Geeta Iyengar’s 80th Birthday Celebration

IYNAUS invites you to join in a month-long celebration honoring Geeta Iyengar’s extraordinary life and enduring contributions to Iyengar Yoga. Geetaji dedicated her life to studying, practicing, and teaching yoga, shaping the path for countless practitioners worldwide. Though she refrained from celebrating her birthday in her lifetime, instead dedicating the day to the memory and legacy of her father, B.K.S. Iyengar, this year, we come together to pay tribute to her profound impact on the yoga community and beyond.

Geeta Iyengar dedicated over four decades to teaching at the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute (RIMYI) in Pune, India, where her work profoundly influenced the global understanding and practice of Iyengar Yoga. Her landmark book, Yoga: A Gem for Women, empowered women to embrace yoga as a transformative practice and remains a cornerstone. Geetaji’s literary contributions, including Preliminary Course, Intermediate Course, and the five volumes of Yoga Shastra, continue to guide and inspire students worldwide. Her teaching seamlessly integrated the therapeutic potential of yoga with its deeper spiritual essence, illuminating the path for generations of practitioners.

The celebration begins on Dec. 7, Geeta Iyengar’s birthday, at 2 p.m. EST, with a roundtable conversation featuring esteemed teachers who studied closely with her. They will share cherished memories and personal reflections on their experiences with this remarkable teacher. This gathering will include Joan White, Patricia Walden, Bobby Clennell, Lois Steinberg, Lee Sverkerson, John Schumacher, Laurie Blakeney, James Murphy, Gloria Goldberg, Mary Obendorfer, Eddy Marks, and Kristin Chirhart.

In addition, IYNAUS are honored to present a specially recorded talk by Prashant Iyengar, Geetaji’s brother, offering his unique perspective on her life and legacy.

To further celebrate her profound impact, IYNAUS will release audio recordings of Geetaji teaching Thursdays Pranayama and rare video clips of Geetaji teaching at the 1996 IYNAUS convention, “A Teacher’s Exchange,” held in Estes Park, CO. IYNAUS will share the audio recordings on Dec. 12, 19, and 26 and the video clips on Dec. 14, 21, and 28 showcasing her inspirational guidance and depth of wisdom.