Existing non-teacher members should have already received an email about this - but we’re sending this out to answer some of the questions around it, and to let our teacher members know what’s going on too!

Below we answer some of the obvious questions you might have, and we’ll update this if we get any other frequent questions as a result of this. Feel free to post any questions in the comments below, or contact us directly!

What is the benefit of this?

The aim of this is to make it as easy as possible to ensure you enjoy uninterrupted membership benefits without worrying about renewing manually each year. Automatically renewing means, for instance, that you don’t have to worry about spotting the email reminders before your membership expires, nor go through the sign up forms each time!

Do I have to automatically renew?

This is an entirely opt-in subscription, so if you want to continue paying manually each year, you’re absolutely free to continue doing so - there’s no obligation to sign up to it if you don’t want to.

Will I be notified before I get charged each year?

Yes - there will be email notifications sent out each time your membership is up for renewal, so you will have a reminder before any money is taken from your account.

Can I cancel/pause/update my subscription?

Yes! You can manage all of these from the IYUK member dashboard under the Manage Membership option once logged in.

How do I sign up to automatic renewals?

The next time you go to renew, once you get to the payment form near the end of the process, you have to choose which option you’d like - a single year or automatic renewal:

Selecting “Auto-renewing membership” will ask you to read their (short!) terms and conditions, and ask for your explicit consent to continue renewing each year, before taking your card details as usual. Iyengar Yoga UK will retain your card details in order to charge you again in future years.

Can I set up auto-renewals for my current active membership?

Unfortunately not - you need to pay for one more renewal manually first, and select the auto-renewal option at that time.

When did you first start practising yoga and what was it like?

I began my yoga journey in 2012 in London. A colleague from the Linden House London Corinthian Sailing Club recommended a Hatha Yoga class. I went out of curiosity, and from my very first class I fell in love with yoga. I quickly realised that it was much more than physical exercise – it was a path that develops the body, the mind and awareness. From that moment on, yoga became part of my life. Since 2017, I have been teaching yoga, and every year I feel more deeply that it is a wonderful journey of self-discovery.

How did you come to study Iyengar Yoga?

After returning from London to Poland, I wanted to continue my yoga practice. I found the Asana Yoga Centre in Zielona Góra, where I was introduced to the Iyengar method for the first time. I was immediately inspired by its precision, depth and attention to detail.

I then began attending workshops with experienced Iyengar Yoga teachers. My first workshop was with Konrad Kocot at the Santosa Yoga School in Zielona Góra. After moving back to England in 2013, I continued my practice under the guidance of Cath Barnes Holt, who became my first Iyengar Yoga mentor. That was the beginning of my true journey with this method. Since then, Iyengar Yoga has completely captured my heart and continues to be my path of learning and personal growth.

What do you like most about your yoga practice?

What I love most is that yoga is a lifelong journey. Every practice is different, and even familiar poses continue to teach me something new. Yoga encourages patience, curiosity and self-awareness. It brings me a sense of calm, balance and clarity that extends far beyond the yoga mat and into everyday life.

What do you enjoy most about teaching yoga?

Teaching yoga is a privilege because I have the opportunity to share something that has enriched my own life so deeply. I love helping students discover what their bodies are capable of, watching their confidence grow and seeing their progress over time. Every student is unique, and I find great joy in adapting the practice to each individual’s needs so that everyone can experience the benefits of yoga.

What is your favourite memory of studying at RIMYI?

I haven’t yet had the opportunity to study at RIMYI in Pune, but I know it will be the next important step on my yoga journey. It has been a dream of mine for many years to study at the birthplace of this remarkable method, and I hope that one day I will have the privilege of learning there.

What benefits do you attribute to your yoga practice?

Yoga has given me strength, flexibility and resilience, but its greatest gifts have been mental and emotional. It has taught me patience, perseverance and the ability to stay present. It has supported me through different stages of my life and continues to give me a sense of stability, balance and inner peace.

Focus on a Pose – Adho Mukha Śvānāsana (Downward-Facing Dog)

Adho Mukha Śvānāsana is one of my favourite poses because it is both energising and calming at the same time. It can be deeply restorative when practised quietly, yet it also prepares the body beautifully for a more dynamic practice. I love the way it lengthens the spine, opens the shoulders and legs, and creates a feeling of balance throughout the whole body.

When I practise this pose, I pay close attention to grounding through my hands and feet while creating length in the spine before focusing on straightening the legs. When teaching, I often use props such as bricks under the hands or a belt around the upper arms to help students better understand the actions and alignment of the pose.

Helpful preparations include Uttanāsana, Adho Mukha Vīrāsana and standing poses that open the hamstrings and shoulders. Downward-Facing Dog is also an excellent transitional pose that links standing poses, inversions and backbends within a sequence.

Regular practice of this pose helps release tension in the back and shoulders, strengthens the arms and legs, lengthens the spine and improves concentration. Every time I practise it, I feel refreshed, balanced and ready for whatever comes next in my practice.

As so many people tend to go on holiday around this time of year, we’re taking the month largely off - with our next event not until in September with Sheila Haswell.

While you enjoy the season though, there’s still yoga to be had with, with many local teachers continuing to teach through the summer.

Zoe Hobbs is also hosting a retreat in scenic Flims in Switzerland, which looks to be a spectacular experience for anyone going.

From the 1st of September, the annual IYOGA festival is back for 5 days with a prestigious line up of visiting teachers, offering exciting new perspectives on your yoga practice if you haven’t studied with them previously.

2026/2027 Exchange of Learning Days

This cycle we are hosting not one but two Exchange of Learning days. Previous EoL days have tended to be oversubscribed, so based on feedback we are hosting two this time; one in Dorset and one in Hampshire.

• Edgar Stringer will be hosting our Dorset event in October.

• Rachel Lovegrove will be hosting our Hampshire event in December.

This cycle’s theme is Pranayama, with more details about the events and the theme available at the above links.

Upcoming DHIY Events

Workshop with Sheila Haswell 2026

Sun 20th Sep 10:00am - 4:00pm

I have been teaching Iyengar Yoga for almost 50 years. During that time I have visited the Iyengar Yoga Institute in Pune on several occasions, the most recent being in 2025. When possible I attended

Weekend Workshop with Marios Argiros 2026 (plus DHIY AGM)

Sat 7th Nov 10:00am - 4:00pm and Sun 8th Nov 10:00am - 1:30pm

This is a general / level 2 (dhiy.org/iyengar-class-levels) weekend workshop.

DHIY will also host its Annual General Meeting for members during the Saturday lunch time.

Marios was inspired early in his yoga journey by Tricia Booth and Jeanne Maslen, who both encouraged him to follow the Iyengar yoga teacher training course at Manchester and District Institute of Iyengar Yoga. Having been a professional classical musician…

Upcoming Community Events

Through August and into September, our community is hosting the following events:

Yoga Holiday at The Schweizerhof Hotel in Flims w/ Zoe Hobbs

Sun 23rd Aug 7:45am - Sun 30th 7:45am

Zoe Hobbs is hosting a week long yoga retreat in the picturesque Schweizerhof Hotel in Flims. The retreat includes:

• An en-suite room

• Breakfast buffet with regional products

• Dinner menu as part of half board – vegetarian, vegan or food intolerances catered for

• Light refreshments immediately either side of class times - tea, water, fruit

• Swiss Tourist Tax of CHF5.00 per night

• Fully equipped yoga room for our exclusive use with all daily yoga classes

• Pool and spa, sauna, steam room, infrared cabin, relaxation room with view of the forest and mountains.

IYOGA Festival UK at Fairthorne Manor, Hampshire

Tue 1st Sep 2:00pm - Sat 5th 12:00pm

Join us for our 6th annual Iyengar Yoga Festival - an inspiring four-day Iyengar Yoga gathering that brings together Yoga practitioners of all levels in a welcome…

Workshop with Cheree Low @ Dorchester Yoga and Therapy Centre

Sat 19th Sep 1:00pm - 4:00pm

This three hour workshop will explore the relationship between the body, mind and breath in a sequence of poses that leads the student from the outside in.

Senior Teacher, Judi Sweeting, is teaching a workshop later this month in Botley, on Sunday the 21st of June.

Judi Sweeting has been practising yoga for over 50 years and teaching for over 45 years. She holds a Senior 3 Certificate and trains Iyengar teachers. Judi is a Moderator and Assessor for the IYA (UK) and has been chair of the Therapy Committee. She has studied at the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Institute, Pune on many occasions.

Book Here

Upcoming DHIY Events

Workshop with Judi Sweeting 2026

Sun 21st Jun 10:00am - 4:00pm

Judi Sweeting has been practising yoga for over 50 years and teaching for over 45 years. She holds a Senior 3 Certificate and trains Iyengar teachers. Judi is a Moderator and Assessor for the IYA (UK) ...

Workshop with Sheila Haswell 2026

Sun 20th Sep 10:00am - 4:00pm

I have been teaching Iyengar Yoga for almost 50 years. During that time I have visited the Iyengar Yoga Institute in Pune on several occasions, the most recent being in 2025. When possible I attended

Weekend Workshop with Marios Argiros 2026 (plus DHIY AGM)

Sat 7th Nov 10:00am - 4:00pm and Sun 8th Nov 10:00am - 1:30pm

This is a general / level 2 (dhiy.org/iyengar-class-levels) weekend workshop.

DHIY will also host its Annual General Meeting for members during the Saturday lunch time.

Marios was inspired early in his yoga journey by Tricia Booth and Jeanne Maslen, who both encouraged him to follow the Iyengar yoga teacher training course at Manchester and District Institute of Iyengar Yoga. Having been a professional classical musician…

This Month’s Community Events

Through the rest of June, our community is hosting the following events:

Workshop with Cheree Low @ Dorchester Yoga and Therapy Centre

Sat 6th Jun 1:00pm - 4:00pm

This three hour workshop will explore the relationship between the body, mind and breath in a sequence of poses that leads the student from the outside in.

Yoga half-day with Suzie Walker

Sat 27th Jun 1:30pm - 4:30pm

Join Level 2 local teacher Suzie Walker for this upcoming half-day of yoga at a pace that will encourage you to explore your practice and the unknown boundaries.

This weekend, we’re looking forward to welcoming Edgar Stringer to Bournemouth, for a workshop at the Queen’s Hotel. This replaces our workshop with Judith Jones, who unfortunately had to cancel at the last minute. We hope we’ll be able to welcome Judith back again in the future, but we expect Edgar to provide an excellent workshop in her stead!

Edgar teaches Iyengar Yoga in the South West region and runs ‘Yogatree’ studio in Corsham with his wife Lydia Holmes. He also holds classes in Bristol and workshops around the UK and abroad. Edgar started learning Yoga in Manchester in 1991 and is a qualified Senior Level 3 teacher. He visits Pune regularly to study in the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute. Edgar’s enthusiasm for Yoga is reflected in his classes, which are lively, focused and engaging.

Book Here

Upcoming DHIY Events

Workshop with Judi Sweeting 2026

Sun 21st Jun 10:00am - 4:00pm

Judi Sweeting has been practising yoga for over 50 years and teaching for over 45 years. She holds a Senior 3 Certificate and trains Iyengar teachers. Judi is a Moderator and Assessor for the IYA (UK) ...

Workshop with Sheila Haswell 2026

Sun 20th Sep 10:00am - 4:00pm

I have been teaching Iyengar Yoga for almost 50 years. During that time I have visited the Iyengar Yoga Institute in Pune on several occasions, the most recent being in 2025. When possible I attended

Weekend Workshop with Marios Argiros 2026 (plus DHIY AGM)

Sat 7th Nov 10:00am - 4:00pm and Sun 8th Nov 10:00am - 1:30pm

This is a general / level 2 (dhiy.org/iyengar-class-levels) weekend workshop.

DHIY will also host its Annual General Meeting for members during the Saturday lunch time.

Marios was inspired early in his yoga journey by Tricia Booth and Jeanne Maslen, who both encouraged him to follow the Iyengar yoga teacher training course at Manchester and District Institute of Iyengar Yoga. Having been a professional classical musician…

This Month’s Community Events

Through the rest of April, our community is hosting the following events:

Monthly Sadhana with Rachel

Thu 7th May 7:15am - Sun 10th 11:00am

Monthly Sādhana — Four-Day Online Practice A structured, retreat-style practice cycle held online monthly from Thursday to Sunday. Each Sādhana includes morning…

Welcome from the New Chair of DHIY , Libby Lee here pictured taking a selfie at a cake shop in Swanage.

From the right is me, Semra O’Reilly, DHIY committee member and EX Rep for the committee, Bobby Clennell Yoga Teacher recently returned to the UK, Sally Hogsflesh Yoga Teacher based in Studland.

More on the members of the DHIY Committee later. meanwhile a brief introduction to me.

I have lived in Dorset now for 8 years and teach in Swanage. I have taught Yoga for many years and most recently in Bath following my retirement from the role as Headteacher of a large Secondary School. Whilst I was working full time I taught classes in Bath and taught young people in my school. Latterly I was secretary to Avon Iyengar Yoga.

Returning from an IYUK convention in Birmingham I met Jenni Doohan who persuaded me to join DHIY committee. I took on the role of secretary to DHIY and was voted in as Chair last November taking over from Bridget Campbell who has ably steered the committee for 8 years and has now taken on the role of Treasurer, having held this role previous to becoming Chair.

It was great to join the committee and meet everyone when I first moved to the area from Bath, but then lockdown came and all our meetings were online. Slowly we returned to encounters at Day Workshops and annual face to face meetings. My experience of this group of people is that they are hard working and dedicated. They are also very friendly and welcoming.

So I am delighted to be chairing the group and honoured to hold this role. We have much to do and in the coming year we are focussing on the following issues;

• Maintaining a full programme of High Quality Yoga workshops

• Enabling more members and subscribers to participate. For instance providing half day workshops and maintaining a strong presence on social media.

• Putting in place a means to support enterprise, inclusion and diversity through our own funds. For instance funding outreach yoga to those who cannot easily afford class fees.

• Considering how best to manage the DHIY library and make it accessible to our members.

• Encourage social gatherings for DHIY members.

• Put in place two Exchange of learning events per year for 25-26 so that smaller groupings give a chance for more participation

• Building and maintaining our membership for instance by providing workshops in different venues. For instance The Spire in Chandlers Ford has been booked for a DHIY event.

• Support the work of IY (UK) in their goals of inclusivity and diversity and helping IY(UK) maintain a healthy budget to secure their future.

• Recruit more members to the DHIY committee to maintain our rich and varied functions and ensure we provide good value for our membership.

Making all this happen are the DHIY Committee.

Cheree Low- Events Coordinator. Cheree books the events and liaises with the teachers and venues and the Treasurer.

Tobias Hector- Student Events Coordinator. Website and Social Media. Acting membership secretary. Tobias communicates with the participants of events, doing the register and making sure all the bookings run smoothly and with Cheree makes sure everything goes well on the day. Tobias also runs our social media presence here on Substack and other platforms and is currently working at a model of selling our T shirt stock direct which will enable you to buy all sorts of DHIY merchandise. Tobias is holding the role of membership secretary pending the appointment of a new committee member to this role.

Ingrid masters- Secretary. Ingrid also sources and complies items for what was the Newsletter and is now this blog.

Bridget Campbell- Treasurer. Bridget manages the budget and presents financial reports at meetings and at the AGM. Bridget also holds the Library and brings this to our DHIY events ( and takes it away).

Semra O’Reilly- EX rep. Semra Attends meetings of all the regional reps in the UK and with the IY(UK). She reports from the region and the committee and feeds back from what is happening regionally and in IY (UK).

Monika Karwacka- Monika has recently joined DHIY and is helping out with Social media, Photography and at events.

This is the committee. We meet about four times a year. We are keen for anyone to join and make sure we can manage what has to be done for our members and subscribers. The feedback we get is that everyone in this area really appreciates what DHIY does and wants it to continue. So please consider getting in touch to join the committee. You don’t need lots of spare time!

The contact is admin@dhiy.org for any queries.

Lastly, for now, it has been wonderful getting to know local members of DHIY and attendees at events. It is a big and capable membership who are very experienced, knowledgeable and friendly. Thank you. Each time we invite a teacher here they are keen to come - or to return- as they are so impressed with the way their teaching is received and they feel welcomed here.

And finally we all know in this community how important our yoga practice is to help us face the difficult times we live in. For me right now practice is many things but it is mostly about having an open heart in the face of many challenges in life.

If you practice yoga every day with perseverance, you will be able to face the turmoil of life with steadiness and maturity.

B. K. S. Iyengar

Next month, we’re looking forward to welcoming Judith Jones to Bournemouth, for a workshop at the Queen’s Hotel.

Judith has been teaching Iyengar Yoga in West Berkshire for since 1990 and teaches classes suitable for beginners and
on-going students, as well as for more experienced Intermediate level students and teachers. She is also qualified to teach
students with medical problems on a one-to-one basis.

Judith holds the Iyengar Yoga Teaching Certificate at Senior Level 3 and can mentor trainee teachers and is a Moderator for Iyengar Yoga UK. She has studied directly with BKS Iyengar, his daughter Geeta, and son Prashant many times at the Iyengar Institute in Pune, India.

Book Here

IYOGA Festival in September

The 6th annual Iyengar Yoga Festival is taking place this year from the 1st-5th of September, at Fairthorne Manor in Southampton. DHIY members can claim an additional 5% off ticket costs by using code GROUPCODE03.

This annual festival features:

• Renowned Level 3 & 4 Iyengar Yoga teachers

• Workshop-style sessions exploring yoga asana, anatomy, pranayama, and philosophy

• Inclusive teaching to suit all levels of experience and ability

• Welcoming and friendly atmosphere

• A stunning countryside setting with a choice of comfortable indoor accommodations, camping/glamping or walk-in options

• Nourishing meals and dedicated chill-out zones

• Evening music, talks and storytelling gatherings

This year’s guest teachers are:

• Alan Brown

• Kirsten Agar

• Debbie Bartholomew

• Jayne Orton

For more information, visit http://www.iyengaryogafestival.com.

Upcoming DHIY Events

Workshop with Judith Jones 2026

Sun 10th May 10:00am - 4:00pm

Judith has been teaching Iyengar Yoga in West Berkshire for since 1990 and teaches classes suitable for beginners and on-going students, as well as for more experienced Intermediate level students and ...

Workshop with Judi Sweeting 2026

Sun 21st Jun 10:00am - 4:00pm

Judi Sweeting has been practising yoga for over 50 years and teaching for over 45 years. She holds a Senior 3 Certificate and trains Iyengar teachers. Judi is a Moderator and Assessor for the IYA (UK) ...

Workshop with Sheila Haswell 2026

Sun 20th Sep 10:00am - 4:00pm

I have been teaching Iyengar Yoga for almost 50 years. During that time I have visited the Iyengar Yoga Institute in Pune on several occasions, the most recent being in 2025. When possible I attended

Weekend Workshop with Marios Argiros 2026 (plus DHIY AGM)

Sat 7th Nov 10:00am - 4:00pm and Sun 8th Nov 10:00am - 1:30pm

This is a general / level 2 (dhiy.org/iyengar-class-levels) weekend workshop.

DHIY will also host its Annual General Meeting for members during the Saturday lunch time.

Marios was inspired early in his yoga journey by Tricia Booth and Jeanne Maslen, who both encouraged him to follow the Iyengar yoga teacher training course at Manchester and District Institute of Iyengar Yoga. Having been a professional classical musician…

This Month’s Community Events

Through the rest of April, our community is hosting the following events:

CommunityEvent

Spring Retreat weekend with Suzie Walker

Fri 17th Apr 1:00pm - Sun 19th 4:00pm

Join me in April 2026 for a Spring Retreat weekend hosted at Middle Coombe Farm estate in Tiverton, Devon, full of atmosphere and endless character. A full weekend awaits. Arrivals are welcome from 1pm ...

Workshop with Cheree Low @ Dorchester Yoga and Therapy Centre

Sat 18th Apr 1:00pm - 4:00pm

This three hour workshop will explore the relationship between the body, mind and breath in a sequence of poses that leads the student from the outside in. 1 year Iyengar yoga experience required…

With that now behind us, we’re looking forward to our first workshop of the year with Richard Ward next month, on the 7th of March, in Mudeford.

Richard Ward first became interested in Yoga at the age of 14 through reading a book on the subject but did not start attending Iyengar Yoga classes until the autumn of 1975, aged 19, while at the University of Oxford. He considers himself extremely fortunate to have discovered B.K.S. Iyengar and his teaching to which his life is devoted. His first class with Guruji came soon after in the summer of 1976 in London.

Richard’s first visit to the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute in Pune came in July 1977 where he attended an intensive course taught by Guruji. He has attended intensive and other classes at RIMYI in Pune on 28 visits in person since then and since 2020, several online. Richard began to teach Yoga in the autumn of 1977 and was awarded the Introductory Certificate in 1984 by B.K.S. Iyengar himself, followed by the Junior Intermediate Certificate in 1988 and Level 3 Senior Intermediate Certificate in 2005.

Richard is an approved IY(UK) trainer and mentor and has taught at all levels up to Senior. He has taught extensively at home and abroad with many visits to China, the US, Mexico, Bermuda, Ireland, Italy and Sweden. Richard helped to found The Light on Yoga Association (UK) in 1988 and was chairperson from 1988 to 1999.The organisation merged with the BKS Iyengar Yoga Teachers’ Association to form the Iyengar Yoga Association (UK) in 2000. He helped found the Bristol (now Avon) Iyengar Yoga Institute in 1989. He has lived in Bath since 1999. He runs the Bath Iyengar Yogashala with his wife Lois.

Book for Richard's Workshop

Upcoming DHIY Events

Workshop with Judith Jones 2026

Sun 10th May 10:00am - 4:00pm

Judith has been teaching Iyengar Yoga in West Berkshire for since 1990 and teaches classes suitable for beginners and on-going students, as well as for more experienced Intermediate level students and ...

Workshop with Judi Sweeting 2026

Sun 21st Jun 10:00am - 4:00pm

Judi Sweeting has been practising yoga for over 50 years and teaching for over 45 years. She holds a Senior 3 Certificate and trains Iyengar teachers. Judi is a Moderator and Assessor for the IYA (UK) ...

Workshop with Sheila Haswell 2026

Sun 20th Sep 10:00am - 4:00pm

I have been teaching Iyengar Yoga for almost 50 years. During that time I have visited the Iyengar Yoga Institute in Pune on several occasions, the most recent being in 2025. When possible I attended

DHIYEvent

This Month’s Community Events

Through the rest of February, our community is hosting the following events:

Valentines Day Weekend Self-Care and Menopause and Post Menopause Intensive

Sat 14th Feb 3:30pm - Sun 15th 5:30pm

This intensive, held on Valentines Day, places the emphasis on loving and caring for ourselves first. This workshop offers a focused practice that can transform menopause and post menopause into a pos ...

Workshop with Cheree Low @ Dorchester Yoga and Therapy Centre

Sun 15th Feb 10:00am - 1:00pm

This three hour workshop will explore the relationship between the body, mind and breath in a sequence of poses that leads the student from the outside in. 1 year Iyengar yoga experience required. To

In Person Workshop with Bobby Clennell in Bristol, UK

Sat 21st Feb 10:00am - Sun 22nd 2:30pm

Avon Iyengar Yoga Developing Mobility with a Quiet Mind Toward Padmasana: Promote flexibility in the hips, knees and ankles, and move closer to Padmasana. Toward Hanumanasana: Elongate and release ten ...

In-person workshop with Bobby Clennell in Newcastle

Sat 21st Feb 10:00am - Sun 22nd 2:30pm

Saturday 21 Feb, 10:30 am – 4:00 pm Spinal Health: We will focus on poses that strengthen back muscles. Sunday 22 Feb, 10:30 am – 2:30 pm Repairing the nervous system: A mentally calming and physicall ...

Further information on the Yoga Rahasya can be found on B.K.S. Iyengar’s official site

This has previously been supplied directly by IYUK, but is now available more generally through Kirsten Agar’s YogVidya store, shipping quarterly, and offered for £32.00 (at time of writing) plus shipping, for four issues.

The 2026 edition is available to order now, and some copies of the 2025 volume are also still available.

National Iyengar Yoga Day is a yearly event organised by IYUK and its member groups to promote Iyengar Yoga, inviting new students to come along and try out classes with local teachers.

These events are primarily aimed at new students, but existing students are welcome to come along if you’re bringing friends and family along to give it a go!

This year we’re hosting one event in Southbourne, as well as another event in Upton. Please help us share these events with anyone you think might be interested!

NIYD 2026 in Upton

NIYD 2026 in Southbourne

We’ve added a few more events to our roster for 2026, with one more event still in the works for the end of the year, which we’ll let you know about once we’ve finalised the details.

Upcoming DHIY Events

Exchange of Learning Day with Edgar Stringer 2026

Sat 7th Feb 2026 10:00am - 4:00pm

Dorset & Hampshire Iyengar Yoga are delighted to welcome Level Three Teacher Edgar Stringer to host our 2026 Exchange of Learning Day. Exchange of Learning Days replace the previous Profession Development days ...

Workshop with Richard Ward 2026

Sat 7th Mar 2026 10:00am - 4:00pm

About the Teacher Richard Ward first became interested in Yoga at the age of 14 through reading a book on the subject but did not start attending Iyengar Yoga classes until the autumn of 1975, aged 19 ...

Workshop with Judith Jones 2026

Sun 10th May 2026 10:00am - 4:00pm

About the Teacher Judith has been teaching Iyengar Yoga in West Berkshire for since 1990 and teaches classes suitable for beginners and on-going students, as well as for more experienced Intermediate level students and teachers …

Workshop with Judi Sweeting 2026

Sun 21st Jun 10:00am - 4:00pm

Judi Sweeting has been practising yoga for over 50 years and teaching for over 45 years. She holds a Senior 3 Certificate and trains Iyengar teachers. Judi is a Moderator and Assessor for th ...

Workshop with Sheila Haswell 2026

Sun 20th Sep 10:00am - 4:00pm

I have been teaching Iyengar Yoga for almost 50 years. During that time I have visited the Iyengar Yoga Institute in Pune on several occasions, the most recent being in 2025. When possible I attended…

See all DHIY Events

This Month’s Community Events

Through December, our community is hosting the following events:

Workshop with Cheree Low @ Dorchester Yoga and Therapy Centre

Sat 10th Jan 1:00pm - 4:00pm

This three hour workshop will explore the relationship between the body, mind and breath in a sequence of poses that leads the student from the outside in. 1 year Iyengar yoga experience required.

Monthly General Workshop

Sat 24th Jan 11:00am - 1:30pm

A regular monthly general workshop for all regular Iyengar Yoga students at Upham Village Hall, Hampshire, with Level 3 teacher, Rachel Lovegrove. All abilities welcome. Some experience of inversions would be preferable and an ongoing practice of Iyengar yoga desired. Level 1 and 2 teachers and trainees can also join the Peer Group teaching practice in the afternoon (see separate event listing). Participants can also join in online and a recording is sent out to everyone afterwards.

Check out our community events

If you’re hosting an Iyengar Yoga related event that we don’t know about, please let us know by clicking the link below, and we’d be happy to let our subscribers know about it!

Submit your events here!

National Iyengar Yoga Day is a yearly event organised by IYUK and its member groups to promote Iyengar Yoga, inviting new students to come along and try out classes with local teachers.

These events are primarily aimed at new students, but existing students are welcome to come along if you’re bringing friends and family along to give it a go!

This year we’re hosting one event in Southbourne, as well as another event in Upton. Please help us share these events with anyone you think might be interested!

NIYD 2026 in Upton

NIYD 2026 in Southbourne

We still have a packed calendar of events for existing students coming up, with more events to be announced soon - please take a look at what we have coming in 2026 so far:

Upcoming DHIY Events

Exchange of Learning Day with Edgar Stringer 2026

Sat 7th Feb 2026 10:00am - 4:00pm

Dorset & Hampshire Iyengar Yoga are delighted to welcome Level Three Teacher Edgar Stringer to host our 2026 Exchange of Learning Day. Exchange of Learning Days replace the previous Profession Development days ...

Workshop with Richard Ward 2026

Sat 7th Mar 2026 10:00am - 4:00pm

About the Teacher Richard Ward first became interested in Yoga at the age of 14 through reading a book on the subject but did not start attending Iyengar Yoga classes until the autumn of 1975, aged 19 ...

Workshop with Judith Jones 2026

Sun 10th May 2026 10:00am - 4:00pm

About the Teacher Judith has been teaching Iyengar Yoga in West Berkshire for since 1990 and teaches classes suitable for beginners and on-going students, as well as for more experienced Intermediate level students and teachers …

See all DHIY Events

This Month’s Community Events

Through December, our community is hosting the following events:

Workshop with Cheree Low @ Dorchester Yoga and Therapy Centre

Sat 13th Dec 1:00pm - 4:00pm

This three hour workshop will explore the relationship between the body, mind and breath in a sequence of poses that leads the student from the outside in. 1 year Iyengar yoga experience required.

Check out our community events

If you’re hosting an Iyengar Yoga related event that we don’t know about, please let us know by clicking the link below, and we’d be happy to let our subscribers know about it!

Submit your events here!

Late July this year provided an opportunity not to be missed for me, when two of the respected teachers from the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute in Pune came to teach for 4 days at the “Yogapushpanjali”* camp in East Sussex.

It was a privilege to spend a little time in the company of Dr. Rajlaxmi and Sushama, as well as assuring to be once more under their wing in the twice-daily sessions. Just hearing their voices was enough to transport me back to classes in Pune.

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One focus was on shoulders and arms, taught in response to stiffness problems, and another on the lift of the sternum - and more specifically the curve of the top of the sternum (the manubrium), the shape of which the chin and nose should follow for backbends, with the eyes looking in the direction to which the tip of the nose was pointing, instead of rolling the eyes back.

Balancing the shoulders on tall bricks for Chaturanga Dandasana was a challenge at first, but has since been well received in my classes!

In Prasarita Padottanasana, we had to release the back of the skull further “towards Halasana“, as in the photo below from Light on Yoga.

There were chuckles practising Urdhva Hastasana when one participant, obviously not accustomed to “Pune Speak”, was encouraged to “break the belt” on her wrists. “Break the belt?” she said, incredulously. “How??”

With a wide range of abilities and experience amongst those participating, the atmosphere throughout was encouraging and supportive.

At the end, I thanked Dr. Rajlaxsmi and Sushuma for making me feel that Guruji and Geetaji are still with us.

🙏🏻

Mary Heath (Dorset teacher)

*”Yogapushpanjali” is a week-long Iyengar yoga event held annually at the Michael Hall Waldorf Steiner School, on the edge of Ashdown Forest in East Sussex. It is suitable for all, including families, as it offers adult yoga classes and also children’s yoga, story telling and other activities for them; and some families choose to camp in the beautiful grounds. Meals were included and the vegetarian and vegan food was delicious. The event organisation was excellent.

For more information about the July 2026 event, go to:

www.yogapushpanjali.com

🕉️

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So Uday stands in front of us and we are expecting him to tell us what we will be working on for the morning of this one day workshop. Not at all.

The question comes ‘what would you like to do today’. Silence. We weren’t expecting that. Then someone on the back row pipes up ‘Hanumanasana’. We all laugh - some more nervously than others. Other suggestions - shoulder mobility - sciatic nerve release - among them.

We work on standing back on our heels. We feel how it affects the curvature in the lumbar spine. Is it too curved? Are we pushing the chest out. Can we flatten that lumbar curvature and pull the chest in-line so it’s not puffed out? We have been honing Tadasana. And we are invited to consider how it may be that we need to revise habits which may have become automatic and should be challenged. Uday gives the analogy of driving in Pune for 10 years in comparison with what was required on a driving test in the UK.

We move on to the shoulders. A succession of variants of Urdhva Hastasana to feel the extension outwards of the shoulder blades but without compromising our now broadened lower backs. Stretching the arms out. Now let’s do all that prone. We have to be careful with our arms the room is so full. Not surprising this is an Uday Bhosale workshop.

We now move into Virabhadrasana 2. We’re concentrating on the arms and the shoulders. Not so much the legs. But hell- pride, we do our best there too.

Now in Virasana we anchor our bums to our heels and stretch forward slowly into Adho Mukha Virasana. But not so far as to compromise the poise of the lower back and making sure to feel the mobility in the shoulder blades, not pinching in at the back but broadening. We use our finger tips to raise our arms from the floor to help show us what’s going on there. I am again reminded of the ripple effect that the extremities, fingers and toes, heels, have on the rest of the body.

Now let’s take all that to Urdhva Mukha Svanasana and then Adho Mukha Svanasana and now if one lifts the right leg forward, and ooops I might want some support to my sitting bones here, between the hands and voilà we’re heading to Hanumanasana.

In the afternoon we move onto hip mobility with precise guidance, clear insight and careful direction.

Now I know this isn’t a totally accurate nor totally precise account of the day. But I also know that I have had the pleasure and benefit of taking part in a masterclass. Thank you DHIY committee and thank you Uday.

Please find below the papers for our 2025 AGM. The additional reports are below and the Treasurer’s report is to follow. Please note the AGM Agenda has now been updated from the earlier version sent out. We now include;

Chairperson Bridget Campbell’s report of the Year

Events, Website and Membership report - Tobias Hector

DHIY Survey Summary Report- Karen Legge

As stated the AGM takes place on Sunday 23rd November, at 1.15pm at Botley Community Centre during the lunch break of our Uday Bhosale workshop. As this event is now fully booked we are sending out a Zoom link to members who may wish to join us in this way. Please log on before 1.15 so as to be sure to join us. If you have to send your apologies, please email me at admin@dhiy.org.
Thank you for your continued support of DHIY.
Best wishes,

Bridget Campbell
Chairperson

Please find enclosed:

Joining the DHIY Committee

Nomination Form for the DHIY Committee

DHIY AGM 2025 Agenda

DHIY Draft AGM Minutes 2024

Bridget Campbell is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: DHIY AGM
Time: Nov 23, 2025 01:15 PM London
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85891501367?pwd=DWpDLHn9SztLZAI3cGpewmLqBicXCt.1

Meeting ID: 858 9150 1367
Passcode: 052766

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Join instructions
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If you have any questions that are not answered here or have any suggestions, comments are open below, or you can email us. This change has been made in advance of our 2025 AGM, so if anyone has any questions and wants to talk to us in person there, that is also an option.

Where is everything now?

Almost everything is accessible from the navigation bar at the top, visible from most of the pages linked from the navigation bar. For mailing list posts (like this one!), you can get back to the homepage by clicking “Dorset and Hampshire Iyengar Yoga” at the very top. Each page includes buttons and links to anything else you might want to find.

As an example, if you want to find our events, navigate to “Events”, and then hit the “Browse DHIY Events” button:

Things are laid out a little differently, but the same information should be there under a similar heading.

There is one notable exception - we currently are not offering t-shirts on our new website, though you can continue to buy from our existing stock at our events.

Why the change?

After we set up Substack, it become apparent just how powerful it is, so we started looking into whether it could replace our custom website. You may have seen our Substack page going through a lot of changes over the last few weeks, as Tobias has been beavering away making sure that everything we needed to carry over had a home here too, and getting everything ready for the switch.

For a small organisation like ours, we don’t really need to have a self-hosted website with custom web widgets or even full control over the layout of our website. A clean, modern interface and a simple way to add/edit content was all we asked, and Substack gives us that.

Substack is also completely free to use, and is the same tool we use for our mailing list. The tools we used for our old website cost us a fair amount of money each year, and would have cost us even more if we’d used it for our mailing list too.

Can we still get to the old website?

If you want to get to our Squarespace website, it is still accessible until 21st January 2026 at https://dorsetandhampshireiyengar.squarespace.com. After that, it will no longer be available.

Any other questions?

If you can’t find something you’re looking for, comments are open below for any questions you have, or you can email us with questions or suggestions.

We’re going to start directing prospective students to IYUK’s class and teacher listings, and discontinue the teacher and class listings we separately maintained on our website.

Why the change?

Our listings are fairly incomplete, with multiple teachers emailing us to note that their details are either missing or out of date as they’ve happened to notice. IYUK’s are more complete, and they have greater resources to make sure they remain up to date. Their listings are also tied to membership, so new teachers are automatically added as they become certified.

Also, if you’re currently maintaining both listings, you’ll now only have to keep your info up to date in one place instead of two.

Can I still direct people to the website to find teacher info?

Yes! We’ll be directly replacing the current pages with the following links:

• Teachers

• Classes

When is this happening?

We’re aiming to make the switch in a couple of weeks.

What do I need to do as a teacher?

Double check your contact and class details on the IYUK website are up to date. Links below will take you to the right places to do that once logged in:

• Public contact info: https://iyengaryoga.org.uk/manage-teacher-profile/

• Edit classes: https://iyengaryoga.org.uk/edit-teacher-classes/

• Add classes: https://iyengaryoga.org.uk/add-class/

For the teacher listings, a handful of you are not showing up on IYUK’s listings properly; if this applies to you, we will contact you shortly to let you know what might need to change.

What about event listings?

We maintain our own local event listings, and so does IYUK. At the moment, it appears very few teachers are using the IYUK event listings in our area, so we’re not switching that yet.

We may consider switching to their event listings at a later date, but we’ll make sure to discuss this with you all beforehand.

In the meantime, please do add any workshops or other events you are running to the IYUK website, and submit them to our listings as well!

Regards,
Dorset and Hampshire Iyengar Yoga

Please find below the papers for our 2025 AGM.

This takes place on Sunday 23rd November, at 1.15pm at Botley Community Centre during the lunch break of our Uday Bhosale workshop. We hope you will be able to join us.

The AGM gives you, our members, the opportunity to bring up any suggestions, questions, or comments directly with your committee.
Attached please find the Agenda for the meeting and the Minutes of the 2024 AGM.

The benefits you enjoy as members of DHIY would not be available without the work of your committee and we are looking for new people to stand for the committee to ensure that DHIY continues to be successful. Should you wish to join the committee we would very much welcome your participation. Joining information and a nomination form are enclosed below. Please speak to the Chair on the day of the AGM or contact Bridget Campbell if you are interested.

The Chairperson’s Report, Treasurer’s Report and Membership Secretary’s Report will be sent out nearer to the date of the meeting.
I hope that you will be able to join us for the AGM. If you have to send your apologies, please email me at admin@dhiy.org.
Thank you for your continued support of DHIY.
Best wishes,

Bridget Campbell
Chairperson

Please find enclosed:

Joining the DHIY Committee

Nomination Form for the DHIY Committee

DHIY AGM 2025 Agenda

DHIY Draft AGM Minutes 2024

Should you wish to contact the Chair of DHIY, Bridget Campbell, about joining the committee or any other matter please use the links in the above documents or email at admin@dhiy.org.

We hope to see you there for what promises to be another amazing workshop!

Book onto Uday's workshop

Upcoming DHIY Events

Events from Oct 27th

Workshop with Uday Bhosale 2025

Sun 23rd Nov 10:00am - 4:00pm

Uday’s love of Iyengar Yoga began in the late ’90s, and he began training and learning in Pune, India with Guruji (B.K.S. Iyengar, the founder of Iyengar Yoga), his daughter Geetaji, and his son Prashant ...

Exchange of Learning Day with Edgar Stringer 2026

Sat 7th Feb 2026 10:00am - 4:00pm

Dorset & Hampshire Iyengar Yoga are delighted to welcome Level Three Teacher Edgar Stringer to host our 2026 Exchange of Learning Day. Exchange of Learning Days replace the previous Profession Development days ...

Workshop with Richard Ward 2026

Sat 7th Mar 2026 10:00am - 4:00pm

About the Teacher Richard Ward first became interested in Yoga at the age of 14 through reading a book on the subject but did not start attending Iyengar Yoga classes until the autumn of 1975, aged 19 ...

Workshop with Judith Jones 2026

Sun 10th May 2026 10:00am - 4:00pm

About the Teacher Judith has been teaching Iyengar Yoga in West Berkshire for since 1990 and teaches classes suitable for beginners and on-going students, as well as for more experienced Intermediate level students and teachers …

See all DHIY Events

This Month’s Community Events

Through November, our community is hosting the following events:

Monthly General Workshop

Sat 15th Nov 11:00am - 1:30pm

A regular monthly general workshop for all regular Iyengar Yoga students at Upham Village Hall, Hampshire, with Level 3 teacher, Rachel Lovegrove. All abilities welcome. Some experience of inversions required …

Workshop with Cheree Low @ Dorchester Yoga and Therapy Centre

Sat 15th Nov 1:00pm - 4:00pm

This three hour workshop will explore the relationship between the body, mind and breath in a sequence of poses that leads the student from the outside in. 1 year Iyengar yoga experience required …

Peer Group Teaching Practice for Trainees / Level 1 Teachers - Guinea Pigs Also Needed!

Sat 15th Nov 2:30pm - 4:30pm

Join Rachel Lovegrove for an afternoon of teaching practice for trainees or Level 1 teachers wanting to progress to Level 2. We also need volunteers to act as students in the class to help our future…

First Aid Training @ Orchard Life

Sat 29th Nov 9:30am - 4:30pm

Orchard Life in Midgham is hosting a Emergency First Aid at Work Training Course, which yoga teachers are required to complete every three years. To book, contact Su at Respond Training. Tel: 078181 531667

Check out our community events

If you’re hosting an Iyengar Yoga related event that we don’t know about, please let us know by clicking the link below, and we’d be happy to let our subscribers know about it!

Submit your events here!

Dorset and Hampshire Iyengar Yoga is a non-profit organisation promoting the Iyengar Yoga method in the south of England, across the counties of Dorset and Hampshire. A large part of what we do is putting on affordable yoga events from visiting teachers, and promoting events and classes from our local teachers.

What is Iyengar Yoga?

The Iyengar method of yoga, named after esteemed teacher Yogacharya Sri B.K.S. Iyengar, focuses on finding inner alignment and precision. It prioritises deep exploration of asana and pranayama, and the internal experience found while doing so. Props such as blocks and belts are often used for support for injury, safety, or to encourage different experiences. Initial benefits include increased flexibility, strength, and physical health, while ongoing practice brings deeper psychological benefits.

More information on Iyengar Yoga can be found in the following places:

• IYUK - What is Iyengar Yoga?

• IYUK - BKS Iyengar and the Iyengar Family

• BKS Iyengar Official Website

How is DHIY Organised?

Dorset and Hampshire Iyengar Yoga is run by an elected committee of volunteers, who organise events, run the website and mailing lists, liaise with Iyengar Yoga UK, and generally keep things going. Our constitution guides what we do, and it is publicly available for anyone to read.

Read DHIY's Constitution

We also run yearly AGMs for our members, where we elect new executive committee members into our various roles, and report on how things are going across the organisation. Our AGMs are minuted, and you can read the minutes of previous AGMs, approved each following year:

Read our AGM Minutes

What do we do?

Yoga Prajna Blog

DHIY also publishes the Yoga Prajna blog, which we encourage you to sign up to:

Yoga Prajna by DHIY

The Iyengar Yoga Blog from Dorset & Hampshire Iyengar Yoga (https://dhiy.org) Features reflections on DHIY workshops and Pune visits, book reviews, Yoga philosophy posts, and other content related to Iyengar Yoga.

By Dorset Hampshire Iyengar Yoga

Social Media

DHIY has presence on Facebook and Instagram - if you use those platforms we’d love to see you there!

• Facebook Events Page

• Facebook Group

• Instagram Events Page

We all gathered round closely to listen to Lin describe the theme of the day, which was strongly centred around one of the Yamas: Brahmacharya (or chastity, restraint), and the importance of channelling our energy correctly when performing an asana. That we should be aware in our own personal practice that we were not leaking energy, and that the energy created by the asana should be focussed in the correct direction.

Very few adjustments were made in the morning asana class, because Lin was communicating with us very deeply about the importance of Tadasana and finding our Tadasana in every pose we do. We started in Tadasana, and Lin guided us to lean very slightly backwards, to experience a ‘bite’ in our lower abdomen, which meant that we were doing the asana correctly. By being in this position, it allowed us all to experience the strong lift from the bottom of our abdomen to the top of our diaphragm.

We then performed some basic asanas (including Utkatasana, Utthita Trikonasana, Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana, Parsvakonasana with our foot on a chair), and encouraged us to find our Tadasana in those poses- the bite in the lower abdomen, and the space created from the lower abdomen to the diaphragm. We all agreed that this insight had improved our postures within those poses, it was an exceptionally enlightening experience!

In Prasarita Padottanasana, before we placed our hands down, we put a block onto the top of our sacrum and were told to lift our legs up into the block. Lin then told us to find our Tadasana and the space within our bodies before we descended into the full pose.

Lin showed us a technique to assist us into Padmasana, from Upavista Konasana, to place one leg into Janu Sirsasana, then rolling over onto that leg to place the foot into Padmasana more easily, before sitting up again and finding Tadasana in our bodies. I certainly felt that it helped me further into Padmasana than I have previously been able to accomplish.

Lin definitely gave us the insight to open gateways into what is going on inside our bodies when performing asanas, and to focus on the layers within our bodies to channel the energy created the most effectively.

I loved that Lin mentioned that ‘yoga is our secret’ and that our friends and families do not understand how phenomenal it makes us feel inside. Lin has such an incredibly personable and approachable teaching style – everyone was encouraged to ask questions and she was very happy to discuss how to adapt certain poses for any health issues the attendees had. It was a really interactive workshop. She has the most wonderful way of maintaining eye contact with everyone so that we all felt included, we were all completely enraptured!!

After lunch, for half an hour we were extremely lucky to experience some Vedic Chanting, of which Lin clearly has a huge passion for and it rubbed off on us all! She very kindly gifted us all with a booklet with some simple chants in it and explained in a very clear way how to read the texts in a way that we could practice at home. Chanting is a new technique to many of us, and after just a short session I was feeling incredibly relaxed and wanting to learn more! Lin is starting some online Vedic Chanting courses if anyone is interested in delving deeper into the subject. If anyone would like more information on the course, please contact us at DHIY.

This was followed by a wonderful inversions practice. We worked our way through Adho Mukha Vrksasana, Pincha Mayurasana and Sirsasana. Lin was on hand to answer everyone’s questions, assist with ways to improve or achieve these poses, and gave personal attention to those of us who asked for her assistance. Unfortunately by this time we were disappointed to learn that we only had five minutes left! The day went so fast, I am sure that we could have all continued for hours under Lin’s guidance!

This was absolutely unlike any workshop I have attended previously. We were taken right back to the very basics, and I was genuinely filled with wonder about how I can improve my personal practice by utilising everything I have learned. Lin’s passion for Iyengar Yoga shone brightly through, and was so infectious!

If you weren’t able to make it to this incredible workshop, Lin has very kindly agreed to come back to teach us again in 2027, so we will be working to get that arranged. It will definitely be an unmissable experience and one for the diary!