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.

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

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

🕉️

Thanks for reading Yoga Prajna by DHIY! Subscribe for free to receive new posts.

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.

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!

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Just after the end of the Covid pandemic, I finally decided to reach out to my local refugee support centre, SWVG, and volunteer to teach English to their clients. It felt daunting — I’d never taught anything except yoga — but with the encouragement of my mentor there and a little training, I soon realised that even my small efforts made a real difference. Every Friday I would head down to the centre, meet with one or two students, and begin working through basic English. My students came from many countries, ages, and backgrounds, but they all had one thing in common: they were displaced, far from home, and trying to rebuild some sense of normality and stability. I’ll never forget one woman — a lawyer from Syria who dreamed of retaking her exams in the UK — who needed a counsellor to accompany her to class because of severe PTSD.

The centre itself is an extraordinary place. Alongside English lessons, it offers practical help with asylum applications, medical appointments, and food distribution, as well as activities such as music, art, cooking, and field trips. Most importantly, it provides a safe community space where people can connect, share food, and feel supported. SWVG is a charity supported by donors and other charities. Their patrons include the actress, Miriam Margolyes but 80% of the staff that work for SWVG are volunteers, many of whom take on the role of “Visitors” or “friends of asylum seekers,” visiting people in their accommodation to provide emotional and practical support during what is often a long, uncertain, and difficult process.

One day, I mentioned to my mentor that I was a yoga teacher and asked whether yoga might be a useful addition to the programme — for both clients and staff. She was immediately enthusiastic, and with funding from the Iyengar Yoga Development Fund (IY(UK)), I began teaching yoga for SWVG in April 2025.

We started simply: a short introduction and straightforward postures, with clear demonstrations so that even those with limited English could follow. I printed out handouts with simple graphics of the poses so that students could practice at home. For me, it was a valuable lesson in refining my own teaching — slowing down, simplifying, and being crystal clear in my instructions.

The classes have quickly become a rewarding part of my weekly routine. Our group is diverse: men and women, younger and older, complete beginners and those with some experience. One young man from Iran, who had practised judo in his home country, was delighted to join in — he proudly told me how much he enjoyed the “stretches” in yoga. Another woman from Syria, who struggles with back pain, hasn’t missed a class since she began. She now even practises at home. The staff who attend also love the sessions; it feels important to give them something nurturing too, as they give so much to others.

Thanks to the support of IY(UK) and their Development Fund, yoga is now a regular activity at SWVG — one that I hope will continue to grow and bring benefit for many years to come.

“Even the smallest effort can make a big difference — sometimes it’s a word, sometimes a yoga pose, sometimes just being there.”

The trip began with a warm welcome from the staff and owner, Karim, of Bab Zouina, a yoga shala set in the grounds of a 'small oasis' full of pungent smells and plants full of bloom and colour. Birds of many varieties, including a peacock whose vocal cords joined in the chanting in morning class. The retreat centre sits on the foothills of the Atlas Mountains which make a stunning backdrop to the breakfast terrace.

The group was around 30 strong, students and teachers from around the world. We were all there to enhance our practice and to spend time to meditate and reflect in a world currently unsettled and uncertain. The days began with a 7 to 8 am class of 30-40 mins of meditation and then pranayama, followed by some delicious nuts fruit and mint tea to sustain us for the asana class from 8.30-11am. During these hours we followed the Nobel silence only to talk if questions arose in class. This was followed by a delicious Moroccan brunch and some time to ourselves before beginning the second class of the day from 6 to 8pm. Our days closed with dinner, homemade with love, and then an early night. The beauty of Bab Zouina was no WiFi in the rooms or the Shala - if required we gathered at reception to pick up messages from home. Mindfulness was our daily experience and a fantastic way to recharge.

The classes were taken by Eyal and his student Efat. The asana practice was assisted by props and the use of ropes and chairs were excellently explained and revised during self practice. It paved a way to further assisting myself in my personal practice and in my teaching where perhaps some asanas are not so easily executed and absorbed. We worked through forward bends, backbends, inversions, balancing poses, twists and restorative classes systematically as one would expect in an Iyengar retreat. The highlight for me was the meditation and pranayama in the early morning sessions, learning to meditate has become somewhat of a focus on my return to the UK - I found it challenging and rewarding at the same time. The Buddhist teachings of Thích Nhất Hạnh alongside the yoga sutras of Patanjali were beautifully presented by Eyal and put to the test in asana practice, especially focusing on Ahimsa and Satya.

“Before you speak, let your words pass through three gates: Is it true? Is it necessary? Is it kind?”

We had a great deal of free time with excursions to a local woman cooperative, waterfalls, the atlas mountains and gardens. At the end of the yoga retreat six of us set off for a four day hike to the High Atlas, a stunning and challenging walk. We were assisted by lovely local guides and their mules.

I would highly recommend both the venue and the teachings of Eyal.

.

Still feeling rather emotional; in the afternoon, it was somewhat ironic that Kirsten explained that placing a brick between our feet whilst seated in Baddha Konasana was supposed to help you stop crying!! Now with no belt, Kirsten directed us through a series of forward bends using a chair for head support and a bolster to support the trunk. Unfortunately, I found that these poses, that my mind says should have calmed me down, made me feel very unsettled but by practising them in a concave manner I found more stability.

By the end of the workshop I was still feeling upset and uncertain about what I had just experienced, a feeling that lasted long enough for me to cancel my booking for Garth McLean’s workshop due to an overwhelming sense that it could happen again.

Another week or so, and as I kept re-examining the workshop I realised that the pivotal moment was the removal of the belt. Then, by including it in my home practice, I began to appreciate the support it had provided and how suddenly losing that support after nearly 3 hours, was the reason for the instability. To sum up, I would have to say I think it is always worth attending workshops whenever you can, as you never know what you are going to learn.

Written by Suzie Walker, Hampshire Teacher

As a first timer to Pune (although not India), I was very thankful to be travelling with fellow teacher and friend, Semra. From the start I felt immersed in the colourful city culture and on the first afternoon at the Deccan Gymkhana, Abhijata welcomed us to the yoga intensive, and said it would be ‘extensive’.

That was so true with around 4-5 hours yoga tuition a day for two weeks, my routine became eat, drink, ‘yoga’, sleep, repeat. I took away so much from the fantastic teachers we were blessed to have and who through their sessions freely gave us their energy, dynamism, knowledge and ‘wisdom’. As well as sharing how Guruji shaped their own experiences through personal anecdotes.

With around 250 attendees from across the world and some visiting for decades, it was such a joy to meet new friends and see old ones too. A few highlights were taking part in a class at RIMYI and hanging in the ropes, learning directly from Sunita who had such a sharp eye, to the wonderful 50th celebrations where the children performed.

Now home, I continue to reflect on my learning and shared stories, and I keep coming back to something Prashantji said, and that’s if you want to honour Guruji’s legacy then follow Patanjali’s yoga.

Written by Giulia Howard-Hole, First DHIYI Chair

On behalf of the interim committee of the newly formed Dorset and Hampshire Iyengar Yoga Institute, I would like to extend a warm welcome to all members.

As with any new venture, we are very much in the early stages of our Institute life, with much to learn, put in place and to consolidate. The foundations however are being firmly laid, with a growing membership, a bank account, web page and newsletter.

I feel it is important in this our first newsletter to focus on one of the reasons for starting the Institute, this being the promoting of yoga as taught by BKS Iyengar. To practice, to learn, to share and deepen our understanding of yoga.

The Institute should also be for the benefit of its members, so it is up to us, student and teacher alike to make that happen, either by helping to organise events, attending them, coming forward with ideas and suggestions, or making time to be on the committee.

As the DHIYI becomes more established and continues to grow, there will be opportunity in the years ahead for everyone who wants to get involved to play their part.

I remember with fondness the ubiquitous presence of the serene cows in the streets and roundabouts in Pune. I was impressed by their implacable indifference to the noisy, colourful, synchronised chaos going on around them. In this article I will be looking at the divine bovine goddess called Kamadhenu, known as the first mother of all cows. The Hindus believe all cattle in the world today are descended from her.

The name Kamadhenu is made of the words kama, which means desire, and dhenu, which means cow. Kamadhenu is the cow of plenty, symbolising abundance and prosperity. Her other two names are Surabhi (meaning “the fragrant one”) and Nandini. Like the goddess Laksmshi, Kamadhenu is regarded as the source of all wealth and fortune in Hinduism. She is closely connected to Mother Earth; all gods are thought to live in the body of Kamadhenu. Illustrations of her often show deities residing inside her. Another common image of her depicts her having a woman’s head and chest, wings of an eagle, and a tail of the peacock. 

There are several anecdotes concerning her birth. One states that Kamadhenu rose to the surface, amongst the other treasures, as the devas and asuras churned the ocean of milk in search of amrita, the nectar of immortality. Another story claims Kamadhenu was born from the left side of Sri Krishna to quench his and his consort Radha’s thirst after amorous pleasures.

Kamadhenu was made a goddess by Brahma after she offered to worship him for ten thousand years. This tapas won Brahma’s favour, and he created a divine realm for her called “Goloka” and decreed that henceforth all people would worship her and all her offspring. 

Kamadhenu has the power to satisfy any wish. This power is valued by all who meet her. In the epic the Ramayana, a celebrated king, Vishvamitra, went hunting with his men in a forest and came upon the hermitage of the sage, Vasistha. The sage hospitably entertained Vishvamitra and all his many men and offered them a colossal banquet after they had bathed. Kamadhenu resided with Vasistha and faithfully served him. She provided all the dainties of the extensive feast. King Vishvamitra was highly impressed by Kamadhenu’s capabilities and wanted to possess her. He offered Vasistha a crore of ordinary cows, horses, elephants and jewels. When his generous offer was declined, Vishvamitra tried to take Kamadhenu by force. Vasistha asked Kamadhenu to produce fighting men. The cow lifted her horns and tail and stood as a fierce and strong figure. From her mouth and various limbs a thousand warriors sprung out, and a ferocious battle ensued in which the large army of Vishvamitra and his hundred sons met with defeat. That was the beginning of the long animosity between King Vishvamitra and the sage Vasistha. We have challenging yoga poses named after each of these powerful figures.

We also have Gomukhasana, the pose of the face of the cow. In this seated pose the thighs are crossed, and the shins are crossed and are neatly folded back; the arms are positioned with one elbow facing the ceiling and the other facing the floor. The fingers are grasped behind the back. Like in most poses shown in Light on Yoga, Guruji remains tranquil and focused in his face. This pose resembles the face of a cow with the knees like the cow’s mouth and the elbows representing the cow’s one ear up and the other ear down. The chest makes up the eyes of the cow.

Unlike other Hindu deities, Kamadhenu does not have a worship cult focusing on her, but she continues to be adored and valued through her offspring, the humble cows, who are provided food outside Indian temples and are worshipped on Fridays. The Hindus see each cow as an earthly embodiment of the cow of plenty, Kamadhenu. Perhaps we should all try to emulate her and her daughters’ projection of power and abundance while maintaining a calm demeanour in the face of the world’s challenges that swirl around us.

Written by Semra O’Reilly, Dorset Teacher & DHIY EX Representative

On my return from India, several friends asked if I had a lovely time in Pune. I had to pause. Lovely didn’t quite fit, and at first, I struggled to find the right word to describe my experience. Then it became clear: my time at the Intensive last January was exactly as RIMYI had promised—intense.

Picture this: Mula Bandhasana, Akarna Dhanurasana, and Yoga Dandasana, all within the first hour of Abhijata’s class—and that was only Day Two!

The two-week programme was a dynamic blend of asana, philosophy, pranayama, and therapeutic work, designed to deepen teachers’ understanding of how to support their students. Classes were led by the Iyengar family—Prashant, Sunita, Abhijata, and Srineet Iyengar—alongside Raya Uma Datta. A particularly moving moment came when a recorded backbend class from Geeta was played, allowing us to practise as though we were in the room with her. I had never been taught by Geeta before, yet her precise and commanding instruction carried me, making me grateful for this unexpected glimpse into her teaching.

There was so much to absorb from the Intensive, and I am still processing it all. But a few key insights stand out.

• Prashant reminded us that with thousands of asanas to explore, we should attempt each one, rather than avoid them simply because we haven’t mastered them.

• Abhijata explained that when there is back pain, the muscles tend to tense up and become rigid. First, we must relax them in Savasana and then follow with Supta Padangusthasana, Pavanmuktasana etc

• And from Raya: “As teachers, we should always err on the side of caution. But as students, we should always err on the side of courage.”

Being completely immersed in yoga in Pune was a privilege, and the experience left me enriched, challenged, and inspired.

Now, I look forward to the next time.

At the start of November last year, we were fortunate enough to have Marios Argiros visit us in Botley for a day-long workshop. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but a few people whose opinions I respected had suggested that Marios would be well worth it, and I definitely agree having been through it.

Many teachers can work us through a nice sequence, or can get us to just do a lot of asana in a mindful way; and while Marios’ workshop did that, there were layers to his teaching that I’m sure I still don’t fully appreciate. However, I did take away a number of ideas which I’m using to build upon the principles established by my teacher, and by other teachers I’ve had the pleasure of studying with. What resonated with me won’t be the same for you, we’re each on our own journeys after all, but I’d like to share what I experienced in the hopes that it might spark some new ideas or help integrate some existing ones.

Powering the Asana

Right from the outset of the workshop, Marios established the principle of the breath as the power source of your asana, and from there continued to build upon it. That principle was a thread that he weaved throughout the entire day, using the asana practice in the morning to establish the principle, to set it in our bodies, and then in the afternoon having us develop our sensitivity by feeling the impact of the breath on our body while focussing on the different chakras.

This idea of breath being the power source to drive your asana was something I hadn’t understood that well until now. I knew that the rhythm of the breath was important, that if it was discordant the asana would be harder, and that matching the rhythm would make asana easier. However Marios took it further than that, and he really drove in that the breath is key to your practice.

Marios guided us through practising in a way where we moved into the asanas while consciously focusing on the breath, feeling how the breath moved through our bodies, and how that affected our asanas. In particular he helped us find more space, extension, and precision. I was also able to find greater apparent stamina as working with the breath kept everything in better balance.

By way of example, in adho mukha svanasana we were encouraged to use inward breath into the chest to power the upper body - broadening the chest, flattening our upper back, extending our arms, and pushing into the mat. We then used an outward breath from the abdomen to power the lower body, hinging the pelvis, straightening the legs and back, and finally driving the heels down. We did this in cycles, feeling, adjusting, and breathing, and we repeated the pose a few times throughout the morning to see how we had progressed through similar practice in other asanas. By the end of it I certainly felt a marked improvement, finding a length in my abdomen that I had typically struggled with. It was also much easier to stay in the pose - normally I’m ready to come down before the teacher prompts it, but in this case I actively wanted to stay longer!

Sensitivity in pranayama

In the afternoon, Marios guided us through a pranayama session with several components along the theme of feeling the breath, with some supported asana and some interesting methods of using props to support them. The part that really stuck with me is when he had us put a brick on each of our chakras, breathing consciously where the brick was situated for a while before moving to the next chakra, and just letting ourselves feel.

Pranayama practice is useful for developing sensitivity; listening to your body as the room becomes quieter and the teacher lets you get on with the practice. Giving you the space to learn to check in with your own body to find any discomfort, and to figure out what you need to do to address it. Often these might be fairly subtle feelings, but they can be substantially more pronounced when dealing with physical injuries or emotional trauma.

For me, when we got to the manipūra chakra, I felt a deep discomfort around my navel, coupled with a strong desire to remove the brick. I had to decide between continuing to figure it out or to abandon the practice for now. In this instance I decided to persevere, to allow myself to feel what bothered me, before eventually moving on with other elements of the practice. This might sound undesirable, but ultimately, by allowing myself to feel that, I was able to identify something that held my practice back and address it. Since then I have found significantly more space and precision in my asanas around that area; including that same space I found in adho mukha svanasana earlier in the day!

While other parts of the session don’t stick out to me quite as prominently, there was a lot of emphasis on using the brick as a focussing element. We did several supine poses like supta virasana, supta swastikasana, and supta padmasana, positioning props at various heights and positions along our upper spine or around our tailbone and sacrum, and feeling how that affected the quality of our breath. Marios’ guidance for this part was fairly minimal - we were given a set of parameters and told to try different options, and to see what we could feel.

In supta virasana I played with the height, width, and position of the props under my sacrum, figuring out what would allow me the most space, but also feeling for what prevented me from achieving that space without the props. As I tend towards hypermobility, I was initially adding in too much height and ended up kicking my lower back in - which I felt but couldn’t figure out the solution easily. My teacher pointed this out, so I then reduced the height, and was able to engage my back muscles along with the breath. I’ve since been able to achieve a much more even curve in my back bends by being sensitive to this and working purposefully with my breath.

Integration

By integrating these core ideas into my own practice, I am able to focus on the breath in poses I’ve found harder, feeling out ways that my breath appears to be fighting the asana rather than working with it, and using that to find balance. I’m still finding new ways to apply these ideas and I’m deeply excited to see what else I’ll find on this journey! I do hope everyone found this workshop even half as insightful as I did, and that you too found new tools to enhance your practice, whether that be through the breath, or anything else.

Welcome to 2025, and our newly online version of Yoga Prajna.

The days are beginning to lengthen, and the spring bulbs are starting to appear, which makes me think of new beginnings. It’s always an exciting time of year when there’s lots to look forward to.

We have plenty on offer for you to look forward to, starting with our first general workshop of the year in March with Lydia Holmes. We are breaking new ground this year by hosting two weekend workshops with international teachers – Garth McLean in June and then Mary and Eddy in October. Booking will be open shortly for both. All our 2025 workshops are listed on our events page.

We want to hear about your experiences of the workshops that you attend and will be sending out a feedback form after each one. We’d love to hear your comments and any suggestions you have for improvements. We are also interested in your ideas for teachers we could invite for 2026, as we start to plan our programme for next year.

We will also be asking our members for your views about DHIY generally and a survey will be coming out shortly. Please take time to give us your thoughts so we can make sure you are getting what you need from your membership. It is 20 years this year since the original Dorset and Hampshire Iyengar Yoga Institute was first formed. We will be discussing ways to mark this, so look out for news in the next few months.

We had a very successful morning of yoga on National Iyengar Yoga Day in January. Thanks go to the four teachers who each taught a free class. There were lots of people there who were new to Iyengar Yoga. There was a really good energy and an enthusiastic response to the teaching, so hopefully some of them will follow up and join a local class. Thank you too to Sally and Tobias for their hard work to make such a successful event, as well as for all the events they organise. Tobias has made a lot of changes to the process for booking workshops which will hopefully make it easier to book. Do let us know what you think on events@dhiy.org.

I hope you will enjoy all the articles on our new blog. Thank you to everyone who has contributed so far. Ingrid is always looking for more people to write something, so please do get in touch if you have an idea.

Best wishes, Bridget Campbell
DHIY Chair

Yoga Prajna has gone through a couple of transitions since it began, originally starting as a printed leaflet which we posted to our members, progressing to a PDF which we emailed out, and now we’ve moved it to our website, as a blog.

Why the change?

Previous editions of Yoga Prajna have been hand edited by one of our committee members, but this takes a significant amount of time and effort on their part. Particular thanks go to Cheree Low who has been editing Yoga Prajna for nearly 9 years now, on top of her other responsibilities! As we've been updating our website, we've decided to move our newsletter into the modern age, giving Cheree a bit of a break in the process.

This change also brings two benefits to our members - the blog is now fully accessible at any time from the web (no more hunting through your email inbox!), and it is also publicly accessible; so if you want to forward interesting articles to your friends or share them on social media, you can now do so easily. In fact, we hope you do share! There’s a “Share” button at the top and bottom of each blog post to help you with that, as well as a way to print articles if you want to read or share them physically.

Printing the articles

Substack articles are automatically laid out in a print friendly fashion, and each article can be printed directly from your browser. The last page(s) will include the comments section, so you may wish to not print that part, but otherwise - happy printing!

Changes to how we publish

In addition to the move to the web, we’ll also be looking at changing how we deliver articles - rather than having editions twice a year, we’ll be publishing articles throughout the year - rather than all at once. We’ve put a selection of articles out already, but check back for more in the coming months! We’ll alert you to new posts via social media and alongside our usual emails whenever we send those out. If you use RSS feeds, you can also subscribe to the blog via RSS; there’s a link in the very top left of the blog, or you can click this one:

Yoga Prajna RSS

You can subscribe to receive notifications about our posts by subscribing directly on substack, either with just an email or by signing up for a Substack account.

We’d love to hear your feedback on this change, and if you have any issues accessing the content we’d be happy to help you out. You can either comment at the bottom of this page using the comment functionality (enabled for all of our articles!), or send an email to events@dhiy.org.

We hope you enjoy the latest articles and look forward to seeing what you think of them!

Be sure to read the other impressions in the series too!

Written by Zoe Hobbs, Dorset Teacher

“Welcome back, did you have a wonderful/great/amazing/relaxing/exciting holiday in India?”

People kindly asked the above question in various ways on my return from Pune in January. I tried to answer as honestly as I could to explain it was not a holiday but an intensive two week course to celebrate the 50th year of RIMYI. I was searching for a word to describe it.

How about three words, exhausting, insightful and challenging?

This was my fourth trip to Pune, previously going for a month at a time, attending one two hour class a day, having time for personal practice, time to make notes and reflect on the class, and observation of other classes. But this intensive was a new experience for me, see the class timetable, no time to gather your thoughts, it felt at times quite relentless, and back at the hotel in the evening trying to write down what concepts I believe I had understood and what unfamiliar instructions for a familiar pose I had grasped.

And I felt I was prepared for the noise, non-stop traffic hooting and tooting, the nerve wracking challenge of crossing the road safely, walking carefully on the haphazard pavements, the multitudes of people from every social level, the litter that adorns the streets being daily swept into piles that don't seem to be collected but get redistributed by the street dogs looking for food, and the air pollution exacerbated by all the new buildings being constructed, but somehow it all felt exhausting.

But of course there were insightful moments, when I felt I had understood what was said and it made sense to me, a glimmer of understanding shone. For example, on the very first day with Prashant he gave us two formulas for yoga, one of them was “P P C” standing for Purpose, Process and Consequence.

Understandable when written like that, but the sound system was not very clear, so when he kept saying “ What's the P P C” I had no idea what that meant as I had missed the explanation (I was not alone!) But as the time went by, collectively, we worked it out, as he quoted it a lot.

On another day, Raya spent over an hour extolling the brilliance of Light on Yoga and we should all read it thoroughly and understand what Guruji was offering us, if we are “able to read between the lines” So grabbing my battered and well thumbed copy, I saw Prashant's “P P C”. The Purpose is explained under the name of the asana, the Process is under the technique and the Consequence is under effects. I felt I'd married up those two lectures, quite obvious really, but it needed pointing out so I could see it.

Then the challenge of the classes, finding a place for your mat and props amongst the other 250 participants, it was wonderful to be with students from every corner of the world, on the first day I was sandwiched between a Mexican and a Russian, all there to celebrate the 50 years of RIMYI and learn together. The event was held at a cricket ground, on the sixth floor of their very big pavilion, as the Institute building was too small for everyone. I did have two classes at the Institute, seeing the new entrance, spacious new loos and statute honouring Guruji and Ramamani together.

We were taught by four members of Guruji's family namely Prashant, Sunita (Guruji's daughter) Abhijata and Shrineet (Guruji's grandson) as well as Raya and Nawaz, each having their own way of showing us the Iyengar way.

In one of Prashant's morning classes we did a standing up Sirsasana, feet together with the heels on a brick, hands clasped behind the head, standing tall, before doing Sirsasana as least five times, up and down, each time concentrating the breath on different parts of the torso, each time we came down I thought we'd finished but no, up again “use your breath” He said too many of us are “asana-ists” and not enough”pranayama-ists”

That same afternoon with Shrineet, who taught in a structured understandable way, we did Sirsasana four times, this time concentrating on the back of the legs in sections and then finally the soles of the feet, where we had to imagine a crystal ball and keep it balanced perfectly steady, should you waver, the crystal ball would become cloudy and fall down. So many headstands in one day, nine in all, but as effortful as that was, for the final one, I felt my crystal ball was safely held aloft and I was calmly stable.

In another class with Abhi, we'd repeated Vrksasana, Ardha Chandrasana and Virahbadrasana 3 a few times, including Ardha Chandrasana with the lower hand in line with the foot and only using the very tips of the fingers, not cupped hands. And then did them all again but on a brick, certainly concentrates the mind.

We were told to approach the more complex poses because if we don't “they'll become extinct” so here are the three I have never even attempted, in the course of different classes, we were offered Vatayanasana (Plate 59 in LOY) Mandalasana (Plates 526-535 in LOY) and Kala Bhairavasana (Plate 375 in LOY) The phrase “going toward” describes my attempts, but pleasantly surprised how far I did manage to travel.

Nawaz gave us a most wonderful pranayama class, simple, clear and achievable. “let the prana spread all over you, like the sun rising in the east touches all in its path” I felt quite emotional afterwards, so needed to thank her in person for the beautiful clarity, she just smiled and said, pointing to the photographs of Guruji and Geetaji, “Don't thank me, thank them”.

On a personal interaction level, it was great to travel with Giulia and Beth and to discover that Semra and Suzie were in the same hotel, all the Bournemouth teachers together. And that Cara (she was, for a time, the membership secretary when I was the treasurer of DHIY in the early days) who used to live in Bournemouth before she returned back home to Texas to study, was also there with her mother. And it was lovely that we were able to introduce ourselves to Garth Maclean, who is coming to Bournemouth in June to do a weekend for us.

I'm glad I went to experience the intensity and as time goes by and I reflect on what I can recall and truly feel, then getting together with my travelling companions to practice and share what we did, I know it has enriched me, and as my teacher Mary says “ you're never the same after you come back from Pune” As teachers, we were told to work cautiously with the students but courageously with ourselves.

So I'll end off by using and combining some of the words, phrases and sentiments Prashant uses when he starts his classes before the invocation, and hope that my few observations will encourage you to practice courageously.

“All of you, settle down, sit straight, close your eyes, bring your palms to the centre of your chest. Look for sanctity, honesty, sagacity, purity, acuity and sensitivity. Find the connection, the integration, the collective dynamic and community of your body, breath and mind. Then silently utter OM”

Written by Giulia Howard-Hole, Dorset Teacher

In early January this year I, together with friends, attended the 50 th  Birthday Celebrations in Pune to acknowledge the establishment of the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute. It was my first Intensive. Although I had seen the schedule shortly prior to departing - mostly three sessions a day for two weeks - I’d not appreciated just how busy and packed those days would be, and consequently what a different experience it would be from my usual prior visits attending the Institute.

On a sunny morning the day after arrival, we went to RIMYI to register.  The reception teams were warm and welcoming.  The atmosphere felt different; you could almost sense a celebratory mood in the air. The event was held in a lovely hall on the top floor of the PYC Hindu Gymkhana, also the home of Pune’s cricket ground.  The atmosphere on the first day, with people arriving, unpacking their equipment, finding themselves a place to put their mats down, was charged with an excitement and buzz amongst the 250 participants. A large contingent came from the UK.  It was interesting meeting others from around the world, as well as seeing some familiar faces. We very quickly settled into a routine of classes, which ended each day with a welcome cup of chai or coffee and some Indian snacks, enabling us to mix and chat after the last class. The two weeks flew by with little time for anything else. 

Abhijata, who welcomed us that first morning, explained that although the celebrations were not being held at RIMYI, they wished nonetheless to convey the spirit and ethos of the Institute.  Various senior teachers would be teaching us for the duration of the Intensive. These were, Prashant, Abhijata, Raya, Navas, Sunita, and Srineet, a grandson of BKS Iyengar.  She also acknowledged there was a big group of first-timers. For them, a few classes at RIMYI would also be held, to enable them to experience the atmosphere there. 

The classes varied, some slower paced, and others extremely fast.  Numerous asanas were covered, with some more challenging than others. Emphasis was placed on the tradition and methodology of Iyengar teaching.  We were regularly asked to study the set of large photos of BKS Iyengar on the walls, and Light on Yoga was frequently referred to.  We were urged to not just do the poses we found easy or liked, but to explore other poses within the same ‘family’ group.  We should not disregard/avoid more challenging asanas, but embrace them. Asanas such as Visvmamitrasana, or Supta Trivikramasana, to name just two, could all be broken down.  It was important to at least attempt them in the early stages.  Considering the range of age groups amongst the participants, from their twenties to eighties, and their corresponding abilities, allowances were made for everyone to work as well as they could.  If the final stage of the asana was out of reach, you worked on the preparatory stages.  There were several assistants - trainee Institute teachers - who were able to assist you if needed. It was important to try and explore what could be done, to challenge yourself.  It was wonderful though, to see some excellent yoga practice in the hall.

There was much to learn in those full few days, which will take time to assimilate into my own practice, and eventually pass on.  This two week Intensive was different from going for a month at a more leisurely pace, time for personal practice, and time for a teacher to observe classes, if desired. Personal time was much more limited, but even so, I was happy and grateful to have been able to immerse myself for two whole weeks in the practice of yoga.

I came away as always, with a sense of ‘getting back to base’, and of ‘being recharged’.

This beautiful book, a copy of which is now available to borrow from the DHIY library, is comprised not only of some of  Guruji's own words and teachings, but of contributions and tributes to him from all over the world, along with scientific articles recognising his impact on the subject of yoga beyond the physical.

It records the many milestones in his life, including in his later years: 

• a nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize (2014)

• the prestigious Padma Vibhushan Award (2014)  - the second highest civilian honour anyone can achieve in India, awarded by the Prime Minister of India

• a nomination for the Templeton Prize for Religion* (2015) put forward by the Trustee of the Dalai Lama's Foundation for Universal Responsibility.

(*Its scope gradually widened to include people considered to be at the intersection of science and religion.)

In the later stages of his life especially, Guruji was constantly expounding the relationship between the individual and the universal, the microcosm and the macrocosm, the finite and the infinite, for the transformation of consciousness/chitta.

"My body is singing, ringing yoga, so naturally one has to feel the bell when I walk by." (YES!) 

"When you see fully, you are not seeking. I have seen but I can't explain." 

Guruji's understanding and experience is supported by scientific articles included in this book, for example:

From German physicist Professor Dr. Hans-Peter Dürr:

"In fact, quantum physics has come very close to the ancient Indian philosophy of the Sãmkhya School". (p.253)

And from nueropsychiatrist John Raymond Smythies:

"There is an energy which is not seen, yet can be physically detected by the behavior of another atom. What this means is that our thoughts are energy and can alter the behavior of our cells and actually override their predisposition of behavior." (p.263)

And I love the connection Guruji made, which is quoted in this book, between the trigunas, the three forces of nature, and Einstein's famous equation E=MC² where:

• E is energy/rajas

• M is mass/tamas and

• C is the speed of light/sattva

Because of the format of this book, one can in fact open it anywhere and just dip right in, to read anything from "What is an Asana?" to "Teaching of Pranayama" to "Samkhya Philosophy and the 5 Gross Elements" to "Classical to Modern Physics" ... or simply in order to appreciate the stunning array of photographs of Guruji, whether in black and white or glorious colour. Some of these breathtaking photographs are in themselves to me a experience in meditation, beyond words.

On Saturday 9th November, DHIY members and friends were treated to a wonderful workshop led by Marios Argiros at Mudeford Wood Community Centre in Christchurch. 

As always, us students arrived at the venue with much excitement and enthusiasm, and an eagerness to learn from Marios’ wisdom. At the beginning of the class, Marios made it clear that he wanted us to answer his questions, and for us to ask him questions in return, to ensure that we completely understood the points he was teaching us. 

Marios led us on a journey of discovery, introducing several kriyas throughout the day. We were taught to utilise Svadhisthana kriya, the second chakra, which is associated with fluidity, adaptability, creativity, and the outward transmission of our energy into the world. By using a sharp exhalation, we were able to achieve more action in the various asanas. 

We also spent some time focussing on Manipura kriya, the third or solar plexus chakra, which is located between the navel and the base of the sternum, a couple of fingers above the belly button. A journey through asanas, while concentrating on this kriya, was incredibly interesting and stimulating for me personally, as it was the first time I had encountered this element of yoga. The morning session overran slightly as we were so focussed on what we were learning, we were all eager to keep going!

In the afternoon, Marios led us in an exploration of Udiyana kriya. In Supta Badakonasana, at the end of an exhalation (bahir Kumbaka) we softly, effortlessly, during the pause with no breath, lifted the diaphragm before inhaling, to open the chest before the inhalation. Using a brick on several chakra locations on our body, we were told to imagine a weight coming straight down onto the brick while we practiced this method.

Marios is an incredibly caring and interactive teacher, who introduced hints of humour throughout the day, which I always admire and enjoy. His energy and passion are contagious. His demonstrations were incredibly clear and precise, and he was very keen to ensure that we understood exactly what he was teaching us, and why we were doing it. Several of us students with injuries were given extra attention, by way of offering us alternative poses (for example, I learned to perform Parsvakonasana from a prone position, and discovered that I was able to get the same twist as if I was standing). Marios demonstrated to the whole class some methods of relieving injuries that some of us were afflicted by on the day, which was extremely useful and interesting to everybody.

Marios was genuinely considerate and sympathetic about the foot issues I was experiencing during the workshop, and after the class even offered to advise me and offer support following my imminent surgery, which was so incredibly kind and sincere of him.

Marios gave us plenty to consider whilst moving forward with our own practice. The feedback that was received from the students following the workshop was incredibly positive, including several requests to invite him back for another workshop soon! We hope Marios will take us up on that offer!