yoga

news & views

Newsletter of SADIYA
(Sheffield and District Iyengar Yoga Association)
Issue 33 - November 2017
 Editorial, November 2017

We bring you another bumper issue of our newsletter this month. Once again most of the articles have
come to us unsolicited – a relatively recent and welcome development which allows us to concentrate
on editing and compiling rather than cajoling and writing ourselves, and we hope makes for a varied
and richer experience for our readers.

This issue focuses on the wider aspects of the yoga journey, which chimes well with the increasing
awareness in our local and national community of what yoga truly is. Understanding that yoga is so
much more than just asanas, although they provide our starting point, is clearly described in Helen’s
latest article on yoga philosophy. It is so important to hold onto this amidst the chaos and disturbances
within and around our lives which the modern world brings. Dominic’s moving second article on his
recovery from major surgery and the unexpected benefits of a deeper recuperative practice underlines
this for us all. The short article on Yoga for Bhopal illustrates how yoga has a part to play in supporting
those whose lives and health have been devastated by a major and ongoing industrial disaster, and
also offers us all a way to give something back to the community in that Indian city.

Heather’s article on her visit to Sheffield to undertake the first module of Stephanie Quirk’s therapeutic
course illustrates the vibrancy and strength of the international yoga community in bringing us together
across oceans, and represents a lovely example of what Patanjali calls maitri, or friendliness which is
one of the four attitudes of mind that he urges us to cultivate towards others and ourselves (see sutra
1:33). And Stephanie’s own generosity in sharing her deep wisdom about therapeutic yoga represents
all four of these*.

Gabby Hanlon has been providing SADIYA news with beautiful, hand drawn images for our covers
(and in the early days illustrations for the text as well), since our first issue in 2001. Her article for this
issue shows how her inspiration is now coming from the wider spiritual and philosophical aspects of
yoga, which mirrors her own yoga journey – and we have another wonderful cover illustration from her
as well!

So, keep practising, studying and deepening your individual yoga journeys, along with ours. We hope
the final practice sequences from Lorraine help inspire you to do this, together with the other articles
here. This is the final edition of SADIYA News, but the journey will continue when we transform into
SADIYI early next year – more on this in Emma’s article on the next page. Many thanks to everyone
who has contributed to this issue, especially Carolyn who has worked so hard to bring all the articles
and images together into a coherent whole, during the eighth month of her pregnancy. We wish her
and Iain well with the next phase of their lives.

*The other attitudes of mind are: karuna (compassion), mudita (goodwill) and upeksa (indifference).

Emma Rattenbury Carolyn Usher

Tel: 0783 7811967 Tel: 0784 3384496
emma.rattenbury@blueyonder.co.uk cusher84@gmail.com

2
 From Association to Institute - A new phase for Sheffield Iyengar Yoga Community

In July this year, 16 members of SADIYA came together to review the progress of the organisation
since it was established in 2001. This gathering identified a number of significant achievements,
including:
• Creating a culture of sharing and co-operation across the Iyengar Yoga community in Sheffield.
• Supporting the development of dedicated Iyengar Yoga Centres and classes across Sheffield and
the wider area.
• Raising the profile of Iyengar Yoga in our area, particularly through our brilliant website.
• Production of regular issues of this excellent newsletter.
• Developing the Library at SYC, with a new ‘branch’ planned for Zag Yoga.
• Bringing visiting teachers to Sheffield, including some big events.
• Directly supporting the development of the Therapeutic class at SYC.
• Providing links to the national Iyengar Yoga organisation.

We also recognised that the context in which SADIYA operates has changed over the last 16 years, in
particular with the development of two dedicated centres in Sheffield, and others in the
surrounding area. Many more local people now attend regular classes, and with the provision of
teacher training in the city, we have a growing pool of qualified teachers and range of classes at
different times, levels and venues. Combined with this, the number of workshops and events available
to local teachers and students has increased significantly, enabling us all to be ‘spoilt for choice’ in
what we can attend.

This growth is welcome, but it has brought some challenges for SADIYA. There is more potential for
competition and duplication of effort, and attendance at our own workshops has not been high in
recent years. It remains unclear exactly what SADIYA’s role is now and whether it should continue to
exist. In addition, we currently have a cumbersome constitution based on the original aim of
establishing a centre run directly by ourselves, which is no longer relevant. We spent some time at the
Review, identifying what our role in future should be and decided the following:
• There is still an important place for an umbrella organisation which brings together Centres,
teachers and students of Iyengar Yoga to work collaboratively to promote and develop our
special ‘brand’ of yoga in Sheffield and the surrounding area.
• We will dissolve the current Charity and Company Limited by Guarantee and set up a simpler
organisation to take our work forward from March 2018.
• We will stop organising SADIYA days from 2018 onwards.
• We will continue producing and circulating our newsletter twice a year.
• We will maintain and develop our Website.
• We will maintain our direct affiliation to the national Iyengar Yoga Association.
• We will explore other benefits of membership with our current members, including:
- Holding social gatherings at least once a year
- Expanding our library provision
- Identifying ways to provide more support for teachers to set up new classes in community
venues
- Organising at least one fun and active event each year, such as a Yoga Flash Mob in the
city centre, or an Event to celebrate Iyengar Yoga Day which is in January.

In order to take these ideas forward, we are currently conducting an on-line survey of all our members,
so if you have not already completed this, please do so before the deadline of Friday December 1 st by
following this link.

We are in the process of setting up a new, simpler organisation which will be called Sheffield and
District Iyengar Yoga Institute, i.e. SADIYI, and which will take forward the work from April 2018,
when SADIYA as an organisation is dissolved. If you would like to know more about this work and help
with any of the ideas mentioned above, please let us know, by contacting Emma on
emma.rattenbury@blueyonder.co.uk

3
 On Getting Well by Dominic Batten

Exactly six months after brain surgery, and bearing in mind Dr Krishna Raman's advice that cell
recovery takes six months, I did sirsasana without support - only for a few seconds but long enough to
confirm that my recovery was nearing completion and that another milestone on the journey back to
wellness had been passed. This was during the week when I had returned to work full-time. The
biggest factor in helping me to feel well has been my yoga practice, and I would like to share some of
the observations and insights from the past six months.

The bleakest time was the day after surgery, when the anaesthetic had not fully worn off and histology
results were not available to say whether the tumour that had been removed was cancerous (it turned
out not to be). At that time I did not know whether I would ever be well enough to return to work or to
teaching or even practising yoga, it was bewildering and frightening not to know how much of my
previous life I would be able to carry on with.

It is astonishing to find how well the Iyengar community and system can absorb and respond to need
when it arises. I have written before that I was advised to contact Judi Sweeting, who heads the IYA
UK therapy committee, and that she responded immediately with practice suggestions based on Lois
Steinberg's Iyengar Yoga for Cancer book. This includes a chapter on recovery after brain surgery
which incorporates advice from Guruji. It felt I was not many steps away from being cared for by the
man himself, which was a reminder of the generosity and responsiveness he showed throughout his
life.

Initially I felt a bit dismayed at being advised to practise the same sequence of mainly supine poses
daily if possible for up to a year - I thought I would find this boring. Not a bit of it, any experienced
practitioner of yoga will know that a pose repeated every day feels new and different each time. I will
not reiterate the exact sequence as it is covered in detail in Lois' book which includes clear
Photographs; those interested or in need should refer to the book or the guidance of an experienced
teacher familiar with it. In summary, supine poses (cross bolsters, supta baddha konasana, supta
swastikasana, supta virasana) are followed by purvottanasana and adho mukha svanasana.
Supported inversions are introduced over time followed by viparita karani and then savasana and
some basic pranayama. All the poses use masses of equipment, ideally several bolsters along with
chairs and stools and a foam wedge and rolled bandage for the head. Because I was practising at
home rather than in a studio, I had to improvise some of the props, but ended up using altogether two
bolsters, three blankets, two chairs, a stool, two sandbags, two belts, a weight, a wall sling, eight
blocks, a wedge, two oval blocks and a bandage. I was rather thankful for my habit of buying equip-
ment at almost every convention I had attended over the years. Anyone without equipment at home
would need to find a studio to attend.

Supta Virasana with supports Head support for Supta Virasana

For several months I was cautious about inversions. Following two brain surgeries, the operation site
was very sensitive and having my head upside down felt uncomfortable, especially with the knowledge
that a layer of bone had been removed from a section of my skull to prevent the tumour sprouting
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 On Being Unwell by Dominic Batten

again. Knowing that I had had a bleed during the initial surgery ('as soon as we started cutting, blood
spurted everywhere - it went all over us' the surgeon told me enthusiastically afterwards) which led to
a serious blood clot, I was not inclined to take risks. Apparently the type of tumour I had forms its own
blood supply by diverting other blood vessels. I feel about this rather as I do about the dandelions in
my garden - they shouldn't be there, but I have a sneaking admiration for their resilience and
determination to thrive. It is understandable that I did not want to do anything that would alter blood
pressure in the head, and it was useful that any disturbance to a state of equilibrium immediately
caused a throbbing discomfort.

The purpose of the equipment was to help bring the brain to a state of balance and the body to a
state of restfulness that promotes recovery. I found that making slight adjustments, such as tightening
belts in different directions on alternate days, always had some effect, as did increasing or adjusting
the level of support under the head or chest (a head wedge is marvellous at offering an almost infinite
range of adjustment). Rather than a dynamic practice in pursuit of progress, my practice became
more contemplative, reflective and sensitive so that I was able to maintain the inward journey of yoga,
far removed from any sense of boredom or repetition.

Despite the practice being restful and supported, my strength and fitness returned over time. Before
becoming ill, I had booked a number of activity holidays which became challenges, each of which I
came to think of as a milestone of recovery. The first of these was a week's strenuous walking in the
mountainous Zagori region of Greece. This culminated in an ascent of 1400m leading to a newt-filled
lake fed by snowmelt on a ridge 2000m up, where I swam in the refreshing water. Lovely, but I
wondered if I was pushing myself too hard. Finding by chance that a German couple doing the same
walk were a nurse and an orthopaedic consultant, I made a point of keeping ahead of them, thereby
ensuring that if I had an accident, the first people to come across me would be medically qualified. At
the end of the summer I undertook another mountain walking trip and then a cycling tour in Scotland.
Despite having practised only restful poses for several months and having done no other form of
exercise, my fitness had returned to an above average level. It appears that restorative poses can
actually lead to improved fitness.

Four months after the operation the next challenge was the yoga retreat in Crete I have attended
each of the last dozen years with my teacher, Marios Argiros. I had kept Marios informed about my
illness and subsequent practice and had been nervous about either disrupting the classes by being
unable to do the poses, or of taking risks by taking on a level of yoga I was not ready for (Marios'
teaching and practice is at the more rigorous end of the scale). In another illustration of the
responsiveness of the Iyengar system, Marios had consulted with Jawahar, who advised that I could
do poses by using wall support, ensuring the head was supported in all poses, and that pranayama
practice should focus in particular on exhalation. This guidance
was invaluable, and I found that I could adapt almost any pose
that enabled me to experience its nature. For instance,
inversions were at that time still uncomfortable for my head, but
I found that by standing in front of a pillar with a brick between
the shoulder blades, with my hands clasping the pillar behind
my head I was able to get the feel of pincha mayurasana
without going upside down - an inverted inversion. Marios also
suggested preparing for a return to inversion by resting the
head on blocks in viparita karani sirsasana (see right), this is
like the first stage of chair sarvangasana where one sits
backwards on the chair with the legs over the chair back and
allows the head to reach down towards the floor. This worked
well, and over time I have been able to reduce the number of blocks under the head to the point
where they are replaced by a folded blanket. After this, I became able to introduce rope sirsasana
into my practice.

On learning that I would be out of action for some time, I assumed that my pranayama practice would
5
 On Being Unwell by Dominic Batten

continue more or less unaffected, following the excellent syllabus at the back of Light on Pranayama.
This turned out not to be the case, somehow it felt wrong. Re-reading chapter 3 of Light on Life
helped me realise that the assumption that pranayama is an easier practice that could continue while
my body and mind were in a state of recovery is an illusion, an example of the viparyaya described in
1.8 of the Yoga Sutra. As Guruji wrote, 'There has to exist, through proficiency in asana, strength and
stability in the circuitry of the body to withstand the increase in current that pranayama practice will
bring' (Light on Life, p67). A limited asana practice will result in a limited pranayama practice. Limiting
one's practice may require a degree of humility, however a simplified practice of ujjayi 1, as
recommended by Lois Steinberg and Guruji, was still fulfilling and contributed to recovery. After 6
months, and following Guruji's guidance on brain surgery, I was able to include pratiloma without
difficulty.

Guruji also wrote 'You can never do pranayama with an upset mind' (p 67). What I have come to
appreciate most about the sequence of supportive poses has been its emotional benefit. Sadly,
following my surgery, it became clear that my marriage of 32 years was coming to an end. There is
no blame here; over time two people continue to grow, and we had arrived at different places. This
was harder to bear than the brain tumour itself and illustrates that our lives can be thrown off-course
at any time. Certain characteristics of the modifications to the poses made themselves felt in a
beneficial manner. Consider the language of emotional disturbance - we may feel all over the place,
feel shaky, have our head in a spin, be unstable or unbalanced, feel upset or wobbly, or even torn
apart. Having the legs bound by belts gives definition and containment to the body, which houses our
self. Having sandbags placed on the hands was initially soothing as a tremor had been one of my
symptoms, the anchoring effect of this became very stabilising and helped bring stillness to my
disturbed emotions. At a sad time, one feels low, depressed or flat, and the support of a bolster has
an uplifting effect psychologically as well as physically. Having the arms at right angles to the body
broadens the heart, and the open position counters the feeling of being shut-off, one becomes open
to change. With the head supported, the neck remains soft and there is a smooth flow of blood and
energy between the head and the heart, one feels connected to
the source of life. Above all, I noticed especially in setu bandha
sarvangasana, that positive thoughts emerged and my sense of
love was strengthened despite the difficult circumstances. Sad
thoughts melted away and no matter how troubling the day had
been, an oasis of peace would arise through the practice. Guruji
wrote of setu bandha, 'If you are dejected mentally, you can do
setu bandha sarvangasana for ten minutes, and your depression
disappears, though you do not know how this transformation has
occurred' (p 81). This I attribute to the heart being given
supremacy over the head in the pose. Use of the head wedge
also inclines the head towards the heart in the supine poses.
Memories and thoughts live in the head, so the head needs to be Supported Setu Bandha Sarvangasana
pacified. The simple level of pranayama previously mentioned
was also beneficial, as Guruji wrote - the extent of his insight never ceases to amaze - 'When the
breath is gently exhaled towards the heart, the heart is purified of desires and the emotions that
disturb it' (p86).

The emphasis on correct alignment and evenness in Iyengar yoga corrects disorder and restores
equilibrium. Having found the practice so beneficial both physically and mentally, I taught it to a
student who approached me for help with acute anxiety, she too found it helpful. A transitional
practice between the brain surgery sequence and a more general practice is described in the asanas
for emotional stability sequence which concludes Light on Life. What a gift this book is! The final
milestone marking my recovery was to resume teaching and to experience again that love, humility
and devotion a teacher feels towards their students, and which Guruji exemplified with his whole life.
Yoga is a gift one does not keep to oneself.

Note: all page references are to Light on Life, Rodale 2005.

6
 Illustrating the SADIYA Newsletter by Gabby Hanlon

I made my first cover illustration for SADIYA in 2001 in the early days of
the newsletter. I had been practising Iyengar yoga since the 1980s when
I discovered Frances’ class in Walkley. Since then I have also attended
classes taught by Helen and Caroline. Regular home practice has
become an important part of my life over the past 23 years, initially
answering a need to find a quiet time each day whilst juggling
motherhood, home and work. A year ago I retired from my career as an
Art teacher and am now enjoying new space. Not only is this an
opportunity to explore my own work as an artist but also to be able to
attend a morning Yoga class with Helen!

Reflecting on the illustrations I’ve made for the newsletter I realise the
themes have provided me with a constant source of interest and
challenge. I’ve drawn inspiration from a range of sources crossing time and place. From the ancient
Buddhist carvings at the Amavarati shrine in India to the crab apple tree in my garden, I’ve explored
imagery and ideas to interpret aspects of yoga.

I feel there are links between my own yoga practice and these
illustrations. A drawing can be a voyage of discovery which leads to
a better understanding of the shapes and structures of the Asanas.
Initially I make line drawings of the poses and then go on to create
layers of imagery for a richer, more complex composition. Working in
mixed media I enjoy the effects of a textured surface using
pencil, biro, Chinese ink and white acrylic. Sometimes I manipulate
the drawing further by scanning it and using Photoshop. Being
restricted to black and white suits me as I’m fascinated by the
subtle yet powerful effects of light and darkness in a tonal scale.

More recently I’ve aimed to interpret the spiritual and philosophical

aspects of Yoga through my drawings. In one of Helen’s classes she
used the analogy of the sun rising inside us as we raised our arms
from Tadasana to Urdhva Hastasana. For me this was a powerful
visualisation, not only did it help me in the posture but it immediately
sparked an idea for a drawing.

Currently I’m working on the cover for this newsletter, taking the theme of Namaste as my starting
point. I hope to convey something of the idea that there is a spark within each of us located in the
heart chakra and through Namaste there is an acknowledgement of the soul in one by the soul in
another.

7
 Encouraging a Home Practice by Lorraine Bonete

This is the final part of a series of practice sequences shared with us by local
teacher and SADIYA member, Lorraine Bonete. She developed these
sequences to encourage her own students to develop a home practice.
The first sequence focused on standing and balancing poses. The second
focused on forward bends, back bends and twists. Finally, in this issue we
will focus on abdominal work. There is a caution here to take extra care or
avoid these during menstruation or if you have back problems.
We hope you’ve enjoyed these sequences and as a reminder, you may
complete each section as a separate practice, or combine them for a longer
session. Savasana (corpse pose) is included at the end of each section but
should only be practised at the end of your session.
Enjoy your practice!

8
 Yoga Practice and Philosophy—Towards Inner Peace by Helen Clay

In the last few issues of this newsletter, we have featured enlightening articles on
aspects of yoga philosophy put together by one of our local yoga teachers, Helen
Clay. More and more students in all our classes and local centres are expressing
an interest in finding out more about the wider aspects of yoga, including the
philosophy. For some time now, Frances Homewood, the Director of Sheffield
Yoga Centre, has included aspects of philosophy at the start of her monthly
Pranayama classes, and recently more teachers at SYC have begun to do this
as well.

This September around 20 students of yoga came to Zag Iyengar Yoga Studio
for an introductory talk on yoga philosophy given by Helen. It was a first such
event and the proceeds of around £140.00 were donated to ASSIST, the charity
helping asylum seekers and refugees in Sheffield.

Everyone who came to the talk could identify how they had benefited from yoga at physical, mental,
emotional and spiritual levels and how practice had brought greater equilibrium, balance and integration.
For example:
I feel stronger and more flexible
It provides an anchor in stormy weather
It balances my emotions

Asked why they had come to the talk, most spoke about being
“curious”. One person said, “I would like to learn and understand
more about the aspects of yoga that are not often covered in class”.

Patanjali, author of the Yoga Sutras.

Iyengar yoga classes often begin with an invocation to Patanjali. Helen explained that Patanjali was
thought to have lived in the 2nd century C.E. and to be the author of the Yoga Sutras (also credited with
the first writings on Sanskrit grammar and Ayurveda, an early Indian system of medicine). The ideas in
the Yoga Sutras were a continuation of the thinking of the yogis from the earlier Vedic and Upanishadic
periods. But it was Patanjali who first systematized yoga into a clear written form. His Yoga Sutras
became canonical in their time and continue to be a foundational text for yoga today. They are practical
and systematic, offering a tried and tested map of how to live well and peaceably in this world with one’s
self and with others.

The first chapter of Yoga Sutras clarifies the aim and method of yoga as stilling the mind, enabling us to
move to our innermost Self:

Yoga Sutra 1.2 Yogah citta vritti nirodhah.

Yoga is the cessation of fluctuations in the consciousness.

Yoga Sutra 1.3 Tada drastuh svarupe vasthanam

Then the Seer dwells in his own true splendor.

Dualism
Patanjali’s philosophy rests on the fundamental idea of dualism - the idea that the universe and
ourselves are made up of two opposite qualities. First, there is Nature, Prakriti, making up the physical
universe and everything in it, including our bodies, mind, thoughts and emotions. Everything made of
nature is in a constant process of change - the cycle of birth, decay and re-creation. The second and
completely opposite, quality is termed purusa. This refers to a felt experience of something beyond space
and time sometimes described as the innermost Self, pure awareness or root consciousness. It equates
with the soul and it is eternal, luminous and unchanging.

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 Yoga Practice and Philosophy—Towards Inner Peace by Helen Clay

A case of mistaken identity - Avidya

In our day-to-day lives we tend to identify with our bodies, mind, thoughts and emotions, the
circumstances we are in and the things we are going through. We may come to think this is all there is to
us and that we are this changing state. For Patanjali this is a case of “mistaken identity” because we lack
knowledge of and connection with our inner deeper Self. This ignorance of our true inner nature is termed
Avidya and Patanjali explains that it is the source of all our sorrows. It leads us to look for happiness in
external and temporary things (e.g. possessions, relationships) whereas the source of lasting
contentment, he advises, resides deep within our unchanging innermost Self. Yoga is the means to reach
that place.

The eight limbs of yoga - the tree of yoga

In his first chapter Patanjali focuses on contemplation to still the
fluctuations of the mind. In the second chapter he changes tack a little,
giving the perhaps more practical method of Kriya Yoga, the yoga of
action. This includes the eight-limbed path of yoga (ethical principles,
personal observances, asana, breath control, sense withdrawal,
concentration, meditation and absorption) which taken together, remove
the impurities from our body, mind, and soul that obscure our innermost
Self.

Yama and niyama

The first two limbs of yoga, yama and niyama, are universal ethical
principles and personal observances. Of these, the first yama,
non-violence (termed Ahimsa) is the most important and the root for all
other aspects of yoga, applying not just to our actions, but even to our
reactions, thoughts and speech. Actively cultivating Ahimsa helps curb
our natural instinct for aggression and supports the development of our higher qualities, e.g. compassion,
kindness, love.

Asana the third limb of yoga

Asana brings us into our body and integrates breath, body and mind. As BKS Iyengar said it should not
be under-estimated: “Yoga allows you to find an inner peace that is not ruffled and riled by the endless
stresses and struggles of life”.

These days yoga is ever more popular especially in the West where it tends to be seen as asana.
However, when yoga originated there was little emphasis on the physical body or on asana. Patanjali
makes direct reference to asana in only three of his 196 sutras. Asana is best understood in its context
as one of the eight limbs of yoga. If disconnected from its philosophical base yoga practice loses much of
its richness. It may become dry and can even lead to pride, inflated egos and competitiveness (with self
or others) or to feelings of frustration. This is far from the aims of yoga as defined by Patanjali and the
early yogis! So, when next on the mat how about making the journey to the “true splendor” of your
innermost self your aim, not just the perfect dog down!

If you would like to discover more of the rich treasures of yoga philosophy there will be a short series on
Yoga practice and philosophy in early 2018 at Zag Iyengar Yoga Studio. We will journey further into
Patanjali’s eight limbs aiming to bringing out their relevance to life on and off the yoga mat.

If you would like to find out about these forthcoming sessions, please contact Helen on
hclay480@gmail.com or check out ZagYoga’s website on: www.zagyoga.com.

Sheffield Yoga Centre has also recently started a series of blog posts on Yoga Philosophy by Frances
Homewood, the Director of the Centre. Check out the first one on ‘the vrittis’ here.

10
 From San Francisco to Sheffield by Heather Haxo-Phillips

Editor’s note: In September, Sheffield Yoga Centre was fortunate to host the first part of a 6 module
Therapy Course for yoga teachers. The course was taught by Stephanie Quirk, who lived in Pune and
assisted in the classes at the Ramamani Iyengar Yoga Institute there for over 20 years. The wealth of
experience that she gained from helping in the Medical Classes there forms the basis of this course of
training. For the Sheffield course, Stephanie was assisted by Uday Bhosale, who was also directly
trained in Pune. It was great for us to welcome visitors from across the country, and also some from a
lot further afield. One of the latter has written this piece for us. The next module of the course takes
place in October 2018 and is already nearly full.

Heather Haxo Phillips is a certified Iyengar yoga instructor at the Junior

Intermediate III level. She is Director of Adeline Yoga, based in Berkeley
Caliifornia. Heather is past President of the Iyengar Yoga Association of
Northern California and an active volunteer for the Iyengar Yoga National
Association of the United States. You can find her on instagram at https://
www.instagram.com/heatherhaxo/ and on facebook.

This September I had the wonderful opportunity to journey from my home in the
San Francisco Bay Area to Sheffield for the Yoga Therapy course with Stephanie
Quirk.

The trip was literally a dream come true. I have known Stephanie for a long time. I own an Iyengar
Center (sic) in Berkeley, California and we have spent the last 5 years developing therapy related
programming. For me, not having done this therapy course felt like a huge gap in my knowledge base.
All of Stephanie’s therapy courses are currently overseas, so for the longest time it was a distant
dream. But a year ago, my husband agreed that he would accompany me to Course #1 in Sheffield
followed by course #2 in Dublin, Ireland. I danced for joy and we booked our plane tickets.

On the one hand, I was completely confident that this would be an excellent trip. My years with
Stephanie in Pune and her visits to San Francisco had already proved that being around her was a
very good thing for me both as a student and teacher. In my nearly 20 years of teaching and traveling
as an Iyengar teacher, I know that the Iyengar community is very close-knit no matter what our home
country is. I have been welcomed into Iyengar Yoga communities across Canada, the United States,
South America, Europe and the Middle East. During these trips, I have learned that no matter what
language we speak, we all straighten our legs, lift our knee caps and moan after ten Urdhva
Dhanurasanas. We all love Guruji so much, and it binds us as a community.

But on the other hand, I had such trepidation about

this trip. I tend to be overly enthusiastic. Ok, a bit
bossy. Would I be able to control this part of myself in
a new group? Would I take up too much space?
Especially with the US political situation right now, I
am embarrassed to be an American. Would people
even want to talk with me? Would I be accepted?
And, would I really understand any slang or jokes? I
don’t know where Derbyshire is, and how different it
is from Hathersage. My husband usually handles our
traveling cash, and I knew I was going to struggle
when handling my pence and pounds. Then what
about vegetarian food?!?! Ay-ya! Anticipating nearly Stephanie demonstrating standing work with
two weeks of workshops, it was indeed a bit scary to Uday Bhosale
think about.

On the first day of the workshop, when we introduced ourselves, I felt a ripple go around the room
when I announced where I was from. It was like people could not believe that I would come so far. I
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 From San Francisco to Sheffield by Heather Haxo-Phillips

didn’t quite know what to do with that. Was it really so strange to travel like this? I just hoped that after
spending time with Stephanie, people would not think it was all that strange that someone would follow
her around the world.

By lunch time I decided that I was 100% thrilled to be in the workshop. My Air B&B host had given me
strict orders to march directly to Gertie’s Café for lunch. And, being a good Iyengar yogi I followed his
advice. I was thrilled to open the doors and find a large table of Iyengar Yogis already sitting there
welcoming me. They were doing exactly what we do at home – writing notes. Yipee! I love writing
notes. The ladies at the table were so kind. I asked them if we could play the name game so that I
could remember them for the rest of our time together. Not only did they say yes, but they seemed
even enthusiastic about my proposal. Zoe, Jo, Nicky, Grace, Monica, we went around the table. And
then got to the important task at hand – getting down as many notes as possible while managing to
stuff in our mouth toasted bread with avocado, salad, huge amounts of dessert and even larger
amounts of caffeine. Exactly what I love to do at home. So yes, I was pretty much in Yoga Heaven.

From that point on, the workshop was magical. Every day I learned so much. People treated me like
family in the best possible ways, going out of their way to make sure I felt safe, comfortable and
appreciated. Yes, there were some hard moments. We will never forget when I nearly decapitated one
of Sheffield’s leading teachers by adjusting her a bit too hard. I am so sorry Helen, and I am REALLY
glad you mended so quickly.

The trip to Sheffield was inspiring in other ways. It was great to see how Frances and her team have
put together their studio – just being there, seeing the marketing materials and experiencing the
regional coordination – that was all very important for me. The way I run my center (sic), the way we
structure our local, regional and national activities in the United States is just different enough that I got
inspiration in many big and small ways.

Stephanie told a funny story during the workshop. One of the Indian teachers once asked her, "who are
more advanced, the Americans or the English"? She answered, “the Americans are more advanced,
but the English are more excellent.” As Stephanie herself
said, the question itself is a dangerous swamp. I didn’t quite
understand her answer, but I do have some theories. During
my time in England, I could feel the difference in the years of
practice – Iyengar Yoga has been in the UK for decades
more than in the US. There is more maturity in practice. In
our cultural DNA, there are many differences.

Practicing with the English, I could feel that Americans tend

to strive for the best answer, for the best pose as quickly
as possible – we Americans are such an enthusiastic Wisdom from Stephanie, while Heather takes notes
bunch aren’t we? The English…they practiced until the
understanding came. And when it did, the understanding was more internal and comprehensive. At
least that is what it seemed to me. I liked being around it. I will also say that because of the years
Guruji spent in England, taking this workshop, I just felt closer to Guruji – physically and
emotionally.

There are quite a few differences in the way that Iyengar Yoga manifests in the UK versus the US. It
was such a blessing to take this trip and experience it all first hand. Since returning home, I have been
working closely with all that I learned. And, I am counting the days till I can return for the next modules.

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 Yoga for Bhopal by Emma Rattenbury

Bhopal is the capital of the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It is

India’s 17th largest city, but few of us in the west would probably have
heard of it, had it not been for what happened there on the night of
December 2nd 1984. One of the worst industrial accidents in world history
has put this city on the map for all the wrong reasons. Those of you old
enough to remember the original disaster will no doubt be aware of much
of what is in this article, but younger readers may not, and it is worth all of
us remembering that the impact of the disaster continues to affect the lives
of thousands of people in Bhopal today.

That night, a Union Carbide plant in the city began leaking 27 tons of the
deadly gas, methyl isocyanate. None of the six safety systems designed to
contain such a leak were operational at the time, allowing the gas to
spread throughout the city. Half a million people were exposed to the gas and 25,000 have died to
date as a direct result of their exposure. The following quote from Saira, a survivor, gives some insight
into the horror of the disaster:

“Memories of that terror will remain with me forever…. My father picked me up, put my brother on his
shoulder, took my mother who had our baby sister by the hand and led us running away. It hurt to
breathe, the smoke in our faces was like fire, our eyes were burning agony, like someone one had
thrown chilli dust in them. I was choking and retching. The night was full of screams….There were
bodies everywhere. Some people were alive but unable to move. They were coughing and vomiting,
crying for help and dying.”

More than a further 150,000 people still suffer from ailments caused by the accident and the
subsequent pollution at the plant site. These ailments include blindness, extreme difficulty in
breathing, gynaecological disorders and birth defects. The site has never been properly cleaned up
and it continues to poison the residents of Bhopal through the water supply which has very high levels
of mercury and other dangerous chemicals in it.

Since that dreadful night, it has emerged that for many years before 1984, Union Carbide were
routinely dumping lethal chemicals in the ground around the plant. This has intensified the
contamination of the soil and the water supply, thus continuing to poison the very communities which
were directly affected by the original gas leak.

Despite this, Dow Chemical who purchased Union Carbide in 2001, has steadfastly refused to clean
the site up, provide safe drinking water, compensate the victims, or disclose the composition of the
gas leak – information that doctors need to know in order to properly treat victims. And this problem
persists since DuPont recently merged with Dow Chemical.

According to Rashida Bi, a survivor who has lost five gas-exposed family members to various cancers,
those who escaped with their lives “are the unlucky ones; the lucky ones are those who died on that
night”.

In the face of this horror and its ongoing impact in Bhopal local people, medical personnel and
volunteers from across the country and world came together to launch the Bhopal Medical Appeal
which raises funding for the Sambhavna Trust in the city. The first round of funding was used to build
and launch the Sambhavna Trust Clinic which opened its doors in 1996. They have since moved to a
larger building and in 2009 some of the medical appeal funds were used to also support the Chingari

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 Yoga for Bhopal by Emma Rattenbury

Trust Rehabilitation Centre which works specifically with second and third generation victims of the
poisonings, particularly women and children.

Since 1996, the Sambhavna Trust has provided treatment and

support to more than 70,000 people and employs more than 55
staff, just under half of whom are gas survivors themselves. The
work at both clinics shows that it is possible to evolve simple,
safe, effective and ethical and participatory ways of treatment,
monitoring and research for the survivors of the Bhopal
disasters. Survivors receive free medical care through a mix of
Western medicines, Ayurveda and yoga therapy.

The Yoga Therapy at Sambhavna includes asanas, ‘shodhana kriyas’ (cleansing actions) and
pranayama, all provided by fully qualified Hatha Yoga instructors. Yoga has been found to be
particular beneficial for people suffering from chronic diseases involving the respiratory,
musculo-skeletal, neurological and endocrine systems. A specific yoga programme for women with
severe menstrual pain and other problems has been trialled, resulting in reduced dependence on
drugs and significant improvements in their cycles.

Yoga for Bhopal is a specific project linked to the Bhopal Medical Appeal, which seeks to raise
funding for the Appeal via the provision of Yoga Classes and related events in this country. This year,
SADIYA and Sheffield Yoga Centre are working together to hold a Yoga for Bhopal afternoon on the
anniversary of the original disaster – Saturday December 2nd. A sister event is being organised in
York by Laura Potts on Friday December 1st. Please support these events, and if you cannot come,
please donate to the Appeal, as every penny goes directly to the Sambhavna Trust and the vital work
that it does with survivors of the disasters.

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Yoga for Bhopal by Emma Rattenbury

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Yoga for Bhopal by Emma Rattenbury

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 Dates for your diary

As the Sheffield yoga community expands, it is great to see the growth in the number of weekend
yoga workshops in and around the city. In order not to take up too much space in the newsletter, from
now on we are just giving dates and teachers below. Further information on all local Iyengar yoga
events can be found on our website: www.yogasheffield.org.

SADIYA yoga days

From 2018, SADIYA are no longer running yoga days. However, we will be putting on events for
members in the new year, so watch this space.

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

Workshops at Zag Yoga Studio

For prices, more details and to book all the events below contact Zagyoga on zagyogainfo@gmail.com
or visit zagyoga.com/events.

Monthly Sunday Workshops with Monica Bejarano-Cortes

Next three: 10.00 – 12.30pm December 17th, January 21st, February 11th

Intermediate Workshop with Alan Brown

10.00 – 3.30pm Sunday December 10th

National Iyengar Yoga Day Free Taster Class

Saturday 13th January at 10am, followed by tea and cakes

Zag Yoga 4th Annual Escape in Turkey

Sunday 13th to 20th May

Philosophy Workshops with Helen Clay

Saturday 20 January, 3- 5pm
Saturday 17 February, 3- 5pm
Saturday 17 March, 3- 5pm
Saturday 14 April, 3- 5pm

£15.00 per session or £48.00 for all 4

Sheffield Yoga Centre Workshops

For prices, more details and to book all the events below contact Sheffield Yoga Centre on
0114 234 6475 or 07944 169238, pick up a leaflet from the centre or download it from the website
events page on: www.sheffieldyogacentre.org.uk

Restorative Workshop with Helen Clay

2.00 – 4.30pm Sunday December 3rd

New Year Workshop with Edgar Stringer

6 – 8.30pm Friday 5th January + 10.00am – 12.30pm Saturday 6th January

Weekend with Elise Browning Miller: Yoga for Scoliosis

Saturday and Sunday January 13th and 14th 2018
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 Dates for your diary (continued)

Intermediate Workshop with Julie Brown

10.00am – 12.30pm Saturday February 4th

Women’s Restorative Workshop with Helen Clay

Celebrating International Women’s Day
2 – 4pm Sunday March 11th

Second Therapy Teacher Training Workshop with Stephanie Quirk

10.00am – 5.30pm Friday October 5th – Sunday October 8th

Other events in Sheffield and beyond

Sunday am Beginners and all Workshops with Pascale Vacher

Next one: 10.00am – 12.30pm Sunday December 3rd at Zagyoga Studio S2 4QU
See: www.yogasheffield.org

Intermediate Workshop in Derbyshire with Marios Agiros

Saturday December 2nd
See details on www.yogasheffield.org or to book a place email pascale_vacher@yahoo.co.uk.

Yoga events in Buxton and beyond

For information about various events and tickets please contact Sue Lovell on 01298 79576 or email
sueyoga40@aol.com or check details on the Peak Yoga website (http://www.peakyoga.org.uk/)

Kale Soup - Recipe from Carolyn Usher

We get a regular delivery of fruit and veg to our house and have an abundance of cabbage, kale
and related leafy greens at this time of year which we struggle to use up! This is a recipe I found
on www.fabfoodforall.co.uk and is a nice way to use the kale. These amounts make enough for
about 5 portions.

2 tbsp Rapeseed oil (although I used sunflower oil)

1 Large onion, finely chopped
2 Celery sticks, chopped
4 Medium carrots, roughly chopped
2 Garlic cloves, crushed
200g Curly kale, chopped
700 mls Vegetable stock
Freshly ground pepper

1. Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat.

2. Add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic and sweat under a lid for about 10 minutes until the
onions are softened.
3. Mix in the kale and sweat under lid for about another 5 minutes, stirring once or twice until
wilted.
4. Add the stock and pepper, bring to the boil and then simmer for 20 minutes.
5. Blend to desired consistency, it's nice if it still has some texture to it.

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 Yoga Classes in Sheffield

There are now too many classes in Sheffield to list them all in the newsletter, so we provide a summary
of what is available below, together with websites where you can get more detail and teachers’ phone
numbers.

Sheffield Yoga Centre

270 Burgoyne Road, Sheffield, S6 3QF. www.sheffieldyogacentre.co.uk. Sheffield Yoga Centre has
regular classes at all levels (introductory, beginners, general and intermediate) and on every day apart
from Sunday at a variety of times (mornings, lunch times, afternoons and evenings). To find out more
and to book a place in a class, go on the website or call 0114 234 6475 or 07944 169238, or email
info@sheffieldyogacentre.co.uk

Zagyoga Iyengar Yoga Studio

Harland Works, 70, John Street, Sheffield S2 4QU. www.zagyoga.net
Monica Bejarano-Cortes and an expanded team of teachers provide a programme of regular classes at
different levels and at a variety or times and days throughout the week, as well as regular workshops
on Sundays. To find out more and book a place in a class, visit the website or call Monica on
075891 129471, or e-mail her on zagyogainfo@gmail.com

Classes in other venues in Sheffield

For more details, visit www.yogasheffield.org

Dominic Batten at The Institute, Hartley Street, Heeley, S2 3AE

General class on Tuesday evenings. Call Dominic on 0114 2649418 for more information

Pascale Vacher at Silverdale School, Bents Green, S11 9QH

Foundation, Beginners and General classes on Wednesday and Friday evenings and Intermediate
class on Thursday evenings. Also regular weekend workshops for beginners and intermediate students.
To enquire or book contact Pascale on 07941 646418 or e-mail Pascale_Vacher@yahoo.co.uk

Lorraine Bonete at Silverdale School, Bents Green, S11 9QH

Beginners class on Tuesday evenings in school term times.
To enquire or book, contact Lorraine on 0780 7567532/ 236 2115 or lorraine.bonete@gmail.com

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

Beginners class on Tuesday and Thursday mornings in term time.
To enquire or book contact Liz Whelan 07811281213 or Lizwhelan@talktalk.net

Helen Clay at ZagYoga – (see address above)

Beginners on Thursday mornings.
Also one-to-one classes and small groups catered for.
For further info contact Helen on 07881 385208/ 0114 2680458 or www.helenclayyoga.co.uk

Further afield:

Cath Morgan in Hathersage, Hope Valley

Classes on Monday and Tuesday evenings and Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday mornings
For more information call Cath on 07565 945440 or visit www.hopevalleyyoga.co.uk

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