The November 2, 3 & 4 Weekend Intensive with Caroline Coggins

I first met Guruji when he visited Australia in 1984.
I had just begun Yoga, perhaps only the year prior to his visit. I was very keen, very in love, but innocent. There had been rumblings that the Master himself was coming to Sydney and that I should attend his classes. Accompanying the general sense of excitement was a tension, studying with the guru implied that you would get taught, you would get ‘interrupted’. Of course I did not know what to expect, but I did know that this was special, not an ordinary event. When I look back it is remarkable that my memory is still clear about these moments. My inner ‘spiritual’ perceptions were on edge, I knew nothing about guru’s or Indian culture, but I did feel a spirit was gathering and I was being gathered up too. Perhaps I sensed my life was about to be drawn quickly and strongly into a current that would change my life entirely.

The hall at Ascham school had about 70 students in ready. Everyone I had ever seen, teachers and students were gathered and quiet, waiting. Iyengar entered the room, the air suddenly became very crisp. These experiences are not common, how many students today would feel like this when a teacher entered the room? He was commanding and engaging. What did I know, I was so young and un-toned, yet I was listening with every fibre of my being. Was it the energy and nervousness of the group that made the room electric? Or was it the man himself. Perhaps a bit of both, there was certainly a lot of strong vibrant practitioners, and it seemed to me that Martin Jackson was the shepherd, the finger pointing to the moon. But now each of us in our own way was tasting the moon with our entire being, exhilarated and alive.

He called me to the stage to show ‘my’ Tadasana. I was shy, I knew so little but I was open to him and he taught me so all could see. I can still feel all the mixed feelings jingling inside, as he told me to do this and that. My experience was like being many pieces of iron filings and then being collected to a magnetic pull, to the one pointedness in my mind.

That is great teaching.

He was kind enough, he could see how inexperienced I was, but this kindness did not hinder the lightening bolt that entered my soul, with his energy, saying; ’What are you doing with your life, where are you going? Start NOW!’ I got down from the stage feeling I was internally lit up and shaken in the same breath.

My heart was pounding, I was awakened. ‘When could I go to India, how could I do this.. how could I get this teaching?

Again this is great teaching, the soul of the practitioner is called to action while ‘suddenly’ knowing the direction to take. I did go to India within a year.

He had shown me Tadasana, how to grow into a pose. This smallish man (BKS) became tall and connected and a tallish girl (me) had to learn how to stretch herself into the length of her body. I had only height, he had the inner capacity to make the pose sing.

Caroline Coggins

Intensive Schedule:
Friday: 5.00  – 7.00 PM Pranayama
Saturday: 9.30 AM – 12.00 noon Asana Class
Saturday: 1.00 – 3.00 PM Asana Class
Sunday: 10.00 AM – 1.00 PM Asana Class
Cost: $240

Register early for this intensive as spaces are limited.

For more events with Caroline, please visit our Event’s Calendar page