Geeta Iyengar Quotes, Explained: Geeta S Iyengar In Her Own Words

In short: This page gathers short quotes from Geeta S Iyengar, Mr Iyengar’s eldest daughter, taken from her books, classes and talks and sorted by topic. Each links to a plain-English explanation. It also has a short life story, her sources, and answers about her books and her teaching in Australia.

Geeta Iyengar quotes, in short

Who taught the teachers? Geeta S Iyengar, Mr Iyengar’s eldest daughter, taught students all over the world, including in Sydney. These Geeta Iyengar quotes are short lines from her books, classes and talks, gathered by topic. Each one links to its plain-English explanation.

What is on this page of Geeta Iyengar quotes

• Who she was: a short life story, facts only.
• Her sources: the books and talks quoted here.
• Every quote, by topic: each links to its explanation.
• Questions: her books and her teaching in Australia.

Iyengar yoga is the style developed by Mr BKS Iyengar. In the 20th century he did more than anyone to set down traditional Indian yoga, through his books and his teaching, and he pioneered the use of props. It is sometimes called modern classical yoga, and it’s the style we teach at Flametree. His daughter Geeta (1944 to 2018) and his son Prashant, who still teaches in Pune, became teachers too.

Who was Geeta S Iyengar?

Geeta S Iyengar was Mr BKS Iyengar’s eldest daughter. She was born on 7 December 1944 and came to Pune as a baby, growing up in a family of six children. She studied philosophy and Ayurveda (traditional Indian medicine) as well as yoga.

When her mother died suddenly in 1973, Geeta was grieving and running the household just as the new institute in Pune was starting. She later said that practice kept her balance, even when family duties meant she could not always practise. She taught at the institute alongside her father and her brother Prashant, and she taught abroad too, including courses in Sydney in 1996 and 2003 that are quoted here.

She wrote Yoga: A Gem for Women. When she wrote it, many people thought women should not do yoga, especially upside-down poses. She said that fear has gone. Geeta died on 16 December 2018.

Books and talks quoted here

• Yoga: A Gem for Women: her book on practice for women, with a foreword by her father.
• Yoga in Action for Beginners: her guide for new students.
• Basic Guidelines for Teachers of Yoga: written with her father for teachers.
• Yoga Rahasya: the magazine of the Pune institute.
• Classes and talks in Sydney, 1996 and 2003: records of her teaching on her visits to Australia.
• Interview, 1995: an interview reprinted in a 2009 Australian retreat booklet.

Every quote by Geeta on this site, by topic

Each quote links to its home page, where you will find the plain-English explanation. Quotes marked “with her father” come from Basic Guidelines for Teachers of Yoga, which they wrote together.

The Breath And Pranayama (5)

• In deep inhalation the chest moves up like a hill and the abdomen remains like a valley. Geeta S Iyengar, Yoga: A Gem for Women, Pranayama: Techniques and Effects
• The chest should deflate slowly and gradually, from the sides to the centre with centripetal force, like a lotus closing its petals after sunset. Geeta S Iyengar, Yoga: A Gem for Women, Pranayama: Techniques and Effects
• If one is thirsty and drinks water slowly and gradually, the coolness is felt deep inside. Inhalation should bring a similar sensation – the touch of air should be felt in the lungs. Geeta S Iyengar, Yoga: A Gem for Women, Pranayama: Techniques and Effects
• Most of the time people breathe incorrectly. In Pranayama when you are sitting quietly you make so many mistakes. So how many mistakes might you make when you are doing the movement? Geeta S Iyengar, teachers course in Sydney, 1996
• It is more important and beneficial to do a few cycles correctly than to be strict with duration. Geeta S Iyengar, Yoga: A Gem for Women, Hints and Suggestions for the Practice of Pranayama

The Mind And Meditation (4)

• This state of mind is not an emptiness, but a fullness. Geeta S Iyengar, Yoga: A Gem for Women, Dhyana (Meditation)
• The deeper the waters of a river, the more quietly it flows. Similarly, the deeper the focusing of the citta, the more tranquil is the state. Geeta S Iyengar, Yoga: A Gem for Women, The Path of Yoga
• In fact there is a pause of a few moments or a moment between each thought just as there is a full stop after every sentence. But these pauses go unnoticed by us. (with her father) BKS Iyengar and Geeta S Iyengar, Basic Guidelines for Teachers of Yoga, Theoretical Background
• If there was equilibrium of the mind then we would not have to do yoga. There is un-equilibrium. We have to do yoga to bring equilibrium of the mind. Geeta S Iyengar, teachers course in Sydney, 1996

Attention And Awareness (5)

• The moment you do penetrate, you are in the moment. The moment you don’t penetrate, you are out. Geeta S Iyengar, class in Sydney, 1996
• The body should be the performer and the brain the observer. Geeta S Iyengar, Yoga: A Gem for Women, Yoga Sadhana: Method of Practice and Prerequisites
• You have to travel within and if you don’t, how will you penetrate? Geeta S Iyengar, interview, 1995
• When experiencing comes, thoughts come later. Geeta S Iyengar, interview, 1995
• People just want to do. They just want to finish. They don’t know what is collapsing, what is getting raised upwards, what is ascending, what is expanding. Geeta S Iyengar, women’s class questions in Sydney, 1996

Practice (5)

• The amount of time you practice is irrelevant but if you have more time, you penetrate more. Geeta S Iyengar, interview, 1995
• I don’t accept the opinion that asanas are mild so they are good for women and men need something stronger. Geeta S Iyengar, interview, 1995
• You are ready for the motion but you are not ready for the action. Be ready for the action. Geeta S Iyengar, class in Sydney, 1996
• Little things make a difference. Geeta S Iyengar, props demonstration in Sydney, 1996
• In the sense of “performance” my yoga is a failure. But still I am practicing and I continue with it because it is taking me somewhere inside. Geeta S Iyengar, interview, 1995

Effort And Discipline (5)

• People’s psychology is to “do less” and for this to “expect more”. Remember that if the effort is less then the effect too is less. If the efforts are right then the effects are right. Geeta S Iyengar, Yoga in Action for Beginners, Introduction
• Aim at the quality of the asanas and not the quantity. Quality means doing the postures accurately, steadily and whole-heartedly. Geeta S Iyengar, Yoga: A Gem for Women, Yoga Sadhana: Method of Practice and Prerequisites
• To release is also an effort. If you don’t know, you will just hold on there. It takes effort to release. Geeta S Iyengar, class in Sydney, 2003
• It doesn’t take a long time to break discipline but to build discipline takes a very long time. To break discipline takes just a fraction of a second. Geeta S Iyengar, class in Sydney, 1996
• Laziness and lethargy are arch-enemies of Yoga while cheerfulness and enthusiasm are the friends that elevate the practitioner. Geeta S Iyengar, Yoga: A Gem for Women, Yoga Sadhana: Method of Practice and Prerequisites

The Body And Alignment (4)

• Our body is our vahana – our vehicle. Without this vehicle we cannot experience anything. Geeta S Iyengar, Yoga: A Gem for Women, Dhyana (Meditation)
• Asanas, though appearing static externally, are full of dynamic action within. Geeta S Iyengar, Yoga: A Gem for Women, Is Yoga Ideal for Women?
• Bring life to every cell. Geeta S Iyengar, class in Sydney, 1996
• Suppleness does not count. The organic strength counts. Geeta S Iyengar, women’s class questions in Sydney, 1996

Standing Poses (10)

• The leg should never be turned half-heartedly. … If it has to do, it has to do full-hearted. Geeta S Iyengar, teachers course in Sydney, 1996
• Without the firm foundation of strong legs and feet, the brain, which is the seat of intelligence, cannot be held in correct alignment with the spine. Hence the standing poses are introduced first. Geeta S Iyengar, Yoga: A Gem for Women, Yogasanas: Technique and Effects, Standing
• Before attempting to balance on the head, it is essential to stand erect on one’s feet. Most people do not know how to stand. Geeta S Iyengar, Yoga: A Gem for Women, Yogasanas: Technique and Effects, Standing
• The standing asanas break the tamasic, inert, lazy nature of the body and bring activeness in the practitioner. (with her father) BKS Iyengar and Geeta S Iyengar, Basic Guidelines for Teachers of Yoga, Sequence
• Throughout most of our waking hours we stand on our legs, but we do not pay attention to the correct method of standing. These asanas bring our attention to how we stand and correct the posture of the body. Geeta S Iyengar, Yoga in Action for Beginners, Standing Asanas
• Do not consider this asana unimportant since it is very simple. The more you attend to it, the more you begin to realise the defect in your own body’s posture. Geeta S Iyengar, Yoga in Action for Beginners, Standing Asanas
• We think of opening the chest, opening the lungs, but even the bottom of the feet has to get aerated. Geeta S Iyengar, class in Sydney, 1996
• Tadasana is a simple pose because you are just standing there. From this simple standing pose you get more knowledge because with less movement there is more knowledge. Geeta S Iyengar, class in Sydney, 1996
• In the correct positioning of Samasthiti, the mind is engaged in watching the limbs and trunk, resulting in a turning of the mind inward towards the core. Geeta S Iyengar, Yoga in Action for Beginners, Standing Asanas
• Attention is sharpened with the demand to balance. Geeta S Iyengar, Yoga in Action for Beginners, Standing Asanas

Backbends, Inversions, Forward Bends And Twists (13)

• The inner significance of the asana is the withdrawal of all the senses inside the shield of the back. Geeta S Iyengar, Yoga: A Gem for Women, Yogasanas: Technique and Effects, Forward Bends
• That is basic knowledge. You cannot straight away do backbends. Learn proper standing poses then switch over to the backbends. Geeta S Iyengar, women’s class questions in Sydney, 1996
• It is like soil, you have to make the soil loose. You have to dig the soil. You can’t just plant or sow the seed if the ground is hard. Geeta S Iyengar, teachers course in Sydney, 1996
• You put in the efforts to go down, because you want to reach. You want to go down but after putting in the effort you have to know how to change the direction of your efforts. Efforts do not go in a straight line. Geeta S Iyengar, class in Sydney, 2003
• You should know that in backbend we never touch the spine straightaway. The lengthening of the trunk has to come. Geeta S Iyengar, teachers course in Sydney, 1996
• The chest expansion gives a feeling of happiness and joy. Geeta S Iyengar, Yoga: A Gem for Women, Yogasanas: Technique and Effects, Backbends
• Sarvangasana is one of the most beneficial of all the asanas. If Sirsasana is King, Sarvangasana is the Queen of all the asanas. Geeta S Iyengar, Yoga: A Gem for Women, Yogasanas: Technique and Effects, Inverted Poses
• You say you are practicing Sirsasana, but you are just doing it. You are on your head but the practice required is to see that your upper arms are lifted. Geeta S Iyengar, class in Sydney, 2003
• While attempting the inversions, the fear of reversing the body position eclipses the freedom of the mind. (with her father) BKS Iyengar and Geeta S Iyengar, Basic Guidelines for Teachers of Yoga, Sequence
• If you are able to reach and hold the wrist is not an important thing. The important thing is the back body, if the dorsal thoracic area is dome-shaped and you are reaching, holding the wrists beyond the feet, you are wrong. Geeta S Iyengar, class in Sydney, 2003
• The heart faces the floor in all the forward extensions and this gives rest and helps one recover from fatigue. (with her father) BKS Iyengar and Geeta S Iyengar, Basic Guidelines for Teachers of Yoga, Sequence
• If standing asanas stimulate, the forward extension asanas pacify the brain. The former leads towards activity and latter towards passivity. (with her father) BKS Iyengar and Geeta S Iyengar, Basic Guidelines for Teachers of Yoga, Sequence
• In the beginning the spine is stiff, but with practice it becomes flexible. Geeta S Iyengar, Yoga: A Gem for Women, Yogasanas: Technique and Effects, Twists

Props (9)

• The supports are not meant just to rest and relax or to do in a lazy way. They are meant to obtain the feeling of the correct asana from inside so we can improve ourselves. Geeta S Iyengar, props demonstration in Sydney, 1996
• The brick itself opens the chest. Be passive. The brick does the rest of the job. Geeta S Iyengar, class in Sydney, 1996
• Now that props have become so popular there are many who want to do yoga. Those who were unwilling to do yoga have started taking an interest in it since the props make it easier. Geeta S Iyengar, class in Sydney, 1996
• Don’t just use a blanket underneath the buttock like a ritual. But first make them work and then give them blanket. Geeta S Iyengar, teachers course in Sydney, 1996
• So when you think of these props you should see that you have done it 100 times to find out what exactly is being conveyed to you. Geeta S Iyengar, teachers course in Sydney, 1996
• Learn with the props and that will guide you to further understand where there was no freedom, how to bring freedom. Geeta S Iyengar, class in Sydney, 2003
• You don’t know how to use your own body properly. When something doesn’t turn you can use your hand as a prop and move it. Geeta S Iyengar, class in Sydney, 2003
• Sometime back, while teaching in England, he said “Wall, my Guru”. “The wall is my Guru”. He said this for the simple reason that the wall taught him to a great extent, for example the alignment of the body. Geeta S Iyengar, props demonstration in Sydney, 1996
• Holding the trestler gives support and then the inner support of courage comes, giving them confidence. Geeta S Iyengar, props demonstration in Sydney, 1996

Beginners And Stiffness (7)

• The path of Yoga is open to all, irrespective of race, caste, creed, and sex. Geeta S Iyengar, Yoga: A Gem for Women, Are Women Eligible for Yoga?
• Initially, repetition is more important than duration. (with her father) BKS Iyengar and Geeta S Iyengar, Basic Guidelines for Teachers of Yoga, Guiding the Teachers
• One’s progress in this field depends entirely on one’s inner strength and endurance. One need not feel disheartened if progress is slow. Geeta S Iyengar, Yoga: A Gem for Women, Yoga Sadhana: Method of Practice and Prerequisites
• Do not despair if a posture eludes you: continue the practice and elasticity will be achieved in due course. Geeta S Iyengar, Yoga: A Gem for Women, Yoga Sadhana: Method of Practice and Prerequisites
• The preparation for a literary pursuit, too, has its beginning with the alphabet. Meditation also must have its humble beginning which finally leads to supreme joy. Geeta S Iyengar, Yoga: A Gem for Women, Dhyana (Meditation)
• The beginner should avoid the use of a mirror because it is necessary to be inwardly aware of what one is doing. Geeta S Iyengar, Yoga: A Gem for Women, Hints and Suggestions for the Practice of Asanas
• Do not shut your eyes while practising asanas as all the movements have to be observed carefully. A beginner will lose all awareness if the eyes are shut. Geeta S Iyengar, Yoga: A Gem for Women, Hints and Suggestions for the Practice of Asanas

Ageing Well (6)

• When this body has been so magnificently and artistically created…, it is only fitting that we should maintain it in good health and harmony by the most excellent and artistic science of Yoga. Geeta S Iyengar, Yoga: A Gem for Women, Know Your Body
• Yoga is a gift for old age. One who takes to Yoga when old gains not only health and happiness but also freshness of mind. Geeta S Iyengar, Yoga: A Gem for Women, Three Milestones in a Woman’s Life
• You may not disclose your age but the muscles tell you what your age is. Geeta S Iyengar, women’s class questions in Sydney, 1996
• Suppose I want to look younger so I go on using makeup and polishing my nails. How long can I hide? You have to face the truth. Geeta S Iyengar, interview, 1995
• One has to accept the fact that the body has become a little old and then take efforts to make it young. Geeta S Iyengar, Yoga Rahasya, Vol 7 No 1, 2000, Interview with Geeta Iyengar
• You may be able to do, the young may be able to do, but can you guide people who are ageing? Geeta S Iyengar, class in Sydney, 2003

Health, Illness And Injury (4)

• No amount of wealth can equal health. Between the two, the choice is always with health, since wealth cannot be enjoyed without health, whereas wealth can be commanded if one has health. Geeta S Iyengar, Yoga: A Gem for Women, The Nature of Health
• Good health can neither be bought nor bartered. It cannot be robbed or acquired by force. Geeta S Iyengar, Yoga: A Gem for Women, The Nature of Health
• Stretch is required whenever your body is lazy. With problems, go down, stretch, but don’t strain. Geeta S Iyengar, women’s class questions in Sydney, 1996
• When you are all right you don’t pay attention to the particular things that have to be done, but only when the problem comes. Geeta S Iyengar, women’s class questions in Sydney, 1996

Teaching (8)

• The person who knows his own mind will better know the other’s mind. Geeta S Iyengar, interview, 1995
• Compassion is always needed. But we think that compassion means to be soft. Geeta S Iyengar, interview, 1995
• Your words should shoot like arrows to the part of the body you are teaching. (with her father) BKS Iyengar and Geeta S Iyengar, Basic Guidelines for Teachers of Yoga, Guiding the Teachers
• Ask them to look at you. You can’t give instructions to the air. Geeta S Iyengar, teachers course in Sydney, 1996
• You don’t say “Open your heart” you say “Open your chest”. If you say “Open your heart”, they may do anything with the heart. Geeta S Iyengar, teachers course in Sydney, 1996
• If I say “Go on the outer edge”, you let loose the inner edge. If I say “Be on the inner edge”, you let loose the outer edge. Geeta S Iyengar, class in Sydney, 1996
• Thigh is a simple word, why don’t you use it? Why make something unnecessarily complicated unless you are very sure about some particular action. Geeta S Iyengar, teachers course in Sydney, 1996
• If you have lost something in your room don’t you look for it in every nook and corner? If your diamond wedding ring is lost how anxious you are and how you search. Is it not your duty to search from inside if the movement is not coming. Geeta S Iyengar, teachers course in Sydney, 1996

Learning (4)

• …You are learning by helping them. They make you understand and you must give them respect. (with her father) BKS Iyengar and Geeta S Iyengar, Basic Guidelines for Teachers of Yoga, Guiding the Teachers
• No knowledge is gained instantly. In fact, knowledge has a beginning but no end. This is all the more true of Yoga. Geeta S Iyengar, Yoga: A Gem for Women, Yoga Sadhana: Method of Practice and Prerequisites
• As maturity comes, I think practice changes. I didn’t change it but it changed as understanding started coming. Geeta S Iyengar, interview, 1995
• You go to university to learn but you go to classes to find out. Geeta S Iyengar, teachers course in Sydney, 1996

Life And Happiness (3)

• Life without happiness is mere existence. Geeta S Iyengar, Yoga: A Gem for Women, The Nature of Health
• I have kept my life very simple. There is no hankering, no ambition, no demand. Geeta S Iyengar, Yoga Rahasya, Vol 7 No 1, 2000, Interview with Geeta Iyengar
• Living is an art. Yoga enhances the quality of one’s life. Hence it is an art. Geeta S Iyengar, Yoga: A Gem for Women, The Path of Yoga

Fear And Courage (9)

• If my mind is heavy then I cannot raise my body up. Body becomes heavy if the mind is negative with fear. Geeta S Iyengar, Yoga Rahasya, Vol 7 No 1, 2000, Interview with Geeta Iyengar
• Show courage at the time of doubt; do not take risks if you are in doubt. (with her father) BKS Iyengar and Geeta S Iyengar, Basic Guidelines for Teachers of Yoga, Guiding the Teachers
• Instead of restricting the movement, one should be courageous to get more movement there. You need courage to do. Geeta S Iyengar, women’s class questions in Sydney, 1996
• If one does not face the pain in the present, the pain is stored for the future. It will be worse by that time. Geeta S Iyengar, interview, 1995
• I will prepare the person who is afraid of doing Sirsasana physically and mentally to build up the courage. I won’t inform them that I am preparing them. Geeta S Iyengar, interview, 1995
• If the students are afraid to do the asana, then you may just ask them to do the first step of it. Build up courage in the student. (with her father) BKS Iyengar and Geeta S Iyengar, Basic Guidelines for Teachers of Yoga, Guiding the Teachers
• Bring in refinement later. Your presentation gives them courage to break their limitations. (with her father) BKS Iyengar and Geeta S Iyengar, Basic Guidelines for Teachers of Yoga, Guiding the Teachers
• To tell a beginner that it is going to be a backbending class is not going to prepare them. They are unprepared mentally. Geeta S Iyengar, teachers course in Sydney, 1996
• Violence is the outcome of fear, selfishness, anger, and lack of confidence. Non-violence is respect for others; it is a state of mind. Geeta S Iyengar, Yoga: A Gem for Women, The Path of Yoga

Relaxation, Rest And Sleep (8)

• Savasana is control over the inner world… Geeta S Iyengar, Yoga: A Gem for Women, On the Threshold of Peace
• In the beginning one may fall asleep when silence is experienced, but later one will learn to be silent without falling asleep. Geeta S Iyengar, Yoga: A Gem for Women, On the Threshold of Peace
• Although this asana appears simple, it is most difficult to master. Geeta S Iyengar, Yoga: A Gem for Women, On the Threshold of Peace
• Relax the eyes, the ears, and the tongue. Keep the jaws loose and do not clench the teeth. If you are tense, the benefit of the asana is lost. Geeta S Iyengar, Yoga: A Gem for Women, Hints and Suggestions for the Practice of Asanas
• If the feet are tense the whole body will be tense. Geeta S Iyengar, class in Sydney, 2003
• There is a feeling as if the body has been elongated by several inches. This is freedom of the mind and freedom of the body. Geeta S Iyengar, Yoga: A Gem for Women, On the Threshold of Peace
• Sound, undisturbed sleep is a life-giver. The conscious mind ceases to function for some hours, recharging batteries for the next day. Geeta S Iyengar, Yoga: A Gem for Women, Four Paths to Liberation
• You are not completely tired but the brain has taken in too many things at one time so relax your brain. You have studied, so after studying you have to rest your head. Geeta S Iyengar, class in Sydney, 1996

Stress (2)

• We have to learn how to face all problems calmly and quietly. You change your mental attitude in spite of having problems. Geeta S Iyengar, women’s class questions in Sydney, 1996
• Natural sleep occurs in a tranquil body and mind and makes one well equipped to face the problems of the day. Geeta S Iyengar, Yoga: A Gem for Women, Four Paths to Liberation

Philosophy, The Sutras And The Ego (1)

• Yoga is a philosophy, a way of life, wherein art and science meet. Geeta S Iyengar, Yoga: A Gem for Women, The Path of Yoga

From class notes

97 class notes record what Geeta taught, as summarised by students who took notes in class. They are the note-takers’ wording, not exact words, so they are not shown as quotes. Each links to its explanation on a topic page.

The Breath And Pranayama (6)

• Geeta taught that you should not force the breath, and you should not burden the body with it. Pune, 1997
• Geeta taught that you are not supposed to force your breath. You watch the inhalation, which brings a soft, quiet movement. Sydney, 2003
• Geeta taught that you first adjust the body, and then you adjust the breath through that body. You should not let the body sink and then try to adjust the breath. Sydney, 2003
• Geeta taught that creating space is the first lesson of pranayama. Pune, 1997
• Geeta taught that you should build up, and not demolish the building each time you exhale. Penticton, 2008
• Geeta taught that you have to be receptive for pranayama. You have to reach somewhere inside, and be neither lazy nor excited. Pune, 1997

The Mind And Meditation (4)

• Geeta taught that you have to develop a meditative nature before you attempt meditation. talk in South Africa, 2011
• Geeta taught that the work is not just physical. It is opening the mind. class in Twin Waters, Australia, 2009
• Geeta taught that sometimes you should just learn how to sit. Pune, 1997
• Geeta said that when a student’s mind stays with the shinbone, that is called dharana. Sydney, 2003

Attention And Awareness (7)

• Geeta taught that you need to witness the very process of doing, while it is happening in you. talk in Portland, 2010
• Geeta taught that attention on the left and action on the right have to synchronise, and then awareness spreads. class in Twin Waters, Australia, 2009
• Geeta said that when she says shin ten times over, the question is whether your mind stays with the shinbone. That is how the mind has to work, she said, because you never know at which moment it hangs up. Sydney, 2003
• Geeta taught that your attention should be inside while your eyes stay outside. Pune, 1997
• Geeta taught that the mind should not be given up at all while you are in the pose. Pune, 1997
• Geeta taught that a disciplined consciousness spreads, while an undisciplined one does not spread but moves from one object to another, which is the fluctuation of the mind. class in Twin Waters, Australia, 2009
• Geeta taught that when you go fast, you disconnect the body from the brain. Pune, 1997

Practice (7)

• Geeta said that in spite of everything she keeps on practising, and that this is tapas, the willingness to keep going. Even if she gets only two hours in the whole day, she does it. talk in Penticton, 2008
• Geeta taught that every day you should practise as a beginner, because once you think you are not a newcomer, your brain is already calculating something. pranayama class in Portland, 2010
• Geeta taught that you should fix the memory in the body and not in the brain. class in Pune, 2010
• Geeta taught that when you stay longer you learn more. Study begins as you see what gets tired and what stays strong, and one minute in a pose does no good. Pune, 1997
• Geeta said she would rather practise than speak. teachers talk in Las Vegas, 2007
• Geeta taught that you will find it difficult, but you should not give up. class in Pune, 2010
• Geeta taught that it takes time. There is no quick yoga and no instant yoga, and there is a vast sadhana (steady practice) that has to be done. talk in South Africa, 2011

Effort And Discipline (7)

• Geeta said she was not asking students to push or jerk themselves with effort, but where effort has to occur, you must see that it happens. Sydney, 2003
• Geeta told students to put in a little more effort for a better understanding, and afterwards to convert that extra effort into their practice. Sydney, 2003
• Geeta taught that in Trikonasana, if you stay for thirty seconds, then in those thirty seconds you should keep the continuity of that effort. Sydney, 2003
• Geeta taught that what is easier, we do. What is difficult, we do not. And if it pains, we want to go. Pune, 1997
• Geeta taught that tolerance is a part of tapas. pranayama class in Penticton, 2008
• Geeta taught that you have to know when to take the next step. If the action is rough, it is too fast. Pune, 1997
• Geeta taught that the problem comes when over-ambition is there and you forget what you have to do. Pune, 1997

The Body And Alignment (8)

• Geeta told students to search the secret areas of the body from inside, and not to try to touch them from the outside. Pune, 1997
• Geeta taught that if Tadasana is done as a muscular action it is wrong. You should move the bones without hardening the flesh. Pune, 1997
• Geeta taught that without attention, the arches drop and the abdomen drops. Pune, 1997
• Geeta told students to make the back of the thigh broad, like a blackboard you could write across from one side to the other. Pune, 1997
• Geeta taught that the seat is not just the buttock bones. The ankle bones, knees, thighs and buttock bones all create the seat. Pune, 1997
• Geeta taught that the whole body has to sit, and that you should not be the Tower of Pisa. Pune, 1997
• Geeta taught that you have to feel the full length of the body. If it is shortening, compressing or narrowing somewhere, you have to lengthen there. Sydney, 2003
• Geeta taught that we have to learn to speak to our body. pranayama class in Penticton, 2008

Standing Poses (5)

• Geeta taught that you have to be honest in the root of the thigh to find out what you have done. Sydney, 2003
• Geeta taught that the thighs have to come in until they become humble. Pune, 1997
• Geeta taught that you have to learn the pose from the feet. It is always difficult, because we do not know where our feet are. Pune, 1997
• Geeta taught that you straighten a crumpled mat because it bothers you, so you touch it and fix it. The soles of the feet should have that same sensitivity. Sydney, 2003
• Geeta taught that you should find out first, before going up, where that bone is, because it is difficult to adjust once you are up there. Pune, 1997

Poses (8)

• Geeta taught that descending the energy of the groins is the secret of forward bends. Pune, 1997
• Geeta taught that you should not just twist: lift and level first, and then twist. Pune, 1997
• Geeta taught that in turning you should not get twisted. It is a lateral turn. Pune, 1997
• Geeta taught that twistings are the most difficult to understand and the most difficult to teach. Pune, 1997
• Geeta told students to learn the correct names. You should not say head balance when the head is not balanced properly; the day your head balances, that day you can say head balance. Sydney, 2003
• Geeta asked students whether, when they support the back with the palms, the back responds and ascends upward, or falls onto the palms. Sydney, 2003
• Geeta taught that as the front chest opens, the back chest should release and not become hard. Pune, 1997
• Geeta told students not to push the bottom of the chest, but to keep it soft like butter so that the upper chest opens. Pune, 1997

Props (3)

• Geeta taught that as beginners we have to use supports, and we search through using them to learn how to work without them. Pune, 1997
• Geeta taught that the prop is meant to be used, but you have to be sharp. The brick is like another sternum on the back. Pune, 1997
• Geeta taught that different props suit different problems and different styles. Our body is also a prop. pranayama class in Penticton, 2008

Beginners And Stiffness (4)

• Geeta taught that if you just begin from a beginner’s standard, then you learn a lot. Pune, 1997
• Geeta taught that sometimes innocent people do better, because as we become advanced we think too much and carry more responsibility. Pune, 1997
• Geeta taught that you cannot tell beginners to relax, because they let go of everything. Pune, 1997
• Geeta said that a beginner will grip the toes, out of fear of slipping and fear of losing balance, so they contract their toes. class in Twin Waters, Australia, 2009

Teaching (7)

• Geeta taught that one who can remove one’s own weaknesses knows how to teach. Pune, 1997
• Geeta said not to start teaching before you have experienced it yourself. pranayama class in Portland, 2010
• Geeta taught that as a teacher you need to have a lot of patience. talk in Portland, 2010
• Geeta told teachers to find out who is dull and go to them first. class in Las Vegas, 2007
• Geeta told teachers to first give students a rough line sketch, and then find out how to draw and shade the image. Pune, 1997
• Geeta taught that when you are not getting it, you have to simplify. Pune, 1997
• Geeta said that in her classes she talks about actions and openings, not specific anatomy or physiological conditions, because words are not going to create the opening. Pune, 1997

Learning (8)

• Geeta taught that learning is standing up and seeing the sensation. Pune, 1997
• Geeta taught that you all learn wrong things faster than right things. Pune, 1997
• Geeta taught that you must find out how to find the alignment of that bone. You cannot wait for the instruction, and you must find out for yourself. Pune, 1997
• Geeta taught that first you gather information. Then you find out if the information is correct. Then you apply it, and if it is incorrect you adjust. Pune, 1997
• Geeta taught that you have to question yourself just as you question our teaching. Pune, 1997
• Geeta said it does not satisfy her to have taught something and have students think they have learnt a lot, because first something has to penetrate inside. Even a single time is enough. Sydney, 2003
• Geeta taught that whatever we know is little compared with what is to be known. class in Las Vegas, 2007
• Geeta told students to accept that Mr Iyengar is legendary and not try to imitate him, because we are not where he is, and to find their own better pose. Pune, 1997

Life And Happiness (5)

• Geeta said it is a bit difficult to speak on Iyengar yoga, because her ego may come up. talk in South Africa, 2011
• Geeta taught that if you want to be helped, you have to help others. pranayama class in Portland, 2010
• Geeta told students not to cheat and not to be untruthful, because cheating and untruthfulness happen without knowing. Pune, 1997
• Geeta told students to find out their own capacity and be truthful to it. Sydney, 2003
• Geeta taught that you should first treat yourself, and then you can treat others. Pune, 1997

Fear And Courage (4)

• Geeta said not to hide yourself: clear it up, do not run away from these things, but deal with them. talk in Penticton, 2008
• Geeta said not to be nervous: the choking feeling comes because you do not raise up the back of the trunk enough. class in Twin Waters, Australia, 2009
• Geeta taught that it remains unknown if you do not struggle and find out. Pune, 1997
• Geeta taught that you have to investigate to find out. Even if it is a bad or wrong thing to do, sometimes you have to know, whether to grip or release, to spread or harden. Pune, 1997

Relaxation, Rest And Sleep (6)

• Geeta taught that in a good Savasana, the length of the body has to increase. pranayama class in Sydney, 2003
• Geeta taught that if you have done a good Savasana, you are with yourself. class in Las Vegas, 2007
• Geeta taught that the mind does not remain steady, which is why you are lying down. The mind becomes receptive at that time. Pune, 1997
• Geeta told students to lie down, receive themselves, and let go of themselves. Pune, 1997
• Geeta told students to let go everywhere, and let loose everywhere. Sydney, 2003
• Geeta taught that it is easy to just say relax the abdomen in Savasana, and it is easy to relax the outer body. Pune, 1997

Stress (2)

• Geeta taught that the moment there is instability, the peace of mind is gone. talk in Portland, 2010
• Geeta asked whether you can make your head calm and your body sharp. Pune, 1997

Philosophy, The Sutras And The Ego (6)

• Geeta said her father never called his approach Iyengar yoga. He called it yoga, because for him yoga was always one. talk in South Africa, 2011
• Geeta taught that Patanjali says: what has to be seen, see. What has to be known, know. What has to be reached, reach. It has to be in combination. Pune, 1997
• Geeta taught that ego will take the hood of a cobra, like a poison. talk in Penticton, 2008
• Geeta taught that it is mental training, using the body to culture the mind. Pune, 1997
• Geeta taught that freedom of the body is also freedom of the mind. talk in South Africa, 2011
• Geeta taught that holding the breath is sometimes easier than having the intelligence flow, which is more difficult. That is why after pranayama come dharana and dhyana, because it is intellectual work. Sydney, 2003

Related pages

• All the Iyengar quotes, by topic
• Mr BKS Iyengar quotes
• Prashant S Iyengar quotes
• Who was Mr BKS Iyengar? Our longer note
• Yoga philosophy and Iyengar yoga: our notes

Frequently asked questions

Who was Geeta Iyengar?

Geeta S Iyengar (1944 to 2018) was Mr BKS Iyengar’s eldest daughter and a senior teacher at the Pune institute. She studied philosophy and Ayurveda, wrote Yoga: A Gem for Women and taught all over the world.

What did Geeta Iyengar write?

Her best known book is Yoga: A Gem for Women. She also wrote Yoga in Action for Beginners and, with her father, Basic Guidelines for Teachers of Yoga.

What did Geeta Iyengar say about women and yoga?

She wrote that the idea that yoga is not meant for women is wrong. In her book she set out how women can practise, and she said the old fear of women doing upside-down poses has gone.

Did Geeta Iyengar teach in Australia?

Yes. Several quotes on this page come from her classes and teachers’ courses in Sydney in 1996 and 2003.

Flametree Yoga Studio teaches Iyengar yoga in Darwin and LIVE online. This page is general information, not medical advice. The quotes are short credited extracts; each credit names the source. Further reading: Geeta Iyengar on Wikipedia.

Last updated 1 November 2026