News from the Regions

IYACSR

We began the year with 168 members in the Iyengar Yoga Association of California Southern Region (IYACSR), which also includes Hawaii. We had our board elections in December 2018, and the board of directors installation took place at our annual members meeting on Feb. 2.

Here is the new 2019 IYACSR Board: President Kathleen Quinn (CIYT Intermediate Junior II), Vice president Stephanie Lavender (CIYT Intermediate Junior I), Treasurer Sheri Cruise (CIYT Intermediate Junior I), Secretary Nikole Fortier (CIYT), Communications Coordinator Sri Kota (CIYT), Outreach Chair Radhika Ponda (CIYT), Workshops Chair Liz Levine (Member at Large), and IYNAUS liaison Gloria Goldberg (CIYT Advanced Junior II).

We eagerly anticipate working with and for our growing Iyengar Yoga community.

A fare-thee-well to our departing board members. The IYACSR mandate is to disseminate the teachings of Guruji and the Iyengar family. First and foremost, these departing board members were true to that; to a person, they worked tirelessly and enthusiastically to bring us closer to the Iyengars, RIMYI, and IYNAUS through the communiqués and community events that we enjoyed during their tenures. Suneel Sundar (CIYT Intermediate Junior II) is outgoing President; Sharon Crockett (Member at Large) is outgoing Secretary; Edith Rosenberg (CIYT) is outgoing Workshop Chair and Scholarship Coordinator; and Chere Thomas (CIYT Intermediate Junior I) is our outgoing Communications Coordinator. Thank you for your service!

At the IYNAUS 2019 Convention in April, IYACSR held a meeting of attending members, friends, and colleagues to share experiences and get a group photo. It was exciting to gather with the community in Dallas, to share stories of last year’s centenary events, to mourn the loss of our teacher and mentor Geetaji, and to celebrate her life. Geetaji said our practice should be rigorous and “fourfold—moral, physical, mental, and spiritual.” Guruji said, “Practice with faith, practice with courage, practice with zest, practice with understanding, and practice uninterruptedly and reverentially…” Guruji and Geetaji were the embodied paradigms of their words. Together with Abhijata, we will continue along the path.

On May 18, B.K.S. Iyengar Yoga Center in Ocean Beach hosted a Free4Members workshop, where Roger Cole taught restoratives and pranayama. The next two Free4Members workshops will be in September with Isabela Fortes at San Marcos Iyengar Yoga Center (SMIYC) and in December with Carolyn Belko at the Iyengar Yoga Center of Encinitas (IYCE).

Attendees at the 2019 IYACSR annual members meeting in February

We invite all Iyengar Yoga association members worldwide, when in the area, to join us at these Free4Members workshops.

IYACSR is a major sponsor of the Festival of Yoga & Healthy Living San Diego 2019 to be held June 23 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Waterfront Park. The event is free and open to the public.

IYAGNY

Several people from our region attended the auspicious centenary celebrations in Pune this past December. We learned at the feet of the most senior teachers in our method, Prashant and Geeta Iyengar, for five days each. We did not know yet that we were receiving the last teaching transmission from Geeta Iyengar before her passing on Dec. 16, 2018. We are mourning her loss and are planning some programs in 2019 to honor her and her legendary teaching. That same day, Dec. 16, the Iyengar Yoga Association of Greater New York (IYAGNY) hosted a celebration of B.K.S. Iyengar’s 100th birthday and offered a free members’ class to over 70 students with three teachers who had just come home from the Pune intensive, Naghmeh Ahi, Tori Milner, and Liza Toft.

In January, we held our annual meeting for members, including a free class with Richard Jonas, Brooke Myers, and Sarah Perron, who co-taught the group with reflections on Geeta and Guruji sprinkled in. After the meeting, we held our first board meeting of 2019, with three new members—Ron Bozman, Judy Dennis, and Anna Iacucci—joining Kevin Allen, Mike Branson, Kate Karet, Michael Ketring, Sharib Khan, and Tzahi Moskovitz.

Rebecca Lerner came in February and taught 70 of us over two days. Her teaching connected us to the depth of the subject and the Iyengars’ teachings with grace, humor, and

IYAGNY teachers in Pune, December 2018

encouragement as she raised our awareness, opened up our consciousness, and gave us new avenues to explore in the postures and pranayama.

BROOKLYN COMMUNITY CLASS

Every Wednesday night in Brooklyn, we offer a pay-as-you-wish class to the community. A less experienced teacher, who may or may not be certified, teaches the 75-minute class with a more experienced teacher present who observes and takes notes to offer on-the-spot feedback afterward. The students are a mixture of people in Brooklyn from rank beginners to those with more experience who enjoy taking a less expensive class with a whole range of teachers. The teachers who observe and give feedback are certified Intermediate Junior I–III, and they follow guidelines based on the information in our Certification Manual. Both the student teacher and observing teacher show up 15 minutes early to go over the planned sequence, and the observing teacher offers feedback on that if necessary.

The classes usually have anywhere from five to 10 students. Observing teachers may offer assistance if they see it would be helpful to either the students in the class, the teacher, or both. After class, James Murphy, our association director, joins the two teachers and listens in on the post-class conversation, offering guidance from his own experience. This class is multidimensional and addresses many layers at once: it offers an affordable class to our community; gives less experienced teachers an opportunity to teach “real” students; and it gives Intermediate Junior teachers an opportunity to offer feedback, practice mentoring, and prepare to become assessors someday.

Liza Toft, an association teacher who has recently joined the faculty, has taught the community class several times. She says, “What I love about teaching the community class

Guruji’s 100th birthday class in New York

is feeling a part of the Brooklyn community! It gives an opportunity for people of all kinds to come together and practice yoga, and try out Iyengar Yoga at an affordable cost. And as a teacher, this way of giving back to and being part of the community is very rewarding. As if that weren’t enough, we also get the opportunity to receive valuable feedback from those with more experience. It has been an important part of my learning and growth, and supports the mentorship that exists in our tradition.”

The Community Class began in 2016, thanks, in part, to generous support provided by the Yoga Anywhere Fund, and has become a vital part of the continuing education programming that we offer to teachers.

IYALA

Community building has been at the forefront of Iyengar Yoga Association of Los Angeles (IYALA) activities this year, as IYALA and our Institute entered their 35th year of operation. The passing of Geeta Iyengar brought our community together to mourn and to celebrate her extraordinary life and accomplishments. An altar set up in our studio the day after her passing reminded practitioners of her incredible legacy. It felt comforting to have her encouraging eyes upon us as we attempted to embody her directive to not be fearful.

Our formal celebration was held on Feb. 2. Senior teacher Eric Small treated our community to a celebration of Geeta’s life. Over 160 practitioners came together to listen to teachers remember their experiences learning from Geetaji. Senior teacher Lisa Walford programmed the event, and board members organized volunteers for garland-making and Institute decoration. Scott Hobbs put together an exhibit in

Archival photos of Geetaji from the IYALA celebration of life

our lobby of photos of Geeta’s life, and poster-sized pictures adorned the hallway entrance to our Institute. Teachers gathered early to chant the Samadhi Pada as visitors entered to pay tribute. Teachers Eric Small, Lisa Walford, Christine Stein, Anna Delury, Marla Apt, and Linda Nisho shared their personal stories about Geetaji. We all participated in a Pushpanjali ceremony, adorning the altar with rose petals as we collectively chanted “Svhah” in response to Vedic chanting by Yogananda Tulsiram. Then Eric Small treated us to a catered buffet. It was a wonderful gathering that brought comfort and courage to our local community.

Senior teacher and board member Scott Hobbs has been working with the rich source of documents and photographs in the archives of the Iyengar family and Iyengar Yoga. Scott organized a way to share some of these treasures at our Institute by installing a set of glass display cases to showcase these items through rotating exhibits. This year began with an exhibition honoring Geetaji and her relationship with our Los Angeles teachers and students, and it was one of the focal points during our Geetaji memorial. A new exhibition devoted to B.K.S. Iyengar was installed in March, featuring rarely seen photos and a film of Guruji’s rooftop practice in 1975. All are welcome to drop into our Institute to see the current exhibit, whether you are a regular student or visiting Los Angeles from other regions.

The beginning of 2019 also saw the departure of a few of our board members and the welcoming of others. Mary Ann Kellogg and Laura Baker stayed on and were re-elected as president and vice president, respectively. Holly Hoffman of Palm Desert took over as secretary as Amy Brown finished her term. We said farewell to Mike Montgomery who served two terms and helped with financial decisions and negotiations. Anthony Lorenzana of Camarillo took over as treasurer. We

Dr. Geeta S. Iyengar

also welcomed new board members Judy Brown, Marion Levine, and Varina Whitener who will serve alongside Alfred Bie and Scott Hobbs as Members at Large.

With celebrations planned throughout the year, we find ourselves reflecting on just how far we have come. Senior teacher Lisa Walford has been an integral part of the Los Angeles region and Institute from the beginning, and she has shared her reflections from our 35 years below.

THIRTY-FIVE YEARS OF HISTORY

In the beginning, our schedule featured 15 classes a week. We now host over 40.

In the beginning, we had little 3x5 Rolodex cards that we used to register our classes. Now we have a fully integrated scanner and software that covers every part of the registration process.

In the beginning, the Institute was the hub of Iyengar Yoga in the Los Angeles area. Now Iyengar Yoga instructors teach at health clubs, city colleges, and yoga studios all over the city.

In the beginning, the teacher training program at IYILA spawned all of the Iyengar Yoga teachers in Los Angeles. Now, senior certified teachers train apprentices through the credentialing process.

In the beginning, we had one home. Now, we have many satellites.

In 1984, when Guruji first visited Los Angeles, we found an empty gymnasium for us to meet in.

In 2001, the marquee above the Pasadena auditorium announced the Iyengar Yoga Convention. We packed the hall with green yoga mats and waited to meet Geetaji.

By 2005, Guruji was a featured guest at Royce Hall, UCLA, and the book signing line for his 2005 Light on Life wrapped around the block at Barnes and Noble in Santa Monica.

Both 2014 and 2018 were trying years for our community. The light was passed from the one to the many.

It may seem as if the light dims with each change and generation, and yet the eternal flame, once lit, burns bright within the practice of everyone who steps upon a mat or a hardwood floor or the sand or under the stars.

The diaspora of Iyengar Yoga is a wonderful thing. What remains to be seen is how the Institute can adapt to these changes.

Throughout our history, the reliable foundation and presence of our volunteer board of directors and Yoga Vidya producers has sustained the community and the Institute through many changes.

You all know who you are, and we are forever grateful!

IYAMN

In 2001 Dr. Geeta S. Iyengar visited Minneapolis for a few days at the invitation of senior CIYTs Kristin Chirhart and Lee Sverkerson, who were her hosts. During her stay, she taught a class to many Iyengar Yoga students and teachers from the area. Local teachers were invited to a luncheon honoring her, and there was also a gathering in her honor at the B.K.S. Iyengar Yoga Center in Minneapolis. At that event, a few students chanted Samadhi Pada of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali in Sanskrit and English. In the thank you note Geetaji wrote after her visit, she said that the chanting was what she enjoyed most about the visit.

On March 3, 2019, many people who were at those events of 2001, and even more who were not, gathered again at the B.K.S. Iyengar Yoga Center for a celebration of Geetaji’s life and legacy. This event, sponsored by the Iyengar Yoga Association of Minnesota (IYAMN), allowed time for connecting with each other as we reflected on all that Geetaji meant to us and all that she gave to the larger Iyengar Yoga community. There were photographs of Geetaji, individual comments by people who studied with her over the years, and the sharing of memories over refreshments. We showed parts of a video interview that Kristin Chirhart and Lee Sverkerson conducted with Geetaji several years ago, in which Geetaji described her early life growing up as Guruji’s daughter, how she learned from him, and how she eventually became a yoga teacher

Students chant the sutras for Geetaji at the B.K.S. Iyengar Yoga Center in Minneapolis, 2001.

herself. We also showed a short video produced by senior CIYTs Eddy Marks and Mary Obendorfer (directed by Francois St. Laurent and Marie Giroux) of Geetaji’s teaching in Pune.

Matt Sanford, CIYT in our region, continues his groundbreaking work in making the teachings of B.K.S. Iyengar available to all. He teaches classes using his own experiences as a paraplegic and an Iyengar Yoga practitioner as a guide and inspiration for his students. His nonprofit organization, Mind Body Solutions, is developing free learning opportunities by creating content for adapted yoga that can be used around the world. He has also become more involved in advancing ways that Iyengar Yoga can benefit individuals dealing with trauma, including PTSD. He spoke at the annual International Trauma Conference in Boston and has begun collaborating with Dr. Ruth Lanius and other scientists at the University of Western Ontario in their research on the neurobiology underlying PTSD.

IYAMN’s biannual Yoga Days are always free for members, and in December a large and happy group gathered for a pranayama class taught by William Prottengeier (CIYT Intermediate Junior III) and our annual membership meeting. Our association continues to promote events that draw members from throughout the upper Midwest. One example was the 21st annual Iyengar Yoga Spring Retreat hosted by Friendship Yoga, which is based in Iowa City, Iowa. It drew students from Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Minnesota. The retreat was held May 31–June 2, 2019, at Prairiewoods, a serene and spacious eco-spiritual retreat center on 70 acres of woods, restored prairie, and cultivated gardens. Senior CIYT Bobby Clennell taught asana and pranayama classes that incorporated the theme of this year’s retreat: The Elements and Koshas.

IYAMW

The Iyengar Yoga Association of the Midwest (IYAMW) Board welcomes new members Dawn Baurichter, Kristen Kepnick, and JR Lill. They bring much-appreciated enthusiasm, creativity, and structure to our organization. We say farewell and give deep thanks to departing members Donna Furmanek, Rebecca Smith, and Ann Socha with fondness and appreciation for their contributions over the years.

IYAMW provided three needs-based scholarships to regional members to attend the national convention. Both newer and seasoned students eagerly gathered to study deeply with Abhijataji, reunite with each other, and meet new members. IYAMW members and friends could be spotted sporting our new logo T-shirts.

Ann Arbor School of Yoga received a community engagement grant from IYAMW to host a centenary celebration, featuring CIYT and cellist Alicia Rowe performing with a film honoring Guruji. The combination of the music and the archival film footage warmed our hearts and reminded us of the depth of Guruji’s practice and presence. The sold-out event also featured a panel of first-generation Iyengar Yoga teachers sharing stories about Guruji’s early trips to Ann Arbor.

Iyengar Yoga Detroit Collective also received a community engagement grant from IYAMW to host a centenary event. Their celebration kicked off a year-long book discussion of Light on Life, and included a book giveaway. Participants, ranging from those relatively new to Iyengar Yoga to seasoned practitioners and teachers, have been finding many gems to enrich and inform their practice through the discussion of this accessible, inspiring book.

IYAMW new logo Iyengar Yoga Detroit Collective, a cooperatively run and owned center, moved into a new home this winter. With double the space, they are eager to host larger classes and events. They are more interested than ever to expand on their mission of making Iyengar Yoga accessible to all—especially the locals in their diverse Yemeni, Bengali, black, and Eastern European neighborhood. During the partial government shut down earlier this year, they offered free (Shut) Down Dog Yoga Classes, as a way to further their mission to create new and imaginative ways to make Iyengar Yoga relevant and useful to the community. In March, they partnered with local healers to host a Healing Day Retreat, featuring Restorative Yoga, massage, Reiki, self-care workshops, and more.

IYANC

This year, the Iyengar Association of Northern California (IYANC) and the Iyengar Yoga Institute of San Francisco (IYISF) celebrate our fifth year at the Sutter Street location and our 45th year of serving the Northern California yoga community.

MISSION/VISION

Our core mission is to inspire the learning, practice, study, and teaching of Iyengar Yoga throughout our region. Our vision is to build a universal culture as a thriving membership-based community of practitioners, nourish the Iyengar Yoga tradition throughout our entire region, and establish a permanent home for IYISF as a principle resource in service to our mission. Rooted in tradition, and working together with our hearts and minds, we shape our future—a universal culture and community with practice at its core.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

The board has begun the search for an executive director. This is the culmination of planning and preparation over the course of many years. For IYANC and IYISF to reach its full potential and to plan for our future—five, 10, 20 years out and beyond— we need to have the consistent, professional leadership that an executive director will bring.

MEMBERSHIP AND ACCESS

This past autumn, a volunteer team generously developed and launched our regional website, www.IYANC.org. This site provides a pan-region calendar of events and home for information about Iyengar Yoga people, places, and things throughout our region. This effort represents an important step toward regional collaboration and membership expansion. We are putting the finishing touches on a regional scholarship program for launch this spring. The program will be open to IYANC members for Iyengar Yoga programs in our region. We launched a pilot program for IYANC members to save

10 percent on designated workshops throughout the region. In the works is an IYISF-specific program to provide financial assistance for learning through public classes. We are also working to encourage and coordinate community outreach by CIYTs who bring yoga to underserved communities.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA FIRE RELIEF

To help those who have suffered loss from the devastating fires in Northern California, we coordinated regionwide fire relief benefit classes. This brought us together as a community and raised funds for local relief organizations to help those who have lost their homes and all of their belongings; several of our own teachers and students were seriously impacted.

GEETA S. IYENGAR

Geeta S. Iyengar is missed. That is a fact. Many in the region have set up altars and held events to honor her and to inspire each of us and the generations to come, by keeping in mind her words, her honesty, her sadhana, her devotion, and her teachings. A number of individuals from our region were in Pune in December and reported themes of honesty and togetherness that were threaded throughout the 10 days of centenary celebrations. While there is deep sadness for our loss, we feel hopeful we can move forward in unison with gratitude and love. May Geetaji’s profound contribution to the field of yoga and the countless lives she has touched continue onward.

IYANE

The Iyengar Association of New England (IYANE) has had a busy year. In May 2018, we partnered with Patricia Walden, who invited Jawahar Bangera to come and share his enlightening teaching with us. Many of our member teachers and students have traveled around the region and the country—and further afield—to teach, study, and develop our practice.

We celebrated Guruji’s Centenary in Cambridge at our annual meeting in November 2018, which began with a class taught by Patricia and based on Guruji’s teachings using standing poses as a doorway into preparation for pranayama. After a thorough opening and activation of the whole body, especially the rib cage, we were ready for our celebratory dosa buffet and birthday cake, alongside a wonderful video of Patricia interviewing Guruji in Cambridge and the requisite membership meeting.

We have new board members and new officers this year. After many years of exceptional service, Jarvis Chen has retired from the role of president. Tristan Boyer Binns is the newly elected president, and Chris Miyachi is the new vice president. Caron

Patricia Walden teaching at the annual IYANE meeting in November 2018

Murray has joined the board as our membership chair. Rosie Richardson is newly elected to the board and is spearheading our regional events, assisted by a team of volunteers. Kathleen Swanson has also retired from the board but remains our amazing newsletter editor. This past year our newsletter, the Beacon, focused on Iyengar Yoga in New Hampshire. We plan to bring the focus to different parts of the region with successive issues.

A number of our members were in Pune in December for the intensive and were present when Geetaji passed. Their communications about both their emotions and the events they were present for helped us all as we processed this news from afar. At the beginning of January, we hosted a memorial event honoring Dr. Geeta S. Iyengar, her life and teachings. Sharing our experiences and joining together in community was like a balm to help ease the pain of this transition and celebrate the wonderful impact that Geetaji has had on us all.

IYANE members have been busy creating new resources for Iyengar Yoga practitioners. Popsi Narasimhan has published a compilation of translations of the Yoga Sutras to support the work in Bellur (https://www.iyogaimages.com). Tristan Boyer Binns and the Boston Yoga Ropes Collective have published Yoga Kurunta: Learning the Ropes, a comprehensive guide to yoga on the wall ropes (www.ropes.yoga). Leslie Freyberg has finished her “Chant with Leslie” recordings of The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, with Chapters Three and Four available now (www.chantwithleslie.com). Also, working with Sylvia Morrison, we have launched a video section on our website, with some videos available for free and some for a fee (www. mysticrivervideo.com).

challenging impacts of sexual harassment on our students and our selves. We have had discussions and communications and have added a Sexual Harassment Info tab to our website, IYANE.org.

We would like to remind our members that IYANE offers scholarship opportunities through the Patricia Walden Endowed Scholarship Fund. These funds exist to help you study at RIMYI and closer to home. We also fund community service projects and invite applications from teachers who would like to launch or continue classes or other opportunities in underserved areas. One of our members, Michael Blauer, has kindly donated 500 reflective mat bands, which we are selling to raise scholarship funds. So far, this has raised over $1,700!

IYANE is looking forward to many wonderful events and workshops in our region this coming year, and, as Patricia reminds us regularly, to “many inspired practices.”

IYANW

Barbara Voss and Fred Dowd are the new owners of Tree House Iyengar Yoga (THIY) in Shoreline, Washington. Fred is a certified Iyengar Yoga teacher and Barbara is a long-time student. Under the new ownership, THIY launched an exciting new website and new Facebook page in February. THIY has also increased their partnerships with local nonprofits in alignment with the yoga studio’s mission. The studio continues to offer new innovative workshops for children, advanced chair work, and yoga for springtime.

Several studios in the Northwest region held events to celebrate Guruji’s 100th birthday. Jewel Yoga in Portland celebrated with a free class co-taught by seven teachers, followed by a community gathering. We enjoyed seeing photos and interviews of Guruji from decades past, which teachers brought in to share, while we had delicious chocolate birthday cake and tea.

Tree House Iyengar Yoga celebrated with a potluck and partially catered event. They shared memories of Mr. Iyengar, his humor, and his comments that challenge us in practice. Students also reflected on how much Geeta Iyengar influenced their lives. The studio held a raffle for Iyengar Yoga books and props, and a professional storyteller and student of Iyengar Yoga entertained the attendees with humorous and thoughtprovoking stories. The presence of the Iyengars was felt by all—remembering, celebrating, and feeling the joy that yoga has brought to all our lives. The centenary celebration in the Flathead Valley of Montana was a great success. Teachers there took a long shot and rented out a new retreat space for the event. It was a great moment to bring interested students and all the CIYTs of Kalispell together. More than 20 students enjoyed the teachings from four of the local CIYTs. Attendees viewed Leap of Faith, enjoyed amazing food cooked by another CIYT, and all-in-all relished in the Iyengar Yoga community as we ended up celebrating Guruji and also saying goodbye to Geetaji.

IYASCUS

The Iyengar Yoga USA National Convention 2019 was held in Dallas, April 11–17. It was a huge honor and privilege for the Iyengar Yoga Association of the South Central United States (IYASCUS) to host this major event. Thank you to all the volunteers and participants who made this convention a success. Abhijata Iyengar taught six days of brilliant classes with her great energy, clarity, and poise. Her teaching combined precise asana instructions with yoga philosophy, and of course, the delightful and touching stories of her grandfather, B.K.S. Iyengar, were especially memorable. Many relationships old and new were strengthened among participants as everyone practiced and celebrated our community. We are grateful for all the practitioners who traveled far distances to attend this successful event.

In other regional news, Laurie Blakeney (CIYT Intermediate Senior III) traveled to Austin in January and to Houston in March to teach workshops. Peggy Kelley (CIYT Intermediate Senior II) travels to teach in Mexico regularly and Randy Just (CIYT Intermediate Senior I) travels to teach all over our region and across the U.S. Teacher training programs are now in full swing in Dallas and Austin as a new group of dedicated Iyengar Yoga teachers prepare for the next level of practice and assessment. Also, to further the practice of Iyengar Yoga, we are promoting the inspiring movie, Iyengar: The Man, Yoga, and the Student’s Journey, which will show in the major cities across our region and the U.S. There was a special screening at the national convention in April.

In Arkansas, the Iyengar Yoga Studio of Little Rock, directed by Martha Richardson (CIYT), recently welcomed Howison Hollenberg (CIYT) to their yoga community. Howison relocated to Little Rock from Atlanta and is happy to be back home. Arkansas now has eight CIYTs—three are serving on the IYASCUS Board: Joy Wasson (CIYT Intermediate Junior I), Sharon Wilkes (CIYT Intermediate Junior I), and LeeAnn Woodrum (CIYT).

In Kansas, Dana Chamblin (CIYT) reports that the Iyengar Yoga community of Kansas City recently offered a three-part series called “Prop Focus,” with an emphasis on chair work. In March, the series included inversions and restorative poses.

Cindy Espinoza (CIYT), director of Cornerstone Yoga of Moore, Oklahoma, recently expanded her studio to offer classes in two classrooms. Cornerstone Yoga offers many programs for the community, including special needs classes and children’s classes.

We teachers and students of the IYASCUS region will continue to work to keep Iyengar Yoga growing in the U.S. We wish all of you a peaceful and productive year!

IYASE

The Iyengar Yoga Association of the Southeast (IYASE) welcomed new board members Mariana Scotti, vice president; Ross Holland, secretary; Maria Doiranlis, membership; and Olga Reinholdt, public relations.

For 2019, the board introduced a new member benefit sponsored by IYASE. We reached out to teachers and studios around the region and asked them to teach or host a three-hour workshop for members. We received a fantastic response—11 workshops were held before March 30. Topics included standing poses, inversions, arm balances, philosophy, and more.

Crescent Hill Yoga of Louisville, Kentucky, and Stillwater Yoga Studio of Atlanta hosted “Tapas and Svadhyaya, Simplicity and Observation” and “The Origin of Actions” with Kquvien DeWeese (CIYT Intermediate Junior III).

Our Florida members had the opportunity to enjoy three workshops. We thank Suzie Muchnik (CIYT Intermediate Junior III) for hosting and teaching “Eyes Wide Open” at her studio Postures in Naples. A big thank you to Bobbi Goldin (CIYT Intermediate Junior III) for hosting and teaching “Exploring Many Ways to Enjoy Shoulder Balance” at The Yoga Institute of Miami. Fernandina Beach studio Community Wellness + Yoga hosted Peentz Dubble (CIYT Intermediate Junior III) with her workshop “Developing Intelligence in Asana.”

Studios in Memphis (Eastern Sun Yoga) and Nashville (Iyengar Yoga Center of Nashville) featured Lou Hoyt (CIYT Intermediate Junior III) with “The Balance of Ease and Effort” and Aretha McKinney (CIYT Intermediate Senior I) with “Building Courage in Your Practice.”

February membership workshop with Juliana Fair in Alexandria, VA

The North Carolina studio Iyengar Yoga Center of Raleigh hosted Graham Williams (CIYT Intermediate Junior II) with “Yoga for Healthy Backs” and Iyengar Yoga Ashville brought Randy Loftis (CIYT Intermediate Junior II) with “Developing Arm Balances.”

“Asanas to Bring Lightness and Clarity” with Becky Lloyd (CIYT Intermediate Junior III) took place at one of our cornerstone studios, Audubon Yoga, in New Orleans.

Members in the Washington, D.C., area had an opportunity to study with Juliana Fair (CIYT Intermediate Senior I) in her workshop on “Standing Asanas” hosted by Iyengar-Yoga-WithLeah in Alexandria, Virginia.

We will continue to look for ways to support, promote, and disseminate Iyengar Yoga across our region as well as work toward bringing more benefits to our members and build a tighter-knit community on and off the mat.

IYASE has a new logo! It was a great honor to work with one of our members, longtime practitioner Lillian Heyward. Thank you for your guidance. IYASE is looking forward to offering T-shirts with the new logo soon.

IYASE collaborated with film distributor Gathr to bring the movie Iyengar: The Man, Yoga, and the Student’s Journey to our region. Our first showing and fundraiser took place in May in Miami Beach, Florida.

In January, Randy Just (CIYT Intermediate Senior I) started a four-weekend teacher training in New Orleans, which will span through August.

In February, teachers and students of iYoga Delray Beach had the pleasure to study with Manouso Manos, visiting from California. As always, his teaching imparted wisdom, clarity, and passion about the subject of Iyengar Yoga.

In May, John Schumacher (CIYT Advanced Junior I) offered a Teacher Training on “The Art of Teaching Yoga” at Serendipity Retreat, and Elise Browning Miller (CIYT Intermediate Senior III) presented “Yoga for Scoliosis: Part 2 at Eastern Sun Yoga.”

IYASW

In the Southwest, we have the pleasure of practicing with many out-of-town guests escaping blustery winters. This year was no exception. It was also a great opportunity for all of us to practice with visiting senior teachers. Amazing workshops took place in February with the return of Rita Manos at the B.K.S. Iyengar Yoga Center of Tucson and Nancy Stechert at Scottsdale Community College (SCC) and The Iyengar Yoga Center of Scottsdale. We are always appreciative of their passion and clarity in teaching. They challenge and motivate us to delve deeper into our personal practices.

Lauren Hosie (CIYT, CYT) of Open Spaces Yoga Center in Lakeside, Arizona, offered a special eight-week series titled “Yoga for Your Back.” She also partnered with Summit Hospital, creating the holistic program, “Your Path to Self-Care.” Classes included “Food is your Friend,” “Being Mindful,” and “Sleep Well,” along with a self-care support group that met weekly.

During February and March, Aileen Epstein-Ignadiou (CIYT Intermediate Junior III) of the B.K.S. Iyengar Yoga Center of Las Vegas held a fruitful eight-week introductory course on Iyengar Yoga, teaching students how to practice safely and effectively. In May, she traveled with a group of practitioners for a “Spring in Israel” yoga retreat. They experienced nine amazing days of yoga and sightseeing in this beautiful and holy place.

SCC and the Iyengar Yoga Center of Scottsdale welcomed back Carolyn Belko in April. The community looks forward to her biennial visits. She helps us to refine our practice and build stability in asana and pranayama. The center also offered special weekend events, including open practices with certified teachers, a pranayama workshop, and “Heart of the Lion,” a fun yet intense five-hour practice covering all categories of asana.

IYASW would like to congratulate Carlyn Sikes for her advancement to CIYT Intermediate Junior II. We are grateful for her dedication and mentorship. She thoughtfully guides the teachers in her local community and nourishes the eager students that regularly fill her classes.

Mark your fall calendars for the return of Dean Lerner in Tucson, Sept. 13–15. SCC and the Iyengar Center of Scottsdale will once again host assessments in October for Intermediate Junior I certification.

The IYASW community continues to grow and blossom. Thank you to all who participate in making our events a success. We always miss our seasonal visitors and look forward to their return in the fall and winter months; it’s a joy experiencing the practice together.