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Welcome back to On the Light. I’m your host, Susan Johnson. Today I’m honored as always to speak with Prashant Iyengar.

In this episode, Prashant offers a rich historical lens on yoga, he further discusses the origins of Sangeet, where he speaks to sound not as performance, but as a spiritual practice deeply woven into nature, ritual, and self realization.

In this episode he also shares some family history, including a very special story of the time he went to visit the Krishna temple with Guruji and his mother.

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Welcome back to On the Light. I’m your host, Susan Johnson.Today I’m honored to be joined by Lois Steinberg.

Lois’s journey into Yoga began at just fourteen years old, sparked by a black-and-white television screen and a young girl’s curiosity about movement. What followed was a lifelong devotion to practice, study, and teaching that would place her heart devoted in the Iyengar tradition.

Lois spent extended, immersive periods at the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute in Pune, studying closely with B.K.S. Iyengar, Geetaji, and Prashant Iyengar over decades. Her path was rigorous, demanding, and transformative—shaped by discipline, deep inquiry, and profound personal experience.

Known worldwide for her work in yoga therapeutics and women’s health, Lois has played a pivotal role in transmitting these teachings with clarity, integrity, and compassion. She brings not only extraordinary technical knowledge, but a living memory of the teachings as they were embodied, tested, and refined at their source.

In this conversation, Lois shares candid stories from her early years of practice, her time in Pune, and the lessons—sometimes fierce, sometimes tender—that continue to inform her teaching today. This is a rare and deeply human glimpse into the lineage, the learning, and the lived experience of Iyengar Yoga.

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

In today’s episode, Prashantji continues to explain the spiritual heart of Indian classical music, or sangeet, and its profound relationship to yoga and devotion.

Prashantji draws important distinctions between Indian classical music and Western music, emphasizing that sangeet was never meant to be mere performance or entertainment, but a sacred practice rooted in eternal culture and devotion to the divine.

Please enjoy this rich and contemplative episode of On the Light.

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Thank you for listening.
Namaskar.

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

In this episode, I speak with Corine Biria, who lives and teaches in Paris and around the world. Corine shares how a chance introduction to yoga led to a lifelong dedication to the Iyengar method, and how meeting B.K.S. Iyengar (Guruji) in Pune in 1983 profoundly changed her life.

She reflects on Guruji’s disciplined and inspiring teaching, his ability to challenge students to move beyond their limits, and the importance of honesty and depth in practice. Corine also speaks about studying with Geetaji and Prashantji, and about the balance between effort, discipline, and maintaining an innocent, open mind.

This episode is a heartfelt reflection on Guruji’s legacy and the power of lived experience in the practice of yoga.

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✨Welcome back to On the Light with Susan Johnson.✨

In this first episode of season 4, I have an absolutely fascinating and in-depth discussion with Prashant Iyengar on the profound spiritual connection between the traditional Indian concept of 'sangeet' (a combination of vocal music, instrumental music, and dance) and its role in yoga. Prashantji distinguishes between 'sangeet' and Western music, emphasizing that 'sangeet' has its roots in devotion to divinity and is an integral aspect of the Vedas. The discussion touches upon the historical and spiritual significance of 'sangeet', its transformation into a performing art, and how it contrasts with contemporary Western music. The session also highlights the role of vocal expression in spiritual practices and the importance of singing for mental well-being. The discussion concludes with a reflection on Prashant’s personal experiences with music, its impact on his yoga practice, and the overarching importance of maintaining the spiritual essence of 'sangeet'.

Please enjoy this opening episode of Season Four of On the Light.

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Namaskar. 🙏🏼

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This very special episode is a must listen! Prashantji opens this episode with a touching tribute to his sisters and all they did for the family after they lost their mother. Listening to Vanita and Savita speak is very heartwarming. Please listen or listen again to this episode and enjoy. 😊

In this episode of On the Light, I had the distinct honor of speaking with two of Guruji’s daughters: Vanita, the second eldest, and Savita, the youngest. It was a truly special conversation, and I was deeply moved by their warmth and generosity in sharing their time and stories. With grace and joy, they reflected on their parents’ lives, the profound role Geetaji played in their family, Savita’s journey in dance, their connection to music, and much more. I’m grateful to share this meaningful episode with you. Please enjoy this episode of On the Light.

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

Today, I’m re-releasing a special episode with Srineet Sidharan, grandson of B.K.S. Iyengar. Srineet shares personal memories of his grandfather and offers a beautiful glimpse into Guruji’s life beyond teaching. It’s one of my favorite conversations, and I’m so happy to share it with you again...

In this episode I have a very rich conversation with the grandson of BKS Iyengar, Srineet Sridharan. Srineet talks about how the practice of yoga was always in the family and how he remembers as a child going to Model Colony to take the children's classes at RIMYI. Srineet also talks about the scope of his own learning of the philosophy of yoga and the importance of culturing the mind.

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Welcome back to On the Light. I'm so happy to re-release this interview with Joan White. I had so much fun recording this interview. A few months after this interview I got to be Joan's roommate in Bellur while we were there to study with Prashant. That experience was just as much fun! I feel so fortunate to call this amazing woman my friend.

Joan began her studies with BKS Iyengar in 1973. In this episode you will hear Joan talk about Guruji’s incredible power of observation, his continuum of practice over the years, how he loved to be a grandfather, and much much more.

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