No foreign holidays this year but plenty workshops and retreats to choose from. Please take a look at the workshops page of this website and get in touch for more info or to book.
Category Archives: news
NEW BEGINNINGS for iyoga in 2018 at Yoga on Tay, Fife
Happy New Year
Changes are many as we move into 2018.
The wonderful yogis from The Borders are to continue their classes with new teachers, Fiona Muir and Avril Spray, as Julie embarks on a new project at Yoga on Tay in Fife http://www.yogaontay.com/
Julie will update this new page again soon as she is currently washing windows, floors and walls ready for business on Monday!
November News: classes and dates for the diary
Dear Yogi
First of all apologies for not yet completing the gallery from this years holiday to Mallorca. This is not for want of trying and I think my website guy is on holiday as support from the knight in shining armour has not yet arrived!! Meanwhile here are a few from last year to give you a flavour, I’ll put some up to date ones on FB and please feel free to share any you may have too.
mountains
fish pose-matsyanasana
sunset yoga on the terrace
Now to the business of yoga: we are coming up to the last week of the current block for all Borders classes leaving us 4 weeks up to Christmas. I’m stopping the week before as my son and wife are coming to stay but also over the years I have found classes are poorly attended as folk get distracted with the pending holiday.
For those attending at Yoga-on-Tay please check via their website.
BEGINNERS/GENERAL CLASSES
NEWLANDS: November 21 28 December 5 12
DOLPHINTON: November 21 28 December 5 12
PEEBLES: November 22 29 December 6 13
INTERMEDIATE CLASS
DOLPHINTON: November 21 28 December 5 12
A 4-week block of classes costs £30 (£36 for intermediate), it is possible to drop-in if there is space £10 (£12 intermediate).
DATES FOR THE DIARY (so far) 2018:
Ropes Workshop: Saturday 13th January 10-12 Madras College, St Andrews with Julie Anderson
National Iyengar Yoga Day: Saturday 13th January 3-4pm Yoga-on-Tay free taster class for those who have not yet tried Iyengar Yoga with Julie Anderson
Visiting Teacher Ali Dashti: April 20-22 Exciting news that after many years Ali Dashti, senior teacher at RIMYI since 1986, featured in several books and now living in Switzerland is returning to teach in Scotland. Ali will take a Pranayama Class at Yoga-on-Tay on the Friday night before a General Workshop in Newport-on-Tay on the Saturday. On Sunday he will teach an Intermediate Workshop at Yoga Now in Edinburgh. I you don’t know Ali here he is, the young protege under the tutelage of BKS Iyengar and Geetaji.
Yoga Retreat on The Holy Isle (Arran): 4-7 May with Julie Anderson
Yoga Retreat at Samye Ling: 16-19 August with Julie Anderson
NAMASTE
Margaret Austin Workshop -Glasgow 11th November
Margaret, shown above, is one of my favourite teachers. I find her teaching both fun and inspirational which is why I recommend this workshop, now a rare opportunity, to you all.
Please click the following link for a booking form: flyers MA Nov 17 pdf
August News 2017 and booking info for next term
Welcome back to the world of iyoga and regular classes, though those of you who have been enjoying the extended summer timetable may be a little miffed after a bit more free-forming!
Many of you have asked about my time at The Iyengar Institute in June. There is no doubt I am inspired and energised from the experience, I did put a few short posts on the news page of this website for you to follow and get a flavour of life there, please take a look as my website could do with a few more hits! There were also posts and photos on FB too if you do that. Infact I had hoped more of you would share your summer yoga pics with us there, but it seems you were too shy! Otherwise much of what I learned will filter through in class and on workshops and holidays when there is more time.
As I am sure you will have noticed we are in the midst of another yoga BOOM. iyoga is also thriving, particularly in Peebles*** where the class has been full to capacity all year so its a good thing we have 2 new teachers in the area, since Avril and Isabelle qualified.
The night class at Yoga on Tay is also often full so using the booking system to book there is advised. Other classes could still benefit if you were to bring a friend along sometime.
Over the year once again we have seen the benefits of an Iyengar yoga practice nursing folks right up to the point of an operation, again in the recuperative phase post-op and of course in easing long term aches and pains.
Some people benefit immediately but the nature of other injuries can take years of dedicated practice before those pains and mis-alignments start to be overcome. And the inner landscape of the body starts to find a new way to be. This is most gratifying for me as a teacher when other feel and see the benefits too.
If you intend to continue, or start with classes this August/September I am attaching a 2017-18 registration form for you to complete and return, as it is that time of year again, if you can respond digitally that would be best in terms of saving paper though paper returns are acceptable of course.
A 10-week block of classes costs £75 (£90 for intermediate), it is possible to drop-in if there is space £10 (£12 intermediate).
BEGINNERS/GENERAL CLASSES
NEWLANDS: August 29 September 5 12 19 26 October 3 24 31 November 7 14
DOLPHINTON: August 29 September 5 12 19 26 October 3 24 31 November 7 14
PEEBLES: August 30 September 6 13 20 27 October 4 25 November 1 8 15
INTERMEDAITE CLASS
Dolphinton: August 29 September 5 12 19 26 October 3 24 31 November 7 14
A reminder for those of you who have been attending beginners classes regularly for a couple of years, or more, and feel ready to work a little harder you could consider coming to intermediate at the start of term. Where we continue to work with poses you know, but in a greater depth, and introduce a wider range of ‘other’ postures, including focusing more on inverted poses. Enjoy to stretch yourself in every way imaginable.
Equipment for sale, I have one last travel mat for sale £15, weighing only 400g it folds into the back of an A4 file. Not ideal for full scale practice but fine in a hotel room if your are away. I also have 4 yoga belts left, £5 each, ask me in class if interested.
Regarding workshops and retreats, Samye Ling this September and Mallorca this October are both again fully booked. We are currently working on next years programme, with workshops in Edinburgh, Fife The Borders and beyond, these will be varied in nature, suitable for different levels of practice with differing points of focus. Perhaps more anatomy and hopefully using ropes again and also some work on senior poses for those at that level. We hope to bring over a guest teacher who trained with The Iyengars at some point for a weekend, non-residential, as well as have our regular residential at Samye Ling.
Beyond that 2019, I am looking in to another Indian trip for yoga and culture and a retreat to The Holy Isle, Arran, so keep in touch if interested.
*** To this end if you are re-booking classes at Peebles there has already been a number of enquiries to start in August and therefore a waiting list so please book by August 20th to ensure your place.
News July 2017
I am back!! And have kept up some of the good work while on holiday on the north Coast. Please feel free to send me your holiday yoga pics too.
joyful practice for julie
All classes start back this week, with a summer timetable for The Borders classes which you can see in the previous post and the regular slots at Yoga on Tay : Wednesday night 7.30-9pm is a stronger class than Thursday 9.30-11am which is a smaller group and more gentle class, both are on-going general level classes so beginners are welcome at anytime.
The September Retreat to Samye Ling is FULLY BOOKED and as usual there is a waiting list so if you are interested still do let me know.
We have a super group booked for Mallorca this October this year. We are again offering daily options of general classes with the extra option of intermediate classes if you practice to this level (click on ‘workshops’ then ‘holidays’ of this website for more info), with plenty down time to relax or explore as you prefer. And there is ONE SPACE LEFT!
There are likely to be more workshops over the course of the year so do check this website from time to time.
Namaste
Julie
Summer Sessions 2017
Dear Yogi
Welcome Summer ?, at least the calendar tells me it is!!
Many thanks to Alex, Avril, Isabelle, Jo, Maureen and Pen for covering classes for us while I have been in Pune.
I hope you have availed yourselves of the opportunity to practice with another teacher over the last few weeks and that you may have heard something that has inspired you. I certainly have whilst in Pune, so there is plenty to share.
As has become the custom for those of you who would like to continue with your practice over the summer months dates and fees are as follows:
NEWLANDS Tuesday 7-9pm July 18 25 August 1 8 15 22 6 weeks £66 (or 5 dates £60)
PEEBLES Wednesday 10-11.30am July 19 26 August 2 9 16 23 6 weeks £45 (or 5 dates £42.50)
(Please note this is for students who normally attend iyoga classes throughout the year.)
With payment via the usual channels:
bacs: Branch 80-22-60, Account No. 06261389
OR
cheque: Julie Anderson – Iyengar Yoga, 2 Tay Terrace, Newport-On-Tay, Fife, DD6 8AZ
If life dictates otherwise then I hope you may feel ready for class again after these sessions i.e.August 29 and 30 when a full timetable resumes.
Namaste
Julie
Travels with a Yoga Teacher (4)
Its all over. I’m home and it seems it monsoon in Scotland too as I adjust to reality. Its seems to be taking me a while to engage with people and life after a month of yoga saturation.
The essential message on the yoga front is to establish your own practice. That is not to dismiss being a ‘class goer’ too as we all need instruction, guidance and adjustment, but to recognise that the two go hand in hand, I am aware that many of you already do but its a word of encouragement to those who ma be yet to take that step..
To further inspire us workshops with experienced teachers also have a place and while I am available to take some I have renewed old contacts and made new ones to bring you expertise with a different perspective in the near future. Sharing yoga for amonth with those at RIMYI is a very international experience: Spain, Italy, US, Australia, New Zeakand, Canada, Argentina and the list goes on and on…
I also made a visit to an orphanage near the foothills of the Himalya where I spent an amazing few days, I hope to run a yoga and culture holiday there in the next couple of years.
Outside of yoga India is a vegetarians paradise with so many delicious dishes and snacks on offer, I’ll put up some photos in a new gallery.
Most of us, well mostly the women, also adopt to local dress to varying degrees, its comfortable both for the climate and to move about without attracting too much attention.
Anything else you may wonder about please do ask, i’d like to think that some of you with 7-8 years of yoga, or more may consider a Pune trip one day too.
hangin’ around!
Travels with a Yoga Teacher (3)
What has happened since I last wrote? Ten days have passed with a full-on schedule. Geeta has been teaching which is something I dared not hope for as it would be so disappointing, but the frission of excitement as she has come several times to share her wealth of experience and shake up our practice potential has been tangible and emotional.
She has also organised with the more experienced teacher led practices and lectures for us, once sometimes twice a day, to ensure the teaching is being received and understood around the world.
After all, Guruji is no longer with us and the truth is Geeta and Prashant won’t be teaching for ever either.
In a way it’s refreshing to see this new generation of teachers coming through, full of enthusiasm and vitality. We need more youngsters at home too, any thoughts on how to do this in a world where yoga has become increasing commercial will be most welcome. Iyengar yoga has the credentials in the yoga world for quality teaching, a good safe system of practice, it can be fun as new poses are introduced or old poses delivered in new ways, but there are now so many other options …?
Back to Pune, as well as our daily practice, daily classes, helping at medical, writing notes and observing other classes to bring back to you the day is full. The heat has been energy sapping till this week (averaging 30C and 60-88% RH), and after eating well much rest is needed. And at last the monsoon has arrived with 27mm falling in one hour the other day, that was spectacular, but I have no photos as we were in class. Infact these news bulletins might be a bit short of pictures till I get home as wifi is very slow for such things, but do keep an eye on FB, that seems to work easy enough.
It’s great to be here but it’s no holiday, like I said to those of you who wished us ‘happy holidays’!!! Fortunately, I have been here many times now and it’s all familiar in that I know where to shop, where to eat, where to find the cobbler and buy homemade yogurt etc etc. I can see its harder for the newbies who either, like me when I first came, go mad with excitement rushing round doing lots, or they have disappeared for the first week or two into cocoons and are only now slowly starting to emerge.
So, how are you enjoying your classes with your cover teacher…do let me know, FB or email?
Namaste
Julie
Travels with a Yoga Teacher (2)
Travels with a yoga teacher 2
Day4, its intended as a day off but there were a few of us keen to learn more so we took a class with Gulnaaz….kurmasana (turtle pose), here we come!
Days here have been full; the yoga routine starts to develop, we go to class and we practice; we observe classes and with any luck get to help in what they call the remedial class and at home is termed medical or therapy. Then if you are a squirrel like me you make notes of it all to share later…
Outside of the yoga it takes a while to stock up on the basics, this requires various wanderings in the heat for pens and paper, spices and more basic essentials and what a great pleasure that is for me. Its familiar after several trips to India but there is still that edge of excitement as its all soooo different to home.
Last night (that will now be Saturday as I am having trouble uploading photos), I wandered down to the chowk for dinner:
mango lassi to die for…and healthy greens with raw onion and lemon on the side
be sure to watch the movie on the link below 😉
Travels with a Yoga Teacher (1)
Time has again come around for me to return to India, Pune to be precise. A city of over 3 million people, so not the usual serene destination preferred by those going on a yoga holiday. But then is it a holiday, is it a sabbatical, is it professional development? Those of us who make this journey for a month of yoga, mostly taught directly by The Iyengar Family undoubtedly learn a lot and hopefully this informs our teaching and benefits all who come to Iyengar classes at home, but it also gives the luxury of plenty time for practice as we have stepped out of the normal routine.
This is my 6th trip and along with further travels I’ve spent well over a year here. Though India can be challenging in its own way I do love it.
Today we are emerging from our cocoon of jet lag. I say we as I am lucky to have another teacher from Scotland with me, Claudia. Our flat is surrounded by trees so we woke to the sounds of exotic birds before the background hum of traffic has had a chance to build up for the day. As I write that I reflect on when I first came in 1999 it was so much quieter with mostly 2 wheeled traffic, the occasional bullock cart and even more occasionally a camel cart, but now it is predominately cars. Life begins early here our class was 7-9 this morning with Prashant. We waited while the 5.45 class filed out! Next was practice time till noon.
One aspect which is challenging is the weather 30-37 degrees is hot, team that up with the humidity 88% today. So after writing up notes and making lunch I am sitting under a fan (a lovely sanctuary) to type and share, maybe next time there will be some photos…..
Class arrangements Summer 2017
As many of you will be aware time has come around again for me to go to The Iyengar Institute in Pune, India for a training sabbatical. As a teacher of Iyengar yoga I believe it is important to train with the Iyengars regularly and with amazing support from family, friends and teachers I have done so since 1999. Hopefully some of you with 7 years experience or more may consider to join me one of these trips….
In practical terms this has little effect on your regular class. The only influence I believe being in a positive way in that you get the chance to be taught by another teacher, which is always interestin, and I come back re-charged after a month of focused practice deepening my experience on all levels. I usually post here, and on FB about what is happening in India for you to follow.
So practicalities for May/June: all halls/studios are booked and various different teachers are at the ready for dates that I am away. on your side prompt payment would be appreciatedin order for me to process all the necessary admin before departure at the end of this month:
NEWLANDS May 16 23 30 June 6 13 20 27 £52.20
PEEBLES May 17 24 31 June 7 14 21 28 £52.50
DOLPHINTON BEGINNERS *at the adjusted time of 7-8.30pm May 30 June 6 13 20 27 £37.50
DOLPHINTON INTERMEDIATE *at the adjusted time of 7-9pm May 30 June 6 13 20 27 £45
Looking ahead to the summer itself, all venues are booked at the moment but if can I gauge interest for summer sessions it would be helpful. Usually there are plenty keen beans out there who wish to keep a regular class going over the summer months, but as I’m sure you will understand, I will only run viable classes over this period so please either email me or let me know in class one way or the other if you can attend?
n.b.We can hold on payments until July.
NEWLANDS Tuesday 1.30-2.45pm July 18 25 August 1 8 15 22 £45 (or 5 dates £42.50)
NEWLANDS Tuesday 7-9pm July 18 25 August 1 8 15 22 £66 (or 5 dates £60)
PEEBLES Wednesday 10-11.30am July 19 26 August 2 9 16 23 £45 (or 5 dates £42.50)
Namaste
Julie
Mallorca 2017
It seems the recent sunshine has generated new interest in this holiday, 14-21 October. An ideal opportunity to practice in a warm climate with none of the distractions of home, and the bonus of classes in the local fully equipped Iyengar Studio.
As it is we have a few places left so if you are thinking about it please do get in touch as we don’t plan any foreign trips for next year. There are the options of a reduced rate for any non-yogi partner who may come with you or a single supplement if you’d like a room to yourself.
It was a great success last year so even if you can’t make it please alert any yogi friends or families who might enjoy!
Big Teach-in for Iyengar Yoga
The IY(UK) has selected 2 teachers to represent Iyengar Yoga and teach at the British Wheel of Yoga Congress this weekend at Warrington Universtity.
As I make final preparations and pack my skeleton ‘Slim’, for the ride I see one of my workshops is sold out already. http://www.bwy.org.uk/congress/session-561/yoga+anatomy+in+action+%96+the+iyengar+way/
I hope I am a good messenger for you Guruji. Namaste.
new march 2017
Spring is here as I type in an office filled with sunshine and look out on a garden filling with colour from bursting bulbs 🙂
iyoga will take a break (check dates on the earlier post), so I can have a wee ski holiday to Norway before representing Iyengar Yoga at the Annual Congress for The British Wheel of Yoga at Warrington University before classes resume.
This last week of classes , as I often do, was your chance to choose the poses. This is a usually fun to do and gives you a chance to see how all the hard work in term develops your practice as well as giving you the opportunity to do some research on your own with regard to identifying poses.
If you are not on FB this is a useful link to give you a monthly pose to focus on in your practice: http://www.bobbyclennell.com/myoga.html
Good wishes for your spring break.
Julie
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