The Cambridge Iyengar Yoga Centre was inaugurated in 2000, though classes have been ongoing since 1983 and B.K.S. Iyengar visited the centre in 1985. The Centre is fully equipped in the Iyengar tradition and is situated in a quiet location close to the Grafton centre.

The teacher, Sasha Perryman, has been a student of Yogacharya B.K.S. Iyengar since 1971. When the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute opened in Pune India in 1975 she attended the opening ceremony and has been regularly visiting the Institute to attend classes with the Iyengars (Guruji, Geeta and Prashant) ever since.

She is a Senior Teacher of the Iyengar Yoga Association (UK) and runs classes of all levels, as well as teacher training courses.

Yoga classes
Sasha runs a drop-in class suitable for beginners at the Friends Meeting House, Jesus Lane on Wednesday at 6 - 7.30pm. She also runs intermediate classes at the CIYC Monday (6.00 - 8.00) and Tuesday and Thursday (5.30 - 7.30) . There is an advanced class at the CIYC for long-standing practitioners on Friday 5.00 - 7.00. To join one of the classes held at the CIYC, please book by telephoning 515929 during office hours (10 - 4.30pm).

There are also several other Iyengar teachers in Cambridge who run classes for beginners (see website www.cambridgeyoga.co.uk).

What is Yoga?
Yoga is an ancient eastern discipline that integrates all aspects of an individual: body, mind and soul to achieve a contented and balanced physical and spiritual life. In the West Hatha yoga (meaning yoga of determined effort) is mainly practised enabling the body to be healthy and free from stress. This helps provide a framework to develop a spiritual path in life in contrast to the materialism of the western world.

The Practice
The Iyengar method of Yoga is initially learnt through in-depth study of asana (posture) and pranayama (breath control). B.K.S. Iyengar has systematised over 200 classical yoga asanas and many different types of pranayama from the simple to the incredibly difficult. These are all structured to allow the beginner to steadily progress as they gain flexibility, strength and sensitivity physically, emotionally and spiritually.

Asana: Iyengar yoga places particular focus on exact body alignment to ensure safety from injury. As every individual has different strengths and weaknesses, B.K.S. Iyengar has also developed various props such as wooden blocks, chairs, ropes, belts and blankets to make the pose more accessible.

Pranayama: In the Iyengar method, emphasis is placed on breathing naturally (ie. as the lungs want you to breathe) in the asanas rather than forcing the breath in any particular pattern. Once the student is stable in the asana practise then observation of the breath begins which leads on to pranayama. The student begins with savasana (relaxation). Once the physical and mental body is quiet the breath can be observed and the energy of the breath re-channelled and re-distributed.