The Yoga Master: Essays and Appreciations

By Kofi Busia

Book Overview

Well-known contributors from the world of yoga celebrate the life and work of the great yoga pioneer B. K. S. Iyengar in this collection. Iyengar, who celebrates seventy years as a yoga teacher this year, is an Indian yoga master, revered as the single most influential person in spreading the teachings of yoga throughout the world. Iyengar was recognized in Time magazine's 2004 list of the one hundred most powerful and influential people in the world. This collection of essays, stories, and interviews celebrates the life and great influence of renowned yoga teacher B. K. S. Iyengar and features an international and diverse group of well-known contributors. These writings offer a deep understanding of the man, as well as his unique approach to yoga and the human mind and body. Contributors include: Baron Baptiste Beryl Bender Birch T. K. V. Desikachar Alan Finger Lilias Folan Richard Freeman John Friend Sharon Gannon Dona Holleman Gary Kraftsow Judith Hanson Lasater David Life Manouso Manos Chuck Miller Aadil Palkhivala Shiva Rea Erich Schiffmann John Schumacher Patricia Walden Joan White Rodney Yee

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1590305248
• ISBN13: 9781590305249
• Release Date: July 2007
• Publisher: Shambhala
• Length: 360 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.0" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

a veritable treat

A selection of highly respected and internationally renowned yoga teachers having attended a conference to celebrate B.K.S. Iyengar 90th year and to raise money for his charity have each written a chapter as a homage and to acknowledge the unequaled contribution to the world of yoga and to each of them as individuals. The content varies as does the knowledge and maturity of its contributors.There are some very detailed and erudite elucidations as well as personal anecdotes both touching and humorous.Whether you practice Iyengar yoga or have not even heard of Guruji, as he is affectionately known by his students is of no importance.This book offers a very diverse, educative and inspiring read.

Light on BKS Iyengar!

Kofi Busia is a long-time early student of Sri BKS Iyengar and a fine yoga master in his own right. One of my personal favorite teachers, a Sanskrit scholar, and a downright fine human being, Kofi has pulled together Mr. Iyengar's finest students to share their insights into this remarkable man. A must-read for yoga devotees, whether or not you follow the challenging Iyengar yoga path. Mr. Iyengar, now over 90 years old (in 2009) has made yoga history, made yoga accessible to the west, and has changed the bodies, minds and spirits of several generations of yoga practitioners. This book captures the essense of this incredible man.

Highly recommended, even if you have other books by or about Iyengar!

B.K.S. Iyengar celebrated his 90th birthday on December 14, 2008. This collection of uplifting essays, stories and interviews by a delightfully diverse group of 51 contributors, is a celebration of his life. Compiled and introduced by Kofi Busia, one of the world's foremost teachers in the Iyengar tradition, this book offers the opportunity to learn about Iyengar through the eyes and experience of close friends and long-time senior students. The contributions in this tribute volume are unique and thought provoking. Some honor Iyengar's life and work, other essays address the best-known features of Iyengar's teaching. Most valuable is that the book provides personal reminiscence and insight into the influence Iyengar has had, as a man and a teacher, on each writer. Kofi Busia (the editor) is also a Sanskrit scholar. He translated several ancient texts into English, including The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, which adds authenticity and clarity to the book. I found it very helpful that Kofi begins the book with an Editor's Note that explains the issues that arise in compiling a collection of stories that contain many Sanskrit words. Sanskrit terms, with few exceptions, have been transliterated as phonetically as possible to make the material more accessible to both new and experienced students. The Editor's Note is followed by a humorous introduction in which Kofi describes how he fell into teaching, his early encounters with Iyengar, and how he came to compile this book. Along with his self-effacing personal saga, Kofi opens a window into the riveting history of how Iyengar yoga grew from a few original students into a worldwide phenomenon that revolutionized the yoga world. Kofi's close connection with both Iyengar and many of the teachers featured in the book make him the perfect editor for this project. He acts as a knowledgeable host and philosophical guide by providing an informative and insightful introduction to each essay. His gift for extrapolating gems of yoga philosophy helps to make the personal stories universal and more meaningful. Kofi has structured the book into two fascinating parts: "The Embodiment of Practice" and "Light On Life." The scope of these two parts is as vast as the stars in the sky! As an animal advocate, my favorite essay is by Dona Holleman, entitled, "Yoga in Daily Life." Dona's story is about her rescue horse, Cisco, who had been so abused that he wanted nothing more in life than to run as far away as possible from anything human. I honestly cannot recall another yoga book that filled me with such delight and recognition. I studied with many of the teachers featured in this book before they were famous, back in the seventies when they were fresh from their first trip to India. They write from the heart -- and their recollections bring back happy memories of my own discovery of Iyengar yoga. Even if you've read other books by or about B.K.S. Iyengar, you will come away from Iyengar: The Yoga Master