Episode 9. Uday Bhosale is a highly regarded Iyengar Yoga teacher originating from Pune and currently based in the UK. Uday embarked on the path of Yoga in his late teens, when in 1998 he enrolled in classes at the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute (RIMYI) as part of his martial arts training. Gradually, his passion for yoga overtook his interest in martial arts. For fifteen years, Uday has been studying, assisting, and teaching at the RYMYI in Pune with the Iyengar family. He also assisted in Geetaji’s therapy classes.

In this interview, Uday shares how his journey in Yoga has evolved over the years, what drives him today to practice Yoga and teach his students. He also recalls some moments and sweet memories of Guruji and the Iyengar family.

Uday was awarded a British Empire Medal  for fundraising services to National Health Service charities and for supporting the mental health of yoga practitioners during COVID-19.

Currently based in Reading, UK, Uday teaches online and in-person classes and workshops in the UK, India and Europe.

Uday Bhosale’s website

https://www.yogawithuday.com/

Uday Bhosale’s instagram

https://www.instagram.com/udaybhosaleyoga/

Episode 8. A bonus episode with Sri H.S. Arun. After the release of the first interview with Arunji, we both realized that the recording quality wasn't great. Listeners had to put in a lot of effort to hear what was being said in many parts of the conversation. Therefore, we've decided to make a new interview—a bonus episode—with far better audio quality. In this chat, we address the challenges that junior Iyengar Yoga teachers encounter when beginning to guide students and how to navigate through these challenges. Arunji provides practical advice for young teachers on guiding beginner students who at times bring resistance to their learning process, not following teacher's instructions properly. We also discuss why it's important to approach every asana with a fresh mind, and what a young teacher should be careful of to not get carried away and fall from grace.

H.S. Arun website

https://yogashraya.org/

H.S Arun Instagram

Episode 7. Join the second part of my conversation with Eyal Shifroni, a senior Iyengar Yoga teacher from Israel. Here we explore how a practitioner of Yoga should look and approach global crises; what a Yoga teacher should be mindful of when promoting their work on social media, in order to remain authentic and avoid becoming commercial; and how Yoga could transform not only an individual but the whole society.

Eyal Shifroni's Instagram:

⁠https://www.instagram.com/eyalshifroni/⁠

Eyal Shifroni's website:

⁠https://eyalshifroni.com/

Episode 6. Eyal Shifroni is among the most senior Iyengar Yoga teachers in Israel. His journey in Iyengar Yoga began in 1982, and since then, he has been studying, teaching, and writing about the Iyengar method. In 1988, he went to Pune for the first time, where he studied directly from Yogacharya BKS Iyengar.

Eyal is active in the Iyengar Yoga Association of Israel. He conducts teacher training courses and actively participates in the certification process. He has also written 8 books on Iyengar Yoga. His first book, “A Chair for Yoga,” was internationally acclaimed, and is also the reason why some practitioners from the Iyengar Yoga community affectionately call him a "Chairman". His recent book, “Yoga in Nature and Natural Props for Yoga,” is a personal exploration of the Yoga asana practice with natural props. Eyal has also translated two of B.K.S. Iyengar's books into Hebrew: "The Tree of Yoga" and "Light on Pranayama."

In this episode of the podcast, we explore the three major practices that define any spiritual path; why the world leaders should study Yoga; and how to find the "natural Yoga props" and use them in your practice. Eyal also shares his impressions from his first visit to Pune, and what Svadhyaya, the study of the Self, means personally for him. Currently, Eyal teaches at his school, the Iyengar Yoga Center of Zichron-Ya’akov, in Israel, and conducts Yoga workshops in Israel and around the world.

Eyal Shifroni's Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/eyalshifroni/

Eyal Shifroni's website:

https://eyalshifroni.com/

Episode 5. In this episode, I continue my conversation with Sri H.S. Arun, a senior Iyengar Yoga teacher from Bangalore. Join us as Arunji shares a touching story of Guruji's visit to the Iyengar Yoga Institute in Bangalore, Prashant Yogashraya. You'll also discover why the practice of Maitrī (friendliness, loving kindness) is so crucial for a Yoga teacher, and what is Arunji's favorite Yoga asana.

Help me shape 'The Fourth Niyama', so that as many Yoga students as possible can benefit from this project. If you find any mistake or inaccuracy in the episode or the website, please let me know. If you are an Iyengar Yoga student yourself and you have a question that you want to ask a senior teacher, you could share your question with me and I will make sure it gets answered. 
Contact me at [email protected]

Episode 4. Sri H.S. Arun is a senior teacher of Iyengar Yoga from Bangalore. He met his Guru, BKS Iyengar, in 1978 and became his devoted disciple. Sri Arun has been teaching Yoga at his Yoga center, Prashant Yogashraya, for nearly 40 years. His wife, Shreematha, is also an ardent student of Iyengar Yoga; she teaches yoga when Arunji travels abroad to conduct workshops for his students around the world. For Arunji’s outstanding grasp of the subject and teaching skills, the state government of India and various institutions have honored him with numerous titles, such as Yoga Praveena and Adarsha Yogacharya. How can you connect with your teacher when they are no longer around? In what ways should a practitioner of Yoga correct and adjust their body in asanas to attain calmness of mind? Which yoga prop Arunji calls “the star of the props”? How does experimenting contribute to our yoga practice? And, how could the practice of yoga influence relationships with your partner? These questions will be addressed in this interview with Arunji.

Prashant Yogashraya website https://yogashraya.org/

Episode 3. Firooza Ali Razvi is among the most senior Iyengar Yoga teachers and based in Mumbai. She has studied with Yogacharya BKS Iyengar since 1977. Firooza was in her early twenties when she started her Yoga journey with her first Yoga teacher Father Joe Pereira. Father Joe later became a medium between Guruji and Firooza, and introduced her to BKS Iyengar. She shares how Yoga has taught her to live with honesty, how it has helped her develop a stronger personality, gain the courage to face any challenge, break out of her shell, and not care much about what the world thinks of her. Firooza is also a Master of Arts in Philosophy and she has taught philosophy to undergraduate students. How should a student of Yoga think of progress in Yoga practice? When should a Yoga student look for a new teacher? How can a student of Yoga find the balance between knowing the philosophical aspect of Yoga and doing the practice of yoga? These questions and more will be addressed in this episode with Firooza.  Firooza currently teaches at Iyengar Yogashraya in Mumbai and conducts workshops in India and globally.

Episode 2. Siddharth Bangera is a third generation student of Yogacharya BKS Iyenagar and a highly regarded Iyengar Yoga teacher based in Mumbai. Siddharth has been practicing Iyengar Yoga since the age of 9. He formally started attending Guruji's classes in Mumbai in 1989. His grandfather, Honnaya Guruva Bangera, started learning from Guruji in the late 1950s. Siddharth's father, Jawahar Bangera, a Senior Iyengar Yoga teacher, has been studying with Guruji since 1969. Siddharth's natural humility and warmth, combined with his strict and creative teaching approach, have made him a sought after teacher among students. Why is it important to preserve the subject of Yoga in its pristine purity? Why doesn't Iyengar Yoga mass-produce teachers, as some other schools do? What principles can a Junior Iyengar Yoga teacher follow to build a sustainable and balanced life during the early stages of their teaching journey? Why is it important to serve humanity after addressing one's own life first? These questions and more will be addressed in this episode with Siddharth Bangera.

Episode 1. What are the essential qualities that every Yoga student should cultivate? How can we conquer our fears through the practice of Yoga? How can Yoga help in recovery and healing after serious life accidents? Usha Devi, a senior teacher of Iyengar Yoga, and a direct disciple of Guruji BKS Iyengar, has learned through her own experience that hard work, determination, humbleness, and fearlessness are the key practices to achieve physical and mental health, develop a deeper understanding of one's true nature. Usha Devi teaches at Patanjala Yoga Kendra, Iyengar Yoga Center in Rishikesh, India. It was November 2022 when I had the opportunity to study with Usha Devi for the first time, and I was immediately astonished with the depth of the practice and the level of awareness I was able to achieve during her classes. In the first episode of 'The Fourth Niyama' we talk with Usha Devi about her remarkable journey of self discovery, as she recounts her first meeting with Guruji, the challenges she faced in her practice following two serious road accidents, and how the power of Iyengar Yoga and Guruji's teachings enabled her to conquer her fears and embark on her path to healing.

'Yoga is the journey of the Self, through the Self, to the Self,' says Bhagavat Gita. Studying and discovering the Self is the essential part of Yoga practice. Yogacharya BKS Iyengar, who was the greatest teacher of Yoga in modern times, was continuously studying and examining his physical, physiological, and mental body during his Yoga practice. He gained all his knowledge about Yoga through his direct experience, and encouraged his students to explore the asanas (Yoga postures) firsthand to gain a deeper understanding of their effects on the body and mind. BKS Iyengar made Yoga accessible to people worldwide and helped many, regardless of their physical condition, to benefit from it. His distinct style of practice was called 'Iyengar Yoga' by his students to emphasize that Iyengar was a teacher they follow and study from. In this podcast we explore the vast subject of Iyengar Yoga with Senior Iyengar Yoga teachers, who are direct disciples of BKS Iyengar. Here they reflect on their Yoga journeys, share their lifelong lessons, and recount moments of joy and growth when studying under the guidance of their Guru.  In this podcast trailer you'd also learn what is niyama and why this podcast is called 'The Fourth Niyama'.