“Writing, Practice, and the Evolution of Iyengar Yoga for Women”
This session explores the intersections of writing, reading, and practicing Iyengar yoga for women—a unique opportunity to gain insights from Rita’s experience in both the literary and yoga worlds. Rita took us on a journey through her experiences with B.K.S. and Geeta Iyengar, her approach to teaching and writing, and the wisdom behind her books, including Yoga for Menopause and Iyengar Yoga for Healthy Aging. Rita spoke about yoga through pregnancy, menopause, and beyond, she mentioned Geeta Iyengar’s powerful snake metaphor for menopause, as well as therapeutic yoga for breast cancer recovery, how yoga is making its way into medical studies, the challenge of teaching through books – speaking to the body rather than just the intellect.
Rita Keller is a highly respected senior Iyengar Yoga teacher, author, and therapist with over 40 years of experience. Personally certified by B.K.S. Iyengar, she holds an Advanced Junior certification and is the founder of Light On Yoga and the Iyengar Yoga Akademie Rhein-Ahr in Germany. She has co-authored books with Geeta Iyengar, led workshops and teacher training internationally, and continues to share the legacy of Iyengar Yoga worldwide.
Rita shared the moving story of how Geeta Iyengar personally asked her to become “her author” and write books focusing on women’s yoga practice. This request came after Geeta observed Rita’s thoughtful approach to teaching students with different needs during a medical class. Their collaboration led to books on yoga for motherhood, menopause, and healthy aging, as well as a recent work titled “Milestones in the Life of a Master.”
Rita explained that B.K.S. Iyengar insisted that yoga instructions should be written “into the flesh, into the nervous system of the student” rather than being merely intellectual. This approach allows practitioners to feel the instructions inside their bodies rather than filtering them through analytical thinking.
One particularly vivid story involved a women’s class where a student vomited during Sirsasana (headstand). Rather than simply being angry, Geeta used this as a teaching moment about the importance of not eating before inversions. Rita noted that behind Geeta’s sometimes stern exterior was always a caring message and purpose.
When discussing menopause, Rita shared Geeta’s beautiful metaphor that a woman going through menopause “has to get rid of her old skin and come out as a new shining snake.” This transformation represents a new stage of life with greater mental clarity and connection to one’s true self.
Rita also discussed her extensive work in therapeutic yoga, including specialized programs for breast cancer patients developed in collaboration with the University of Duisburg-Essen. She emphasized the importance of treating the whole person, including areas of the body that may be physically absent but still present in the nervous system.
The session provided a wonderful glimpse into the depth of Rita’s knowledge and her personal connection with the Iyengars, highlighting how their teachings continue to influence yoga practitioners worldwide.
