Mr. Iyengar in conversation with Swami Radha

In 1984 Mr. Iyengar came to Canada for the first time.  Swami Radha had already established her ashram in British Columbia and had been corresponding with Mr. Iyengar since the 1970's.  During this visit they had a chance to visit.

Some of this conversation has been reprinted in a few different places.  I read an article in the Iyengar Yoga Centre of Victoria's newsletter, winter 2009 and spring 2010.

The whole article is very interesting.  I have just put a bit from the article in today's blog.

Swami Radha: What is the procedure in order to practice hatha yoga?

Mr. Iyengar: Hatha yoga starts from the body and goes directly disclosing, from the body to the breath, from the breath to the mind, from the mind to intelligence, from intelligence to the self and from the self towards the soul, one after the other.

Swami Radha: It is similar to when we look at a picture.  At first we may not be able to see everything at once, so we begin by looking at one area and then another.  Finally, we can see the whole picture.

Mr.Iyengar: Yes, then we experience in totality with complete alertness. For example, the body for me is the gross soul. So how can the envelope be separated from the content?

Swami Radha: Right. Duality is the creation of the mind.

Mr.Iyengar: No one can demarcate where the body ends and the mind begins, where the mind ends and the soul begins.  These terms are all for the sake of convenience, when it is explained that one is the gross body, one is the subtle body, and one is the causal body.  We express it as sthula, suksma and karana sarira.  Patanjali explains using this in different terminologies.  He calls it visesa, avisesa, lingamatra and alinga.  The soul is encased in them.  The body can be perceived, therefore it is distinguishable.  The mind, I-consciousness are nondistinguishable therefore have to be conceived: whereas intelligence is differentiable from the soul.  Therefore, as our existence is expressed from gross to subtle, for the sake of convience we express it as body, mind and soul.

Namaste.
Pamela Nelson
www.plnyoga.vpweb.com