Firooza Ali audio
Last year, when we were lucky enough to have Firooza teach at the Centre, she stayed with Frances who took the opportunity to sit and record a chat with her around the kitchen table. She describes the experience of being taught, as a young woman, by the great BKS Iyengar himself, her growing love of yoga and the unusual access she had to the Iyengar Institute in Pune. Then the challenges of combining teaching with looking after her children and a busy career until she finally started to travel and teach outside India.
We hope you enjoy this, listening out on the way for Millie the cat who insisted on having her say!
For those of you newer to Iyengar yoga, the following glossary of terms that may be helpful;
Guruji- BKS Iyengar, the source of our method of teaching and practice
Viparita Chakrasana- an advanced and challenging back bend
Geetaji- Mr Iyengar's daughter and teacher at the Institute
Prashantji- his son and teacher at the Institute
Pune- the world famous Iyengar Yoga Institute is in this Indian city
Intensives-2 or 3 weeks of special daily classes conducted by Guruji
Sarvangasana- shoulder stand
25 paise- about ten pence
Anna Maria- Edinburgh teacher from Yoga Stable who first invited Firooza to teach abroad, which is when Frances met her and invited her to Sheffield.