Iyengar Yoga News - issue 35 - Autumn 2019

I YENGAR® Y OGA (UK)

Honorary president: Yogacharya Sri B.K.S. Iyengar

www.iyengaryoga.org.uk

Iyengar Yoga News

Autumn 2019 - Issue number 35

Editorial

This issue of Iyengar Yoga News starts off with a photographic tribute to Geetaji. These photos were collected together by IYNAUS (the national US Iyengar Yoga association). We are grateful to the IYNAUS Archives Committee for supplying us with these images. Before she died, Geetaji spoke to Navaz Kamdin at some length about how she was going to teach the prāņāyāma convention. We are publishing an interview with Navaz and some comments on the Convention by people who were there. We also have details of next year's Convention, with Jawahar Bangera in Birmingham. We present a round up of Iyengar teachers who teach yoga at festivals, and also what our teacher members did for National Iyengar Yoga Day this year. The article by Rajvi H. Mehta in the last issue on Virabhadrasana I was popular, so we have searched through our back copies of Yoga Rahasya and are reproducing an article giving guidance on Daṇḍāsana and Paśchimōttānāsana.

Many of our readers will have been sorry to hear of the loss of Jeanne Maslen this year and we have published an interview she did in 2005.

There is an article on teaching yoga in prison, and one in which members of the IY(UK) Executive Council set out their thoughts on being part of that Committee. On occasions we publish letters from readers but didn't receive any for this issue and would like to do this much more often, so please do write to us. The deadline for submissions for the next issue (articles, letters, reports, photos etc.) is 31st December 2019.

Editorial Board: Sigute Barniskyte-Kidd, John Cotgreave, Philippe Harari, Jill Johnson, Judi Soffa, Tehira Taylor

Layout & Design: Sigute BarniskyteKidd, Philippe Harari & Katie Owens

Articles to: editor@iyengaryoga.org.uk

Advertising: John Cotgreave cotgreavej@gmail.com

Copy submission deadline for next issue articles and adverts: 31st Dec. 2019

This magazine is printed on paper that is sourced under a scheme which ensures minimal environmental impact.

Membership and Office Manager

Andy Tait

Telephone 07510326997

email office@iyengaryoga.co.uk

PO Box 51698, London, SE8 9BU

PR & Website Manager

Katie Owens

email katie@iyengaryoga.org.uk

Finance & Bookings Administrator

Jess Wallwork

Telephone 07757 463 767

email jess@iyengaryoga.org.uk

PO Box 3372, Bristol BS6 9PE

Assessments Administrator

Kate Woodcock

Telephone 07914089360

email kate@iyengaryoga.org.uk

PO Box 1217, Bradford, BD1 9XF

Thanks to North East England Iyengar Yoga for permission to use the photo of Guruji and Geetaji on the back cover.

Features

Tribute to Geetaji page 4

Interview with Navaz Kamdin page 10

Notes from the 2019 Convention page 14

Iyengar Yoga at festivals page 22

Daṇḍāsana / Paśchimōttānāsana page 27

Teaching Yoga in a prison setting page 30

2020 IY(UK) Convention page 32

National Iyengar Yoga Day 2019 page 34

Interview with Jeanne Maslen page 40

Thoughts on the Executive Council of IY(UK) page 48

Member information

IY(UK) Merchandise page 50

Assessment Results and Notices page 51

IY(UK) Reports page 52

IY(UK) Professional Development Days 2019/20 page 56

IY(UK) Executive Council and Standing Committees page 58

L ist of Member Groups and Affiliated Centres page 60

Tribute to Geetaji

Our thanks go to Iyengar Yoga National Association US (IYNAUS) for collecting these images together and permitting us to use them.

Interview with Navaz Kamdin

by Katie Owens

At the 2019 prāņāyāma Convention we took the opportunity to talk to teacher Navaz Kamdin to find out more about her life and teaching.

KO: You’ve been teaching prāņāyāma at the Institute in Pune for many years. Could you tell us a little bit about how you came into that role?

NK: Well prāņāyāma is a very interesting subject; at the same time, it's a difficult subject. With āsana-s, it's much easier as you can force your body to work. But prāņāyāma is the next step after āsana where you learn to be aware and strike a balance between your body, mind and breath. It is not a physical exercise as people think it is, it's not a breathing exercise. It is moving from the known towards the unknown. The known body moves further to experience the manas [the individual mind], the buddhi [the intellect] and still further towards the ātmā. It is only when you start your inward penetration towards the ātmā and you come in contact with your [individual] soul - that is jivātmāonly then can you reach out the universal spirit that is Brahman. That is the entire focus of prāņāyāma. And not just sitting with your eyes closed and making all those sounds and grunting; that is not prāņāyāma

Guruji's prāņāyāma is very scientific. He begins with Śavāsana, so that you learn to relax the body. Śavāsana is the common denominator between āsana and prāņāyāma. It helps to quieten the body, relax the body. It helps to quieten your breath. It helps to bring tranquility of your nervous system; it helps to make you more calm mentally as well as gives you mental poise. So we begin with Śavāsana, where you learn how to place your body, how to align your body; it gives you knowledge of the different parts of your body which you are going to use; how to relax them. Because it cannot be done with a tight body. That act of surrender and the act of inward penetration receding inwards - your sensory organs, your organs of action - all these have to move in a different direction compared to āsana

And, how did I come to teach prāņāyāma? Being one of the oldest students, where of course together with Sunita and Geeta we had a whole group of Guruji's children and some senior members of the group, myself

we were all in Guruji's prāņāyāma class which he started in 1962. The Institute was not there at that time. Some of the old students asked him, please Guruji can you start for us. By that time even he evolved. He became more articulate, he became more concentrated in his teaching. Then he was prepared to take only prāņāyāma classes. And at that time people asked for it more often, but he said no, you can't have it more often because then it becomes a habit. And with habit there's no inward penetration. So, what you had to learn is svādhyāya [practice] by yourself. And then intelligence comes.

And then it was Geetaji who interested me in the beginners' prāņāyāma upstairs at RIMYI. Because she was taking the other prāņāyāma class downstairs on Fridays. And she gave me a prāņāyāma class upstairs for beginners, so by the time they come downstairs they know what they're going in for, otherwise it started becoming very stressful for her. Every month foreigners coming and then you go back from where you have started, and then the local people having no idea, head nor tail of it and all wanting to go into the advanced classes. So, we started first with a beginners’ class. Now we even have an intermediate class, and downstairs at the moment I was taking Geetaji's classes because her health was not good and she requested me. And she always guided me. And she always told me, "I'm keeping a watch over what you are doing, I know what you are teaching, I'm even asking the people who are attending your class."

KO: So was she sometimes there in the class with you?

NK: No, it was after the medical class, she used to be very tired. But she always gave me instructions. "When you go to the UK, you have to teach like this. When you go to the UK, remember this." So, there was always a preparation on her part. And it was an honour to be guided by her.

KO: That leads on to my next question: how was your experience of studying with the Iyengar family in general?

NK: You see, first we had no Institute. My father was a back patient, he had a slipped disc. And the very renowned doctor in Pune said, "Nobody can help you, there's only one South Indian man, his name is Iyengar, beware of him, he's got a temper! Only he can help you." And my mother was always more inclined than my father towards yoga. So, my mother approached Guruji and said that we wanted to start classes in Pune. He said, "I can't come for one or two people - you have to collect at least five or six, and then I'm ready to come." And that was fair enough. But even to get those five or six people wasn't easy. One came, the other ran away; another came, the other ran away...because you see it's the discipline, nobody wants to maintain that. So sometimes my mother used to be alone in the class. At that time Guruji started bringing his children also.

Mrs Iyengar, Amma, used to come. When there were prāņāyāma classes Amma used to sit opposite my mother, put her hand on her shoulder and on her head, and explain prāņāyāma to her. That is how we started. And then of course Geeta and Prashant were there and Sunita, Suchita, Savita. All of us started practising together, and Vanita was the leader. The circus trainer. She took charge of all of us. So that is how we started working, so it became like a close-knit family. Sarita, the youngest daughter of Guruji, and my younger sister were the same age. Abhi's mother and I were the same age, same class. So there was a lot of bonding, and discussions before class, after class, during class...so that comradeship was very strong. In class and outside class also. And then Guruji with a great sense of humour, as we were all round and podgy he called us all sorts of names, he never called us by our names. Even to the end if he has his way he would say, "fatty, come here!" and he would call all of us "hippies" because we had big hips...he would call us all kinds of names; "Gajalakșmī”. Gaja means elephant, and Lakșmī is the goddess of wealth, so we were all Lakșmī-s but elephant size! [laughs] So, it was fun, laughter, happiness - and hard work also.

KO: So it was really you and the family mostly...

NK: And there were other people also, yes, we were all like one small family ; 10, 15 maybe. And when the Institute was built we said oh my God what will we do with such a big Institute? There are just a few of us, the whole Institute will be empty [laughs].

KO: Could you talk a bit about the relationship between āsana and prāņāyāma?

NK: You see, you know about the eight-fold paths. Yama, niyama. āsana, prāņāyāma, pratyāhāra, dhārāṇa. dhyāna and asamādhi. The eight fold path, right? First is āsana, and then prāņāyāma. So, āsana prepares you, prepares your body, by the control of the muscles, control of the nerves, control of your body, to prepare yourself for prāņāyāma. So the present trend is people are very fascinated by prāņāyāma and meditation and run for that, without any preparation of āsana - that is wrong. Guruji would instruct us, "When you are teaching, never take anybody for prāņāyāma until they reach a certain standard of āsana." So you never have a devoted, true Iyengar yoga teacher rushing into prāņāyāma without a student having enough knowledge

Prāņāyāma is the next step after āsana where you learn to be aware and strike a balance between your body, mind and breath

of āsana-s. It's forbidden, and can be dangerous. You see? And Guruji starts his prāņāyāma with Śavāsana So people said why can't we just sit with our eyes closed and do prāņāyāma meditation? It's not possible, because what is prāņāyāma? Prāņāyāma is receding inwards. Your organs of perception, your organs of action; you can't suddenly sit in the chair and close your eyes and say I am receding my eyes, my ears and everything. The preparation work is done in Śavāsana It is in Śavāsana with back support where you learn your Ujjāyi, you learn your Viloma, and all this gradually

KO: Do you think on the whole people are practising enough prāņāyāma?

NK: No. There is very poor knowledge of prāņāyāma. Many teachers do not know how to teach prāņāyāma Those who teach prāņāyāma are so egoistic. When they come to the Institute - I'm sorry, I'm open, I'm frank. I have no bosses. Except in Pune! - they are so egoistictight - that their diaphragms are strong, and hardened; their chest is hardened. What do they think they are, Tarzan, or Batman?! God knows what! They forget to look at Guruji in the most difficult āsana-s with his skin and muscles as soft as butter. And this hardness means mental hardness here. And if this doesn't go, you're not fit for prāņāyāma. You are doing gymnastics, not prāņāyāma That is why I say it is very difficult for a prāņāyāma teacher. You have to be very vigilant. First comes the hardness in the diaphragm and if the hardness comes in the diaphragm, the chest will not open. If the chest will not open, your brain is tight, the brain gets active. If the brain cells don't go down, that becomes another problem. The whole thing is in receding order: the chest up, diaphragm down, the top abdomen downwards, receding down. That is why we use the bolster to get that step-like action, and create the movement. And it is not being conveyed in the right way. There's not enough people to teach because it's not a very interesting topic. With āsana-s, it's ego - where "I'm doing better than you" or "You're doing better than me", and if I do it for 10 minutes you are doing it for 15 ... you show off, you build up your ego that way. This is self-study, svādhyāya.

KO: So how would somebody know if they're ready?

comes with Śavāsana, it's step by step. You are going from the known, you are going to the unknown. You are reaching within yourself where your manas, your buddhi ; all this, is withdrawn inwards. So, āsana is the preparation for prāņāyāma. And then, after prāņāyāma will come pratyāhāra. Then dhārāṇa, dhyāna. You can't jump like a child going from the nursery school to the fifth grade. It's not possible, it can affect your mental balance also. Guruji has made these points very clearly. It's a very big responsibility for prāņāyāma teachers. It is not that easy. You have to be ten times more vigilant than you are with āsana-s.

NK: Unless they follow the instructions, they themselves will understand, the intelligence will come to them. Which is not something a teacher can put into them, they have to work for it. The teacher can only instruct. Like Guruji once told us the story of the Akshaya Patra. Akshaya Patra is an inexhaustible vessel. Like in the Bible there is also a story of Christ feeding the poor on loaves of bread and fish which don't get exhausted until the last one can eat it. So the Pandavas and the Kauravas had a fight. The Pandavas were banished into the forest. When they went into the forest they had

to go with the whole troop. Yudhishtira, one of the Pandavas, was very worried, wondering how he would manage and feed these people. So the palace priest, who was also banished, told them, "Pray to Lord Surya, he will answer your prayers.” So Yudhishtira prays to Lord Surya. Lord Surya answers his prayers with the Akshaya Patra, an inexhaustible vessel, so all the people can have their meals from it, until the last - the common wife of the Pandavas, Draupadi. It's the Indian culture that the women of the house eat last, and let the egoistic men eat first! Until Draupadi finishes the meal, the vessel is not empty. So, it's the Akshaya Patra. Guruji says prāņāyāma is like that. It has no beginning, it has no end. You see? And it goes on. So people want to achieve something fast. It gives you lessons in patiencea lot of patience is needed.

KO: I remember reading that Guruji said something similar about his own attitude to prāņāyāma, that he found it quite difficult because he preferred to do āsana practice, so he found it quite challenging for a long time.

NK: It was very challenging and his teacher didn't teach him, he kept it very secretive. So much so he used to quietly when the teacher was practising, climb up next to his window and peep inside to see what he could seehis own guru, with so much ego! That the student must not know what I do. And here, he gave, he gave, and so did Geeta, there were no limits to what they gave. Until her last breath, she gave.

KO: We hear a lot about the benefits of āsana practice but are there any specific benefits with prāņāyāma practice?

NK: Prāņāyāma has even more benefits. Prāņāyāma is channelling the cosmic energy that we take in through our prana, the breath. And then you have inhalations, puraka; you have exhalations, rechaka, and you have what you call kumbhaka, retention. So these three things are very important in prāņāyāma. Each having their own plus points. Inhalation you take in the cosmic energy. In a kumbhaka the assimilation of that cosmic energy that you take in is done. And in the exhalation, your toxins are thrown out and you are emptying your lungs, together with your mind, your thoughts and your emotions. And that is the time you are prepared for your journey inwards towards the self. Besides the spiritual awareness that it creates, the other facts about prāņāyāma are people who are suffering from heart problems benefit; those who have asthma, they

benefit. By lifting up the chest in such a way, and the sternum lifted upwards, people under depression, under emotional strain, they also benefit. There are numerous benefits of prāņāyāma, there is no end to them. Your pressure is controlled, your nature is controlled, your temper is controlled...

KO: I was wondering if you had seen any particular cases?

NK: Yes - we keep on seeing them in front of us. We keep on seeing them, the transformations we see - those asthmatics who couldn't even breathe and because their lungs have collapsed. So if the lungs have collapsed, unless you teach them to open their chest then only can the lungs open. So all that is done step by step by step. People with heart problems, even when heart problems when they do certain exercises and breathing, even people who are in for the use of stents and things like that, that also can be taken care of. And emotional problems, we have seen depression cases improve in front of us. Because this area under the sternum is said to be the emotional centre. That's why we are constantly lifting our chest up. You drop, your mind drops; with your mind, your emotions drop.

KO: If people have different health issues, might they be referred between the āsana classes and the prāņāyāma classes?

NK: No, they have to first do the āsana classes, no way. That is the cardinal rule in Iyengar Yoga.

KO: Can you give us a bit of an idea of what you'll be teaching over the weekend?

NK: I will be teaching strictly prāņāyāma from the Iyengars ; B.K.S. Iyengar and Geeta. That is the way I have been taught. Yes, I have had lots of input from Prashantji also. Prashant has been a friend and a guide to me over the years and is a truly great teacher and is the leader of the Iyengar Yoga community around the world.

So, it is all my three teachers who have taught me what I am. It's just that I was lucky to be in the right place at the right time. And like Prashant says, you don't have better work to do that's why you stuck with it! 

There are numerous benefits of prāņāyāma, there is no end to them

Notes from the 2019 Convention

"Prana is not just the breath but the energy, and breathing is the process by which you apply that energy to find out how that energy percolates, how divine that energy is, how much purification of that energy is possible."

These words appeared in rotation on a large screen above the platform at the first convention, dedicated to prāņāyāma, in the UK. These are clearly Geetaji's words. Our teacher, Navaz Kamdin from Pune was on a mission. It was Geetaji who wanted her to come, she told us this. Sometimes, after class Geeta would call Navaz to her to make sure she had understood a point, "Make sure you pass on this point when you go to the UK."

In the last edition of this magazine, there was an article, "On Prāņāyāma" by BKS Iyengar. The article gives guidance on how to approach the practice. Geetaji, being " In her father's light," wanted to see that the practice of prāņāyāma was accessible to all attendees, with a clear, firm foundation.

Navaz, with Uday Bhosale as demonstrator and helper, did a great service in this regard. Nothing was left to chance. We did, were corrected and repeated. We learned how to sit in Svastikāsana with a proper height and clarity in the

sitting bones. The sessions began with preparatory asanas to bring elasticity in the torso with Śavāsana

The two and a half days had been crafted to give a foundation in Ujjayi 1-8 and Viloma 1&2. On Sunday we were guided in Mahā mudrā, Sanmukhī Mudrā and Bhrāmari. We buzzed like 310 bees, buzzing into the top, bottom, right and left of the voice box.

When Navaz guided us, she modulated her voice to give the quality of the breath, as it percolated, its field from bottom to top and top to bottom. We learned how to place vertical and horizontal supports for the back using bolster and blankets. In Śavāsana at the end of the sessions, the props were on the root of the thighs, "with the back spreading like a carpet and the eyes withdrawn into the pockets of the cheek bones."

Navaz clearly carried the message from her teachers, but as well, her dedicated practice over years had built up in her, virtuous imprints, saṁskarā-s, so she was able to deliver the teaching in a true way. Heartfelt thanks to Navaz, Uday and the organising team.

- Lynda Ogle

“The body is yours, the mind is yours. The breath is not yours, no one knows its source, no one knows its destination. It is a gift from the universe.”

We were very privileged to receive the teaching and wisdom of Navaz Kamdin during her first-ever visit to the UK at the IY(UK) Convention in Nottingham at the end of May. Navaz is a beautiful and generous individual, good humoured, warm-hearted and nurturing, and firm when necessary, like a mother to all of us. Geeta and Navaz had been planning this visit for months and Navaz openly shared her anxiety about coming here for the first time and what she was going to teach us. She opened the first day dedicating the convention to Geetaji. To be taught by Navaz, who had worked so closely with Geetaji until her final days and with Guruji and with other members of the Iyengar family and the team at the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute, made it all the more special. She was able to bring teaching and stories directly from those individuals, so dear to Navaz as they are to us.

Navaz paid a lot of attention to how we sit, also in our prayers and the arms and hands in Namaskarāsana, continuing to urge us to sit higher, as did Geetaji in Pune during her last days of teaching. In addition to focusing on preparatory āsana-s, Śavāsana and Ujjayi and Viloma

prāņāyāma, she taught us Sanmukhī Mudrā, Bhrāmari, and the tying of bandages all with clarity and patience. Getting our fingers right in Sanmukhī Mudrā (not like crabs!) we had to practise several times before she was satisfied. We left with plenty to work on in our personal practice.

“The throat and brain are connected: throat is hard, brain is hard. Relax your throat.”

“Do not confuse the respiratory breath with the prāņāyāmic breath. In the prāņāyāmic breath you receive energy from the universe.”

Everyone was made welcome and her teaching was incredibly clear and accessible, always encouraging us to ask questions and not feel intimidated. 'Come on my friends' she addressed us. All 300 participants were beginners together all over again no matter the number of years of practice, teaching and seniority. What struck me as very special this year was the coming together of everyone, we are all students and beginners together and this was apparent outside the hall during breaks and lunch time as much as in the hall for the practice sessions.

We have much to be grateful for to be able to receive these special teachers from India here in the UK at conventions, making them accessible to those unable to travel to Pune, be it for family, social, financial or environmental reasons. Finally, being a volunteer this year was a positive experience and one I highly recommend; it's enjoyable to be part of the events team who do a fantastic job every year.

"Are both sides doing the same? The body is foolish, it keeps moving in any direction. It needs you to control it - that is where the intelligence comes in."

- Suzanne Gribble

“Prāņā comes to us as a gift of life.

Ujjayi prāņāyāma is the very foundation of the body."

“There has to be a Śavāsana before and after sitting practice.”

This year’s convention at Nottingham with Navaz was a delight. She explained how Geeta had mentored her to teach prāņāyāma, an aspect of yoga which you could easily argue has been overshadowed by āsana. Some may have expected to cover complex aspects. Instead Navaz taught basic prāņāyāma from scratch with wisdom, knowledge, humour and compassion. Every morning we went through a similar short āsana sequence including Adho mukha vīrāsana, Adho mukha śvānāsana to Ūrdhva mukha śvānāsana, Prasārita pādotānāsana and Śīrṣāsana. Proceeding from the first morning’s delicious 30-minute supported Śavāsana she took us on a sequential journey through the basics. Conscious methodic repetition and question and answer sessions meant teachings could be thoroughly embedded in body and mind creating a firm foundation.

We explored all forms of supine and seated Ujjayi, and Viloma, using both vertical and horizontal bolsters. We repeated Mahā Mudrā daily and had fun arranging and re-arranging non-compliant fingers in Sanmukhī Mudrā!

Finding top, bottom, right and left voice box in Bhrāmari was a revelation and the resulting reverberation surely matched any choir!

Saturday’s film Light on Sadhāna brought Guruji into our midst and traced his teachings from the early days onwards. He describes the art of yoga as "a divine practice that civilises the intelligence." As Navaz closed the convention she reminded us that we are all the ‘custodians’ of his teaching, and this should come from the heart not motivated by money.

The venue set in Nottingham University’s peaceful green parkland did a great job in supporting our retreat. The organisation of the convention itself, the food and the accommodation were absolutely excellent. Many thanks to all and thanks to the Iyengar family for this light on yoga, prāņāyāma, and life.

- Helen

Clay

“

Prāņāyāma has a very deep significance. We move deeper and deeper from the known to the unknown. And that is how we need to get in contact with ourselves.”

I volunteered for the first time at last year's convention, and because of the numerous workshops on offer in various venues there was always a job to be done somewhere. By contrast, this year's volunteering experience at our prāņāyāma convention was a fittingly calm and relaxed affair (though credit is due to the core organisational team quietly and efficiently working away in the background to make it so).

The whole weekend felt like a treat. The venue was light and airy and because it was residential it meant there was plenty of time to catch up with friends. And what a treat it was to devote this time to developing our understanding of prāņāyāma! We started the days with Adho mukha śvānāsana to Ūrdhva mukha śvānāsana sequences as preparation, and we fitted in Śīrṣāsana and Sarvāngāsana, but other than that āsana practice

pretty much took a back seat to the main event. Over the three days Navaz expertly led us through the techniques of supine and seated Ujjayi, Viloma, Bhrāmari and Mahā

“Many of you forget the most important part of the āsana-s, that is the breath.”

Mudrā. We had time to explore inhalation, exhalation and retention of the breath in some depth. We compared the effects of vertical and horizontal support in Śavāsana. We learned about the nāḍī-s and chakra-s, and with the use of bandages and Sanmukhī Mudrā we were able to glimpse how pratyāhāra could take us closer to our ātman within.

Navaz was a gentle guide who helped us navigate the challenges of prāņāyāma, exhorting us to “practice, my

friends”. She told us that one of the most useful aids to progress was to use a mirror, and she effectively acted as a mirror for us, reflecting honestly what she saw in front of her: at one point she praised our UK teachers for the quality of the teaching, noting that she did not see in us a hardness in our chests during our practice, however this praise was playfully retracted about five minutes later when she berated us for the strange ‘spiders’ we placed over our faces whilst attempting Sanmukhī Mudrā.

In the final session Navaz took the time to revise what we had covered and to check that we had learned what she had come to teach us. She spoke about how Geeta Iyengar had worked with her closely on preparing the content for this convention, and that it was Geetaji’s wish that we become more acquainted with prāņāyāma so that we can teach it correctly and spread it’s benefits to our students. She disclosed that she was not sure if she was up to the task but the spontaneous applause from the hall was a clear confirmation that we felt that she had accomplished her mission with aplomb.

- Noelle Riggott

“Always remember the sitting needs more practice than the lying down. Lying down is at one level, sitting is against gravity.”

Bhramari Grandmama

Her voice

Her sincere, deep, tender voice

Ohm intoned

From the moment Navaz opened to us

Guiding the golden pranayama path

The Queen of honey quiet

Through the gateways

That breath’s touch, parts

Settles skin

Revolves, dissolves muscle

The laying down of bone

As brain refrains back

Then down to base skull

The race passes by

As the river of our breath flows over brow

Flushing down over face

Soft throat for brains sake

As heart settles for Prana’s gift of the God Particle

Diaphragm soft springing step to belly indent down

To spine and Chakra line

Oh the out breath knows

From head to toes

Loaded lullaby voice

Not for sleep

Not for sleep!

For deep excavation

To soul centre

Step by step

Repeat

Instruct then

Breathe the universal gift of Prana

Bumble Bee Bhramari Grandmama

Working from heart

Giving from heart

A heart full of Guruji and Geetaji

A pod of memory plays before us

Navaz, a child, in Pranayama Swastikasana sitting

A scent of strong hair oil approaching pulls her spine

skyward.

No slacking but there was always honey milk for tea.

Felicity Goodson

So if you keep practising what you have

“Experience the quietness that the withdrawal of the senses

“Long, deep, slow inhalation; long, deep chest is lifted. Observe the pause before (Antara kumbhaka). Experience that, be and exhalation does not take place without

deep slow exhalation. Do not go to sleep! Nidrā is also a vṛtti. Work mindfully. The before the inhalation (Bāhya kumbhaka) and the second pause after the exhalation be aware of it. They might last just a split second. The shift between inhalation without a kumbhaka."

“Skin moves from the hairline downwards...the tongue needs to go a little into the socket, inside where it starts from. Throat is absolutely passive, quiet. There is softness in the skin fibres, softness in the muscle fibres, softness in the nerve fibres. The head/brain/skull region does not receive any inhalation, it is the observer.”

senses brings. This is just the beginning and you feel so good. learnt it can be a big boon for you.”

Iyengar Yoga at Festivals

IY(UK) teachers represent Iyengar yoga at a growing number of festivals around the UK and Ireland every year, from the Hay literary festival to music festivals and even a beer festival!

FYNE FESTIVAL

Sarah Hunter taught in the main tent at this festival in Scotland:

“It was a great opportunity to introduce Iyengar yoga to people. I had a very positive response with some people who were giving it a try for the first time saying they would like to take up yoga. I also met a lovely lady from Manchester who was sure she had been taught by Guruji many years ago. She is now quite elderly but always travels up to this festival with friends. Unfortunately we had to cancel the sessions on the Sunday morning due to adverse weather conditions!

students to Iyengar teachers in their area back home. We have already been invited back next year.”

GLASTONBURY

Julian Lindars teaches at Glastonbury every year:

“Glastonbury Festival is known as one of the largest music festivals in Europe and is generally represented in the media as a weekend-long orgy of hedonistic excess. Beyond the vast crowded arenas and the non-stop party scene is a wealth of activities all of which embody the ‘true spirit of Glastonbury’ - a desire for a better world, progressive thinking, spiritual growth, celebration of diversity, and a sincere and effective attempt to put ethical and environmental concerns at the heart of its business practices.

HAY FESTIVAL

Cori and Pete Norton at Wye Valley Yoga have taught at the Hay on Wye Literary Festival for the last three years.

“We had another successful year, teaching every morning for the ten day duration of the festival - May 24th til June 2nd. Our classes always sell out and people return year on year. We have directed quite a few

At the back of the festival site, on slopes that rise above the hubbub of the main site, is a tranquil area known generally as the ‘Green Fields,’ where the alternative thread that has sustained the festival over the last 50 years continues to flourish. Here you can find low-key entertainment, good wholesome foods, stimulating debates, crafts and activities, and in the Healing Field, a wide range of therapies and spiritual teachings. Many people stay up here the whole time, only occasionally making a foray into the mayhem below, but many more wander up seeking rest and recuperation, and perhaps the opportunity to experience something a little different.

The yoga dome is situated at the tree-lined upper edge of Healing Field. It is a lovely hand-built open-sided construction of tree branches and canvas tarpaulin, with

carpet laid over the groundsheet. The field is arranged around four healing circles named after the elements. We are next to the Air Circle with fluttering flags and suspended sculptures creating a light, relaxing but invigorating environment. It really is a beautiful place to be and many people start the day here with their āsana practice. From 9am onwards we offer a day-long program of one-hour classes free, and open to all. Many styles of yoga are represented here, and I have been honoured to fly the flag for Iyengar Yoga here over the last ten years.

For many who attend, this is the first time they have ever tried yoga - and I am always impressed by the enthusiasm and appreciation shown. The festival can be quite a demanding environment - occasionally you have to deal with the overwhelmed and confused, but generally nothing a good savasana in a quiet spot cannot fix! And of course it is always good to see familiar faces in the crowd, and meet so many people who are delighted to find Iyengar Yoga in such an unexpected place.

WORLD YOGA FESTIVAL

At the end of July, Garth McLean, Mary Niker and Rachel Lovegrove taught at the World Yoga Festival in Reading.

“Garth McLean, Senior Intermediate III Iyengar Yoga teacher from America, started our World Yoga Festival experience at Beale Park near Reading at 7am with the Universal Om, and, despite the undulating earth, we all were stabilized by his gentle enthusiasm and knowledge. Despite the challenge of leaping on and off the front of a raised stage, he managed to weave amongst us and brought an intimacy of teaching into the large canopied space during the two hour sessions. Calling on other Iyengar teachers to assist he had those that desired up into Adho mukha vṛkṣāsana supported up by teachers with strap around the front pelvic rim and those teachers themselves bolstered by the huge tent posts. Great fun!

The energy of Iyengar Yoga as well as the meditative qualities of āsana and prāņāyāma came through with Garth's teaching and we shared that sense of

commitment on the journey of life, as Garth explained how the Yoga practice devised for him by Guruji for his multiple sclerosis, had transformed something one might dread into a blessing. Diagnosed in 1996 Garth successfully manages the MS and a hectic schedule with his daily practice. He offers workshops on the positive effect of yoga on MS and other neurological conditions. Both morning and the afternoon sessions at 4pm on each of the three days were designed to show the accessibility of yoga practice for all. Due to lack of equipment, as many attending were from other forms of yoga, Garth took advantage of plentiful chairs and Chatuspādāsana and then rolling through Paschimotānāsana and Halāsana.

Sheila Whittaker and the talented musician Adrian Atma from France whose beautiful, soulful music drew to a close the Festival on the Sunday night. That yoga festival campsite was as quiet and peaceful as a slow, steady exhalation.” - Felicity Goodson

CELTIC WOODLAND YOGA FESTIVAL

Orla Punch and Teresa Lewis taught workshops and classes at this new festival over four days in July in Townley Hall, on the edge of Ireland’s “most mythically rich valley,” Brú na Bóinne.

Intentionally designed to be small and intimate, the festival is aimed at anyone with an interest in practicing yoga with world-class teachers, networking with other yogis and hanging out together surrounded by trees and nature. The festival organisers say a tree will be planted for each attendee.

“We have such a rich indigenous culture and some great teachers and wisdom holders in this country” says its founder Cathy Pearson. “It’s time that we put Ireland on the international map of yoga and the healing arts.”

WOMAD

Lydia Holmes and Edgar Stringer teach at WOMAD festival in July every year:

"We have been teaching at WOMAD festival since 2000. In Reading, our workshops were taught in a small room limiting class sizes to just 20. Later WOMAD realised there was a great demand for yoga, so they put us in an enormous room with a huge stage. When we first got on the stage I was doubtful that enough people would come. But to my surprise the room gradually filled until there were about three hundred expectant students! We had not been given microphones and so we had no choice but to throw our voices. My friend who was about half way back said she could “just” hear me and so the remainder of the students must have been only watching and copying!

Mary Niker, a local Iyengar teacher, also offered classes for beginners and with a wry humour and direct, clear approach, introducing the groups to the strap and the brick with a why and how to align and connect the flow of energy round the body.

It was a beautiful space to share with many like minded souls. Great vegan and veggie food stalls with a lake to swim in and Thames path a stone’s throw away at its most idyllic. An extra pleasure was the gong healer

Later WOMAD moved to Charlton Park site in Gloucestershire which is a fantastic site with a beautiful arboretum. On the first year there, much of the music and all the yoga classes were cancelled because they had a months rainfall in one day! We remember that year as WO-MUD! The mud started like double cream up to the tops of your wellies, then became like clotted cream and by the last day it was like cake mix. Just moving around the site was almost impossible let alone practising yoga.

Every year since, we have been in a Big Top called the All Singing All Dancing Tent. We teach 9.30-11am on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday. It is always fun, whatever the weather. Over the years we have had up to 500 people attend. On these occasions people spill out into the distance in the sunshine. The regulars and keenest manage to get on the dance floor in front of us. We assume

that people will have no equipment (although some bring a mat or blanket). It is always a challenge to teach such varied group; from complete beginners to teachers of all ages and abilities. We often have a sign language interpreter for deaf participants. Despite the challenge of teaching such a diverse group we strive to provide something enjoyable and interesting for everyone.

Our workshops are a welcome antidote to the sensory overload of the festival and alleviate the aches and pains of camping. It is a relief to stretch and to find some inner quietness. People often come to express their gratitude at the end of the workshop. For many it is the most enjoyable aspect of the festival and for some it has provided an exciting introduction to yoga, inspiring them go on to join local Iyengar yoga classes.

CAMP BESTIVAL

Gerda Bayliss taught adults and children at Camp Bestival (the sister festival of Bestival) in the grounds of Lulworth Castle in Dorset at the end of July. The festival is aimed at families and has the Best Family Festival award many times.

TARTAN HEART FESTIVAL

Fiona Sarjeant (aka Madame Fifi) teaches at this Scottish Festival in early August in Belladrum, just West of Inverness in the Scottish Highlands.

“I have been lucky enough to teach at the Tartanheart Festival at Belladrum since its inception in 2004. Since 2005 I have organised the dance tent (Madame Fifi's Dance Parlour) at this three day event held in early

August, which is now the largest camping festival in Scotland (since the demise of T in the Park) and it always includes a slot each day for Iyengar Yoga which I bill as ‘Salute to the sun/rain,’ as the weather is not always what we hope for. I am usually assisted by Donna Youngson, who stepped in to cover me in 2008 as I had given birth to my son three weeks previously, and has helped out ever since. In the last few years there has been an upsurge in other yoga at the event - family yoga, yoga for teenagers, even kilted yoga (!) - however the Iyengar sessions are always popular and the same faces turn up year on year.

SHAMBALA

Julie Baker teaches at this festival in Market Harborough every year:

“It’s predominantly a music and arts festival but has a separate healing field where I teach two 1.5hour classes. I teach one in a dome tent and the other outside on the field itself, and often get a full field full of participants which can be a challenge but lots of fun.”

We teach a gentle general class starting with simple sun salutations with standings, seated twists and forward bends but no inversions (no wall space in the tent) and vary the class over the three days. We supply mats but no other equipment so emphasise the need for ‘working within your limits;’ we need to be mindful of getting complete beginners, some folk are rather merry (even at noon) and also people are usually dressed for a bit of a rave rather than a yoga class so clothing may restrict movement.

EUROPEAN JUGGLING CONVENTION

Darren Bloom: "I taught yoga for three days at the European Juggling convention in August. The classes were at 9am lasting one hour. Attendance was high with over 40 students per class. They had a keen interest in body movement; most of them being jugglers, acrobats and trapeze artists. Many students came up to me after the class asking questions about their bodies and about where to find Iyengar yoga teaches in their respective countries. It was very enjoyable to teach these well attended, receptive classes. The one thing I learnt was not to use walls as props at an event where people walk around in bare feet a lot of the time! 

DandasanaPaschimotanasana

As practitioners of yoga, we all wish to achieve perfection in our practices. But, we are often unclear as to when do we consider ourselves to be perfect! Patanjali states in the 47th sutra of the 2nd chapter that perfection in an āsana is achieved only when prayatna [effort] to perform it ceases i.e. prayatna becomes śaithilya [effortless]. How can effort become effortless? to be able to progress to such a state, we first need to know the proper technique for the āsana. The technique consists not only of the adjustments of the gross body but also the subtle adjustments. Guruji has shared his personal experiences on these subtle adjustments to make his students perfomr āsanas with ease. In this article, Arti H. Mehta has compiled the technicalities of Daṇḍāsana and Paśchimōttānāsana from some of Guruji's classes.

“Use each experience as a stepping stone”

Guruji B.K.S. Iyengar

Daṇḍāsana forms the base for all the forward extensions. In this issue we learn how to sit correctly in Daṇḍāsana and how this practice helps us in our practice of Paśchimōttānāsana. We need to develop a keen sense of observation in Daṇḍāsana such that we are able to minutely examine the changes that take place as we move from Daṇḍāsana to Paśchimōttānāsana. We tend to move parts that we may not even intend to move. Then, we will realise the nature of the prakṛiti is to taint the consciousness. So, as Guruji says, "You have to be alert, learn from nature and go back to the original position that you have lost. Then stay there even if you do not reach the final āsana."

In this article, we describe what tends to happen as we perform Daṇḍāsana or as we proceed from Daṇḍāsana to Paśchimōttānāsana, and what should be done. We describe how we can educate each of the parts so as to be able to achieve a sthira sukha [stable and comfortable] Daṇḍāsana!

Stretch out both your legs straight in front of you.

Using the bricks/blocks to educate the thighs

Place two blocks one over the other and then sit on the edge of the blocks. Catch the toes and try to decrease the space between the top of the legs. The correct action is achieved only when the perineum is below the buttocks

The groins:

The groins tend to ascend.

The thighs

The thighs tend to move up.

 Bring the thighs closer to the ground.

The top of the thighs are broader than the bottom of the thighs. Also, the space between the inner thighs is greater than the space between the back of the legs.

 Widen the bottom of the knee ligament to decrease the space between the inner thighs to broaden the back of the legs.

 Try to move the groins down towards the ground or the bricks (if you are sitting on the bricks). The thighs descend down as the groins descend down

while the rest of the body moves up. The shoulder blades also go in and move upwards.

The arms:

 Stretch the arms straight up by rolling the groins from outside in. The more the groins roll in, the higher the arms move up.

The spine:

 The same spot of the lower sacral muscles from where one moves forward to hold the toes must be educated to come closer to the frontal body.

 Dip the inter-costal muscles in and then move forward.

Avoiding pain to the spine while extending forward:

You can get pain in the spinal vertebrae because you only move from the centre spine to move forward.

 You should move the outer spinal vertebrae towards the armpits. Charge from the centre to the sides. Then there is no pain at all on the spinal vertebrae.

The back:

The arms and the neck

 The arms should lengthen at the biceps like in Ūrdhva mukha śvānāsana.

 Create more space in the armpits like in Adho mukha śvānāsana.Then one feels the lower back coming closer to the inner body.

 Move the trapezius muscles down and lift the collar bones up.

The feeling on the skin of the chest:

The skin feels thinner in the region of the top of the chest while it fels thick aat the bottom of the chest. The sensation of the skin should be similar at the top and bottom of the chest. The skin is the sense of perception and should be thin. Therefore, the skin in the bottom of the chest should be made thinner

 Make the skin in the bottom of the chest thin like that at the top chest by pressing the groins to the ground and then move the lower back ot the front.

Going into Paśchimōttānāsana from Daṇḍāsana:

 Move the inner groin (which is in contact with the flesh and not the one that is touching the skin) down.

 Extend the trunk and the top groin forward as you go down.

 Move the top groin towards the foot and the bottom groin back towards the perineum.

 Take the head own. Exhale and dip the navel passively to the groun.

Maintaining Paśchimōttānāsana:

 Broaden the thigh muscle from side to side.

 Bring only the head of the sternum forward without disturbing the head.

There is an uneven stretch in the skin of the back. This causes tension on the back and therefore one fiunds it difficult to stay in the āsana

 One must stretch the skin evenly from the bottom of the back to the top of the back.

The stretch should not be aggressive at some places. and passive in some other places.

 Extend and move the diaphragm over the thighs and you will observe that the skin at the back becomes soft, soothing and gets room to move.

 The āsana must be done where the skin feels smooth and not tense.

Taking the head down:

When you start moving the head down, the inner calf muscles lose the power, they lose the intelligence and get lifted off the ground.

 Roll the outer sides of the shins in for calf muscles to come down without losing the intelligence. "Some parts of the soma has to be very stable for the psychological mind to move forward (to bring the body forward) in Paśchimōttānāsana." 

This article is a compilation of the teachings of Guruji during his 80th birthday celebrations, 1988, as well as the Silver Jubilee celebrations of RIMYI, 2000. It was originally published in Yoga Rahasya Vol. 11 No.3, 2004.

Teaching Yoga in a Prison Setting

by Sharon Dawn Taylor

‘The Iyengar Yoga Development Fund (IYDF) was set up by Guruji Iyengar, aiming to provide accessible classes for those who would not otherwise be able to attend.

Currently the fund supports seven projects in the UK, including three in prisons.

Sharon Dawn Taylor runs one such class and describes her experience.’ Elaine Spraggett, Chair, IYDF

‘Externally treat your students as students, but internally treat them as God-sent. You are learning by helping them. They make you understand and you must give them respect.’

B.K.S Iyengar and Geeta S. Iyengar

Basic Guidelines for the Teachers of Yoga

I taught my very first yoga class in 2003 in the ‘Ballroom’ at HMP Askham Grange, a women’s open prison on the outskirts of York. As a new teacher, I had a lot of enthusiasm and a lot to learn. The residents were not shy to correct me when I got my right and lefts mixed up. But more importantly they helped me understand how as teachers we need to respect each student’s yogic journey and that in turn deepens our own yogic experience.

Askham Grange was the first open women’s prison in the country, opened in January 1947. It was formally a manor house, hence the ballroom with the beautiful wooden floor, high stained glass windows and wooden pillars. A great space for a yoga class.

Preparing for teaching a prison class

My mother was the home economics teacher at Askham Grange for 15 years and I visited there as a child on several occasions during the ‘family days’. On these days, staff were encouraged to bring in members of their families to interact with the residents as part of a rehabilitation program and preparation for life on ‘the outside’. If you are thinking about teaching in a prison you could check out the site www.naopv.com and consider volunteering to be a prison visitor in order to build an understanding of prison life before starting a class. In the early 1980s I helped as a volunteer teaching basic maths to ex-offenders. These experiences helped prepare me for teaching at Askham Grange and then later at HMP Hull, a category 2 men’s closed prison, where I taught for several years.

In 2016, after a ten-year break from teaching in prisons, I was inspired by an article describing the increase of suicides in UK prisons, to return to teaching at Askham Grange. The vetting process was much tighter and it took several months and a lot of paperwork before I could start teaching there again. The first six months I taught the weekly class for free before the IYDF provided funding. The class is open to staff and residents and still held in the ‘Ballroom’, with a class average of eight students.

Poses to help lift the mood and quieten emotions

The residents regularly say how the class helps to lift their mood and how they feel so much better for being in the class and doing the poses. I try to give them tools to help them outside the class – for example to remember

to lift the sternum when they feel down instead of collapsing the chest. Mr Iyengar has told us to practice Uttānāsana to help lift depression. In Light on Yoga he says that ‘any depression felt in the mind is removed if one holds the pose for two minutes or more’. We often practice Uttānāsana in class.

My first senior teacher, Silvia Prescott, told me how Mr Iyengar in early Pune classes, had the students walk around the classroom on their tip toes to help lift their spirits, which the students at Askham Grange have found so helpful.

The control of emotions can be a challenge for all of us, but in the prison situation emotions, especially of anger and depression, dominate day to day life. So, passing on Geeta’s instruction to relax the tongue on the bottom of the palate, not letting it press on the top of the palate which raises the blood pressure, has been another great tool for the residents to help them quieten their emotions.

When I taught at the men’s prison at Hull, the residents told me that the teaching of Tāḍāsana, keeping the aliment of the spine, helped reduce the number of fights they got involved in. I had taught them to think of Tāḍāsana if someone threatened them – to keep the alignment of the spine and not to poke their head forward. This could help them manage their anger and help them not to react in a potential fight situation and of course also sent a non-aggressive signal to the aggressor.

In every class I include Sarvāngāsana and/or Setu Bandha as these poses have such a calming effect on the emotions and also help combat insomnia, a common problem for residents.

The residents love Śavāsana. There is a lot of fear in prisons and some residents find it difficult to close their eyes, so I never insist on this. Instead I talk through Śavāsana often using Geeta’s words, relaxing the different parts of the body, thinking of the in breath as breathing energy into any part of the mind or body that is tired or aching, and then the out breath releases that tiredness and aching.

I need to have good class timing as an officer comes promptly to lock the ballroom and I don’t want that to disturb the students’ Śavāsana.

Celebrations BKS Iyengar’s 100th Birthday party; National Day of Iyengar Yoga. We have had a few Saturday celebration classes, also open to all staff and residents to join in or watch so they can find out about Iyengar yoga. Several of my students

from the ‘outside’ (with the prison’s permission) have come to these. A great chance for students from the inside and outside to share yoga and some wonderful cakes afterwards. We did a class of a 100 poses midDecember to celebrate Mr Iyengar’s 100th birthday, starting the class singing Happy Birthday BKS and after the class joining in eating four huge delicious birthday cakes made by the home economics department.

Yoga Equipment

I am so grateful for all the kind donations of yoga equipment for the prison class: MDIY donated used mats to get the class started and later a local teacher donated two mats, and then a former Governor of HMP Hull also added to our used mat store. After a year Yogamatters, though the charity The Prison Phoenix Trust, gave us 12 brand new mats. The unwrapping of these new mats was done with such joy and reverence by the residents. The used mat store is still needed when the class is larger than 12.

The blocks and bricks from my former classes at HMP Hull, have been transferred to Askham Grange for us to use. Each week I take in belts for the class, which have to be counted at the start and end of class for security. These belts are the ones donated by Iyengar Yoga Maida Vale back in 2003 for my first classes at Askham Grange.

Rewards

The student population is very up and down, some students attend class for months, others come just once, then maybe get shipped out somewhere else. But the student’s response at the end of the class makes teaching a prison class truly worthwhile and I am very grateful to IYDF for making this possible and for the support of the prison staff.

Iyengar Yoga Convention 2020 with Jawahar Bangera

23rd – 25th May

Birmingham International Convention Centre

We are delighted to announce that our 2020 Yoga Convention will be taught by Jawahar Bangera, and held at the International Convention Centre, in the centre of Birmingham’s historic and vibrant cultural quarter.

on Yoga Research Trust (LOYRT), formed more than 35 years ago to promote the learning and practice of Yoga in the Iyengar method, including the publication of RIMIYI journal Yoga Rahasya.

Our Venue

Our Teacher

It is an honour to welcome Jawahar Bangera back to the UK, after his wonderfully successful convention in 2017. Don’t miss out this time and join us for this very special convention with Jawahar, an opportunity for us to experience Guruji's teachings directly from one of Guruji's most senior teachers.

Jawahar starting practising yoga directly under Guruji in 1969, and accompanied Guruji to many conventions over the years. He is a very experienced senior teacher, leading classes all over the world and at home in Mumbai where he is a director of the Iyengar Institute Yogashraya which was inaugurated by BKS Iyengar in 2002. Jawahar is also a trustee and driving force behind the Light

This year we are returning to the well-appointed Birmingham International Convention Centre (ICC). The ICC is situated in Centenary Square, at the heart of Birmingham’s visionary new building developments, where outdoor piazzas, restful seating areas, water features, plants and trees sit alongside beautiful old buildings and fantastic new architecture. With the lovely canal area behind, stunning pedestrian space to the front, and the award winning contemporary Library of Birmingham, with its relaxing herb roof garden, and remarkable Shakespeare Memorial Room next door. The ICC offers the very best facilities and environment for our yoga community to be invigorated and refreshed by the study of Iyengar yoga.

Convention Timetable

The Convention will take place over three days, and works as a developmental teaching experience, so we are not offering the opportunity to book individual days. Our event is

designed to include all students and teachers together. For students; a minimum of two years regular attendance in Iyengar Yoga classes is required, and the whole weekend will count as specialist training for teachers. Our convention location of Birmingham is one of the best connected cities in the UK, with excellent transport links. We have designed the timetable with a mid-afternoon finish on Monday so that people can get home that day. Our convention teachers always request that students stay on until the end of their teaching, so we respectfully request that participants do not leave early, please book the time in your diary and plan your travel with this in mind.

The timetable below is likely to change, please note that registration will be from 10am on Saturday and the last class ends at 2pm on Monday.

Saturday 11am-2pm Class 1 4.30-6.30pm Class 2

Sunday 9am-12 noon Class 3 3.00-4pm IY(UK) AGM 4.30-6.30pm Class 4

Monday 9am-2pm Class 5 and Q&A

Accommodation

Accommodation in central Birmingham will be mainly in larger hotels, so we have appointed an accommodation agent to manage the bookings for us. The link to their website will be on our convention bookings page; or if you prefer, their reservations line is +44 (0)1423 525577. We expect that some of the cheaper hotels will book up quickly, so once bookings open please book early to avoid disappointment.

Costs

All classes over three days: £220. On-line bookings will open on by the end of October 2019. All IY (UK) members will receive an email when the bookings open. You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter for regular updates.

National Iyengar Yoga Day

Saturday 19 January 2019 was the fourth National Iyengar Yoga Day, with more than 75 events around the UK and Ireland organised by IY(UK) teachers, Member Groups and Affiliated Centres. Free taster classes and demonstrations gave people the chance to experience Iyengar yoga for the first time.

Claire Best: Midhurst, West Sussex

I taught a one hour free class at Cowdray Hall. Eight people booked but six people came. Although a small group, it was received well. I gave a brief talk at the beginning about why BKS Iyengar is known for having a great interest in alignment in an āsana and why we use props. I told them about the book Light on Yoga and showed them the book Light on Life. My class was for total beginners and we used the wall for the back foot in standing posture and had our back to the wall for balances. I gave this to show them how using props can improve their ability to achieve the posture and to hold it for longer.

A couple of students wrote to me after to thank me for the class and how they read up more on BKS Iyengar on Google when they got home. They felt stable in the postures and came away feeling calm and relaxed.

Evelyn Crosskey: Long Wittenham, Oxfordshire

We managed to attract a village hall full of people keen to try Iyengar Yoga on Saturday. Not a bad turnout for a small village on a very cold and drizzly morning. Some attendees were current students bringing newbies along but even they found out about more classes that are available in the area. We had a lovely morning and everyone stayed on for tea and cake afterwards. The teachers have said there have been some enquires following the event which is encouraging. Time will tell!

The following day I ran a free Iyengar Yoga session for the children and loads of them showed up! We did yoga for just under an hour, then we had a quick fruit snack and then we all made trees to take home out of brightly coloured paper with various thought inspiring messages on, such as “Tree pose is ace!” and “I like being a tree”...lots of fun! Everyone has signed up for my next children’s session in March. It was tiring but definitely worth it!

Karen Calder: Troon, nr Camborne, Cornwall

I held three one-hour general classes which went well, I had 30 new participants.

I held a free taster class at the time of my normal weekly class at 7pm. The poses that were done were for beginners level. There were 18 students there, most of whom are regular to class. There were four students that had never tried Iyengar Yoga before and another three that had tried it before but were not regularly

Nikki Curran: Malahide, Ireland

attending classes. They have all now joined the class. Two complete beginners to Iyengar Yoga have also joined the class.

19 people attended, mostly total beginners and only four students from my Beginners class, it was very successful.

Edinburgh: 100 āsana-s to celebrate 100 years of Guruji

We invited people to attend a session of 100 āsana-s held in a central hall in Edinburgh from 10-1pm.

10 teachers each taught 10 āsana-s and an alternative was given for beginners in a programme we coordinated beforehand, but with only one meeting to discuss.

We had helpers around to support with getting equipment etc. for beginners. Our programme took

Everyone said they enjoyed the class and there was a great atmosphere. Those who had never tried it before said it was tougher than they expected but they felt great afterwards.

Annie Deery: Strabane/Castlederg, Northern Ireland

about 2.5 hours and people stayed behind at the end for a drink and chat.

72 people attended and feedback was very positive: Students liking the different teachers’ personalities and accents and the range of poses. It was very successful and we will definitely do it again. We raised some money through donations which will go towards our outreach work.

iYoga Glasgow

iYoga Glasgow hired a large hall and invited four experienced teachers to teach 25 poses each over three hours. Other teachers demonstrated the poses in the further reaches of the hall, and helped the participants to get into poses and to avoid injuring themselves. They made eye-bags with logos, and asked for contributions

The free yoga day went very well. I had 19 in my in Strabane studio and 10 in my Castlederg studio.

Evelyn Donnelly: Derry, Northern Ireland

to Bellur Trust, collecting more than £230. There were nearly 70 participants including more than a dozen teachers.

Jane Howard: Kingston Upon Thames

We organised an event in the centre of Kingston Upon Thames, a major shopping area, in the afternoon. We ran three free classes in a hall, each of 50 mins, and each with a different local Iyengar teacher including Janette Browne, Yves Bouvy and Judith Richards, and we also had someone on hand outside the hall itself during the afternoon to talk to people before, after, and during the classes and generally look after things.

It was quite a small affair, but very well received. There were two people new to Iyengar yoga, and it was also a chance for people who previously have only come to a weekly class with one regular teacher to experience other teachers and a different venue.

Trish James: South Shields

classes, one restorative and one pranayam class. Rachel Bohadana taught one beginners and one 50 + class.

I really enjoyed teaching the whole day, it gave me the opportunity to meet new people and for students who had drifted away over many years to come and dip their

toes in again and re-kindle their love of yoga. I have had many of them already come back to another session and Rachel has had the same results too. We are talking about doing another open day type session again.

I can’t wait for next year! I got very excited about the whole day and enjoyed it very much. It got people talking about Iyengar yoga and it felt good to give something back to the community. Being part of a national event and to be able to tell students (who were disappointed that they were not around to attend the day at Clarence House) not to worry and to look on the IY website and find a class near where they are staying!

Jane Lane, Falmouth, Cornwall

We had 30 students over three classes with different teachers, mostly complete beginners and those from other styles, plus a few existing students who tried a

I taught two well attended sessions, one at Kodokwai Judo and the other at Boldon Colliery Community Centre. Both sessions went well and were geared towards those who had not tried Iyengar Yoga before.

Jenny

King:

Halkyn, North East Wales

The day went really well, think we were the only one in Wales! We had two free taster sessions, a kid's yoga session and Geeta’s sequence in her memory yoga demo by 15 of my students. It was well attended about 50 people with info about Iyengar yoga nationally and locally, lots of really tasty cakes and tea all donations for refreshments will go towards bolsters for classes.

Lucy Aldridge: Penzance

We ran six yoga classes at the Yoga Space, Clarence House, throughout the day, each one hour; two general

class with another teacher. There was a disappointing response to the advertised men only class. There were a couple of men in the morning classes but efforts to attract more men by offering a men only class did not work, no takers! Any ideas on encouraging more men to

try Iyengar Yoga would be greatly appreciated! None of those in my class had heard of Iyengar Yoga before NIYD.

It was announced the day on BBC Radio Cornwall, where I was invited to teach a pose live on air.

Barbara Vidion: Sidmouth, Devon

The morning went very well. There was a free yoga class from 10.00 to 11.30am then from 11.30 - 12.30 we had teas, cakes etc. and chat. I put a table out with books, info and leaflets.

There was a good mix of existing students, people who already do yoga but a different style, and complete beginners. I felt it was very successful and will definitely do it again.

Alicia Lester: Hexham, Northumberland

I arrived early as the heating was broken, with only three plug-in heaters to raise the temperature of a fairly large village hall. 9:50 a.m. and the room was buzzing with positive energy; smiles, chatter, laughter and an array of colourful clothing and yoga equipment.

Dorset & Hampshire Iyengar Yoga hosted a morning of classes at Trinity Methodist Church in Southbourne, Bournemouth. There were three classes available: a beginner class and two general classes, taught by Pauline Green, Star Hobby, and Chrissie Barrett. Tea, coffee, and biscuits were enjoyed by all attendees and a special poster commemorating Dr. Geeta Iyengar was displayed along with some written tributes.

Bridget Moriarty: Killorgin, County Kerry, Ireland

I held a free class at local church hall in Killorglin, for all levels. I made a homemade vegan raw chocolate cake for all, well a piece each!

The temperature had gone up only two degrees but it seemed so much warmer. Twenty people attended this first 45 minute session. I kept Śavāsana brief, as most students had disappeared under layers of clothing and an assortment of tartan rugs, resembling the gathering of the clans.

Despite the temperature (15.6C) most wanted to stay for session 2. I was delighted to see some of my former students arrive, and then a mother with her young daughter wearing matching leggings.

In total 26 students attended including four newcomers and two wanting to rejoin. Most left feedback, thankfully all positive. Being able to teach such wonderful people is both a privilege and a pleasure, so thank you for coming along and supporting NIYD 2019.

The event was very well received, although it was mostly my own students, I did get three new people and two new enquires and it was hugely appreciated by my own students. The day was very successful – the most successful yet. We went for informal brunch afterwards with about 15 students. It has inspired me to do a few more events on a Saturday.

Rachel Lovegrove: The Yoga Shed, Wickham, Hants

I did a taster session of 40 minutes of asana practice with a five minute talk about Iyengar yoga at the beginning.

Many felt the attention to detail was very different from what they had experienced before. A few had medical conditions, bad backs, osteoporosis etc. and they were really interested in how Iyengar yoga could help them. A

DHIY: Bournemouth

few said they would love to start regular classes. There was a lot of excitement leading up to the event with lots of interest. In the end, those that attended had a great session, the atmosphere was fun but informative and everyone went away with an information pack about my own classes, a practice sheet and a piece about BKS Iyengar and Iyengar yoga.

without having to pay to put the event on as well as giving my time for free.

I find the day really tiring but I enjoy the challenge of delivering a 1.5 hr class with a satisfying sequence for those leaving at the end, those continuing to class 2 and those starting at the second class.

Christina Niewola, Congleton, Cheshire

The National Iyengar Yoga Day went very well at the Congleton Iyengar Yoga Centre with over 35 people attending the event. We held a children’s class, two adult classes and a demonstration of Iyengar Yoga.

I would do this on a regular basis as I think a short free taster session can really help people to make that leap from curious to class!

MDIY: Manchester

At MDIY a dozen children attended a dynamic class taught by Rita Mori, one child brought her mum and her grandma. All three are planning to return.

Twenty people joined the beginners class taught by Rachel Preston, one participant wrote on the feedback sheet “excellent tuition, clear, concise instructions, felt great afterwards - stretched!!!”

Delicious samosas, patra and homemade cakes were served in our pop up cafe before the chanting session at 2pm led by Maureen Wray. Some in attendance were experienced practitioners, some were complete beginners. A couple of the beginners said after the session that they were expecting to be out of their depth but the call and response way of learning meant they could join in. They also appreciated knowing about the meaning of the chants and the beneficial effects of this practice.

Thanks to all who helped with this event. Several new students joined classes at MDIY in the week following the event as a result of the day.

Wendy Newell: East Malling, Kent

I promote locally through the Community Centre I hire for the occasion and through my students and their networks. My aim is to offer a free class in support of our national day and a thank you to my regular students

A wide range of people young and old with varying degrees of fitness and flexibility came and enjoyed the classes and experienced some of the benefits that Iyengar yoga can bring. It was really great to see everyone trying and enjoying Iyengar Yoga especially

the children. Christina Niewola and Christine Andrew taught the children’s class and Louise Wallace and Julie Pieczarka taught the adult classes.

This is the fourth year that Congleton Iyengar Yoga Centre has participated in National Iyengar Yoga Day which is a great opportunity for people of all ages and levels of fitness to come and try Iyengar Yoga for themselves.

Norah Phipps: Hexham, Northumberland

The day dawned a little cold –would that put people off? I had some idea of people coming, but until they turn up I really had no idea. In the end 16 students came with a half and half split between new people who hadn’t tried Iyengar Yoga before, and half current students. Some came as they prefer a Saturday class, others came to support their friends, one student brought her daughter and granddaughter to show what she had been doing and certainly impressed them.

The class passed with some groans, a few questions and a lot of laughter. Many expressed an interest in attending classes so we will see if this develops into a regular commitment.

Charlotte Rosser: Derby

I taught two free taster classes at different venues in the Derby area on NIYD 2019. 18 students attended on the day and over a third of these have since joined Beginners Classes, which is a great start to the year. I had some great feedback from these new students.

Lois Shilton: Frome, Somerset

The event went very well. I taught a free class from 11am to 12.30, 13 people attended, of those two had never done yoga before and both of them have now signed up to a 10 week course with me. The other people who attended were existing students who attend classes with me or other Iyengar teachers locally.

Susanne Sturton: East Clare Yoga Centre

We had 10 students attend our 10-11 am taster class with Doris Scanlan and 12 students attended the free intermediate class we offered 11.30-1.30, attended by existing students. Almost 50% of those attending taster class enrolled in weekly classes.

Wendy Sykes: The Iyengar Yoga Studio, East Finchley

We marked National Iyengar Yoga Day with two free taster classes run by Nita Shah and Deborah Perlin respectively. In total, sixteen people attended. Some had never tried yoga before; others had tried other forms, but everyone was new to Iyengar yoga. They seemed to enjoy themselves and we hope we will be welcoming them back.

Chris Willis: Ashburton, Devon

Most of our attendees had done some yoga before but many of them had not done Iyengar Yoga. We had a full day of events and people came and went: two classes, Indian food to share at lunch time, a video of Iyengar in 1938 and a demonstration by Gavin Tilstone (Senior 1) who also taught the morning class. The atmosphere was amazing and the venue was jam packed.

Several people emailed, texted or phoned afterwards to

say how much they enjoyed the day and thank you to the organisers, the teachers and the cooks!!

One of my regular students, Mark Burley, is a professional photographer and he generously took an hour and a half of wonderful photos.

Some people wanted to donate to support the event and help pay the rent for the venue, we collected £230.

My free class for NIYD 2019 has been a great success. Not the big numbers that could have been, but a healthy seven turned up and they enjoyed the class, asked questions, and most of them asked for me to start up a Saturday class off the back of this freebie. So it looks like I'll be doing Saturdays as a regular thing now.

Alison Wright: Stockport

It felt an honour to be offering Iyengar yoga to my local community. I had 14 attendees, four from my regular class and ten others. Some did yoga elsewhere but there were five who had never tried yoga before. All really enjoyed it. One has signed up to the foundation course at Dukinfield; I referred the other four to a local evening class. 

Maxine Wollaston: Sandbach, Cheshire

Jeanne Maslen

30 April 1934 – 2 March 2019

Jeanne was one of the teachers who invited Guruji to Manchester in 1967, was a driving force behind setting up the Manchester & District Institute of Iyengar Yoga as well as instrumental in developing and delivering the teacher training programme that all our current teachers have undertaken. Jeanne will be very much missed by students of Iyengar yoga, not just around Manchester but across the country.

We are publishing below extracts from an interview with Jeanne on 11th July, 2005 by Erica Burman and Liz Bondi. In the interview, Jeanne light-heartedly describes her first reluctant initiation into Iyengar Yoga and how she went onto bring Guruji’s yoga to such prominence in the North West and her contribution to spreading his teaching worldwide.

Liz: You know, we know the story of Pen Reed … it started in Pen Reed’s class and you became Pen Reed’s apprentice.

Jeanne: Student, yes, apprentice, whatever!

Liz: Yes, and I guess we’re really interested to know what it was that inspired you so much? How you knew this was what you wanted to follow?

Jeanne: Well, I think it took a lot of persuading actually because I wasn’t that interested.

Erica: She persuaded you?

Jeanne: Yes, but not only Pen, I had friends in the class. I believe you know the story of – I was always running the keep fit class because the keep fit teacher was always ill. It was our Friday class that Pen came to give her demonstration, but it was really my friends that were in the class that persuaded me to go to this demonstration because I really wasn’t interested. I had seen books from my friend who lived two doors from me here and she used to come here and show me these books and show me these weird positions and I wasn’t at all interested, although I could do some of them! Actually my friend was quite annoyed because I could do them and she was the one who was interested while I wasn’t. And she persuaded me at first “oh come on, we must see this demonstration, she’s coming actually to the keep fit group”. So I went and when I saw what Pen could do, it was a challenge. I thought “well, I’ve never done that sort of thing, like stand on your head and cross your legs and so forth”. So I came home afterwards and tried headstand, and broke John’s glasses!

I began to show an interest, I suppose, each time Pen came, because of my friend’s encouragement to do so, but I really still had a tongue-in-cheek attitude. It was, to me, dead after keep-fit. In keep-fit, you’re moving, jumping around, a bit like Astanga Yoga. And I thought “no, it’s too quiet”, it wasn’t really for me. And so it took, I think, several weeks before I really got interested. Pen was constantly asking me – and I think it was part of her way of encouraging – to show some of the postures that she knew I could do, and some of the others couldn’t do, such as Padmāsana you know, which seemed to be quite natural to me but not to others, although I didn’t like the posture one bit. I thought it was ridiculous sitting there with your legs crossed in that way but I’m sure it was part of her plan to encourage me to take more interest, because the next thing was that she was asking me to help her in various classes, which was her way of training me to teach. She said that she was getting so many students, not only in Withington Further Education where we started, but all around. She was going to women’s guilds and golf clubs and goodness knows where to show Yoga for the first time in Manchester and of course this type of Yoga she was doing was certainly not Iyengar. It was very much, I don’t know whether I dare say it, but British Wheel, if you like, which is totally different to what we do, and I just felt it wasn’t really enough.

At that time I was getting far more from the keep-fit class, which we still ran, even though we were doing Yoga as well. We were only a small group of about 12, and Pen said she needed this help in other places, not just here in Withington. I’m trying to think where it was Davenport (in Stockport). Pen eventually let me take the class on my own because, although I was, I think, a good apprentice, I really was that sort of person. I could take over if you

like. Probably that was because of the keep-fit teacher was always away, and I was having to teach anyhow. Not that I wanted to be a professional teacher or really learn how to teach. I felt I couldn’t even be persuaded to teach keep-fit, so why was Pen wanting me to teach Yoga? –something that I felt was a much more complicated subject to deal with, all the things I kept hearing about it, and then I started reading about it, and I thought “no, I don’t really want to get involved in all this”. But I kept it up for – was it six months? It could have been six months, I’m not too sure. It wasn’t that long, when we discovered Mr Iyengar’s book. It must have been a very early edition, released by the publishers in ’66. I remember going in to our library here in Withington, where there was only this one copy, and I took it to the class and I showed it to Pen and I said “well, this looks as though it’s got a bit more to it than what we’re doing”. I mean these silly little exercises we were doing, they really were neither here nor there, and so we started going through the book. It was one of those sort of books then, Light on Yoga, where all the pictures were at the back and the instructions at the front and we never bothered with the instructions, we just turned to the pictures! We just wanted to see how we could do these poses having not read the instructions, we didn’t know you had to spread your feet so many feet apart or jump them or whatever. And we went through quite a lot. But I began then, I think, to get really interested, and I thought “well there’s far more to it than what we’ve been seeing in some of these other books”.

So once we got the book, then I felt “yes, there is something here and I would like to start teaching it this way”. We kept questioning about Mr Iyengar, whether he was alive etcetera, and in the end, we wrote to an address that

Beatrice Harthan and Angela Marris had given us and it was actually these people who were running things down in London for him, and they gave us Mr Iyengar’s address. So our Head of Withgton Centre wrote to Mr Iyengar to see if next time he came to London, would he come to Manchester, and within eight days – and in those days, letters were taking a bit longer to come to this country – but within eight days we had a reply to say “yes, he’d come if we could set up a demonstration for him , and get enough people”. Well we had 500 as you know, and we only charged 2 ‘n’ 6 pence per person in those days! We weren’t thinking of charging a lot, we just wanted people there because he’d said “get as many as possible” and I think he was overwhelmed when he saw the number of people interested at Spurley Hey School. There was one story – I don’t whether I should say it now, it’s probably out of context a little bit – but, as it built up, people were beginning to say whether they wanted, whether they wanted Hatha Yoga or Iyengar Yoga. Did I tell you that story? Have you heard that one? Mr Iyengar found that quite amusing in years gone by, later on. We were giving a demonstration, at Umist for the Karnatakan Festive.

Mr Iyengar was one of their honoured guests but Mr Iyengar asked me to make sure we’d got a group of people ready to give a demonstration. And so I got a group of people ready as quickly as possible and he was staying

here and at breakfast he said to me, you know, “do you know exactly what you’re doing etc?” and I thought “well, as far as I know, I think we know what we’re doing”! But he asked “are you giving a talk beforehand?” so I said “yes” so I handed him what I was going to say and he said “oh you’ll have to lighten this a little bit”. He said “it needs a sense of humour with it”. I thought “golly, how do you humour an Indian population?” I think their humour is very different to ours, having experienced some of it in India. So he said “well, tell that story about when you first were trying to interest the public to do Iyengar Yoga”. So I remembered it immediately what it was, so he said “tell it to me now”. So it goes like this: The Withington Centre had been told that if anyone phoned up wanting Yoga and they didn’t know which to do, Hatha or Iyengar, tell them about Iyengar Yoga because we really need the people to do Iyengar Yoga. So somebody phoned up, and I can’t remember now all the details of it, but this person said “yes, yes, I know Mr Iyengar but who is Mr Hatha?” And I thought that it was neither here nor there, but Iyengar laughed his head off, he thought it was so funny. So I had to tell this to this all-Indian audience, and he stood up after I’d told it, and he started laughing, so everybody laughed. I don’t think they really understood at all! The group that were with me that were going to do this demonstration all laughed because Iyengar laughed and then of course the whole audience laughed.

It wasn’t that funny but he thought it was, that was his way of trying to convince an all-Indian audience that they ought to do Yoga, because there weren’t many Indians doing any types of Yoga – not many were interested.

Erica: Can I just ask you, you were always quite physically active and engaged in …. ?

Jeanne: Yes, my children would be 6 and 8, I think, when I really started to take up any real active interest in other things. They kept me too active at that age! I remember my daughter’s age more because it was she who saw Mr Iyengar on the television – I’m sure I’ve told that story. I used to take her to the classes because she’d just started the school down here at Old Moat, and my classes were usually early evening or something, and I know she used to come to some of the classes. But before I took up Yoga, I took up swimming, I took up keep fit as I’ve already said. I was going to an evening class to learn French, partly because of my French neighbour! Yes, I wanted to do something more than just be at home, as my husband will verify. I’ve always been like that, you know, I felt well yes, the children are growing up, we don’t think we’re going to have any more, so I wanted to do something. But again, I wanted to do something that I could have fun with, not to go and teach and have responsibilities, that’s why I think I shunned it at first, but that was to change. I was afraid then, I’m not so afraid now, but I really didn’t want that sort of responsibility.

So I really sort of fell into it I think by accident or I was destined to do it, I don’t know. But it’s been ongoing ever since to keep up with it because it just seemed to grow so fast. In those days, at Withington Centre, we had queues for the classes – you know where the old Centre used to be at 3 Mauldeth Road – the queues came right out on Wilmslow Road,

and it was mainly for doing Yoga. We had long waiting lists; we just couldn’t take the numbers in the hall. The old building was an old Jewish Synagogue at one time. It’s an old people’s home now – they’ve built on the land.

Liz: Do you have a sense of why it was so, what was it about it that made it so popular? People recognised something they wanted.

Jeanne: Well at the same time as we were developing, there was this fellow Hittleman was on the television, Richard Hittleman, Well he was giving this programme, I think it was on TV. I don’t know how many days a week, but it was on quite regularly, and of course he had these beautiful model girls that were doing all sorts of very pretty poses, very gentle – that is probably the better word for it, a gentle type of Yoga, and people were thinking we were doing the same, and then they got a rude awakening I’m afraid! They weren’t really following anybody then, only what they had gleaned from a few books, whereas Iyengar’s book was the first really good book that showed postures, how they had developed right through history. I suppose one would say that’s why we call it Iyengar Yoga, although he’s never, ever called it Iyengar Yoga, it is purely Yoga. But he always would say to us that if we studied, we would

find that there are not many of these people who’ll say that they are doing Yoga, they are sitting and they’re talking about doing it but they’re not actually doing it, they’re not teaching it from experience. Whereas Iyengar developed it where it was very educational, and this is what the educationalists liked about Iyengar Yoga, because it had a beginning, a middle and an end to it, you know, it was following something, so it was progressive but all these other types, they couldn’t prove at all where they were getting their beginnings and what they were following Consequently educationalists at that time said that they would accept the Iyengar system in education, but they could not accept the other types of Yoga to be educational for people and so that’s how Iyengar was accepted in Manchester. He was certainly accepted in London like that because we had various educationalists that used to come to his classes. It just took off you know, everywhere, not just Manchester and London, or London and Manchester, whichever you see first. We took off here, I think, a little faster than actually they did in London. He only had three teachers at the time in London: Beatrice Harthan who is now dead (she was 97 when she died a few years ago), Angela Marris who is still alive and is in her late 80’s, and Silva Mehta who died a few years ago. They were the only three that he had

teaching in London. When we took off in Manchester about the same time, because he came up here in ’68, and even though he’d been to London since the 50’s, he still only had those three that were teaching. But as soon as we took off, we were training 12 people straight away and then we had others that were coming in. So we were building up quite a group of teachers.

We went down to London regularly in a coach. An allnight affair, we slept on people’s floors, so that we could learn from Iyengar. He encouraged us very much to get together and practice. We were running assessments and all sorts of other things to do with training before they were doing that in London. So we’re very proud of that fact. Mr Iyengar opened his own Institute in Pune in ’75, and in ’77, he decided that we had to have a certification recognition because he’d been talking to the educationalists and that’s what they were wanting, to prove that we had gone through this system.

Each time I went to India, starting in ’75, I had to sit and talk to various people who were representing their countries, particularly the Americans. They wanted to know how we were running teacher training and Mr Iyengar always made sure that I sat and talked with these people about what we did, how we got started, and they then started running something similar. Most countries,

including all the continental countries, wanted to know what we were doing. I started having to go abroad, which is something else that I hadn’t thought about getting involved in at all But they were needing help in places like Denmark, and they get the Norwegians and the Swedes to their courses. I’ve been going to Germany for a number of years. They’re taking on places like Poland, Czechoslovakia to do their assessments in Germany. So it’s very, very mixed. But, you know, it’s a vast, a vast subject. Also I travelled to Israel for about 8 years, Tel Aviv, when they first started.

Erica: So, I wonder if you could tell me what you knew about Hinduism and Indian culture when you first started?

Jeanne: I knew nothing.

Erica: And did you know people from South Asia?

Jeanne: We sort of pioneered the way to go to India, and we knew nothing about India apart from what Silva Mehta had told us. She had said that we must wear either trousers or long skirts because we mustn’t show our legs, and a covering because we mustn’t show our arms. Didn’t matter about the middle bit but it was arms and legs, We knew nothing of what to expect, or what Mr

Jeanne, with Pen Reed and Guruji

Iyengar was used to. I mean we’ve been having him come and stay here in the UK, and we knew that he liked Indian food, as long as it wasn’t meat and eggs and all that sort of thing. We knew all that, but apart from that, I’d never even given it a thought, what it was like over there.

John: I had to case the joint for you though before you went.

Jeanne: Oh yes, John went out there first, because he was working all around the world and he had work in India. The year before I went, I said to him “don’t forget to go and see Mr Iyengar, he teaches in Bombay”. Every weekend he used to go into Bombay from Pune. That’s where he wrote his book, on the train journey between Pune and Bombay, he wrote Light on Yoga. I asked John “do try and go and see him there” so John did. He went to a class that Mr Iyengar was doing, and then Mr Iyengar kindly took John into the car, because he always had a car back from Bombay to Pune. He went on the train there but he came back by car so he travelled back to Pune and then Mr Iyengar showed him all around Pune on the back of his scooter and we took a video of that didn’t we? John brought pictures back of him sitting on the back of Mr Iyengar’s motor scooter, going up the main road, Mahatma Ghandi Road and all around where hundreds of bicycles and rickshaws were all mixed up, very busy and nearly bumping into some because John makes comments on the video like “whoops, just missed that one”!

Erica: Oh right. And so how often did you go after that first trip?

Jeanne: Well, on record, I think it’s supposed to have been every other year, because there was always a year in between, but often it was at the end of one year and the beginning of the next so it was practically nearly every year.

Erica: And how long would you stay?

Jeanne: Mostly for one month, although I stayed for three months on one trip that my friend Lilian Biggs and I went

out on. Mr Iyengar had been on at us to go to do more observation than actually classes. He said “you’ll be in one class but try and be there longer so you can observe” because he was having his first group come from Canada and his first group coming from South Africa, and he wanted us to be there to lend a helping hand in a sense. Yes, it was quite an interesting three months to be there.

Erica: So you were really helping Iyengar codify and or sort of document his own practice when you were there?

Jeanne: Yes. Lilian and I had that job on two or three occasions, when we were out for a month of writing up notes. We went on a back-bending session. The first one Mr Iyengar had ever done I wasn’t so good, he wanted myself and one of the American women, same age as me, who also wasn’t that good, he wanted to show how he could still get us to do back-bends. So we were at the back and every time everybody had done the back-bend, we had to be used to show how he could get us to do it to a certain extent. It was very interesting in that sense. Lilian had to do the write-up for it, and we had to get together after the class. I would describe what I felt we did and she would then do the poses. She could do them easily anyhow, and I was looking at her written work to see if it corresponded with what I felt in the poses. It’s very different when you’re doing the posture and receiving the instructions to someone who’s sitting there just writing them. There’s no feeling. So we sort of did it that way and then wrote up the notes and we made a book out of it, which we presented to Mr Iyengar He was fantastic. He must have demonstrated every posture and shown different things at least half a dozen times. Every single pose, he did like that, whether it was a very easy one or a more difficult one, he was in and out of those postures. Some of them were incredibly difficult, even for those that could do back-bends. But he’d break it down to get you to do. I was doing things I thought I’d never ever be able to do, but we did do it, and he was quite pleased. Certainly that back-bending course was something to be remembered. Mr Iyengar has never done another one. And he did that one and he said “no”, it took too much out of him,

Erica: So would you say that you were one of the main people that worked with Mr Iyengar in, I suppose, spreading his ideas?

Jeanne: In this country, yes, definitely.

Erica: And this country was the lead among countries in the west?

Jeanne: There were little pockets of people all over the continent but they really weren’t forming anything, weren’t really doing anything. They certainly weren’t doing teacher training or that sort of thing. And then they started to grow. There would be a few from Switzerland, a few from Italy, a few from wherever, they’d get together and form a little group to come.

Liz: And how was it that you became an Advanced teacher?

Jeanne: Oh yes, that’s a story, although not too long I hope for you, but let me think. It was in 1981, the end of 1980, Mr Iyengar wanted to know how many had got the Advanced certificate in the UK. He was asking this all around the world. I was the Chairman of the Association at the time. When we counted it up, we’d only got, at that time, Angela Farmer, Diana Clifton and Paquita Claridge, so there were only three. Mr Iyengar wanted to know how many we thought – when I say “we”, it was the Committee of the Association – thought should be upgraded. Kofi Busia’s name was mentioned because he’d been around a long time. Maxine Tobias – she’s written a book, “Relax”. She lives in America now and so does Kofi. Then Mr Iyengar wrote back to me and the Committee, and he asked “why not yourself?”

Erica: Why did you move out of further education?

Jeanne: I moved out of further education because we had the building presented after 20 odd years of looking, and I knew that the only way I could help was to ask my students that were in education if they wanted my teaching, would they come up to the building. And a lot of them did, because otherwise we weren’t going to have classes. It would take a long time to establish classes. It does even now take time to get the local people in

Dukinfield to come to classes. They’re getting a lot more now perhaps than they used to, but when we first went there, it was an unknown area. But the building was there, just right. It’s a very old building, it’s over 100 years old, it used to be an old clinic, and before that I think the conservative people had it as a ballroom and a function room, and now we’ve got it nicely established with all our stuff and it’s running very well. Now that we’ve got the whole building –the bottom part has been let off to martial arts people. They’re going to be moving out soon, so we’ve bought the whole building. Once they’ve gone we want to make another big room for classes because we’ve got enough students to make more classes so we do need the space.

I’m sure our M.D.I.I.Y. will flourish now that we’ve got the building ourselves and we can do a bit more with it. We will get some double-glazing to stop the traffic noise on King Street. I’m sure we will just grow and I think this goes for all the Institutes. I know all of them There is a lot of interest in Iyengar Yoga, definitely in this country and certainly in other countries. They’re all very keen to push on with Iyengar’s system so when he’s, sad to say, dead and gone, I’m pretty sure that they’ll keep going, because he’s given so much to everyone. Enough for several lifetimes I think for everybody to keep going. Don’t think there’s any doubt about that

Liz: We’ve kept you talking for quite a while … it’s been fascinating. Yes, absolutely, really filled us in with so much information, thank you.

Jeanne: No, it’s my pleasure.

This is a shortened version of the interview: the full text can be read on the Manchester and District Iyengar Yoga website: www.manchesteriyengaryoga.org.uk

Words read out at Jeanne Maslen’s funeral by Pen Lynas (formerly Reed)

21st March 2019, Stockport Crematorium

In the beginning there was little or no yoga in the Manchester area. Jeanne was practising keep-fit at her local Centre, the Withington Further Education Centre. I came up to live in Greater Manchester from Birmingham, having taken a Yoga Teacher’s course at the Birmingham Athletic Institute. Having informed the Further Education Centres of my qualifications, Mr Sparrow, Area Principal, invited me to give a talk and demonstration. I was lucky enough to meet Jeanne that day. She told the story of how she went home to try the headstand and broke her husband John’s glasses!

A small class started in September 1966; Jeanne was a member of that class and I remember describing her to a local school teacher as “a lovely girl, a natural”. Soon, because the Centre was overwhelmed with invitations to start more classes, I began training Jeanne to help with the growing number of students. In Jeanne’s words, she became my ‘apprentice’. One day, watching Blue Peter with my children, I was lucky enough to see Mr Iyengar practising the standing poses. At the same time, Jeanne was alerted by her daughter Carol to the programme and saw a flash of him whipping himself into Padmasana in headstand. I realised I was on the periphery of something very profound and was determined to get into this higher sphere.

I bought his book, Light on Yoga, and then wrote to the publishers Allen and Unwin. They sent my letter to Mr Iyengar who replied immediately and suggested that I attend his London classes. Jeanne had dental problems at the time and was unable to come. His Secretary, Angela Marris, arranged his first visit to Manchester. Mr Iyengar, Angela Marris and Beatrice Harthan stayed with my husband Peter and family. Meanwhile a small group of us, led by myself, gave a demonstration to classical music at Spurley Head School. 500 people filled the hall and my husband drove Mr Iyengar in to sit on the front row of the audience. Jeanne was at the front of the stage practising Virabhadrasana III and caught his eye! Even worse, we were wearing fishnet tights – I still cringe at the thought. In Jeanne’s words, he gave an unforgettable demonstration and took us to task on our practice of his yoga.

After that, both Jeanne and I travelled to London for classes whenever he came. Mr Iyengar and his retinue continued to stay in my old cottage for another four years and teach in various halls in South Manchester. Angela and Beatrice came up and also helped Jeanne and I to learn a little more of his work. We were very keen to have Iyengar Yoga established in all local Education Centres. Jeanne and I wrote a syllabus for the Manchester and Greater Manchester areas showing Iyengar yoga to be logical in its progressive manner, compared to other forms of yoga being taught at the time.

In the early 1970s we had an informal meeting at my old cottage in Marple Bridge and together with the assistance of our husbands and Bill Bowen, a constitution was drawn up setting out the structure and aims of an Iyengar yoga institute for Manchester. The inaugural meeting was held at Withington Further Education Centre on June 28th, 1971. Mr Iyengar agreed to be our President and gave a memorable demonstration at our institute in July 1972. By 1975, Jeanne was also running a teachers’ course at Old Trafford College

I will always be grateful to Jeanne that she was able to take over when two members of my family became seriously ill and I had to take a back seat for a while. Then, with Jeanne’s encouragement, I did come back and, after the death of my husband, she helped me go to India and practise with Mr Iyengar again.

Other memories of Jeanne: the Heinkel bubble car, the sailing with John, despite Jeanne’s sea-sickness, and the camping in Anglesey … and the time Jeanne’s tortoiseshell cat tried to join us by stowing away in the trailer of their boat. So many happy memories.

I joined the EX nearly five years ago when I was still very new to the UK. As a teacher and a dedicated student of this path, I witnessed that Iyengar yoga practitioners were linked like an extended family all around the world. So once I moved to Cambridge in February 2014 it didn't take me long to find the Iyengar centre and I will never forget the warm welcome and the sense of support that I immediately felt at my arrival. Coming from a country without an Iyengar association, the value of finally belonging to one was very clear to me. Volunteering as representative on the EX committee, felt just like a duty, an exciting responsibility to give back a little to this family that supported us, cared for every aspect of our practice and teaching. We are really privileged to have such an established and mature association, run by people with amazing skills, impeccable ethics and generous with their time and energy, as I now realise the amount of work that happens behind our events, assessments and membership system. Representing Cambridge has taught me who we are as a group, our differences, how enriching they can be. It has pushed me out of my comfort zone, helping me grow, rewarding me by meeting wonderful people. I'm very grateful to be part of IY (UK).

Shaili Shafai

Being an elected EX member of IY(UK) is a responsibility which I do not take lightly. It is an honour to vote for proposals at the Ex meetings and to be involved in the development of our beloved Iyengar yoga at this interesting time. Each member writes a report which is required to be in three weeks before the meeting. Meeting this deadline is often a scramble. I book the train ticket in advance, read the reports and minutes of previous meetings. The four hour afternoon meeting is only useful if we have all read the reports. Once on the train I get thoroughly immersed in re-reading the 60 plus pages. It is very interesting to discover the broad range of activities within our national Iyengar yoga organisation. The meetings are currently held either in London or Manchester and not in a yoga centre but a suitable hired meeting room. I like the challenge of finding and arriving at the venue. Seeing colleagues and meeting new people gives me a feeling of being a part of the Iyengar community UK. The meetings are well structured and usually end on time. Many issues are dealt with, and some points of action are ongoing. From time to time the meetings become heated, but then it continues with business as usual!

Cathy Rogers Evans - Iyengar Yoga Sussex Rep.

One of my jobs as Secretary of IY(UK) is to prepare the papers for EX meetings. The agenda is pretty well set in advance: minutes of the last meeting and reports from Officers, Member Groups, Standing Committees etc. I remind people when these reports are due and collate them. I then run the agenda past Jill (Chair), Cathy (Deputy Chair) and Charlotte (Deputy Secretary) and send it out to EX members two weeks before the meeting. In addition to all the standard items, we do try to have at least one longer discussion at each meeting; there is no shortage of topics. Ultimately, the EX is the highest decision-making body of our organisation and everything has to be ratified by a vote of the EX. Recommendations come to the EX from the various Standing Committees and these are voted on; occasionally the vote is close, but usually not. Once agreed by the EX it goes back to the Board who, in exceptional circumstances, can refer it back to the EX to re-visit the decision. Decisions involving a lot of people are a hard but crucial aspect of running IY(UK). There are occasional controversies and passionate arguments, but everyone in the room is thoroughly committed to the well-being of our organisation and to the principles we enshrine. The EX is an able, competent group of people, and it is a pleasure to work with them to promote Iyengar Yoga in the UK.

Philippe Harari - Secretary (Cambridge)

Thoughts on the Council of

We asked members of the Iyengar Council to write a few words Committee and here is a selection Please do not hesitate to contact volunteer to help run

When we volunteers from all over the committees and taking part in discussions moved by such a testament to Guruji's Sara Delfas – Constitution Officer (Kent

I am the Dublin Rep so an Ex Meeting for travel but the agenda is always followed to be fully discussed and minuted. It's feels very unified as we all share a commitment with insurance for Irish teachers arose Dublin. Through the efforts of IY (UK) Melanie Taylor, Dublin Iyengar Yoga

– Cambridge Iyengar Yoga Rep.

the Executive IY(UK)

I have only recently come on to the EX as an Individual Rep and Deputy Chair. So far I have attended two meetings: in London and Manchester. I have so far been impressed by how well run and professional the meetings have been. I like seeing how all the things members have been working on between the meetings start to come to fruition. The meetings themselves are stimulating and I love hearing people’s thoughts and contributions on various topics. It's a privilege to be able to contribute and I look forward to future meetings.

Catherine Alison - Deputy Chair (London)

Iyengar Yoga

()UK)

Executive words about serving on this selection of the responses. contact us if you feel moved to run our association.

Walking in to an EX meeting at any venue in any city (quite often London, York or Manchester) is an exciting experience for me (I don't get out much!). I've cleared the day; sorted the tickets; read the 52 pages of meeting papers (always seems to be about that number) and fiddled with my printer to get it all on half double-sided pages; made the trip (not too far for me as I live near Manchester) and even checked where the venue is (we've booked some interesting rooms (!)) and left enough time between station and venue (oh and got some sandwiches/salad for lunch and water and the reusable cup....). Then I push through reception ('yoga meeting please') and walk in to a sea of faces from all over the UK. At the end of 4 hours (with a break and on the dot) we've talked, listened, voted on issues and taken the mood of what's going on in Iyengar Yoga around the UK and how we can improve. I love it - it's a bit like the EU Parliament- varied, valuable, inclusive and united. (I use the political analogy loosely!).'

Joan Abrams – Individual Members’ Rep. (Manchester)

The EX meets three times a year, and is incredibly productive. Once I've read the 50 or 60 pages of the papers for the meeting, I really look forward to it. I live in Leeds, about 3 minutes from a local station, so enjoy the thought of a train journey, with time to reread the papers, have a coffee (in my reusable cup!), and watch the country go by. Great to meet up with people from all over, all wanting to help in their way with the Iyengar Yoga world. I'm always inspired by the great ideas that we generate, the cool and efficient chairing of the meeting steering through minefields and mountains, and the conversations at lunch time. There is a great energy and enthusiasm at the meetings. My annoyances - people who haven't read the papers before the meeting; people who always have to say something on every topic of the meeting whether relevant or not; lunches that come in single use plastic wrappers. OK – now that's off my chest! Afterwards, I make a summary of the interesting and useful things to pass on to my local committee, so that the local groups can feed into the national process, and vice versa.

Helen White - Bradford & District Iyengar Yoga Rep.

the UK sit around the big table at EX meetings, looking at reports written by yet more volunteers working in IY(UK)'s many discussions with people who care passionately that we represent Iyengar yoga in the UK as well as we possibly can, I am always Guruji's legacy and the incredible seed he has sown. (Kent / Sussex)

Meeting day starts with early morning flights. This year I have been to meetings in London and Manchester. My timings are tight followed concisely, and I am impressed by the skills of the Committee and Chair in allowing the space and time for everything It's also great to meet up, to chat around the table, and find out from the different reps about their plans and happenings. It commitment to support the practice and teaching of Iyengar yoga in the UK and Ireland. This was very evident when the issue arose this year. After helpful discussion at the Ex Meeting, I was able to update the situation more clearly to teacher members in (UK) a solution was found, and all the Irish teachers completed their membership renewals. Yoga Rep.

Assessment Passes

Congratulations to all those who gained success in their assessments

Introductory Assessment Passes 2019

Minna Alanko-Falola

Anna Argiros

Julie Ashworth

Rachel Atherton

Rhitu Barua

Lucy Beckingham

Natasha Beech

Kirstie Berman

Carina Bjork

Julie Blackmore

Noeleen Boyle

Zoe Brandon

Claudia Brazzale

Kelly Brooks

Alice Chadwick

Ying Mei Cheung

Diane Christopherson

Emily Corran

Laura Curtis

Silvia Dalla

Manju Dave

Vashti Davis

Caroline Dayle

Virginie de Place

Sarah Dietz

Dalies Donato

Michelle Farr

Shirley Foreman

Lauren Heinz

Yumiko Ishii

Paul Jackson

Heidi Jann

Susan Jervis

Fiona Jones

Shaun Keating

Jenny Keen

Camilla Laird-Clowes

Elena Leoncelli

Iona Limond Hindley

Lucy Lowry

Lisa Maclean

Jane Marsh

Anila Mazin

Sandra Melo

Shelagh Milligan

Lorraine Moore

Gillian Mullally

Yinqiu Munro

Clare Nicholas

Maria O'Reilly

Oliver Peto

Patrycja Pinkowska

David Quinlan

Sheila Reilly Evans

Debbie Rivers-Moore

Alison Roberts

Anne Roche

Pauline Ronksley

Simon Savage

Marsha Skinns

Deborah Sloan

Larane Sullivan

Russell Sutherland

Caroline Watkins

Alexandra Wright

This table shows the statistics relating to the Introductory assessments held in the UK in June 2019

Book your assessment online

Assessment deadlines

IY(UK) Reports

Chair - Jill Johnson

Hello everyone.

This has been an outwardly quiet time for IY UK but much work has been going on in the background.

1. Administration Team Update

There have been no changes to our administrative team recently.

2. Executive Council (EX) Updates

As all those of you who have attended our annual Conventions over the last few years will know these events require an enormous amount of work to be done by our Events team. As the convention is so important to all of the IY UK the EX has decided that our events organiser Catherine Gresty will be joined by Isabel Jones Fielding in her professional capacity. Isabel has worked tirelessly, with her team, as a volunteer for the past six years and the conventions have been so successful that we now require more paid input to organise them. Catherine and Isabel will still need volunteers to help at the convention itself so please look out for their emails asking for volunteers nearer the time.

We are also setting up a new Tours team; Charlotte, our deputy secretary, will help any member group or affiliated centre to arrange a tour for a visiting teacher and also help to publicise these visits on the website. Charlotte has lots of experience of this having arranged for many teachers to visit MDIY and she is very happy to share her experience, please contact her for advice you need.

If you have looked at the Standing Orders on the website you will know these are the policies and procedures that are necessary for an organisation

such as IY UK to have. We are aware that it can be difficult to find what you are looking for so over the summer a lot of work has been done by various members of the Board rewrite and reorder everything, so please have a look and let us know what you think!

3.

In August Abhijata contacted all associations to invite mentors and assessors to a seven day meeting at RIMYI in December. The information gathered at this meeting will be fed back to those unable to attend at the MAT meeting next April.

4.

As usual this day continues to be more and more popular with events taking place all over the country; next year this will be held on January 18th.

5. 2020 Convention

Plans for Jawahar’s visit to Birmingham in May are continuing and booking will open soon – don’t miss it!

News from RIMYI

National Iyengar Yoga Day

Secretary - Philippe Harari

There have been a few changes to committee members since the last magazine: Julie Brown has come to the end of her term as Chair of the Assessment and Training Committee; we are very grateful for the admirable way she carried out this difficult job and are pleased that she will be continuing as a Board member. She will be replaced in the role of Chair of ATC by Jayne Orton.

Thanks also to Vanessa McNaught who has stepped down as one of the Individual Reps.; her contributions to our annual conventions over the last few years has been invaluable. Thanks to Annamaria Sacco for stint as representative for East Scotland IY; she is being replaced by Jane Walker. We also welcome Cathy Alison as our new Deputy Chair, Catherine Otway as the new Dorset & Hampshire IY Rep. and Sally Lee as the new North East London IY Rep.

One change we haven't had to make is to our Chair; we are delighted that Jill was prepared to stand for a second term and the EX was unanimous in approving her re-appointment.

Treasurer - Velika Krivokapic

The annual accounts for 2018 were approved by the Board and presented at the AGM in May 2019. An overall small surplus of £1,343 (2017: £15,614) for the year ended 31 December 2018 was achieved. The Balance Sheet at 31 December 2018 shows net assets of £133,782 (2017: £132,439).The company is in a healthy financial situation and has sufficient reserves to underpin its ongoing activities.

A payment of £6,843 was made at the beginning of 2019 to Bellur Trust in respect of the donations received in 2018.

During the year a review, including a consultation with Member Groups, took place and looked into the ways how to increase income for the organisation and how to move away from the reliance on the Convention surplus. In general members accepted that the fees need to be increased to generate more income to allow organisation to reach out and to provide better service

to its members. The IY(UK) membership fees for 2020/21 have been agreed as follows:

The Assessment fees for 2020/21 will be re-visited during the summer for the presentation to the Board and Executive Council in September 2019.

The Certification Mark fee for 2020/21 is based on US$50. It will be updated on 1st November 2019 to reflect the exchange rate that is in place on that date.

IY(UK) Reports

Membership Secretary – Julian Lindars

At this time of year we have processed most of our renewals for the current membership year, so we have a pretty good idea of how we stand. As you can see from the tables below, our membership is holding up well, but it is slightly down on last year. The number of teacher members has always risen pretty dependably as new Introductory teachers come through. This year we welcome 65 newly qualified Iyengar Yoga teachers – our congratulations to them! But as we transition to the mentoring system for introductory teachers, we have to expect that after 2020 we are likely have no new teacher members for three years or more.

Also as you can see, the number of non-teacher members looks down slightly this year – although we may not have received complete lists from those who have joined their local groups directly. This number seems to fluctuate around an average of about 1340 members, and is affected by factors such as the capacity of the National Convention.

The way we will ultimately grow our organization is by increasing the amount of Yoga activity in our local communities, drawing new people in to the Iyengar Yoga family. Perhaps your workplace would welcome and maybe fund a regular yoga class. Perhaps you are returning to education this autumn and see an opportunity to form an Iyengar Yoga association at your College or University.

The IY(UK) is here to provide encouragement and practical support to any local initiatives and help them in whatever way we can. There are funds available through the IYDF (Iyengar Yoga Development Fund) to promote access to yoga for disadvantaged people. There is support for those organizing events for the National Iyengar Yoga Day (held in January 2020). We are in the process of setting up a forum that co-ordinates tours by visiting overseas teachers to help smaller local yoga communities gain access to world-class teachers.

We are always working to harness technology to our advantage. We are developing our online presence on platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, both of which have huge potential for attracting new members. You will probably have seen the lovely new Events Diary emails that feature news items from our blog pages, and provide a list of links to Iyengar events at home and abroad.

In the Office we continue to improve our Membership IT systems so that the renewal processes can happen smoothly, freeing up our staff to deal more effectively with individual cases when necessary. We are delighted to see that the percentage of renewals that are processed through the website has risen considerably this year.

Overall, I am so encouraged by the health and vitality of the IY(UK) at the moment, and hope that it continues to grow and flourish.

IY(UK) Professional Development

South West

SWIY (Falmouth): 14th September 2019 with Eileen Cameron Organiser: Nick Thomson - 07984 474298 - nickthomson76@hotmail.com

West & South Wales

AIY (Bristol): 14th September 2019 with Sallie Sullivan

Organiser: Edgar Stringer - 07706 169003 - edgarstringer@gmail.com

Greater London & South East

NELIY (North London): 22nd September 2019 with Christina Niewola Organisers: Nancy Clarke - 07900 277327 - nancyclarke@btinternet.com & Alles Wilson - alleswilson@aol.com

IYS (Sussex): 11th January 2019 with Brenda Booth Organisers: Jenny Deadman – 07817 239363 - jenny@jcm.co.uk and Cathy Rogers-Evans – cathyrogersevans@gmail.com

IYIMV (NW London): 7th September 2019 with Susan Long and 5th May 2019 with Lynda Purvis Organiser: Marco Cannavo - 020 7624 3080 - office@iyi.org.uk

IYSL (South London): 1st December 2019 with Lynda Purvis Organiser: Marion Sinclair - 07803 170846 - marionsinclair@aol.com

KIY (Kent): 23rd November 2019 with Cathy Rogers Evans Organiser: Brenda Booth – 01892 740876 - brendaboothkent@aol.com

SWLSIY (SW London and Surrey): 7th July 2019 with Mary Heath Organiser: Cath Barnes-Holt - 07909 995408 - cath@cathbarnesholt.co.uk

South Central

ORIY (Cirencester): 16th November 2019 with Tricia Booth and 2nd Nov 2019 with Cathy Rogers Evans

Organisers: Elaine Martin (for Tricia) – iyakemblepdday@gmail.com and Evelyn Crosskey (for Cathy) - longwittenhamyogacentre@gmail.com

DHIY (Bournemouth): 23rd November 2019 with Sheila Haswell Organiser: Iris Lee - 02380 616505 - irisleeyoga@aol.com

North East & Cumbria

NEEIY (Sunderland): 6th July 2019 with Patricia James Organiser: Caroline Earl - carolinejpearl@yahoo.com

NB: The PD Day year now runs in tandem with the membership (renewal) year from 1st April 2019-31st March 2020

Development Days 2019/2020

West Central

MCIY (Birmingham): 11th January 2020 with Diane Coates

Organiser: Jayne Orton – 0121 608 2229, jayne@iyengaryoga.uk.com

MCIY (Herefordshire): 7th April 2019 with Judi Sweeting Organiser: Sheila Green - 01981 580081 - sheila@herefordshireyoga.co.uk

East

CIY (Cambridge): 13th April 2019 with Julie Brown

Organiser: Sasha Perryman – 01223 515929 - sashaperryman@yahoo.co.uk

East Central & North

SADIY & NOTIY (Sheffield &Nottingham): 23rd November 2019 with Sheila Green

Organiser: Pascale Vacher - 07941 646418 - pascal_vacher@yahoo.co.uk

BDIY (Bradford and Leeds): 27th April 2019 with Meg Laing Organiser: Jacky McGeoch - 07739 677745 - jackymacyoga322@gmail.com

North West

MDIY & LDIY (Manchester): 7th December 2019 with Kirsten Agar Ward

Organiser: Margaret Walker - 01613 390748, marge.walker1@gmail.com

Scotland

ESIY (Edinburgh): 3rd November 2019 with Marion Kilburn

Organiser: Katie Rutherford – 0131 447 4708 - katie.rutherford@blueyonder.co.uk

Glasgow: 14th September 2019 with Margaret Austiin

Organiser: Valerie Miller - 0141 339 0442 - vjmiller7882@gmail.com

Ireland

DIY (Dublin): 6th April 2019 with Aisling Guirke

Organiser: Aisling Guirke – +353 087 289 1664, aisling_guirke@hotmail.com

DIY (Phibsboro): 28th September 2019 with Helen Graham

Organiser: Margaret Cashman – 01882 8858, info@iyoga.ie

IY (UK) Executive Council

Officer Rep. Name Email

Chair Jill Johnson chair@iyengaryoga.org.uk

Deputy Chair Cathy Alison catherinealison1@hotmail.com

Secretary Philippe Harari philippe.harari@runbox.com

Deputy Secretary Charlotte Everitt secretary@iyengaryoga.org.uk

Treasurer Velika Krivokapic velika_krivokapic_4@hotmail.com

Deputy Treasurer Michelle Pendergast abacus94@yahoo.co.uk

Membership Sec Julian Lindars julian@96belmont.co.uk

Deputy Memb. Sec. VACANCY

Constitution Officer Sarah Delfas sarahandnick@hotmail.com

Chair of AT Jayne Orton jayne@iyengaryoga.uk.com

AT EX Rep. Tricia James patricia.james900@ntlworld.com

Chair of Therapy Judi Sweeting therapy@iyengaryoga.org.uk

Chair of EA Gerry Chambers yogagerry@gmail.com

AIY Ginny Owen ginnyowen@hotmail.com

BDIY  Helen White white.helen@btinternet.com

CIY Shaili Shafai shshaili@yahoo.com

DHIY Pauline Green exrep@dhiyi.co.uk

DIY Melanie Taylor melaniet4@gmail.com

ESIY Jane Walker walker1.jane@gmail.com

iYG VACANCY

IYS Cathy Rogers Evans cathyrogersevans@gmail.com

KIY Sarah Delfas sarahandnick@hotmail.com

LIYI Judi Soffa info@yoga-studio.co.uk

MCIY Annie Beatty yoga@anniebeatty.com

MDIY Lauren Currie laurenmayyoga@gmail.com

MDIY Charlotte Everitt c_a_everitt@yahoo.co.uk

MIY Perry Simpson simpsonperry@icloud.com

NEIY Caroline Earl carolinejpearl@yahoo.com

NELIY Sally Lee purpleslee@gmail.com

NIY VACANCY

ORIY VACANCY

SADIY Peter Durkin peterd.sadiy@gmail.com

SWIY Sarah Pethybridge sarahboopethy@hotmail.com

SWLSIY Elaine Morrison elainemorrison.yoga@gmail.com

Individual Joan Abrams joanabrams@hotmail.com

Individual Richard Agar Ward richardhagarward@yahoo.com

Individual Cathy Alison catherinealison1@hotmail.com

Individual Isabel Jones-Fielding events@iyengaryoga.org uk

Individual Elaine Spraggett elainebev@me.com

Individual VACANCY

IY (UK) Committee Members

Board

Cathy Alison, Julie Brown, Gerry Chambers, Sarah Delfas, Charlotte Everitt, Philippe Harari, Jill Johnson, Velika Krivokapic, Julian Lindars, Michelle Pendergast, Judi Sweeting

Assessment & Training:

Management Committee

Margaret Austin, Julie Brown, Aisling Guirke, Sheila Haswell, Tricia James, Marion Kilburn, Jayne Orton

Assessments and Timetabling:

Debbie Bartholomew, Penny Chaplin, Diane Coats, Sheila Green, Judy Lynn

Professional Development Days, MAT and Specialised Training:

Brenda Booth, Eileen Cameron, Lydia Holmes, Judith Jones, Marion Kilburn, Cathy Rogers Evans

Manuals and Assessment Paperwork:

Kirsten Agar Ward, Tricia Booth, Helen Graham, Sheila Haswell, Meg Laing, Sallie Sullivan

Test Papers and Syllabus

Richard Agar Ward, Margaret Austin, Tricia James, Alicia Lester, Susan Long, Christina Neiwola

Moderators

Kirsten Agar Ward, Richard Agar Ward, Margaret

Austin, Brenda Booth, Tricia Booth, Julie Brown,

Eileen Cameron, Penny Chaplin, Diane Coats, Helen Graham, Aisling Guirke, Sheila Haswell, Tricia

James, Judith Jones, Marion Kilburn, Meg Laing, Susan Long, Christina Neiwola, Jayne Orton, Sasha

Perryman, Cathy Rogers Evans, Sallie Sullivan, Judi Sweeting

Archives/Research

Joan Abrams, Randall Evans, Gael Henry, Suzanne Newcombe, Janice Yates

Communications & Public Relations

Joan Abrams, Sigute Barniskyte-Kidd , John Cotgreave, Lauren Currie, Philippe Harari, Jill Johnson, Lucy Joslin, Katie Owens, Judi Soffa, Tehira Taylor

Ethics & Appeals

Gerry Chambers, Maurice Finn, Aisling Guirke, Larissa McGoldrick, Amparo Rodriguez

Finance & Membership

Velika Krivokapic, Julian Lindars, Michelle

Pendergast, Andy Tait, Jess Wallwork, Kate Woodcock

Iyengar Yoga Development Fund

Isabel Jones Fielding, Laura Potts, Elaine Spraggett

Therapy Committee

Susan Long, Lorraine McConnon, Larissa McGoldrick, Lynda Purvis, Edgar Stringer, Judi Sweeting

Committee chairs are in bold.

Member Groups

Please contact your local Member Group or Affiliated Centre for details of events and classes. If you have any queries or issues about policies or practices of the IY (UK) please contact your Member Group or Individual Rep. (listed on p.58).

Avon (AIY)

Ginny Owen ginnyowen@hotmail.com

www.avoniyengar.org

Bradford and District (BDIY)

Alan Brown info@BDIYI.org.uk www.bdiyi.org.uk

Cambridge (CIY)

Sasha Perryman sashaperryman@yahoo.co.uk

www.cambridgeyoga.co.uk

Dorset and Hampshire (DHIY)

Pauline Green admin@dhiy.org

www.dhiy.org

Dublin Iyengar Yoga Group (DIY) dubliniyengaryoga@gmail.com www.dubliniyengaryoga.ie

East of Scotland (ESIY)

Gilly Dennis esiyoga@outlook.com www.eastscotlandyoga.org

Sussex (IYS)

Cathy Rogers Evans cathyrogersevans@gmail.com www.iiys.org.uk

iYoga Glasgow

Patrick Boase iyogaglasgow@gmail.com www.iyogaglasgow.co.uk

Kent (KIY)

Ffion Thomas kiyisecretary@gmail.com

www.kentyoga.org.uk

Liverpool (LIY)

Judi Soffa info@yoga-studio.co.uk

www.yoga-studio.co.uk

Midland Counties (MCIY)

Annie Beatty yoga@anniebeatty.com

www.mciy.org.uk

Manchester and District (MDIY)

Clare Tunstall clare@mdiiy.org.uk

www.mdiiy.org.uk

Munster (MIY) munsteriyengaryoga@gmail.com

www.miyoga.org

North East England (NEEIY)

Gael Henry info@iyengaryoganortheast.co.uk

www.iyengaryoganortheast.co.uk

North East London (NELIY)

Louise Leonard louise@louiseleonard.co.uk www.neliyi.org.uk

Nottinghamshire (NOTIY)

Eleanor Douglas info@notiy.org.uk

www.notiy.org.uk

Oxford and Region (ORIY)

Mary Fitzpatrick

maryfitzpatrick10@icloud.com www.oriy.org.uk

Sheffield and District (SADIY)

Lorraine Bonete

lorraine.bonete@gmail.com www.yogasheffield.org

South West (SWIY)

Karen Calder karencalder@hotmail.co.uk

www.swiyengaryoga.org.uk

SW London & Surrey (SWLSIY)

Jane Howard swlsiy@gmail.com

www.swlsiy.org.uk

Affiliated Centres

Congleton Iyengar Yoga Centre

www.congletonyogacentre.com

Christina Niewola

01260 279565 / 07970186109

Cotswold Iyengar Yoga Centre

www.cotswoldiyengar.co.uk

Judi Sweeting & Tig Whattler ciyc@talk21.com

Edinburgh Iyengar Yoga Centre www.yoga-edinburgh.com info@yoga-edinburgh.com 0131 229 6000

Garway Iyengar Yoga Studio

www.herefordshireyoga.co.uk

Sheila Green 01981 580081

Hereford Yoga Centre www.herefordyoga.co.uk

Jenny-May While 07773 281883

Iyengar Yoga Studio East Finchley

Patsy Sparksman www.theiyengaryogastudio.co.uk

020 8815 1918

Iyengar Yoga Centre for Essex

Susan Long www.iyce.com

07460 101510

Just Yoga

Melanie Palmer www.justyoga.co.uk 07792 567720

Knutsford Iyengar yoga Centre

www.knutsfordyoga.co.uk

Margaret Carter 01925 758382

Long Wittenham Yoga Centre

www.longwittenhamyogacentre.com

Evelyn Crosskey 07786 065253

Iyengar Yoga in Maida Vale

www.iymv.org

Alan Reynolds 020 7624 3080

Maidstone Yoga Centre

www.iyengar-yoga.co.uk

Lin Craddock 01622 685864

Iyengar Yoga Centre of N. Dublin

www.iyengaryogacentre.com

Roisin O’Shea 00353 1882 8858

Peak Iyengar Yoga Centre

www.peakyoga.org.uk

Sue Lovell 07851 195208

Sheffield Yoga Centre

www.sheffieldyogacentre.co.uk

Frances Homewood 07944 169238

YogaSouth

www.yogasouth.com

Randall Evans & Cathy Rogers Evans, 01903 762850 / 07774 318105

Iyengar Yoga Studio Tooting

www.iyyoga.com

Tehira Taylor & Laura Tuggey

enquiries@iyyoga.com

Iyengar Yoga Studio West Bridgford

www.iyogawestbridgford.uk

Isabel Jones Fielding & Geoffrey Fielding 0115 9749975

West Suffolk Iyengar Yoga Centre

www.iyengaryogasuffolk.co.uk

Jane Perryman 01440 786228

Advertising in Iyengar Yoga News

You can order a full page advert (170mm wide by 246mm high), a quarter page advert (80mm wide by 118mm high) or a half page advert (170mm wide by 118mm high. Either send the completed artwork (as a ‘press quality’ PDF, a high resolution JPEG or an Adobe InDesign document) OR you can send the images (as high res. JPEGs) and wording and we will make the advert up for you.

Please note:

• Advertisements for yoga classes, events, holidays etc. will only be accepted from certificated Iyengar yoga teachers

• Advertisements for Yoga Centres will only be accepted from official Iyengar yoga organisations

• Where yoga equipment is itemised in an advert, this will only be accepted for equipment which is used within the Iyengar method. The name ‘Iyengar’ must not be used as an adjective attached to specific items of equipment e.g. use ‘blocks for Iyengar practice’ rather than ‘Iyengar blocks’ etc.

• Goods or services which are not used in yoga and/or which are not acceptable within the Iyengar method will not be advertised in IYN.

• Advertisements for other goods (e.g. Books/CD ROMS/videos) will only be published if they concern the Iyengar method or have otherwise been approved by the Ethics Committee of the IY(UK)

If you wish to advertise in the next issue of Iyengar Yoga News, please send all text, photographs or artwork by the next issue deadline of 31st December 2019 to cotgreavej@gmail.com

Advertising rates: Circulation: 2800. Quarter page £50; Half page £100; Full page £180. Small ads 60p per word.

NB. the Editorial Board reserves the right to refuse to accept advertisements or parts of advertisements that are deemed to be at variance with the stated aims of Iyengar Yoga (UK). IY (UK) does not necessarily endorse any products etc. advertised in this magazine.

The Yoga Equipment shop for Iyengar Yoga (UK)

IY (UK) Teacher Discount Available

Serving your yoga journey www.yogamatters.com

Hannah Lovegrove, Iyengar Yoga Teacher