Watch out for Iyengar Yoga happenings on 16 January 2016 which has been designated International Iyengar Yoga Day

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1 Autumn 2015 FROM THE EDITORS Dear Members Welcome to another jam packed, bumper edition of our newsletter. Yet again we have been inundated with a fantastic array of contributions from our wonderful members and teachers alike. In these troubled times it is comforting to have such a positive and creative local yoga collective. This was reflected at a national level, when a diverse group of students assembled for National Yoga Day (read on to find out more), in past workshops, and reflected in a topical book, which is insightfully reviewed inside. There is so much to enjoy and absorb. Read on... Namaste Hazel and Mira Date for diary Watch out for Iyengar Yoga happenings on 16 January 2016 which has been designated International Iyengar Yoga Day IY(UK) PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY Sunday 8th November am pm Venue: The Steyning Centre, Fletchers Croft, Steyning, West Sussex BN44 3XZ Cost 24 (Full Day Attendance Only - No refunds) Note: PD Days are for fully qualified, paid up Teacher members of the IY(UK) Ltd. They are not suitable for trainee teachers. Teachers will not be required to teach at this 2015 PD day. Booking: Advanced booking necessary. Please bring all your yoga equipment including a pranayama pillow and bolster if you have them. For Qualified Iyengar Yoga Teachers PD Days are facilitated by a Moderator and are intended to be enjoyable, inspiring and informative. The day will provide you with an opportunity to deepen your personal practice of Pranayama. The purpose of the day is to enable you to confidently teach and practice this important fourth limb of Yoga. Moderator: Brenda Booth Topic: Pranayama SEE BACK PAGES FOR APPLICATION FORMS OR VISIT DAY of yoga with edgar stringer Saturday 20 February am pm, 2.00pm pm Venue: Community Base, 113 Queens Road, Brighton, BN1 3XG IIYS members non-members Note: Please bring your yoga kit as this is not an equipped centre. Edgar is an energetic practitioner and devoted teacher of Iyengar Yoga. While studying Philosophy at Manchester University, Edgar began attending yoga classes taught by the well known MDIIY teacher, Marion Kilburn. Edgar lives in Biddestone, Wiltshire with his wife Lydia Holmes and their family. Edgar and Lydia teach classes locally under the title of Yogatree. Edgar s students describe his teaching as precise and thorough, whilst moving at a good pace. Edgar is certified at the Intermediate Senior level.

2 agm & spring workshop with sallie sullivan Sunday 17 April 2016 Workshop 9.30am noon AGM following, duration approx 1 hour Venue: Burgess Hill School for Girls, Oak Hall, Keymer Road, Burgess Hill, West Sussex, RH15 0EG IIYS members non-members Note: Please bring your yoga kit as this is not an equipped centre. Sallie has been teaching for 29 years and still enjoys teaching people who are just starting on the path of yoga. Her first Iyengar teacher in 1979 was IIYS founding member Jenny Deadman and since then her main teachers have been Mira Mehta, Kofi Busia and Jeanne Maslen. She has attended the Institute in Pune a dozen times. Sallie took lessons in Sanskrit and studied the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali with Professor Arjunvadkar and while teaching asana she also aims to convey practical aspects of yoga philosophy. She holds an Intermediate Senior Teaching certificate and is a teacher trainer and moderator for the IY (UK). Sallie teaches classes in Lewes and Brighton. AGM & yoga day with judith jones 19 April 2015, Ditchling Village Hall, Ditchling Ditchling Village Hall is a lovely building where the wood panelling and columns gives everything a rich colour wherever you look. Judith Jones, a popular Senior teacher from Berkshire, had come to teach us for the whole day. This was a departure from the norm as usually our AGM is a half day s teaching followed by the AGM. On this occasion we had a class for all comers in the morning and a slightly more challenging one in the afternoon with our AGM during the lunch break. This required us to be efficient with our AGM as we only had 45 minutes tops. Judith taught us with a cheerful disposition and an attention to detail, which linked and built on various actions as the poses progressed. The morning went by very quickly for me. In the afternoon we moved up a gear with more challenging poses and a smiling Judith urging us to just keep going. It was a most enjoyable day s teaching rewarded by tea and cake in a nearby café afterwards. Brian Ingram Chair IIYS

3 brief summary of the agm Events 4 yoga events of varying types were held over the year starting with the AGM in Steyning with Andrea Smith and followed by Kiran Chote in June at the University of Sussex. A short notice event over three days took place in Brighton in October with Devki Desai, a popular Indian teacher. Our teachers PD Day in November, at Community Base in Brighton with Dave Brown from Sunderland, was followed in February by Alaric Newcombe from London, also at Community Base. Membership At year s end we had a membership of 66, of which 38 are teachers. Finances The accounts were provided by Till & Cloak of Lancing for a second year. Unfortunately this year we made a slight loss of 233 mainly brought about by the short notice event with Devki Desai for which we had little choice over the days she taught. But despite this our bank account still looks healthy with 5845 at year s end. IY UK Representative s Report Cathy gave an account of her work on the IY UK executive council on our behalf. She spoke of the impact that Guruji s death has had on the organization and that Geeta and Prashant, Guruji s daughter and son, are taking up the reins in Pune. She touched on National Iyengar Yoga Day which was held in Ireland and will be coming to the UK in Other issues were the OFQUAL application, which is ongoing, and the work of the Archives Committee. There were some changes to the committee with Sallie Sullivan standing down as Events Secretary after 5 years of organising events. We thanked her for her wonderful work. It was announced that Cathy Rogers- Evans is to be our new secretary assisted by Mary Mulligan. The whole of the committee resigned and was re-elected. IIYS Committee Brian Ingram (Chair and Treasurer) Randall Evans (Membership Secretary) Cathy Rogers-Evans (Events Secretary) Jenny Deadman (Equipment Secretary) Cathy Rogers-Evans (IY Representative) Hazel Johnson (Newsletter Editor) Ali Hahlo (Minutes) Mary Mulligan (Events Assistant) Sallie Sulivan Mike Bliss Helen Ayling Jen Henwood Colin Mandray Darren Bloom There was no call for new members for the committee this year as it was felt that it was currently quite large. However, if anyone is interested in standing please contact me or one of the other committee members. A vote of thanks was made to Brian and the committee, and to Sallie and all those who contribute to the success of the IIYS. The meeting closed at 1.30pm. If you have any ideas on how to make the AGM more interesting and valid to yourself please send any ideas to me at: brianiyoga@tesco.net rayner curtis For those who may not know Rayner Curtis, she was one of BKS Iyengar s earliest students from the 1960s, a pioneering teacher of yoga in Brighton who tutored many current teachers and older practitioners, and was the first chair of the IIYS. Today [18th August] Cathy and I went to visit Rayner Curtis in Maycroft Manor care home where she now lives. This is a photo from our visit. As you can see she is in very good form and she was delighted to see us. The first thing she said when she saw us was at last! because it had been a long time since our last visit and she was very glad to see us again. She is in a very well appointed, comfortable and friendly care home called Maycroft Manor which is just off the London Road at the bottom of Carden Avenue, Brighton. I am pretty sure she would be delighted to receive a visit from her old friends and students. She is happy and contented and although she uses a wheelchair and sometimes finds it hard to remember the word she wants, [who doesn t!] she is still herself. Jenny Deadman

4 blooming marvellous! I love the Institute of Iyengar Yoga in Sussex (IIYS) events and feel very welcome in this community. Waiting for Darren Bloom s workshop to start on Saturday 18 July, I might have felt a little nervous as a number of my wonderful Iyengar yoga teachers glided through the door, but I know the essence of Iyengar yoga is to go at your own pace. There is always something to learn from these events and something for everyone and Darren s was no exception. All our teachers are unique and weave a rich and colourful tapestry on the structured frame of Iyengar yoga. Three hours goes by quickly and allows a more in-depth look at a series of postures around a theme with time to bring the conscious into the pose. I found Darren s approach to the pelvis and the need to get the position right particularly relevant. There was a wide range of abilities in the class and Darren adapted his teaching with great ease to cover all abilities. Darren brought his own special interest in anatomy to the workshop and I found it inspiring to look at a model skeleton during Darren s explanations. Apart from the great company and excellent teaching at the IIYS events I ve been to some amazing village halls. Darren s event was at St Mary s Church Hall, Goring. I find the venues reflect their community and this little hall was clean and well loved. A beautiful shiny parquet floor and the sun streamed through double doors opening onto a little garden. We were all blessed on that afternoon. Cathy Rogers-Evans, Event co-ordinator provided some drinks and nibbles after the class so we had a chance to chat to each other, rather than racing off as we tend to after a class. Thank you for that Cathy. The workshop cost 12 for IIYS members ( 18 non-members), which represents incredibly good value. Membership is only 11 a year- that s less than 1 a month! So it s really worth joining, please let your yogi-buds know everyone is welcome and to contact Cathy regarding membership or events. cathyrogersevans@gmail.com Sara Calder-Jones

5 flashmobbed... On International Yoga Day (June 21st) a group of about 100 Iyengar students who were attending the national convention in Exeter flashmobbed a sequence of poses in front of Exeter Cathedral. Felicity has captured the very spirit of the occasion in this poem. Vaulted Tierceron At the Masters feet I sat, lithe, arched, toes trod lightly, like the marbled perfection of ancient art, his columned legs lifting his abounding heart, cupping Guruji s art, imprinting its openness in our minds, visceral risings to collar boned skies, rainbowing to lift the spine of our potential in the rise and fall of breath, until it fell away in the arms of mind. Breath was mind and mind was breath, beaming out in fulness to lattice back in full weave of light. Linked, we pilgrimed to Cathedral grounds. Cobbles modelled us, while tiers of carved kings, knights, serfs, birds, beasts, and fruits of the Earth communed over our united delight. In heartfelt asanas, as bells sang the song of the Universe, our extended arms reached out and we were nourished by the eco system of existence. We nameless kings in headstand, heels to the Sun, Sun to the heels, heels to the head, we spread into Cathedral arches vaulting up, tierceron, with gold, bold coloured bosses of our heels, keystones locking us in place to the glory of being One, Ome Onward with the gift of Life. Felicity Goodson the living goddess The Living Goddess by Isabella Tree. No apology is needed for reviewing this excellent book, although it is only tangentially connected to yoga. Isabella is an IIYS member and a longstanding, dedicated practitioner of Iyengar Yoga. She is also a gifted travel writer. The book was launched shortly before the tragic earthquake in Nepal and Issy has donated proceeds from the sale to the appeal. She told me later that all the living goddesses, known as Kumaris, were safe and the shrines had amazingly survived the quake, even where almost all other buildings had collapsed. Issy first glimpsed the living goddess in Kathmandu in Later she returned several times, hoping to unravel the mystery and myths surrounding the cult. A Kumari serves as Goddess in seclusion from a very young age until she nears puberty. Her purity combined with correct ritual worship of her by the king was formerly believed to guarantee the safety of the kingdom. Issy discovered that the rituals involve both Hindu and Buddhist elements. The bloodshed of the ritual slaughter of livestock recalls the excesses of earliest Vedic times, e.g. the horse sacrifice, and may repel those who see their meat only in neat plastic trays. Issy has researched both the recent and past history of Nepal, skilfully interweaving it into the narrative. She discovered that there were also Kumaris in other towns. She interviewed some of the retired Kumaris, meeting their families and the staff who looked after them while in office. This allowed her to explode the idea that they were exploited or kept in some kind of imprisonment. It turned out that after their term of office, free from the rumoured trafficking and prostitution, they were able to resume the normal life of a teenager, albeit with a period of adjustment. The book is fascinating and beautifully written. The timeline and maps are very helpful, but a few photos would have been good, to supplement the descriptive writing. The future for the Living Goddesses is less certain since the fall of the royal house. Some rituals have already been dropped and others of necessity have been altered, but we can hope that this tradition may yet change and survive. Sallie Sullivan

6 your one desert island pose... My desert island pose would have to be Adho Mukha Svanasana because it s a bit of everything. It works my legs strongly like all standing asanas, it extends my spine and trunk like forward bends, it brings upper body strength like inversions, it opens my armpits (the seat of joy) and with my head resting on a roll of moss it s soothing and quietens my mind. I can always do it - no need to give up my daily yoga fix when menstruating - and can play around with it to work more intensely different parts of my body (and chase boredom away!). Hands against a tree trunk, heels on a tree trunk, hands (and then feet) on thick flat stones. And when in need of a treat, I ll tie a liana to a tree trunk and hang in AMS in bliss. Another said for her it would be Padmasana. My choice would be Ardha Chandrasana, so health-giving plus a sneaky Trikonasana too! Virabhadrasana 2 - I find this pose both tremendously exhilarating and grounding. The wide stride gives an immediate sense of space and authority and the careful complete revolving of the front leg and necessary powerful extension into the back leg and foot lend power and precision. The deep bend of the front leg and release of the sitting bones straight downward seem to connect one to the earth, while the tremendous extension of the spine upwards brings height and lightness to the pose. The emphatic stretching of the arms sideways and expansion of the front and back chest encourages deep even breathing which floods even the lower and outer corners of the lungs. The lift of the sternum and opening of the heart centre is effortlessly achieved, facilitating a buoyant frame of mind. The smooth revolve of the face to look forward whilst simultaneously reaching strongly into the back fingertips to maintain vertical centrality of the spine seems designed to root one firmly in the present. A good pose for evoking a sense of resilience and self mastery which would certainly come in handy when solitary and stranded on a desert island! Definitely ADHO MUKHA SVANASANA! And one wise member would take the Boat Pose with her... just in case she wanted to leave! Thanks to Barbara, Monique, Ali, Hazel, Fiona and Sara for the suggestions.

7 NOTICE BOARD EQUIPMENT FOR SALE Members Prices Foam Blocks (up to 10) 3.50 Mats: Thick Mats: Thin Belts 3.50 Cork Bricks 6.50 To purchase contact Jenny Deadman, on Non-Members Prices Foam Blocks 4.00 Mats: Thick Mats: Thin Belts 4.00 Cork Bricks 7.50 We are always interested in any archive material or memories of days past. ALSO THE IY(UK) ARE PUTTING TOGETHER A NATIONAL ARCHIVE AND WOULD ALWAYS BE INTERESTED TO HEAR OR SEE ANY RELEVANT MATERIAL. USEFUL WEB LINKS Institute of Iyengar Yoga in Sussex (IIYS): Please visit our site for up-to-date IIYS event information and membership details. The Iyengar Yoga Association UK (IYA UK): The Official BKS Iyengar website: For classes visit: Brighton & Hove Yoga: Lewes Yoga: The Brighton Natural Health Centre: Just Yoga, Worthing: Honorary member Mike Bliss also has a site with a yoga page: THE FINAL WORD We welcome any comments, contributions and articles relating to Iyengar Yoga in Sussex - reflections on workshops, classes, poems, photos, drawings... By to: brianiyoga@tesco.net or by post to 51 Meadow Lane, Burgess Hill, RH15 9HZ A huge thank you to all contributors who have helped to make this newsletter possible, with a special thanks to Katie Owens for her permission to use the Exeter photograph. THE IYENGAR YOGA CERTIFICATION MARK This mark is only awarded to fully qualified and approved teachers of Iyengar Yoga. In order to qualify for this mark they have to undergo rigorous training, continually update their skills and have the necessary insurance in order to teach. BSK Iyengar BKS Iyengar was born in Bellur in Southern India. After being introduced to yoga by his Guru T.K.V. Krishnamacharya, he went on to study and teach yoga for over 70 years. He taught on all five continents winning global respect and admiration. His books on yoga have become classics, and he is recognised as a major contributor to the popularity of yoga in both the west and east. Iyengar Yoga, named after him and taught in his name, has become a widely practiced form of yoga with teachers and organisations in more than 40 countries around the world. Sussex was one of B.K.S. Iyengar s earliest centres. IYENGAR YOGA IN SUSSEX The Institute of Iyengar Yoga in Sussex (IIYS) is affiliated to Iyengar Yoga UK and is a non profit-making membership organisation committed to promoting the practice and philosophy of Iyengar Yoga.

8 EVENT BOOKING FORMS (PLEASE MAKE ALL CHEQUES PAYABLE TO IIYS ) iy(uk) professional development day I wish to attend the PD Day on Pranayama with Brenda Booth on Sunday 8th November 2015, at The Steyning Centre, Fletchers Croft, Steyning, West Sussex BN44 3XZ I enclose my cheque for: 24 (IIYS members or non IIYS members). For Qualified Iyengar Yoga Teachers Name: Address (with Postcode): Certification Level: IY(UK) Membership Number: Year Awarded: I am a member of IIYS: Yes No If no, which local institute are you a member of? Tel No: Date: Signed: Please send completed form with cheque payable to IIYS to: Cathy Rogers Evans, 48 Grover Avenue, Lancing, Sussex BN15 9RQ. Enquiries to cathyrogersevans@gmail.com or mulligan558@btinternet.com IMPORTANT NOTE: If paying for more than one event at the same time, please enclose SEPARATE cheques. Cheques will not be banked until just before/after the event. Refunds create extra work for the events committee, please understand that your fee is only returnable in extreme situations. Tick box if you require an receipt, OR enclose a SAE if you require a printed receipt or map (please state which or both). For info on other IIYS events visit: If you are experiencing financial hardship please write to: Brian Ingram, 51 Meadow Lane, Burgess Hill, RH15 9HZ with details. YOGA day WITH edgar stringer I wish to attend the Yoga Day with Edgar Stringer on 20th February 2016, at Community Base, 113 Queens Road, Brighton, BN1 3XG I enclose my cheque for: (IIYS members), (non IIYS members) (delete as appropriate) Name: Address (with Postcode): Member of IIYS Yes No I am joining IIYS today! Yes Tel No: Date: Signed: Please send completed form with cheque payable to IIYS to: Cathy Rogers Evans, 48 Grover Avenue, Lancing, Sussex BN15 9RQ. Enquiries to cathyrogersevans@gmail.com or mulligan558@btinternet.com IMPORTANT NOTE: If paying for more than one event at the same time, please enclose SEPARATE cheques. Cheques will not be banked until just before/after the event. Refunds create extra work for the events committee, please understand that your fee is only returnable in extreme situations. Tick box if you require an receipt, OR enclose a SAE if you require a printed receipt or map (please state which or both). For info on other IIYS events visit: If you are experiencing financial hardship please write to: Brian Ingram, 51 Meadow Lane, Burgess Hill, RH15 9HZ with details. IYENGAR YOGA IN SUSSEX The Institute of Iyengar Yoga in Sussex (IIYS) is affiliated to Iyengar Yoga UK and is a non profit-making membership organisation committed to promoting the practice and philosophy of Iyengar Yoga.

9 EVENT BOOKING FORMS CONTINUED (PLEASE MAKE ALL CHEQUES PAYABLE TO IIYS ) agm & spring workshop WITH sallie sullivan I wish to attend the AGM & Spring Workshop with Sallie Sullivan on 17th April 2016, at Burgess Hill School for Girls, Oak Hall, Keymer Road, Burgess Hill, West Sussex, RH15 0EG I enclose my cheque for: (IIYS members), (non IIYS members) (delete as appropriate) Name: Address (with Postcode): Member of IIYS Yes No I am joining IIYS today! Yes Tel No: Date: Signed: Please send completed form with cheque payable to IIYS to: Cathy Rogers Evans, 48 Grover Avenue, Lancing, Sussex BN15 9RQ. Enquiries to cathyrogersevans@gmail.com or mulligan558@btinternet.com IMPORTANT NOTE: If paying for more than one event at the same time, please enclose SEPARATE cheques. Cheques will not be banked until just before/after the event. Refunds create extra work for the events committee, please understand that your fee is only returnable in extreme situations. Tick box if you require an receipt, OR enclose a SAE if you require a printed receipt or map (please state which or both). For info on other IIYS events visit: If you are experiencing financial hardship please write to: Brian Ingram, 51 Meadow Lane, Burgess Hill, RH15 9HZ with details. IYENGAR YOGA IN SUSSEX The Institute of Iyengar Yoga in Sussex (IIYS) is affiliated to Iyengar Yoga UK and is a non profit-making membership organisation committed to promoting the practice and philosophy of Iyengar Yoga.

10 IYENGAR YOGA IN SUSSEX The Institute of Iyengar Yoga in Sussex (IIYS) is an affiliated institute of Iyengar Yoga Association UK (IYA (UK) ) and is a non profit-making membership organisation committed to promoting the practice and philosophy of Iyengar Yoga. Design & Artwork by Keith Boorsma. keithboorsma@sky.com Phone: