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Yoga: For Body, Mind and Spirit

In a season when many seek ways to improve their physical and mental well-being, Mark Tully discusses the benefits of yoga in a programme inspired by the life of BKS Iyengar.

The guru B.K.S. Iyengar died last year. He was credited by many with being instrumental in introducing the contemporary practice of yoga to Britain. Mark Tully knew him personally and, in a programme inspired by the teacher's life and work, he discusses the possible benefits of yoga and investigates its spiritual roots.

He talks to British yoga teacher Gerry Chambers, who trained with Iyengar, about different approaches to yoga in the East and in the West. He also plays archive of Iyengar himself and introduces readings by the poet Rose Flint and the novelist Hanif Kureishi.

There's music from yoga enthusiasts as varied as Yehudi Menuhin, Ravi Shankar, the Russian pianist GeNIA and Beethoven.

The readers are Lucy Briers and Arsher Ali.

Produced by Frank Stirling
A Unique production for 成人快手 Radio 4.

30 minutes

Last on

Sun 11 Jan 2015 23:30

Music Played

  • Gabriel Prokofiev

    Rockaby

    Performer: G茅NIA.
    • Gabriel Prokofiev: Piano Book No. 1.
    • Nonclassical.
  • Ravi Shankar

    Prabhati

    Performer: Yehudi Menuhin. Performer: Ravi Shankar.
    • West Meets East: The Historic Shankar/Menuhin Sessions.
    • EMI Angel.
  • Peter Davison

    Inner Landscape

    • Adagio: Music for Yoga.
    • Orchard.
  • Hildegard von Bingen

    Columba Aspexit

    Performer: Dennis Keene (Conductor).
    • Hildegard of Bingen: Choral Music (Voices of Ascension).
    • Naxos.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Quartet for Strings no. 12 in E falt major, Op. 127: IV. Finale

    Performer: Murray Perahia.
    • Beethoven: String Quartet, Op. 127; Piano Sonata, Op. 101.
    • Sony Classical.

Readings

Title: Morning Yoga For Those With Limited Time
Author: Rose Flint
Published by Seren in Blue Horse of Morning

Title: Vedanta For The Western World
Author: Swami Prabhavananda
Published by the Vedanta Society of Southern California

Title: The Buddha of Suburbia
Author: Hanif Kureishi
Published by Faber & Faber

Picture shows (l-r) David Attenborough, SHRI B.K.S. Iyengar, and Yehudi Menuhin (09/07/1963)

Picture shows (l-r) David Attenborough, SHRI B.K.S. Iyengar, and Yehudi Menuhin (09/07/1963)

Broadcasts

  • Sun 11 Jan 2015 06:05
  • Sun 11 Jan 2015 23:30

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