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In today’s episode, I am joined by senior Iyengar Yoga teacher Rebecca Lerner.

Rebecca's journey into yoga began through rehabilitation after a devastating injury as a teenager that permanently altered the course of her life. What started as a search for healing became a lifelong path of study, practice, and teaching. Over the decades, Rebecca has studied with B.K.S. Iyengar, Geetaji, Prashantji, and Abhijata, all while balancing the equally important roles of wife, mother, and teacher.

In our conversation, Rebecca shares memories of her early trips to Pune, stories of Guruji and Geetaji, insights from years of study, and reflections on how yoga helps us persevere through life's inevitable obstacles. She speaks candidly about her own physical challenges and the lessons she learned from Guruji's simple but profound instruction:

"Let that leg be your guru."

I hope you enjoy this heartfelt conversation with Rebecca Lerner.

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Welcome back to On the Light. I'm your host, Susan Johnson.

This is the third conversation in my series with Prashant Iyengar exploring the History of Yog. In our previous two episodes, Prashantji encouraged us to understand our own history before turning to the history of the Yog tradition itself.

Today, we begin exploring that tradition. Prashantji explains the relationship between the classical texts and the living teacher, reminding us that while the texts illuminate the path, the guru must customize the teaching according to the individual student, the time, and the circumstances.

If you enjoy On the Light, please consider liking, sharing, and subscribing. Click on “Support the Show” in the show notes. A small monthly donation helps support the continued production of this podcast.

Please enjoy this episode of On the Light.

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In our previous conversation, Prashantji challenged us to rethink what it means to study the history of yoga. Before looking outward, he suggested that we first examine our own history—to honestly acknowledge our mistakes, express gratitude where it is due, and recognize the ways our past continues to shape who we are today. 

Today, he expands that idea in remarkable ways, inviting us to consider karma, memory, and the timeless nature of our existence.

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Please enjoy this episode of On the Light

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Today's episode is especially meaningful to me because it was recorded in person in Pune, during my recent visit to study at the Institute. My dear friend, Yemile Mizrahi, joined me for this interview as well, making the experience even more memorable.

This is the first in a series of conversations on the history of yog. I arrived with what I thought was a straightforward question—but I was completely surprised by where Prashantji took the conversation. Rather than simply discussing the history of yog, he turned the inquiry inward in a way I never expected.

His response challenged me, and I think it will challenge you as well.

If you enjoy On the Light, please consider liking, sharing, and subscribing. Click on “Support the Show” in the show notes. A small monthly donation helps support the continued production of this podcast.

I hope you enjoy this episode of On the Light.

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If you've ever traveled to Pune to study at the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute, there's a good chance you've met today's guest.

His name is Amin, and for many years he has welcomed students from around the world—not only by driving them through the streets of Pune, but by helping them feel safe, cared for, and at home. For countless practitioners, a ride with Amin is as much a part of the Pune experience as practicing at the Institute itself.

When I recently shared a photo of Amin with us on social media, I was amazed by the response. Many people reached out to me saying, "I love Amin!" It made me realize that while many of us know Amin, very few of us know his story.

In this conversation, Amin shares how he first became connected with the Iyengar community, the relationships he has built with students and members of the Iyengar family over the years, and what it has meant to spend his life serving those who come to Pune to study yoga.

This was Amin's very first podcast interview. His first language is Marathi, and he speaks from the heart with remarkable honesty and humility. I hope you'll listen not only to his words, but to the kindness, gratitude, and generosity that have made him such a beloved member of our community.

Please enjoy this conversation with my friend, Amin.

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Welcome back to On the Light. I'm your host, Susan Johnson.

If you enjoy On the Light, please consider liking, sharing, or subscribing. And if you’re able, a small monthly donation helps support the continued production of this podcast.

My guest today is Victoria Austin—an Iyengar Yoga teacher, Zen priest, and longtime student of B.K.S. Iyengar and Geeta Iyengar. For more than four decades of study, Victoria has explored the profound relationship between yoga, meditation, and the human experience, bringing the teachings of Iyengar Yoga into dialogue with Buddhist practice, chaplaincy, and the care of those facing illness, trauma, and death.

In this conversation, Victoria shares extraordinary stories of her time with Guruji and Geetaji—stories filled with humor, compassion, challenge, and unwavering precision. She reflects on how the teachings carried her through serious accidents and surgeries, how practice became a means of meeting fear rather than avoiding it, and why yoga remains available to us at every stage of life.

This episode is ultimately about what it means to truly receive a teaching—not simply to hear it, but to allow it to transform us over time.

Please enjoy my conversation with Victoria Austin.

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Welcome back to On the Light. I'm your host, Susan Johnson.

My guest today is Nikki Costello, a longtime student and teacher of Iyengar Yoga. Nikki reflects on her first encounters with Light on Yoga, her studies with Mary Dunn and Gulnaz Dashti, and the profound experiences that shaped her understanding of the teachings at the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute in Pune.

Along the way, Nikki shares stories of Guruji and Geetaji that illuminate not only their brilliance as teachers, but also the depth of care, discipline, and transformation that lie at the heart of the guru-disciple relationship. She speaks about lineage, mentorship, oral tradition, and what it means to carry the teachings forward—not as a collection of techniques, but as a living practice that continues to evolve within each of us.

This is a conversation about transmission, responsibility, and the enduring vitality of the teachings.

If you enjoy On the Light, please consider liking, sharing, or subscribing. And if you’re able, a small monthly donation helps support the continued production of this podcast.

Please enjoy my conversation with Nikki Costello.

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Welcome back to On the Light and to what is now our fifth season. I'm your host, Susan Johnson.

My guest today is Jaki Nett Jaki is one of the recipients of the Lighting the Way Award presented by IYNAUS in recognition of her decades of dedication to the study, practice, and teaching of Iyengar Yoga. Jaki received this honor at the recent IYNAUS Convention in Philadelphia.

In this conversation, Jaki reflects on nearly four decades of study in Pune, her deep and enduring relationship with Geeta Iyengar, and the profound influence Geetaji had on her life as a student, teacher, and practitioner. She shares stories of both Guruji and Geetaji that reveal not only their brilliance as teachers, but also their humanity, humor, compassion, and unwavering commitment to the subject of yoga.

At its heart, this is a conversation about lineage—how it is received, how it transforms us, and the responsibility each of us carries to preserve and pass on the teachings with integrity.

If you enjoy On the Light, please consider liking, sharing, or subscribing. And if you’re able, a small monthly donation helps support the continued production of this podcast.

Please enjoy my conversation with Jaki Nett.

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Welcome to Light on Cooking: The Iyengar Tradition. I’m your host, Susan Johnson

In this opening conversation, Prashant Iyengar reflects on the role of food within the life and culture of Yogacharya B.K.S. Iyengar—not simply what was eaten, but the deeper philosophy surrounding food, discipline, ritual, timing, silence, and awareness.

What unfolds is far more than a discussion about meals or favorite dishes. Prashantji offers a rare glimpse into the atmosphere of the Iyengar household: food prepared by family members, meals taken in silence, eating as an offering rather than consumption, and the profound relationship between nourishment and practice.

He speaks about sattvic food, the discipline of mealtimes, Guruji’s simplicity and moderation, and the understanding that yoga does not end on the mat, but extends into every aspect of daily life. The conversation moves between philosophy, culture, memory, and lived experience, revealing how even the most ordinary acts can become sacred when approached with awareness.

This episode sets the tone for the series itself: an exploration not only of cooking and food traditions, but of care, consciousness, family, and the subtle ways yoga is woven into everyday living.

Welcome to Light on Cooking: The Iyengar Tradition.

Please consider supporting the cookbook. 🙏🏼

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Welcome to Light on Cooking: The Iyengar Tradition, a companion podcast to On the Light.

In this series, conversations move into the kitchen and toward the role of food within the life and teachings of Yogacharya B.K.S. Iyengar. Through stories shared by family members, students, and long-time practitioners, we explore cooking, nourishment, daily ritual, and the ways yoga extends into all aspects of life.

These conversations are not simply about recipes or meals, but about care, discipline, culture, and the lived experience of practice.

This podcast will also document the unfolding process of creating the Light on Cooking cookbook project — a gathering of stories, traditions, recipes, and memories connected to the Iyengar family and lineage.

I’m Susan Johnson, and I’ll be your host.

Stay tuned for Episode One with Prashant Iyengar, coming next week.

Thank you for listening.

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