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

In this episode I am deeply honored to be in conversation with Eric Small—a pioneering teacher of Iyengar Yoga whose work has spanned more than six decades.

At 93, Eric brings a lifetime of experience shaped by direct study with Yogacharya B.K.S. Iyengar and Geeta Iyengar, as well as his groundbreaking work adapting yoga for students with multiple sclerosis. Through storytelling, reflection, and lived experience, he shares what it means to teach from the heart, to observe deeply, and to serve with humility.

This conversation is both a historical record and a personal testament—offering insight into the early years of Iyengar Yoga in the West, the depth of the teacher-student relationship, and the enduring power of practice as a path of healing and self-understanding.

Please enjoy this conversation with Eric Small.

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

Today I’m joined by longtime Iyengar Yoga teacher Mary Reilly. Mary began practicing yoga in the early days of Iyengar Yoga in the United States, studying with teachers who had just returned from India after working directly with B.K.S. Iyengar. What began as a simple attempt to regain her concentration after finishing a demanding biology degree quickly became a lifelong path of practice and study.

In this conversation, Mary shares what it was like to encounter Iyengar Yoga in its early years, her first trips to Pune during the intensive programs at the institute, and the profound lessons she absorbed from Guruji and Geeta Iyengar. We also talk about the art of teaching, including Mary’s memorable experience participating in the filmed teaching demonstration known as The Art of Teaching in Chicago.

Along the way, Mary reflects on listening with the body, trusting the intelligence of practice, and what it means to teach from the heart rather than simply from the mind.

If this episode resonates with you, I invite you to like, share, or subscribe. And if you’re able, a small monthly contribution helps sustain the continued production of this podcast.

Please enjoy my conversation with Mary Reilly.

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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 and Geetaji, the teachings of Prashant Iyengar, and the importance of community and service in sustaining this living tradition.

If this episode resonates with you, I invite you to like, share, or subscribe. And if you’re able, a small monthly contribution helps sustain the continued production of this podcast.

Please enjoy this episode of On the Light.

Support the show