about Vanda Scaravelli
Vanda Scaravelli lived in Italy and came to yoga relatively late in life. Through her own
exploration she realised something so simple that it is almost impossible to grasp - the
force of gravity is the very thing that supports us upright, and that when we are balanced,
the wave of the exhale elongates the spine.
Vanda was taught directly by Sri B.K.S. Iyengar, and later T.K.V. Desikachar, as well as
being a friend of and receiving spiritual guidance from Sri J. Krishnamurti. These
respected teachers, as well as Sri K. Pattabhi Jois (Ashtanga Yoga guru), had all been
instructed in yoga by Desikachar’s father and guru, Sri T. Krishnamacharya, considered
the father of yoga in the west .
She went on to develop her own practice based on ‘awakening the spine’ exploring the
elements of breath and gravity.
Diane Long and Sophy Hoare both worked closely with Vanda Scaravelli. Diane was her
pupil for 23 years, and Sophy studied with Vanda for 8 years. Since Vanda’s death in 1999
her legacy has continued through Diane and Sophy.
What she gave was not a set of instructions, but a curiosity for what the practice of yoga
can reveal to us.
exploration she realised something so simple that it is almost impossible to grasp - the
force of gravity is the very thing that supports us upright, and that when we are balanced,
the wave of the exhale elongates the spine.
Vanda was taught directly by Sri B.K.S. Iyengar, and later T.K.V. Desikachar, as well as
being a friend of and receiving spiritual guidance from Sri J. Krishnamurti. These
respected teachers, as well as Sri K. Pattabhi Jois (Ashtanga Yoga guru), had all been
instructed in yoga by Desikachar’s father and guru, Sri T. Krishnamacharya, considered
the father of yoga in the west .
She went on to develop her own practice based on ‘awakening the spine’ exploring the
elements of breath and gravity.
Diane Long and Sophy Hoare both worked closely with Vanda Scaravelli. Diane was her
pupil for 23 years, and Sophy studied with Vanda for 8 years. Since Vanda’s death in 1999
her legacy has continued through Diane and Sophy.
What she gave was not a set of instructions, but a curiosity for what the practice of yoga
can reveal to us.
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"It is evident that a child will learn a piece of music more quickly where
there is melody, rather than an exercise in which only technique is required.
Therefore beauty comes first.
In the same way yoga will be accepted by the body when it is done without
resistance. The wave along the spine is like the melody in music. When the
beautiful flow of extension is in action, this wave (felt along the magical
attraction of gravity) will help the body find the right adjustment in the
performance of the various movements."
Vanda Scaravelli from her book "Awakening the Spine"
there is melody, rather than an exercise in which only technique is required.
Therefore beauty comes first.
In the same way yoga will be accepted by the body when it is done without
resistance. The wave along the spine is like the melody in music. When the
beautiful flow of extension is in action, this wave (felt along the magical
attraction of gravity) will help the body find the right adjustment in the
performance of the various movements."
Vanda Scaravelli from her book "Awakening the Spine"
shanti rasa yoga with lai morris