In January, RIMYI celebrated their 50th birthday in Pune, with an intensive programme for yogis who wished to attend. Some of our members attended, and they’ve shared their thoughts in this short series of articles. In this article, Giulia shares her impressions of the celebrations.
Written by Giulia Howard-Hole, Dorset Teacher
Busts of Smt. Ramamani and Guruji side-by-side in Pune
In early January this year I, together with friends, attended the 50 th Birthday Celebrations in Pune to acknowledge the establishment of the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute. It was my first Intensive. Although I had seen the schedule shortly prior to departing - mostly three sessions a day for two weeks - I’d not appreciated just how busy and packed those days would be, and consequently what a different experience it would be from my usual prior visits attending the Institute.
On a sunny morning the day after arrival, we went to RIMYI to register. The reception teams were warm and welcoming. The atmosphere felt different; you could almost sense a celebratory mood in the air. The event was held in a lovely hall on the top floor of the PYC Hindu Gymkhana, also the home of Pune’s cricket ground. The atmosphere on the first day, with people arriving, unpacking their equipment, finding themselves a place to put their mats down, was charged with an excitement and buzz amongst the 250 participants. A large contingent came from the UK. It was interesting meeting others from around the world, as well as seeing some familiar faces. We very quickly settled into a routine of classes, which ended each day with a welcome cup of chai or coffee and some Indian snacks, enabling us to mix and chat after the last class. The two weeks flew by with little time for anything else.
Abhijata, who welcomed us that first morning, explained that although the celebrations were not being held at RIMYI, they wished nonetheless to convey the spirit and ethos of the Institute. Various senior teachers would be teaching us for the duration of the Intensive. These were, Prashant, Abhijata, Raya, Navas, Sunita, and Srineet, a grandson of BKS Iyengar. She also acknowledged there was a big group of first-timers. For them, a few classes at RIMYI would also be held, to enable them to experience the atmosphere there.
Beth Perrior (Left) and Guilia Howard-Hole (Right) beside an image of Guruji
The classes varied, some slower paced, and others extremely fast. Numerous asanas were covered, with some more challenging than others. Emphasis was placed on the tradition and methodology of Iyengar teaching. We were regularly asked to study the set of large photos of BKS Iyengar on the walls, and Light on Yoga was frequently referred to. We were urged to not just do the poses we found easy or liked, but to explore other poses within the same ‘family’ group. We should not disregard/avoid more challenging asanas, but embrace them. Asanas such as Visvmamitrasana, or Supta Trivikramasana, to name just two, could all be broken down. It was important to at least attempt them in the early stages. Considering the range of age groups amongst the participants, from their twenties to eighties, and their corresponding abilities, allowances were made for everyone to work as well as they could. If the final stage of the asana was out of reach, you worked on the preparatory stages. There were several assistants - trainee Institute teachers - who were able to assist you if needed. It was important to try and explore what could be done, to challenge yourself. It was wonderful though, to see some excellent yoga practice in the hall.
There was much to learn in those full few days, which will take time to assimilate into my own practice, and eventually pass on. This two week Intensive was different from going for a month at a more leisurely pace, time for personal practice, and time for a teacher to observe classes, if desired. Personal time was much more limited, but even so, I was happy and grateful to have been able to immerse myself for two whole weeks in the practice of yoga.
I came away as always, with a sense of ‘getting back to base’, and of ‘being recharged’.