always limited our practice is not the stiffness of our bodies but the stiffness of our minds.
— Geeta S. Iyengar
Geeta S. Iyengar (December 7, 1944 – December 16, 2018)
December 7 marks the 79th birth anniversary of Geeta S. Iyengar.
Geetaji was the ultimate disciple of her father (Guruji) and one of the most prominent female yoga teachers globally. She was renowned for her dedication to the practice and study of yoga, tireless pursuit of the subject of yoga, exceptional teaching, and extraordinary contributions to teaching women.
She chose a life of celibacy and devoted her entire life to the practice of yoga that she loved so dearly. In fact, she continued teaching yoga right up until the moment of her passing.
In her later years, her health was not robust, and physical frailty was an obstacle to teaching yoga, but her spirit transcended the obstacles. Family and friends implored her to slow down and take care of herself. However, she persisted in teaching, dragging her ailing body to the yoga shala.
Several teachers from Essex who attended the Pune Centenary celebrations recall, “Geetaji came in on a wheelchair. She explained, ‘I was recently in the hospital and almost died, but I found the strength from somewhere to teach.’ She said she was determined not to leave this life before Guruji’s centenary, it was the work she had to complete.”
Though she arrived appearing frail, once in the classroom, her body seemed to expand, teaching with the strength, vitality, and compassion she was known for, revealing the depth of her knowledge and understanding.
She energetically and tirelessly taught the latter half of the ten-day Centenary Intensive, teaching six hours each day. She emphasized experiencing the intelligence within the body—hands, rather than relying on second-hand experiences. This commitment to the body, the mind, consciousness, and breath became her code of ethics, ensuring that every one of the 1,300 participants kept pace with her.
Two days of celebrations followed, and on December 16, 2018, she passed away due to a heart attack at the age of 74.
Geetaji’s teaching style combined her father’s famed strictness (in respecting discipline) with her mother’s compassion. She was well-versed in Indian philosophy, medicine, and yoga classics, and she was also an Ayurvedic doctor.
Her focus in yoga teaching was on how yoga could benefit those with health issues, and she adapted her father’s yoga approach (providing specific asanas, pranayama, and sequences) to address the specific needs of women, including practices for menstruation, ovulation, premenstrual and postmenstrual phases, pregnancy, postpartum, and menopause.
Her works include several classic books on women’s yoga, including “Yoga: A Gem for Women,” “Iyengar Yoga for Motherhood,” “Yoga for Mother,” among others, helping us better understand how yoga impacts a woman’s life.
She wished for women around the world to participate in yoga more than anyone else. On her 79th birth anniversary, we hope you learn more about this incredible figure and take her as an inspiration in your yoga journey.
Iyengar’s appraisal of her
Few women excel in yoga, but Geeta did and received recognition for her mastery of the art, inspiring others to emulate her.
A Glimpse into Her Life
Born in India in 1944, she was frail and sickly from a young age. Unfortunately, she contracted nephritis at the age of nine, nearly losing her life. Since the family didn’t have the money for treatment, she had two options: practice yoga or wait for death. Geetaji chose to follow her father and wholeheartedly embraced yoga, growing to love it. After years of practice, her condition improved significantly.
1957
Around the age of 13 in 1957, she taught her first yoga class. Through yoga, Geeta realized she could do anything she wanted. Yoga provided her with the courage and confidence to overcome any difficulties in life.
In 1959
Geetaji became a yoga teacher and, along with her brother Prashant, devoted herself to teaching Iyengar yoga, becoming Guruji’s trusted assistant.
1962
Since 1962, she taught at the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute (RIMYI) in Pune and overseas. She became a well-known figure in the yoga communities worldwide, including North America, Australia, South Africa, and Europe.
1973
In 1973, Geetaji’s mother, Ramamani (the RIMYI was named after her), passed away suddenly. As the matriarch of the Iyengar family, she was responsible for cooking and handling most of the administrative work at the institute. During this time, Geetaji replied to every letter received
When Guruji retired in 1984, Geetaji, along with her brother Prashant S. Iyengar, took over as co-director of RIMYI and embarked on her international teaching journey.
2012
In 2012, Geetaji held a large-scale course in Portland, Oregon, which became a benchmark in the fields of yoga, medicine, and Ayurveda. During this time, her two books, “Yoga: A Gem for Women” and “Iyengar Yoga for Motherhood,” were published and became indispensable references for female yoga practitioners.
2014
After B.K.S. Iyengar’s passing in 2014, Geetaji single-handedly carried forward the legacy of Iyengar yoga. Every year, thousands of yoga practitioners visited RIMYI in Pune to learn from her.
2014, July
In July 2014, Geetaji, at Guruji’s behest, led a team of teachers from the Pune main institute to attend the Second Sino-Indian Yoga Summit organized by Longxiang Culture. She conducted a five-day workshop in Dali, Yunnan, China, bringing unforgettable yoga experiences and knowledge to over 1500 enthusiasts. This event added a brilliant chapter to the 2014 China-India Friendly Exchange Year.
2018
On the morning of December 16, 2018, Geetaji passed away at the age of 74. She shared her vast knowledge and wisdom selflessly with the world, leaving an enduring impact.
Her Advice for Beginners
Yoga Journal once interviewed her regarding her thoughts on the growing interest in yoga in America, “Don’t let it become a wildfire.” Can you explain?
Geetaji: The growing interest and enthusiasm for yoga among people are always welcome. For me, the addiction to healthy yoga is better than any other addiction.
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