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Welcome to "On the Light," a podcast dedicated to illuminating the profound teachings and legacy of Yogacharya B.K.S. Iyengar.
Join us as we engage in enlightening conversations, diving deep into the life's work of B.K.S. Iyengar, whose dedication and insight have touched countless lives around the world. From his innovative approach to asana practice to his profound spiritual teachings, we'll uncover the essence of Iyengar Yoga and its relevance in today's world.
This podcast also explores the auspicious subject of yoga itself, delving into its ancient roots and texts, and receiving insight from established Iyengar Yoga teachers.
Whether you're a seasoned practitioner or just beginning your yoga practice, "On the Light" offers a space for learning and inspiration. Please enjoy “On the Light”.
“Yoga is a light, which once lit, will never dim. The better your practice, the brighter the flame.” B.K.S. Iyengar
54 Episodes
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Send a text Today I’m joined by Jennie Williford, a longtime practitioner and teacher of Iyengar Yoga. Jennie has spent the past two decades studying, teaching, volunteering, and helping build Iyengar Yoga communities across the Midwest and beyond. In this episode, Jennie shares how she first discovered Iyengar Yoga, what drew her deeply into the method, and her experiences studying at the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute in Pune. We talk about the powerful presence of Guruji an...
Send a text Welcome back to On the Light. I’m your host, Susan Johnson. Today, it is my great honor to speak with Gloria Goldberg, a longtime student and teacher of the Iyengar method, whose decades of dedicated study and service have placed her in direct contact with Guruji, Geetaji, and the Iyengar family for many many years. Gloria’s journey began in the early 1970s, when she was first drawn to yoga as a way to manage her asthma. What began as a simple, personal practice soon became a life...
Send a text Welcome back to On the Light. I’m your host, Susan Johnson. In today’s episode, I’m grateful, as always, to sit down with Prashant Iyengar for another conversation that takes us deeper into the subject of Sangeet. Prashant begins by explaining that Sangeet arises from the Natya Shastra — the ancient Indian treatise on dramaturgy and the performing arts, a text that explores music, dance, theatre, rasa, and the inner mechanics of expression itself. From there, he leads us into a pr...
Send a text Welcome back to On the Light. I’m your host, Susan Johnson. Today I’m joined by Devki Desai. Devki’s journey with Iyengar Yoga began in Mumbai in the mid-1980s, when her father first brought her to class as a teenager. What began with some resistance soon became a lifelong path, shaped by early study with senior teachers and, soon after, direct exposure to B.K.S. Iyengar himself. Over the years, Devki’s life became deeply interwoven with the Institute in Pune—through practice, tea...
Send a text Welcome back to On the Light. I’m your host, Susan Johnson. Today I’m honored as always to speak with Prashant Iyengar. In this episode, Prashant offers a rich historical lens on yoga, he further discusses the origins of Sangeet, where he speaks to sound not as performance, but as a spiritual practice deeply woven into nature, ritual, and self realization. In this episode he also shares some family history, including a very special story of the time he went to visit th...
Send a text Welcome back to On the Light. I’m your host, Susan Johnson.Today I’m honored to be joined by Lois Steinberg. Lois’s journey into Yoga began at just fourteen years old, sparked by a black-and-white television screen and a young girl’s curiosity about movement. What followed was a lifelong devotion to practice, study, and teaching that would place her heart devoted in the Iyengar tradition. Lois spent extended, immersive periods at the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute in Pun...
Send a text Welcome back to On the Light. I am your host, Susan Johnson. In this episode, I speak with Corine Biria, who lives and teaches in Paris and around the world. Corine shares how a chance introduction to yoga led to a lifelong dedication to the Iyengar method, and how meeting B.K.S. Iyengar (Guruji) in Pune in 1983 profoundly changed her life. She reflects on Guruji’s disciplined and inspiring teaching, his ability to challenge students to move beyond their limits, and the importance...
Send a text ✨Welcome back to On the Light with Susan Johnson.✨ In this first episode of season 4, I have an absolutely fascinating and in-depth discussion with Prashant Iyengar on the profound spiritual connection between the traditional Indian concept of 'sangeet' (a combination of vocal music, instrumental music, and dance) and its role in yoga. Prashantji distinguishes between 'sangeet' and Western music, emphasizing that 'sangeet' has its roots in devotion to divinity and is an inte...
Send a text This very special episode is a must listen! Prashantji opens this episode with a touching tribute to his sisters and all they did for the family after they lost their mother. Listening to Vanita and Savita speak is very heartwarming. Please listen or listen again to this episode and enjoy. 😊 In this episode of On the Light, I had the distinct honor of speaking with two of Guruji’s daughters: Vanita, the second eldest, and Savita, the youngest. It was a truly special conversa...
Send a text I hope you are enjoying the re-release of these episodes while I work on preparing new interviews for season 4. Whether you're listening again or tuning in for the first time, I hope these conversations continue to inspire, inform, and bring a little more light to your day. ✨ Episode 3: Welcome back to "On the Light." a podcast dedicated to illuminating the profound teachings and legacy of Yogacharya B.K.S. Iyengar. I’m your host, Susan Johnson. In this episode I am joined by Guln...
Send a text Welcome back to On the Light. I’m your host, Susan Johnson. Today, I’m re-releasing a special episode with Srineet Sidharan, grandson of B.K.S. Iyengar. Srineet shares personal memories of his grandfather and offers a beautiful glimpse into Guruji’s life beyond teaching. It’s one of my favorite conversations, and I’m so happy to share it with you again... In this episode I have a very rich conversation with the grandson of BKS Iyengar, Srineet Sridharan. Srineet talks about ...
Send a text Welcome back to On the Light. I'm so happy to re-release this interview with Joan White. I had so much fun recording this interview. A few months after this interview I got to be Joan's roommate in Bellur while we were there to study with Prashant. That experience was just as much fun! I feel so fortunate to call this amazing woman my friend. Joan began her studies with BKS Iyengar in 1973. In this episode you will hear Joan talk about Guruji’s incredible power of observatio...
Send a text Today I invite you to re-listen (or listen for the first time) my first interview with Prashantji. This is a very special episode as he recounts Guruji's early years ... Welcome to "On the Light," a podcast dedicated to illuminating the profound teachings and legacy of Yogacharya B.K.S. Iyengar. I’m your host, Susan Johnson. In this first episode, I'm happy to be joined by Lee Sverkerson, a long-time teacher of mine and co-founder of the B.K.S. Iyengar Yoga Center in Minneapolis. ...
Send a text For today’s episode I am honoring the request of listener, Ramani, from Northern Virginia. She wrote to me and asked if I could have Prashant tell the story of when Guruji and his wife had an identical dream which then changed their fortune. Prashantji recalls this remarkable incident and brings it to life for us today. I want to thank you all for listening and supporting the podcast. If you’re able to contribute a small monthly donation to help sustain the costs of the podc...
Send a text In this episode, I talk with Marla Apt about her journey into Iyengar Yoga. Inspired by her mother and shaped by her college studies in Buddhist philosophy, Marla found her way to the Iyengar Yoga Institute of Los Angeles and, eventually, to Pune to study directly with Guruji, Geeta, and Prashant. She shares vivid stories of those experiences—Guruji’s precise adjustments, Geeta’s compassionate guidance, and the generosity of the Iyengar family. We also discuss her work in yoga the...
Send a text Welcome back to On the Light. In this episode, I sit down with Kirsten Agar, who shares how she first came to Iyengar Yoga in her early twenties after years of intense academic study. What began with a simple weekly class soon became a central part of her life. Kirsten talks about her unforgettable encounter with Guruji at the 1993 Euro Yoga Convention and how his teachings shaped her practice. She reflects on the importance of spirituality, authenticity, and staying rooted in the...
Send a text Welcome back to On the Light. In today’s episode Prashantji continues the discussion on practice where he tells us that practice is not something that should be belittled. It is necessary in our formative periods of our education. He says that any effort to be steady the citta is abhyasa. Then he goes on to explain Sadhana and the importance of Satsangha. Please enjoy this very educational episode of On the Light. Support the show
Send a text In today’s episode, I ask Prashantji to help us understand the difference between practice and sadhana. He not only defines practice, but also shares why it’s so essential—and what it truly asks of us as yoga students. I think you’ll find his perspective both clarifying and inspiring. Please enjoy this episode of On the Light. Support the show
Send a text Welcome back to On the Light. In this episode, I have a lively conversation with Tori Milner from the Iyengar Institute of New York. Tori shares about her introduction to Iyengar Yoga, from her early influences at home to discovering Unity Woods Yoga Center and learning from John Schumacher and Mary Dunn. She also shares some significant experiences while studying in Pune with the Iyengar family. Additionally, Tori gives us a look ahead to the 2026 convention with Abhi...
Send a text Welcome back to On the Light. Today I’m honored to speak with Dr. Rajvi Mehta, a senior Iyengar Yoga teacher who began studying with Guruji in 1979. She’s been teaching at the Light on Yoga Research Trust in Mumbai since 1987 and is the creator and editor of Yoga Rahasya. In our conversation, Rajvi shares how her family came into the practice of yoga and shares lessons and insights of her decades of study with Guruji. Please enjoy this rich and inspiring episode of On ...
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