I was in Chicago on business in November 2018, three weeks after the independent investigation was launched, and so I registered for Manouso’s workshop which was being held at the studio owned by the IYNAUS president. I don’t know the yoga community in Chicago so I kept to myself. I was aware of a devoted student of Manouso’s, who has an amazing practice and a lot of followers on instagram. She regularly hashtagged Manouso in her posts. She had brought with her to the workshop her young female student who had, as best as I could tell, a steel cage around her spine and was in chronic pain. During a break as I was waiting in line to get a drink of water, I heard the young girl practically beg Manouso to adjust her. She promised that she would never accuse him of anything, and he said, “And what about 5 years from now?”
The weird thing about this workshop was that the president of IYNAUS approached the instagram teacher. He sat down very close to her and began what looked like an intense conversation. I was sitting nearby and overheard him asking her to write another letter to the independent investigator explaining adjustments. Eventually, I came to know this teacher and she verified that the IYNAUS president did ask her to write a letter and that letter was used against Manouso instead of for him. She felt utterly used and manipulated. She continues to be bullied on social media by the accuser (Crystal Dildo Girl) who used to have a key to Manouso’s studio until he took it away. Instagram girl hasn’t hashtagged Manouso in over a year.
Disillusioned With Iyengar Yoga 