About Ghislaine & Iyengar Yoga
Ghislaine discovered Iyengar Yoga after having to give up running and cycling due to recurring lower back injuries. After years of practice and an ongoing commitment to learning the basics of yoga, Ghislaine came to understand that her back issues are intimately connected with her overall health, both physically and mentally. Unpacking this connection between mind and body has been both illuminating and exciting, and ultimately motivated Ghislaine to share what she has learned (& is learning!) with others.
Ghislaine is a certified Iyengar Yoga teacher who has been studying with Marlene Mawhinney, her teacher and mentor. Marlene Mawhinney travelled regularly to Pune, India since 1985 to study directly with BKS Iyengar. Until 2020, Marlene was the President and Senior teacher at Yoga Centre Toronto where she also worked with many people with health challenges. Marlene has developed and oversees yoga programs for MS, back care, heart disease, fertility and other special needs. She has been training hundreds of teachers in Canada for many years. Ghislaine continues to study regularly with her teacher and other International senior Iyengar Yoga teachers.
B.K.S.Iyengar & Iyengar Yoga
Yogacharya B.K.S.Iyengar has taught yoga in a unique way to all his students. He has found the meaning of the yoga sutras by his practical search and regular practice of yoga. Thus, he has helped all to experience the wisdom of the yoga sutras. His style of teaching yoga is called “Iyengar Yoga” and is now being followed by certified teachers across the world.
The teachings of Yogacharya B.K.S.Iyengar were first published in 1966 as Light on Yoga . This book has been translated into 18 languages. He is the author of 14 other books.
Yogacharya B.K.S.Iyengar was the first person to teach large group of students. He laid great emphasis on precision and alignment which is followed by his students. He had students to perform and break barriers. He brought about an automatic transformation in the mind and habits of people. He was the only person who taught the highest aspects of yoga – Atma Darshan (meditation) through asanas (poses). He taught several famous personalities:
- Philosophers and intellectuals – Aldous Huxley, J Krishnamurty
- Musicians – Yehudi Menuhin
- Sportspersons – Prof Deadhar, Martin Crowe, Sachin Tendulkar, Kumble, Srinath, Dravid, Sehwag, Amarnath, Vengsarkar
- Film and theatre personalities – Lalita Pavar, Antara Mali, Naseerudin Shah, Meera Nair, Mohan Agashe
- Politicians – Murli Manohar Joshi, Yerrana Naidu
- Queen mother of Belgium
- Industrialists
- Military Academies, Police Force (special classes for commandos)
- Classes being taught in prisons in Israel
In 1998, he taught 800 of his students for a week on the occasion of his 80th birthday at Pune. Again, in the year 2000, he conducted a special course for senior “Iyengar Yoga” teachers from nearly 40 countries.
From bksiyengar.com, official B.K.S. Iyengar Yoga site
