Yoga close to home

By Barbara Young

We’re excited to announce that a new yoga space is opening in September, just across the Flora Footbridge in Old Ottawa East, and we welcome the Glebe community to come and pay us a visit!

Pathway Yoga has been on Richmond Road in Westboro for the past 11 years. We decided to change locations when our lease ended, and good fortune led us to Church of the Ascension at 253 Echo Drive near Pretoria Bridge. Classes will launch there in the spacious, freshly painted hall on September 5.

We teach Iyengar yoga. In Iyengar yoga classes, students build their understanding over time. They begin with the basics and learn from there, moving at their own pace. They learn to adapt poses to fit the body, rather than forcing the body to fit the poses, and they do this under the keen and caring eyes of highly competent teachers.

Our teachers learn their wide-ranging skills over years of apprenticeship with an experienced mentor. Once ready, they attend a national assessment, before receiving an internationally recognized teaching certificate. From then on, they fulfil annual professional development expectations.

Founder and yoga master BKS Iyengar first made his way to Europe in 1954 at the invitation of virtuoso violinist Yehudi Menuhin. With Menuhin’s encouragement, Iyengar began his lifelong efforts to introduce people outside India to the ancient art and science of yoga. It was at the end of that first trip that Menuhin gave his yoga teacher a watch with an inscription on the back: “To my best violin teacher, BKS Iyengar.”

Now, BKS Iyengar’s grand-daughter Abhijata is at the helm of the Iyengar institute in Pune, India, where some of our teachers have traveled to study. Abhi has maintained the characteristic integrity of Iyengar’s teachings and has infused them with her own warmth and compassion.

Two of our long-time students have deep roots in the Glebe and are delighted that we’re moving closer to home.

One is Mary Glen: “As a student who has been on the pathway with the Pathway Yoga teachers for almost 20 years,

I am thrilled to know that the studio is returning near to the heart of the Glebe.

I first encountered Barbara Young, the studio’s founder, at the Quaker Meeting House on Fourth Avenue and was introduced then to her deep knowledge, profound understanding and cheerfully exacting teaching. This practice has helped me heal after surgery, and the studio’s workshops and intensives have brought great insight and enrichment. The life of the studio has always been framed by a strong spirit of inclusiveness and collaboration. Whether you are new to yoga, curious about Iyengar yoga or a seasoned practitioner, no matter your age and ability, Barbara and the meticulously trained teaching team will offer you a fun, friendly and fulfilling experience. See you on the mat!”

And from Jean Ogilvie: “Twenty years ago, I was anxious to embark on a yoga program as a healthy preparation for aging. Lucky to find an Iyengar yoga studio just up on Bronson, I jumped in and have never looked back. I’ve attended many classes, workshops, special events and even made a trip to the “mother school” in Pune, India in early 2018. When the studio moved to Westboro, I crossed town in rush-hour traffic to keep up, and when it shut down with COVID, I tuned in on Zoom. Iyengar yoga has challenged me, made me stronger, more supple, with better balance, and it has accompanied me through some major health challenges, bringing me happily out the other side. With a whole new generation of expertly trained teachers, the studio continues to offer a wide range of classes from beginner to advanced and gentle for specific health challenges. I whole-heartedly welcome Pathway Yoga to its new location on Echo Drive!”

Our group is a not-for-profit association with me as senior teacher and chair of the board. I work with an amazing Iyengar yoga teaching team who are the beating heart of Pathway Yoga. Here they are:

Anna Egan is a devoted student of Buddhism and recognizes the profound interconnections between disciplined asana practice and meditation.

Florence Guardia is ever patient, energetic in her teaching and intrigued by the richness and precision of Iyengar yoga practice.

Karin Holtkamp has taught Iyengar yoga since 2004, travelled twice to study at the Iyengar institute in India and never stops learning.

Jean-Pierre Nicolotti is a skilled, inveterate explorer and adventurer on and off the yoga mat, including a trip to the Iyengar institute in Pune and one to – the South Pole!

Markus Sánchez always brings generosity, enthusiasm and positive energy to his students and to everyone he encounters.

Jennifer Zelmer embraces the opportunity to share the depth and joy of Iyengar yoga practice with people of all ages and abilities.

Find out more about Pathway Yoga at www.pathwayyoga.ca and watch for details about our open house, scheduled for September 23, with free classes and other delights. We look forward to meeting you!

“Āsanas (yoga postures) have evolved over the centuries to exercise every muscle, nerve and gland in the body. They reduce fatigue and soothe the nerves. But their real importance lies in the way they train and discipline the mind.” BKS Iyengar

Barbara Young is a senior Iyengar teacher and the founder of Pathway Yoga, a non-profit organization that promotes the study and practice of Iyengar yoga.