A big thank you to everyone who attended and supported our Kathak dance performance - a reflection on dance, yoga, healing and community. I know everyone felt touched by and really appreciated Vipul Bhatti’s heartfelt performance. A quote from BKS Iyengar’s book The Tree of Yoga expresses this exploration beautifully. The yogi and the artist alike need to respect the body. Without shape and form, without grace and without strength, one can neither be a yogi or a dancer. If you are an artist, remember that whatever themes you are presenting in your artistic expression, they all depend on the i ..read more

We often get asked which class to choose by new students so here is some information about the different class levels so you can choose the best class for you If you are new to Iyengar yoga and have done little yoga previously then it is best to start with our Sunday morning four week introductory yoga course which is designed to give you a good grounding in the full range of poses we practise in yoga. The course is designed to be flexible (!) and you can start whenever you prefer and, if you can't make it 4 weeks in a row, it is fine to catch up on classes when you can. Introductory yog ..read more

Online yoga was really important to all of us over the lockdown period so we are supporting a student doing a MSc in Psychological Studies at Brunel University doing research into online yoga and well being. If you volunteer to input to the research you will be asked to do an online 45 minute one-to-one interview about your experiences, feelings, and thoughts about practicing yoga and your well-being. Participation is entirely voluntary, anonymous, and confidential and you can withdraw at any point before 1st August 2022 without having to give a reason. Volunteers should: * Practice online yo ..read more

Restorative yoga classes are for everyone - helping us deal with day to day stresses and tiredness and maintain a rested mind and body. Here’s why you should build in time for some restorative practice. Setu bhanda sarvangasana (bridge pose) supported on cross bolsters Viparita Karani (inverted flow pose) legs at wall supported by two small bolsters Iyengar yoga is very varied in its approach; incorporating at different times fast paced work, intensification of poses using props like ropes and chairs, long holds in poses and a detailed focus on alignment and precise use and positioning of mu ..read more

This year is the centenary year of BKS Iyengar's (Guruji's) birth which will be celebrated on 14 December 2018. During this year at IYISL we have been privileged to  host  a series of workshops that have been run by visiting senior Iyengar teachers all of whom were taught directly by Guruji himself. His teaching has profoundly touched and inspired all of them and they all reflect his approach in their own very individual ways.  At the end of August we will host a workshop run by two senior teachers visiting from the U.S. - Eddy Marks and Mary Obendorfer. Here is an ex ..read more

Recently we were lucky enough to have two days of inspirational yoga with Rajiv and Swati Chanchani. With many years of teaching Iyengar yoga in India, the Chachani’s are wonderfully adept at melding teaching of Asana with awareness of breathing and a wonderful range of images draw from their wide experience all combined to create insightful Yoga classes. The Asana work we did with them involved posses that were held for longer periods of time so that we could become aware of our breathing in each pose and the effect it has on the mind and body. The Chanchani’s told us to think of the Asana as ..read more

monthly pass Lots of you have been asking about this … and now it’s back! That’s our monthly pass for studio and online classes. Fantastic value if you want to increase the number of classes you take each week. You can also use it to try a class that you don’t usually attend - whether that is a restorative class or the Sunday evening Pranayama class or the Saturday morning general and intermediate class if you are ready for a (bit of a) challenge. You need to be an IYISL member to buy the pass - see our fees page for more information and to buy your pass. IYISL fees ..read more

National Iyengar Yoga Day is a fantastic opportunity to get a taste of the practice and discover why we're all hooked. Despite the wintery weather, we opened our doors to dozens of newcomers who were curious to find out more about Iyengar Yoga. A full house at the IYISL I was delighted to meet so many fresh faces at our taster session on Saturday 14th January to mark National Iyengar Yoga Day. Every year, yoga centres across the UK and Ireland celebrate National Iyengar Yoga Day and offer free classes to their local communities. For all of us who teach and practice at the Iyengar Yoga Institu ..read more

the symbolic Patanjali statue  In Iyengar Yoga classes the world over it is usual to start classes with students sitting in a simple cross-legged position. We take care to be evenly balanced with a lifted and open chest and with our hands in prayer position. We close our eyes and start to focus our attention inwardly in an alert and quiet way. We then sing two verses (slokas) from the Invocation to Patanjali. New students sometimes happily join in the singing, once they grasp the words, others feel more unsure about singing something they don’t understand and want to know more about why ..read more

The official government opening date for studios like ours - running indoor classes - is currently 17th May. We look forward to opening up and welcoming you back on that date. In the meantime we are continuing with our online classes. See our class timetable for more information ..read more