A Teacher’s Teacher’s Teacher

On Saturday I was the beneficiary of a stroke of great luck. A friend called me to say that a highly-respected teacher from the Iyengar tradition, Kofi Busia, would be teaching in the Washington area over the weekend, and would I like to go with her to an advanced workshop? It took less than a minute for me to decide, Yes!

Kofi Busia is the teacher of my teacher’s teacher. He was a senior student to Iyengar himself for many years, but is quick to say he’s not a typical Iyengar-style teacher. He has never been certified by any organization, but when you meet him you quickly realize you’re in the presence of a bona fide master. During the course of a three hour class, his deep knowledge, on subjects ranging far beyond yoga asana,was awe inspiring. Well, I was certainly awed. Mr. Busia is African, and he teaches through story-telling. He talked about everything from Ayurvedic body types, to the origins of the Spiritualist movement in America, to how lions hunt their prey (as contrasted with how tigers and leopards hunt). All this plus his insightful teachings about asana have given me teaching material and work for my own personal practice.

Especially since I was disappointed in my efforts to go away for a yoga intensive this summer, I was happy to get to do some advanced work with a new teacher, even on a smaller scale. (See “Switching Gears.”) I sincerely hope I have the opportunity to study with Mr. Busia again soon.