Spring/Summer 2020

Issue 37

Welcome Welcome to the 2020 issue of our Journal, which comes to you at an unprecedented and

tragic time for us and for our world.

We are so blessed to have the gift of yoga to support us with the stress, grief and

physical challenges of lock down and of Covid19 itself.

Fortuitously, some months ago we decided to focus this issue on Home Practice – how

timely that has turned out to be. Thanks to all our brilliant students and teachers who

have provided the content in here. They include reflections on a wide range of

experiences and aspects of practice, our first Pranayama Home Practice routine from

Laura, extracts from an inspiring account by Nick about how yoga has helped him to

heal from a major trauma, a summary of Helen’s introduction to her recent International

Women’s Day Workshop, and a two for the price of one recipe!

The listings are very different from usual, as they only include the on line classes that

are now up and running through our local centres and teachers, together with planned

online workshops. All other classes and events are currently suspended until further

notice.

Finally, our readers will want to send positive thoughts and sympathy to a valued and

much loved member of our local yoga community – Frances Homewood – whose

husband, Mike Bower, passed away on Wednesday April 1st. Mike was a key player in

getting Sheffield’s first Yoga Centre up and running 15 years ago, as well as an

important figure in Sheffield, as leader of the City Council for many years.

The message from Abijhata Iyengar, BKS Iyengar’s granddaughter which we have

reprinted straight after this editorial will hopefully inspire and support us all through

this crisis.

Thanks as ever to Gabby Hanlon for her beautiful cover drawing, and to Carolyn and

Cara for their work on this Journal. Happy practice and stay well and safe.

Emma Rattenbury

COVER: Gabrielle Hanlon

EDITORS: Emma Rattenbury &

Carolyn Usher.

ISSUE: No 37

hello@yogasheffield.org.uk

My dear friends,

We are now in a time and situation that we never imagined. We always believed it has happened to

"them" and will not happen to "us". Time tells us that each one is as vulnerable as the other. The whole

world, as one body, is deeply affected.

Just like everybody else, I am also deeply concerned with the way things are turning out. None of us

knows for certain what lies ahead of us, but I am sure that this too shall pass. If each one of us can act

responsibly, we will see a better future.

We are confined to our homes and Nature has forced upon us a time to just pause. Though courage is

an asset for a yoga practitioner, equally important is sensitivity to the present moment. This is a forced

time for self-study for us. Your practice sessions now can be so enriching because you are practically

locked down. Take up asanas, pranayama, concepts and books that you always shoved under the

carpet. We always complained we had no time on our hands. Here it is. Find the joy in quiet practice

sessions. Find the actions and responses in each asana and pranayama.

It is also an opportunity to sit back and revisit any of our actions, reactions and decisions. In the hustle

-bustle of everyday living, we had taken many things for granted and did not quite reflect on those,

both on the mat and off the mat. Here is our time to do so.

The Institute has been getting emails about the deadlines for assessments according to the old system,

new certification system etc. Please do not worry about those things at all. That is not at all priority

now. We will take that up later. These can all be easily sorted out later. For now, just be well and keep

others well.

I implore you to adhere to the rules laid out by your governing authorities. Please do not step out for

classes, practice sessions, meetings etc. We owe it to our friends and families, to stay put where we

are. The whole world, in this pandemic has rediscovered a spirit of unity. Let us hold on to it and act

sensitively.

These are difficult times indeed. As yoga students, we understand that we need to be patient and act

responsibly.

*Continues overleaf*

A shloka in Bhagavad Gita explains well our duties now.:

“yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-karma na tyājyaḿ kāryam eva tat yajño dānaḿ tapaś caiva pāvanāni manīṣiṇām

Acts of sacrifice, charity and penance are not to be given up; they must be performed. Indeed,

sacrifice, charity and penance purify even the great souls..” (18.5)

Penance or tapas is done for oneself. It should be our austere resolve and restraint to be in our place of

stay and follow the rules laid down by our governing authorities. Stay home is the mantra now.

Dana which is translated as charity is actually an act of giving. What better way to follow dana now

than to stay indoors and give up our urge to socialise. It is our social duty to not put others in danger.

Yajna which is translated as sacrifice is an offering we make to Nature. It is a symbolic spiritual

exchange between oneself and Nature. Each one of us should in solidarity fight this outbreak. Each

one of us can make a difference today and give the world a chance to rebuild.

In a far corner of the world, I pray for the health and well-being of each one of us. Please take care.

With great affection,

Abhijata Iyengar

Yoga Self Practice in Pune

by Frances Homewood

One of the joys of spending a month at the Institute in Pune is the opportunity to go to the

practice sessions. Each morning from 9.30-12 noon the main hall is open and the international

as well as local students gather to practice, alone or sometimes in groups.

Apart from the inspiration provided around the walls by photos of Guruji in all the phases of his

life and his extraordinary practice, it is all too easy to get distracted by seeing the practice of

some fellow students.

Yet this is also part of the learning; watching interesting and inspiring ways to approach both

the basic as well as more advanced poses makes one want to have a go. The atmosphere of

sharing is heart-warming. In December I noticed an Indian student, one of the regulars at the

Institute, develop a rapport with a teacher from Hong Kong and together they poured daily over

the somewhat challenging poses at the back of “ Light on Yoga” and systematically helped

each other into them. Sometimes others would join in and these became spontaneous mini

workshops.

In the far corner one is always conscious of the presence of Abhijata, granddaughter to Guruji,

quietly practising and often assisted by Raya, whom we met in the UK a couple of years ago at

the Harrogate Convention. For so many years, this corner was filled by the great man himself

and I was so often moved by this phenomenon; that one of the greatest Yogacharyas of our time

was there doing his practice like everyone else, not away in

private as he could so easily have been but open to the

interruptions of students with problems, asking

questions or simply wanting to touch his feet

in respect. Of course that eagle eye of his

missed nothing. Abhijata in particular

or senior teachers from abroad would

suddenly find instructions shouted

at them across the room as to how

to improve what they were doing

or for a crucial point they had

missed.

*Continues overleaf*

Taking Our Yoga Further

Later in the morning, after she had completed her household tasks (she cooked every day for

her father), a place would be made on the other side of the hall for Geetaji.

In my years of going to Pune she became increasingly unwell

and her practice was often supported and recuperative but

again one was so aware that nothing escaped her

attention. I missed her presence this time, it being a

year since she passed away last December.

And then there is the equipment! Each time I go I

am fascinated to find new props that have been

developed, mainly for use in the medical classes.

This time it included a pregnancy plank - a what?,

different sized stumps for pressing the dorsal spine

in and double buckle belts. The latter I have brought

back to use with great benefits for back pain students in

our therapy class. The different sized and shaped setu bandha

benches and viparita karani boxes were a revelation in how the chest

can open into different spaces, whilst hanging from ropes in the centre of the room, gives a

surprisingly greater vertical extension than that experienced at the wall ropes.

As ever I feel so blessed that I have had this Pune opportunity

and came back this time feeling that I really want to find

ways and times to open our own Centre, both for

students and for teachers. To have a calm, beautiful

and well equipped space to practice adds a whole

other dimension, as well as building our

community to share ideas and methods. This

aspiration has of course to be put on hold for

now but it will happen in due course. I am sure

we will need it more than ever.

At Home on the Mat by Dianne Hancock

What Brought me to Yoga

Yoga is a journey and we are all beginners: my journey has now been nearly 30 years since I

discovered yoga when working as a young actor. Someone taught me a Sun Salutation as an

effective and quick way to warm up the body before performing. I quickly found that this

simple repetitive sequence also calmed the mind and I adopted this as a ritual before auditions,

performances and even interviews when I often found myself grabbing a little bit of floor space

on a landing, a stairwell and even in a toilet. 10 years later, I had a busy and stressful job as a

theatre director and desperately needed some activity that wasn’t work related that I could do in

my own time. I found a wonderful Iyengar yoga teacher called Arlette McKenzie in Bishops

Stortford and became a regular at her weekly classes. Several jobs and several different yoga

teachers later, I returned to Sheffield and signed up for Frances Homewood’s Wednesday class

at the Sheffield Yoga Centre. I didn’t have a regular home practice at that point, but I found

stretching through Adho Mukha Svanasana and into Balasana extremely beneficial as a way

to unwind the body and mind.

Committing to Home Practice

What prompted me to start practising at home? I wanted to get better at yoga and I was finding

the benefits of a stronger body and calmer mind quite addictive. It was very difficult to attend

more than one class a week, so home practice was a logical progression. The first sign of

commitment was buying a yoga mat from Yoga Studio, complete with handy carry bag – I still

have it and it has proved very good value. The second thing

was – what to do on the mat? I bought BKS

Iyengar’s Yoga – The Path To

Holistic Health and tried to follow some

of the recommended sequences in

this valuable if very weighty

book. Later and on the

recommendation of Dominic

Batten, I bought Geeta

Iyengar’s Yoga in Action:

Preliminary Course.

From Our Students

In her preface, Geeta says “Often when beginners attempt to practice on their own they have

forgotten what they learnt in the class...this book will give guidance to them in their home

practice, after they have first studied with the teacher in the class” (my underlining).

I don’t think that there is any real substitute for a teacher in class who can see what is

happening in my alignment, but the advantage of practicing at home is that I can take my time

and try out different approaches to the poses, remembering the advice that I have been given in

class. I am a trained Feldenkrais teacher which means that I believe that all bodywork is an

individual learning process. There can be a sense of freedom and playfulness about spending

your own time on the mat, wriggling in Marjaryasana and wobbling in Vrksana. As BKS

Iyengar says: “Do not stop trying just because perfection eludes you”

Away from home, I have improvised yoga equipment using telephone directories and Gideon’s

bible and discovered that bath mats really aren’t safe substitute for a yoga mat! I’ve discovered

how to do Setubandha Sarvangasana from a coffee table and that it’s always possible to find a

chair to do seated twists on. I’ve found that a full-size mat and carry bag can be quite bulky to

take on any journeys and so my latest purchase has been a travel yoga mat which is quite a

revelation – it folds up into a neat square and weights a mere 800g. One warning - a potential

hazard to doing mat work in your own home or in a hotel room is the close contact with a

mucky carpet and a view of what’s hiding underneath the sofa.

Rules for practice:

1. Yoga is best done on an empty stomach and it is always easier to practice in the

morning, even though I may be stiffer than later in the day.

2. I will always feel better after practice than I did before .

3. A practice doesn’t have to be very long. It is better to do 10-15 minutes than put off

doing anything because I haven’t got a spare hour.

4. It’s all right to be playful and just wriggle about on the mat, letting my body fall into

poses and balances.

5. Try to vary the poses in the practice and not just do the “easy” or familiar ones.

6. Don’t let the cat into the room while you practising. It’s incredibly difficult to breathe in

shoulder stand when a friendly feline is sitting on your face.

7. Having a “beginner’s mind” is something that only comes with experience

ENJOY THE JOURNEY – NAMASTE!

My Yoga Practice by Chris Walker

My main experience of developing a Yoga home practice routine is that it’s tricky! I say this as

a professional musician and teacher who has practised an instrument and encouraged others to

do so for most of my life.

I’ve attended Yoga classes on and off since my 30’s after getting a bad back. Although I would

regularly attend classes I rarely practised at home.

It was finding Monica at Zag Yoga and the Iyengar Yoga method that gave me the foundation

to build my own home practice.

Initially I found it hard to find a way into practice. I was daunted by the amount of new

information and found it hard to know where to start. But as I’m always telling my own music

students “Once you start practicing at home you begin a different journey”

Now it was just a question of getting the mat out!

The first pose I found I could practise at home was Trikonasana. I could remember the

fundamental shape and some of the actions from the class. The ones I couldn’t remember,

I really listened hard in the next lesson to add them to my process. As the actions of

Trikonasana became more familiar I began to realize that many of the actions were relevant to

other standing Asana. What initially seemed like a huge amount of information began to

formulate itself into a well-designed concise method.

In my own studies as a musician it has always helped me to read

widely about the subject allowing me to put some

perspective on what I’m trying to learn. This led

me to ‘Light On Yoga’ and Geeta’s

‘Introductory Method.’ I began to

develop a greater understanding of

what I was being taught in Yoga

classes and could develop my

personal practice further.

What I’ve practised over the

years has varied from sequences

inspired by lessons, sequences

from ‘Light On Yoga’, ‘Jem For

Women’ and the Internet. (I have

a guilty pleasure for Vinyasa Flow

Sequences!)

Since starting teacher Training I’ve sequenced the poses on the Syllabus into a six day cycle,

mixing standing, sitting, twists, backbends, inversions, restorative etc. into appropriate

workable sequences. This is definitely a work in progress though and sometimes I just decide to

work on a few poses with a particular aim in mind. I do most of my practice in my music

teaching room at home. I’ve bought a large piece of MDF that I can attach to my bookcase.

This gives me a good amount of wall space for my Practice.

Over the years I’ve practised sometimes sporadically, and sometimes everyday but I have

consistently seen how the practice has benefitted me both me physically and mentally. For the

past few months I’ve settled into daily practice. I’m incorporating some Yoga philosophy into

my Asana practice (Yamas and Niyamas) and my journey is becoming ever more enjoyable,

fascinating and precious.

Thank you to Monica for being such an inspiring teacher and to my family for their

encouragement and giving me the time to pursue this hugely rewarding journey.

Getting Started by Ali Jaffray

I’ve been practising yoga on and off since I was a teenager ( quite a long time !) and have tried

many times to develop a regular home practice, but have never managed to maintain it until

about a year ago when I made a concerted effort to do some yoga every day.

I’ve tried to do this several times in the past but realised that I was putting myself under too

much pressure - trying to do 40 minutes to an hour or more a day. This time any amount of

yoga was OK - even 5 minutes, and this has worked for me, resulting in my actually managing

to do some yoga nearly every day for the last year. Often I end up doing anything up to an hour

because I haven’t put myself under any pressure to do more than 5 minutes.

I tend to practice at the same time each day, in the morning. I just get up and get on with it

without thinking about it too much. I also mix things up to stop me getting bored so I practice

different styles, sometimes from my own experience, sometimes working on what I’ve been

learning in class and sometimes from online yoga classes. I also love props and have found

using them keeps things interesting and encourages me to develop. I’ve had a fear of headstand

for a long time so bought a headstand stool and am now able to do a headstand against a wall.

Home Practice Routine for Pranayama by Laura Potts

It’s good to have a relaxed chunk of time for this, where you won’t be disturbed either by

anyone else, or by thoughts of all your chores and duties! But of course, it’s worth doing even

if conditions aren’t perfect. Make sure you are going to be warm and comfortable throughout.

Have all your props handily beside you so you don’t have to get up and disturb yourself.

Don’t worry about timing for each part of the practice, just follow what the breath seems to

indicate is long enough – with no strain, no muscular effort, no great will power. If you haven’t

got a free hour, you might leave out the Viloma pranayama.

The key elements of pranayama are the creation of a stable and symmetrical space for the

breath, and the stable quality of the attention. It’s not about technique. Nor is it about the

physiology of breathing, although of course that underpins what we do and what we know;

it’s about the phenomenology of the breath, prana, and how it is experienced.

Home Practice

1. Sukhasana (sitting cross-legged) Do this posture on whatever support you need to sit upright, hands to Namaskarasana, attention gradually moving inwards, away from the outer adjustments of the body (anamaya kosa) towards observation of the normal breath (pranamaya kosa).

Routine Instructions

2. Adho Mukha Virasana Adho Mukha Virasana with the palms supported on foam blocks and arms fully extended. Keep the shoulders away from the ears so the neck is long and free, keep the shoulder blades moving towards the waist and down towards the back ribs. Notice the movements of the breath in the back body, inhalation bringing expansion, exhalation bringing inwardness. This quietens the head and brings

some inward focus needed for pranayama.

4. Setu Bandha Sarvangasana Setu Bandha Sarvangasana, firstly as a flowing movement with the breath: start lying in alignment with knees bent, heels close to sitting bones, arms to the floor at your sides. Keep the inner feet around the long sides of a block and firmly to the floor. As you inhale, press down through the feet and lift up from the floor and simultaneously take the arms overhead; as you exhale, lower the arms and back body to the floor. There’s an art of focus and concentration to make all this perfectly co-ordinated. Don’t allow the knees and thighs to widen outside the line of the hips and ankles; put a belt around the mid thigh for support if you’re tired and the legs are a bit wayward. Continue, observing how the breath responds to the symmetrical space you are creating for it. Then place three foam blocks under the pelvis, still with bent legs, still with feet around a block’s long sides, and with the belt if you like. See that the abdomen is not pushed up by this arrangement, rather allow the exhalations very softly to allow the abdomen to rest down to the back pelvis, and down to the blocks. Notice how in this bent leg SBS the inhalations can begin to grow and spread, out towards the corners of the shoulders where they rest to the floor. Notice the feeling of vitality this enhanced inhalation brings you. Don’t strain or pull the breath: allow it to find the end point, in fullness.

3. Supta Swastikasana Supta Swastikasana with the second cross of the legs, and the outer hips supported with foam blocks or folded blankets, lying flat (a little support under the head if you need it to ensure the forehead is higher than the throat), arms at 45 degrees to the body as in Savasana. Notice the broadening come to the lower trunk which enables the support of the breath. Allow the breath to begin to occupy this space, without any effort, barely with any intention, but with the attention sharpened to observe. Then on an inhalation, take the arms overhead, to supports if needs be, with the palms facing each other and thumbs to the floor. Notice how the breath now occupies the length of the sides of the body, opening the ribs. Then turn the inner arms and palms to the ceiling, resting on the floor, and notice how the breath can move into the very top chest, at the level of the shoulder joints.

5. Supta Baddha Konasana

Supta Baddha Konasana with a tightly rolled blanket just under the armpits and across the shoulder blades, a block (and folded

blanket) under the head, one or two belts to support the legs and supports for the outer hips. The forehead must be higher than the throat and the upper neck supported on the props. As you lie and settle to SBK, feel the symmetry of the pose, either side of the midline of the body, and how that can bring a symmetry to the breath. Gradually allow your attention to come to the exhalation and follow its path towards the end point, wherever that may be. Notice how

exhalation is a centring and brings inwardness, and how its end in emptiness feels to be in the midline of the pelvis.

Continue exploring and observing the exhalations, without effort or strain, without pushing, feeling the quietening that this

brings.

6. Savasana II

Now come to some cycles of Ujjayi pranayama, lying in Savasana II on T shaped supports: place two

foam blocks long wise at the head end of your mat, with one cross wise on the top. Pleat a

blanket to be narrower than the blocks and lay it on them so just a neat end overlaps the bottom edge. Lie down carefully, symmetrically, with the back waist supported on the bottom of the spinal supports. A figure-of-eight belt around the feet and ankles keeps the legs from splaying, and so keeps the pelvis broad to support the breath’s foundation.

Bring the attention back to the breath. There

should be no strain, no pushing or pulling at the breath, the body remaining soft and

receptive of the breath. Allow the inhalations gradually to arrive again in fullness, opening out

towards the shoulder joints, and the exhalations gradually to arrive again in emptiness, centring inwards

towards a single point in the pelvis. Stay with this observation, giving the breath care and attention, softly and smoothly, without effort or will. At the points of fullness and of emptiness there comes a moment of transition, which we can observe with a pause in that stillness. Allow this pattern to be established, unhurried and unstrained, easeful and measured.

7. Viloma Pranayama From there, after a rest where the attention to the breath is diminished, come to Viloma pranayama. The complete Ujjayi cycle we’ve just done is the basic pattern, with the khumbaka or pauses in fullness and emptiness. Additionally now, simply divide each inhalation in half - half the volume, half the extent, half the duration - and at that mid-point, allow a moment of pause to be observed. This is not a holding of the breath; there is no grip, no tightening, no effort. It’s like a pause in music, to observe the resonance of the breath or the music. After a few cycles, rest, and then allow that pause to arise exactly mid way in the

exhalations. Notice the effect of this, what you feel, what the breath reveals. If you have time and energy enough, you

can let some cycles develop where the inhalation and exhalation are both paused midway, as well as in

fullness and emptiness. Then simply rest, on the Savasana II supports. As always in savasana, this is time to allow one’s whole self to absorb the imprint of the practice, the new samskara or patterns laid down, and quietly to observe the effects of the practice.

A Changing Home Practice Including chanting and meditation

by Emma Rattenbury

Over the last year, I have attended three modules of the four part course on the Yoga Sutras in

Study and Practice with Gitte Bechsgaard and Sheila Haswell. Each module has been spread

over 5 days at Sheila’s lovely yoga studio, Iyengar Yoga Shala, in High Wycombe. The final

module has just been postponed to January 2021. And for anyone interested in studying on this

course in future, there is a new one starting in 2021 as well. For more information go to:

iyengar-yoga-shala.co.uk and visit the Philosophy page.

The course consists of chanting the sutras and other Indian mantras, listening to Gitte’s detailed

and illuminating exposition of the sutras in the first Pada or Chapter of Sage Patanjali’s Yoga

Sutras, and Asana and Pranayama sessions led by Sheila and linked to the themes of each

module. We also have a session in each module on the pronunciation of Sanskrit and a chance

to practice writing the vowels in this ancient and sacred language.

Gitte is a truly inspiring teacher who keeps the group of 20 or so teachers fully engaged

throughout lectures which can last up to 2 hours – something I have rarely experienced. It is

lovely to reconnect with the group each time and to deepen our mutual understanding and

practice.

Our homework has consisted of reading the sutras, and Gitte’s own examination of them in her

wonderful book, The Gift of Consciousness, as well as chanting practice. At the end of module

3 in January of this year, we were asked to do a specific chanting and meditation practice for at

least 40 continuous days before the next module. This is a bigger commitment than has been

asked of us before. Gitte said it would take about 15 minutes, but in reality it takes closer to

30.

We begin by chanting Sutras 1:1 – 1:39 out loud. This is followed by 2 to 5

minutes of sitting silently and absorbing the impact of the

sounds. The third stage is to chant the invocation to Patanjali

and sutras 1:1 – 1:6 silently/ internally. We then meditate

in silence for a further 5 minutes.

Finally we chant the teacher/ student prayer and the

Guru sloka or invocation out loud, followed by the

Gayatri Mantra 6 times out loud and 6 times

internally.

Yoga Philosophy

This is a purification practice. Each stage has the intention of

taking the practitioner further inwards, through the sheaths or

kosas of the body, mind and spirit. The first stage of chanting out

loud is aimed at purifying the annamaya kosa or physical/

anatomical body, the pranamaya kosa or energetic body, and the

manomaya kosa or mental body. The silent chanting aims to purify the

vijnanamaya kosa or intellectual/ higher mind. And finally the silent

meditation moves us deeply inwards bringing us closer to the anandamaya kosa, or blissful

body/ soul/ spirit.

So, this practice is quite a challenge and it has had a significant impact on my daily practice.

Firstly, I did manage to complete it every day for 40 days, which in itself was an achievement

given that my self-discipline is not always as good as I would like it to be after over 30 years of

yoga! Most days I did it first thing in the morning, but occasionally when I had other early

morning commitments it got squeezed into other parts of the day, which did not always work so

well although it was sometimes a good way into a recuperative evening practice. I found that

chanting at the start of the day really centres me for whatever the day ahead brings. It creates a

calmness that I can carry with me.

Whilst I love the chanting and the effect of the Sanskrit sounds, the pronunciation can be

difficult at times, so I was grateful initially for having the sutras on call and response on my

phone, with Gitte’s voice leading and keeping me on track.

The silent meditation came less easily for me, and I still do not always maintain it for 5 minutes

without distractions coming, although it did get easier with practice. Patanjali’s suggestion in

Sutra 1:34 of a longer exhalation followed by a pause, or kumbaka, at the end is very effective,

bringing a profound inward connection and deep quiet.

The biggest change is that carving out the space for this has had an impact on my regular

practice. I have had less time for that, but what I discovered is that after the chanting and

meditation, it is much easier to go deeply into the postures, so whilst the length of my asana

practice has been shorter, the depth and transformative power of it

has been greater. And on the rare occasion when I have

managed a longer asana and pranayama practice, it has

felt a bit closer to what yoga is really about – the

journey to the inner self.

Once I completed the prescribed minimum of 40

days, I did not continue with the practice every

day, due to illness and other distractions.

However, I quickly missed it, and so have returned to it now as a core part of my daily practice,

supported by the return of the light mornings of Spring.

In these challenging times, chanting is an excellent way to stay focused on the present, and to

support the immune system as well, connecting us to the sacred lineage of yoga.

For those readers who want to incorporate some chanting into their practice, the best starting

point is to chant the Invocation to Sage Patanjali at the start of your practice. Just as this helps

to bring us present in our classes, it has the same effect on our time on the mat at home. If you

know the Guru Sloka, you can add that and there are copies of the words to this available from

your yoga teachers and in most Iyengar Yoga books. Sheffield Iyengar Yoga Centre also has

laminated copies of the words and meaning of the Teacher/ Student prayer and the Gayatri

Mantra which some teachers there have started to teach to our students. Once the Centre returns

to face to face classes, they are intending to start some regular chanting sessions there as well.

So, happy chanting, and peaceful meditation to you all!

Sheffield Yoga Centre - Celebrating International Women's Day

by Helen Clay

On 8 March 2020, International Women's Day, Sheffield Yoga Centre held a workshop raising

more than £500 for Yoga for Bhopal. Monies will help award-winning clinics in Bhopal that

use yoga as one of a range of treatments. Readers may remember the world’s worst industrial

disaster in Bhopal in 1984 at the Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) pesticide plant Madhya

Pradesh, India. Highly toxic gas leaked out and subsequently contaminated water supplies.

Over 500,000 people were exposed causing many severely and permanently disabling injuries.

The official immediate death toll was 2,259. Others estimate that 8,000 died within two weeks,

and another 8,000 or more have since died from gas-related diseases.

More than thirty years later, the effects remain: children with birth and congenital defects and

others with chronic illness involving the respiratory, musculoskeletal, neurological and

endocrine systems. Women survivors suffer additional, serious gynaecological problems and

also bear the main responsibilities for managing chronic health problems in the family. Yoga’s

remarkable efficacy as a drug-free therapy has had tremendous impacts on the lives of Bhopal

women of all ages. Once learned it can be practiced outside of the clinic;

additionally, Yoga calls for the patient to be an active participant in

her own healing. Inspiring something to celebrate.

The workshop began with a talk from Helen Clay about the

history and roots of yoga asking who practises yoga, why and

what is women’s place within this?

The workshop began with a talk from Helen Clay about the

history and roots of yoga asking who practises yoga, why and

what is women’s place within this?

Yoga was first developed by ascetic males for purposes of

self-realisation and liberation from earthly suffering. In contrast

yoga is now practised primarily by women, usually middle class,

well-educated for health, wellness, body-image, de-stressing and

maybe something spiritual.

Yoga is now big business.

Helen described changing yoga traditions from the early Vedic Period through the ascetic

śramana movement (200-400 BC) to tantra around 300 to 600 CE and Pataňjala-yogasutra

(probably 4-5th century). Haṭhayoga emerging from around 12th century became mainstream

but declined under colonialism, to be followed by a ‘yoga renaissance’ from the late 19th and

early 20th centuries. In early Vedic times women probably had more status associated with

fertility and abundance, nevertheless this declined with the increasing power of Brahmin

priests. Yoga developed therefore within the context of patriarchal societies, albeit with

important exceptions of female sages. For example, Gargi, questioning Yajnavalkya about the

nature of reality in Bhradāranyaka Upanisad or Sulabhā in the Mahābhārata who overcame king

Mithilā in a debate about yoga. Trends to inclusivity appear for example in the 12th-13th

century early Dāttratreyayogashastra, advising:

“A man should strive to find a woman devoted to the practice of yoga… Either man or woman

can obtain success if they have no regard one another’s gender and practice with only their own

ends in mind.”

Overall however, there is no significant definitive evidence of women’s involvement in

mainstream practice and despite significant exceptions- evidence suggests yoga arising from a

predominantly male renunciate culture. These days it is very different. How did this come

about? Modern yoga developed within the context of encounters and exchanges between east

and west: the International Physical Culture Movement; Indian Nationalism; emerging

discourses about religion and science and Vivekananda’s tremendously influential book

Rajayoga and its particular interpretation of Pataňjala-yogasutra. In the 1930s Krisnamacarya

began teaching yoga at the Mysore Palace and in the post-war period it was his students BKS

Iyengar, Desikacar, Indra Devi and Patābhi Jois who began taking yoga around the world.

Krisnamacarya initially refused to teach Indra Devi because she was a woman but later

relented.

BKS Iyengar was one of the first to teach women in India, and coming to the West in 1954, he

started teaching yoga to the women of the Asian Music Circle.

With her father’s full support Geeta Iyengar pioneered woman-oriented yoga, for women’s

specific physiology, and different stages of life such as menstruation, motherhood and

menopause.

Within the UK yoga slotted into existing narratives of fitness, therapeutic benefit and

spirituality into traditions of keep fit and harmonial gymnastics, New-Age ideas of spirituality,

holistic health and pop-culture. In London, Birmingham and Manchester yoga developed within

new Adult Education classes that provided women with space away from the home in evening

classes.

It fitted also into second- wave feminism ideas about women’s health, reclaiming women’s

bodies from male medical establishments, expressed in books such as “Our Bodies Ourselves.”

Yoga has changed dramatically from its roots amongst ascetic male renunciants, seeking

liberation from cycles of rebirth.

It is always influenced by the society it finds itself in. Today yoga is

a multi-billion-dollar concern and practiced all over the

globe mainly by women. It is helping women across

the globe. Yes but, we still live in a capitalist

patriarchal society. This has brought increasing

commercialisation, commodification and

sexualisation of women’s bodies into yoga

with mixed messages. Glossy yoga

magazines reinforce a stereotypical idea

of who does yoga - young, white, slim,

attractive, flexible, women in skimpy

clothing. They push expensive yoga

equipment, creating pressure to improve

your yoga, be better, look better, buy more.

Contrary to yoga’s original purposes of ‘reducing

suffering’ the implicit message is: “you are not

enough”. These developments coincide with

burgeoning problems of body image, bringing anxiety,

self- harming and anorexia even to young girls. Might yoga (inadvertently) begin to increase

suffering? In this context movements such as Yoga and Body Image Coalition challenge the

idea of what yoga is and who it is for. Yoga has immense potential for self-realisation,

transformation and attunement with one’s innermost being. Commercialisation and

commodification may be seen as corruptions of the yoga tradition or more positively as creative

tension. The question is where do we each situate ourselves within this and what is the meaning

and purpose of our yoga?

Buckwheat Pancakes By Laura Potts

Complete protein from plants. Vegan, gluten free, delicious - sweet or savoury. This quantity is

for one hungry yoga teacher, just double or triple to feed more folk.

The batter

One heaped spoonful of brown rice flour, two heaped spoonfuls of buckwheat flour, one

spoonful of live yoghourt (dairy or not), and enough water to give you the consistency to coat

the back of your wooden spoon thickly.

For sweet pancakes for breakfast or afternoon tea, then add a large grated apple, or a mashed

banana, or some berries, depending on the season and your fancy. Cook in spoonfuls (drop

scone fashion) on a really hot tava, griddle or heavy frying pan, with just a teaspoonful of

sunflower or coconut oil to prime the pan. When they change to look duller on top, turn them

over. Delicious with jam, or maple syrup, or honey.

For savoury pancakes, thin the batter down a little with more water till it only thinly coats your

wooden spoon. Prime the pan with a little oil as above. Then pour the batter into the pan, tilting

the pan to spread the batter thinly all over. Turn it over when the surface is duller and the edges

look just a little crisp. Cook the second side and then turn onto a warm plate and put the filling

in, roll it up and get scoffing. You can put rolled pancakes in the oven to keep warm if you’re

feeding more than yourself.

My favourite filling is this: sauté a thinly sliced leek and two or three chopped mushrooms in

olive oil. When they begin to soften, add chopped kale, or purple sprouting broccoli, or

spinach, depending what you have. Add half a spoonful

of brown rice flour and stir gently, then add half a

spoonful of tahini, a spoonful of shoyu or tamari, some

ground black pepper and enough water to make a sauce

around the vegetables. Cook for a few minutes, stir in

some toasted cashew nuts and bean or lentil sprouts,

then put on the pancake.

These thinner crepe type pancakes are also really good

rolled up around summer berries, or, more seasonably,

stewed rhubarb, maybe with some yoghourt in there

too.

Recipes

Yoga the Great Healer

by Nick Sutherland

Editor’s note: We are printing some short extracts from a detailed, fascinating and inspiring article provided by Nick (Edwin) Sutherland. If anyone would like to read his much longer piece, please contact the editors and we can e-mail it to you. And thanks to Nick for his story.

I first became aware of Iyengar Yoga over 40 years ago when I participated in an

afternoon session at a ‘Health Farm’ as such places were affectionately known at

that time, which I was visiting with my mother……. Mum advised me one afternoon that she

was off to the yoga class, and would I come with her. Well, in those times Yoga was for ladies

or hippies and so I didn’t consider it my scene, but went along anyway. Life is full of surprises

is it not? When the Yoga teacher arrived, she was lovely, and what has never left me was her

‘Presence’, which was extraordinary. There was a tranquillity about her that was totally

captivating and I was hooked! …. She took the class through a number of postures and I found

the whole event really enjoyable. Her flexibility was incredible as I had no concept that a body

could be trained in that way. In conversation with the teacher after the class I learned that she

had been unable to walk after a fall from a horse. Through the interventions of a friend who

was a Yoga teacher, she ended up in Pune under the direct instruction of Mr Iyengar and was

astonished at what was achieved. I always remember her saying ‘Yoga is a Great Healer’ –

hence the title to my piece and my own validation.

Little did I know at that time that many years later my Yoga would

contribute to not only saving my life, but to have the

mind-set and knowledge to overcome great physical

misfortune. This is why I have introduced my

story in this way, as the background gives

greater depth.

When I returned home, I bought a little

paperback version of ‘Light on Yoga’ by

Mr. Iyengar and practised at home for

two years or so.

There were no props recommended so I

just did as instructed.

Taking Our Yoga Further

I remember practising Savasana and I reckon it

unknowingly helped me a lot in many stressful

negotiations! My business took off and I became

engrossed in it. The Yoga was put to one side, but

never forgotten.

I started Yoga again some 10 years ago when my Sister

advised me to. She had attended Yoga sessions with Iris

Pimm at her lovely studio in Alport, near Bakewell in the Peak

district…. I knew it was time to really participate, as I now had more time

to devote to becoming more competent. My Yoga complemented my interest in running/

jogging. …. And so for a period of 5 years, I worked on my Yoga, attending Yoga holidays in

Crete with Marios and Sophie Argiros, and classes twice a week with Iris. I also increased my

running, often up to 50 miles per week. I went from a portly 96kgs to a lean (?!) 76 kgs, which

is where I currently reside!

In 2013, Nick had a bad fall whilst filling his water bottle at Howden Reservoir, resulting in a

head wound which required 15 stitches. Two weeks later he competed in the Safari Com

Marathon in Kenya as one of only 5 over 60 year olds, three of whom he beat.

The question is how much was my Yoga flexibility and strength a key factor in

avoiding what surely had the potential to break my neck!

Later that same year, Nick suffered an extremely serious and potentially lethal motorbike

accident, the consequences of which he details in his longer article. He broke his pelvis in three

places and had many other broken bones and injuries. He is fulsome about the excellent care he

received from a wide range of professionals in the NHS.

I came out of Hospital a badly damaged and wizened old man. I resolved that I would

do everything in my power to bring my body back to its former fitness and target to run a

marathon within two years….

I was too weak to do any Yoga, even standing upright against a wall in Tadasana was a

challenge! (As recommended by Iris !!) It was impossible to sit for more than ten minutes, and

I was not able to get down on the floor and off it for 4 months and lying on my back on a hard

surface for even a few minutes caused the blood to disappear from the sagging skin that had

once been my buttocks!

With the help of Sam, a former army rehabilitation specialist he began to get his strength back

and to run again. He ran the Manchester Marathon in 2016 as part of a two man relay and is

still improving.

After nearly three months of work I was strong enough to re – commence my Yoga

with Iris Pimm, attending her class every Thursday evening commencing in January

2014. Coming back to Yoga was, and remains, a much more intense experience as I am able to

mentally assess the progress of each body part that is not functioning as it used to. There is no

Yoga pose that does not present a much greater degree of challenge than it used too – and I was

not that great before the accident! The surgeon did tell me that had it not been for my overall

fitness, strength and flexibility, the outcome would have been very different for me.

Personally I have been so fortunate in having initially Iris Pimm, then Marios Agiros and now

Pascale. They have been and continue to be a wonderful source of support and Inspiration.

However We must remember the words of the Buddha...

“I can show you the Way – but you must walk the path!”

Yoga classes in Sheffield

During the current lock down, several teachers and centres are delivering virtual/ on line

classes. We have listed all of these below. However, these may be subject to change as the

situation develops, so please check the relevant websites to ensure they are accurate.

270 Burgoyne Road, Sheffield, S6 3QF

www.sheffieldyogacentre.co.uk

The following programme of online classes, delivered via Zoom is now up and running.

Monday: 10:00 - 11.15am with Nidhi Nanda—Beginners Level 1 Monday: 6.30 – 8.00pm with Pascale Vacher – Intermediate 2

Tuesday: 5.30 – 7.00pm with Laura Potts – Intermediate

Wednesday: 8.30 -11.00am with Helen Clay – Women Only all levels

Thursday: 6.00 – 7.15pm with Liz Whelan – Beginners 1 and 2

Friday: 9.30 – 11.00am with Emma Rattenbury – All levels

Saturday: 9.00 – 10.15am with Nidhi Nanda – Beginners 1 and 2 Saturday: 5:30 - 6.45pm with Laura Potts and Helen Clay (alternate weeks) - Pranayama

To book a place in a class please go to the Centre website above. For any other queries, please

e-mail info@sheffieldyogacentre.co.uk

Sheffield Iyengar Yoga Centre

Harland Works, 70, John Street, Sheffield S2 4QU

www.zagyoga.com

Zagyoga Iyengar Yoga Studio has the following online classes running:

Monday: 6.00 – 7.15pm – Level 2

Tuesday: 10.00 – 11.15am – Level 2

Tuesday: 6.00 – 7.15pm – Level 1

Thursday: 6.00 – 7.15pm – Level 1

Friday: 9.00 – 10.30am – Level 3

For more information please visit their website www.zagyoga.com or

contact Monica 07597129471

ZagYoga Iyengar Yoga Studio

Listings

Pascale Vacher at A Yoga Room yogasheffield.org/venue/yoga-room/

Pascale is running the following online classes:

Tuesday: 9.30 – 11.15am – Intermediate

Tuesday: 7.00 – 8.30pm – Beginners

Wednesday: 7.00 – 8.30pm – General Thursday: 6.30 – 8.15pm – Intermediate

Friday: 9.30 – 11.00am – Beginners/ General Saturday: 8.30 – 9.30am – General Active Class

Click on the link above for more information and booking details.

Liz Whelan at The Old School, Dore, S17 3 GW

Liz is continuing to deliver virtual beginners classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays for her regular students. To enquire or book contact Liz Whelan 07811281213 or Lizwhelan@talktalk.net

Cath Morgan in Hathersage, Hope Valley Hope Valley Yoga Studio are delivering a series of virtual classes. For more information call Cath on 07565 945440 or visit www.hopevalleyyoga.co.uk

All other classes advertised on the SADIY website are currently suspended. If in doubt, please contact your regular teacher or check yogasheffield.org

Other Sheffield Venues

Cath Morgan in Hathersage, Hope Valley

Hope Valley Yoga Studio are delivering a series of virtual classes. For more information call Cath on 07565 945440 or visit www.hopevalleyyoga.co.uk

All other classes advertised on the SADIY website are currently suspended. If in doubt, please contact your regular teacher or check yogasheffield.org

Further afield

Dates for your Diary

NB. This issue of the Journal comes to you at a time of lock down due to the Coronavirus. As it

is unclear how long this will last, we have only listed events below that are a long way ahead or

are being delivered virtually. Please check our website once the lock down is relaxed to see if

other events are taking place: www.yogasheffield.org

SADIY and NOTIY Professional Development Day Saturday March 20th 2021 with Brenda Booth at ZagYoga For more information and to book, go to www.yogasheffield.org or contact: pascale_vacher@yahoo.co.uk

SADIY membership is £15 per year – see website for details or contact Lorraine Bonete: lorraine.bonete@gmail.com

SADIY

Listings

Online Workshops with Pascale Vacher via Zoom from A Yoga Room Pascale will be delivering online workshops on Sunday Mornings from this month onwards. Dates and times to be confirmed soon. Visit yogasheffield.org/venue/yoga-room/ for more information and how to book.

Pascale Vacher

Most local studios and teachers are exploring online workshops. Visit their websites, social

media or contact them directly to find out more about what will be on offer during the

lockdown.

Local Studios