Sue Cresswell - Iyengar Yoga - Edinburgh u3a
- I’ve been a student of yoga for more than 30 years and have enjoyed teaching yoga for the last 13 of those.
- I trained as a yoga teacher in Glasgow, have been to India twice and attend regular classes in Edinburgh, where I now live. I continue to develop as a teacher by attending workshops with senior teachers when I can. Originally I taught my work colleagues in my former career as a structural engineer. After my retirement in 2017, I started a U3A yoga group.
- Iyengar yoga is named after BKS Iyengar who is largely responsible for bringing yoga from India to the West and making it accessible for everyone. It is a form of hatha yoga which is distinguished by its focus on alignment and the use of props, enabling students to work correctly in poses. This makes it ideal for beginners. Iyengar yoga is beneficial for developing strength and wellbeing and for exploring how the body, mind and breath can work together for the benefit of each.
NEVER PRACTICED IYENGAR YOGA?
- It’s never too late to start
- Talk to the teacher and find a class which is right for you, preferably with someone who has been practising for a long time and understands from experience how to adapt teaching to the ageing body
- Make sure that you have the right equipment (an Iyengar teacher will advise on what equipment /props you will need)
- Try and stay with it once you start because the benefits of Iyengar yoga reveal themselves slowly - it can be quite challenging to start with.