B.K.S IYENGAR 1969 DOCUMENTARY

Yoga training, 1968 Bombay, from Louis Malle’s documentary Bomaby 1969.This is a fascinating video of B.K.S. Iyengar teaching yoga in 1968, in Bombay. Look at the mix of younger and older students (there’s at least one child, and at least one rather old man). Look at how they’re doing Sirsasana (headstand) in the middle of the room. And look at how the neck is extended in Sirsasana in the man shown at 2:30. He’s not going to hurt himself in headstand. (I’m of course thinking of that recent NYT article saying how people will hurt themselves in scary poses such as headstand and shoulderstand — not if they’re taught well!). Even back in the late 1960’s, Iyengar and his students show such wonderful extension through the arms, legs, and trunk, keeping their chests open and well-lifted.