You will delight in reading the subsequent articles written by senior yoga teacher, Shirley Daventry French. These commentaries have previously been published in the Iyengar Yoga Centre Newsletter, as one of Shirley's regular "Reflections" columns. Shirley's dedication to the study of yoga, delightful sense of humour and sage observations are expressed in earnest in the following prose. Enjoy!

May/June/July 2009  "At the Iyengar Yoga Centre of Victoria, we were recently the host community for a national assessment; the second one we have organized over the past year." >MORE

September/October 2001 "The other day I had lunch with an old friend from out of town. Our friendship spans twenty years. Our paths first met in Vancouver airport on our way to the 1984 Yoga convention with B.K.S. Iyengar...">MORE

May/June 2005 " "Towards the end of my vacation in Mexico, I had a dream. Thoughts of home and the many duties and commitments awaiting me had begun to intrude on a relaxed routine I was reluctant to end...">MORE

March/April 2005 "In November 2003, two days before I was due to leave Hong Kong for India , I discovered that my entire itinerary for the ongoing journey had been erased mysteriously from Thai Air's computer..." >MORE

September 1999 "What's in a name? Lately I have been reflecting on this question.  In the mid-1980's when I was editing B.K.S. Iyengar's autobiography/biography, we were searching for a suitable title.">MORE

June/July 2001 "One morning during practice at the Institute in Pune, Guruji wished to show some of the subtleties of an advanced backbend to a doctor and others who were present that day. Someone pushed forward a flexible young Indian man who could easily get into this asana, but Guruji said "No, he is adept" and chose someone else." >MORE

May 2002 "Last fall, when I celebrated my seventieth birthday, along with the congratulations I received many comments along the lines of - "Oh no, you can't be! It isn't possible!" Even before this landmark, if ever I referred to myself as old, this was met with a quick disclaimer: "Oh you're not old!" >MORE

Interview with Shirley on her 70th Birthday The following interview took place on Friday July 13th, 2001 at Shirley's Metchosin home to mark the occasion of her 70th birthday. It was by Caren Liedtke and first appeared in the special birthday issue of the Iyengar Yoga Centre Newsletter, Sept/Oct, 2001. >MORE

November/December 2001 "Twenty years ago one of the directors of the Iyengar Yoga Centre, Norman McKenzie had the idea that our newsletter could be expanded and improved. At that time it consisted of two or three typewritten sheets, copied, stapled together and written intermittently when the spirit moved someone. It so happened that two other board members had publishing experience: Trish and Bill Graham, a graphic designer and typesetter respectively. The four of us got together and produced the first newsletter in its current format in November 1981." >MORE

March 2001 "...According to seers and sages, the gift of a lifetime is not easily acquired; nor the body and mind which are the primary spiritual tools for life's journey. What we do with this present lifetime will influence future lives. And even if you believe this is a once only, make it or break it experience, according to most spiritual traditions, your handling of this lifetime will play a vital role in your afterlife. Anyone who really believed this would seek a skilled guide for this spiritual journey ..." >MORE

March 2000 "...Although it is politically incorrect to make such a statement these days, I feel yoga teacher training courses should be not only selective but exclusive: excluding those who have not yet laid down a firm foundation of yoga philosophy and practice in their own lives nor made a commitment to the system of Yoga in which training is offered. Alas, many people are being trained to teach yoga with little or no understanding of the vast and ancient body of teachings on which all yoga practices are based ..." >MORE

September 2000 "...Longtime yoga students rarely speak of coincidences. We are taught that every event in life is an opportunity to learn a necessary lesson or not learn - the choice is ours. If the choice we make is to ignore this lesson then it will return possibly in some other form but generally a little more compelling ..." >MORE

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