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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.

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Please enjoy my conversation with Mary Reilly.

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