“Through yoga, we take off the shirt of ignorance, study it, and put it back on correctly, as a shirt of knowledge.”
B.K.S. Iyengar
As the weather begins to cool and the school year is well into session, I root back home towards more of a regular routine with my yoga practice but also look forward to the fall and winter holiday season.
As I write this, some of us are in the trenches of assessment mode. What a journey it has been... making the decision to go towards the next level of teaching was made years ago and now getting close to the finish line is exhilarating.
From the bottom of my heart, I can not describe the gratitude I feel towards my fellow IYASE Board Members. They are always going “beyond the beyond” to help whenever needed and support the Southeast Region.
In addition to the Scholarships awarded so far this year, the Scholarship Committee has offered its first two Community Outreach Grants. It is the hope that these grants will encourage teachers to make Iyengar Yoga available to a wider audience, bringing it into areas where it is not currently available, accessible, or affordable. In this newsletter, you’ll hear from Gabe Pickard about how her grant enabled her to bring Iyengar Yoga to a community center in Weaverville, NC. (Look for Rosa Santana’s story in our next newsletter.) For up to date information and applications use the following link: Scholarships — IYASE.ORG
The ongoing Free-to-Members Classes and Workshops offered through the Membership and Continuing Education Committees have had a tremendous response, allowing existing members to practice together–whether live or via the recordings, as well as bringing new members to IYASE. Details for a Free-to-Members Philosophy Series hosted by IYASE will be shared soon.
The Communications Committee continues to issue newsletters highlighting the studios and CIYTs of our region as well as the philosophy and community outreach sections. They also share Iyengar Yoga through social media and eblasts of events, pictures/videos, and posts all designed to share B.K.S. Iyengar’s teachings and build our Iyengar community.
Also, thank you to all of those that attended our Open IYASE Board meeting in August. It was wonderful to have yet another way to come together as a community. I want to encourage YOU or any member you can think of–teacher or not–to get involved with IYASE. Reach out to Ned via iyase.governance@gmail.com. The mission remains to serve the Iyengar yoga community of the Southeast Region and support IYNAUS’s mission to promote the art, science, and philosophy of yoga according to the teachings of B.K.S. Iyengar.
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IYASE Newsletter - Tour of our states:
South Carolina, West Virginia,
and
Pennsylvania
(who we've partially adopted)
Six of the CIYTs in these areas are featured below.
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Dean and Rebecca Lerner (CIYT Level 4) |
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Join us in studio or online for Iyengar Yoga classes at the Center for Well-Being in Lemont, PA, minutes from Penn State University. Whether you are attending online or in person you will get personalized corrections/instructions from our CIYT's including our senior teachers Dean and Rebecca Lerner!
Find Dean and Rebecca's Center for Well-Being @:
Facebook: Center for Well-Being / Iyengar Yoga of Central PA
Instagram: @IyengaryogaCWB
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Siegfried Bleher (CIYT Level 3), Kimberly Williams (CIYT Level 2), and Marleen Hunt (CIYT Level 1) |
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Inner Life Yoga Studio in Morgantown, West Virginia, currently has 3 certified Iyengar teachers, Siegfried Bleher, Marleen Hunt, and Kimberly Williams. We have been in business since 1996. We are the only yoga studio based on the teachings of B.K.S. Iyengar in Morgantown and in the state. We offer classes to all levels and adults of all ages. Siegfried has mentored a number of teachers and helped them prepare for the Iyengar certification exams. Kimberly has done research on the effect of Iyengar yoga on chronic low back pain and published the results in scientific journals. The majority of our classes now are hybrid with students online and in the classroom. We have two rooms both with wall ropes and all the equipment used for the therapeutic application of Iyengar yoga. We are looking for other certified Iyengar teachers to join us with the option to purchase the studio at some point.
Find Siegfried, Marleen, and Kimberly @:
Facebook: Inner Life Yoga Studio
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Jan LeFrancois (CIYT Level 2) |
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I teach classes out of my home studio in Spartanburg, South Carolina, affectionately named Iyengar Yoga Spartanburg, and at Converse University where I am an associate professor of psychology. I am very fortunate that Converse approved my proposal to add Iyengar yoga to the curriculum there 20 years ago. Since then, I have taught courses including beginning yoga, yoga and stress management, and women's wellbeing and yoga, among others.
When I started teaching yoga about 25 years ago, my guiding principle was to help students find peace, or now I might liken it to sutra 1.2 yogascittavrttinirodhah. I personally came to yoga from a place of stress, exhaustion, and anxiety, and yoga brought me a sense of peace. I wanted to share this with others through teaching yoga. But as Abhijata taught recently, there is a lot of work that must go on behind the scenes to create true peace. And sure enough, though it is definitely a work in progress, I have found that there is no substitute for the work of asana, pranayama, study of yoga philosophy and the awareness that this brings in order to get to peacefulness. To me, Iyengar yoga is the most careful and thorough guide for the work that must go on behind the scenes to create peace. It’s fascinating, and I strive to practice and teach it well so that hopefully my students will benefit.
Find Jan@:
Facebook: Janet Marie Reames LeFrancois (ha, sorry for the lengthiness!)
Instagram: @janlefrancois
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Spotlight on Community Outreach |
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Gabe Pickard, IYASE Community Outreach Grant Recipient
I was lucky enough to be the recipient of the Community Outreach Grant Program which is dedicated to bringing Iyengar Yoga to a wider student base. The money has helped to buy props and assists people in paying for transportation to and from a weekly, General Level Iyengar Yoga class. The classes are offered and/or introduced to people who may not have had affordable or accessible Iyengar Yoga classes.
I teach at The Weaverville Center For Creative and Healthy Living in Weaverville, NC. Each participant has a mat, a strap, blocks, 2-3 blankets, and a bolster thanks to this grant! The money from this grant award has helped me to increase the exposure and accessibility of Iyengar Yoga.
The grant has allowed me to reach a greater number of people and help to shape a greater sense of community and we can all come together to help transform our little 's' selves into greater and more profound big 'S' selves through this practice of Iyengar Yoga.
Find the Weaverville Community Center @:
Phone: 828-658-5816
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Our November newsletter will feature Tennessee! Please send information and photos about classes, yoga, and life in Tennessee.
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Yoga Sutras in a Nutshell
An Introduction to Pada II
Prepared by Mariso de Colsa, CIYT Level 2, IYASE Continuing Education
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"Yoga Sutras in a Nutshell - Part 2" is a summary containing the main Sanskrit terms and the most important sutras from this pada, which should be useful for teachers in training or for anyone interested in understanding the Yoga Sutras.
The first pada (chapter), Samadhi Pada, introduced in the last newsletter, describes Yoga and its end goal (samadhi), consciousness, the vrttis (fluctuations of the mind), and some of the ways to restrain the vrttis. We learned what an established practice of yoga is and how to attain it: abhyasa and vairagya (practice and detachment). (In case you missed it, you can find the Yoga Sutras in a Nutshell - Part 1 here.)
The second pada, Sadhana Pada, goes deeper into describing the practice of yoga. (Sadhana means discipline or practice.) This pada introduces kriya-yoga (the yoga of action) and its effects. It discusses the klesas (afflictions) and the eight limbs of yoga through which one may attain liberation.
These documents are published and at your disposal anytime at IYASE.org, under the Resources-Philosophy menu.
Find Mariso @:
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Upcoming Workshops and Events |
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IYASE Free-to-Members
All-Levels Zoom Classes
IYASE continues to offer monthly Free-to-Members All-Levels classes via Zoom, taught by some of our own Level 1 teachers. Registration is required to receive the Zoom link and recording link. The link for registration will be sent via email and posted on social media approximately a week before the class.
Upcoming Classes:
October 27 @ 5:30-6:30pm ET - Polina Michenko
November 17 @ 6:30-7:30 ET - Rosa Mendoza
December 29 @ TBD - Jerry Farmer
We hope to see you there!
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IYASE Free-to-Members
Sunday Sadhana Philosophy Series
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Join us Sundays in November for a Zoom philosophy series led by some of our own Level 2 teachers. Registration information should be available in mid- to late October. Recordings will be available following each event.
November 6 @ 4pm ET:
Susan Friedman - "Embodying the Gita in your Yoga Practice"
November 13 @ TBD:
Janet LeFrancois - "Exploring Nirodha in Philosophy and Asana"
November 20 @ 9:30am ET:
Randy Loftis - "What is Yoga?"
***More details to come soon.***
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Saturday, October 1, 2022
9:00-11:00 am
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This workshop focuses on Padmasana and the variations of the level 2 syllabus. Workshop is taught as hybrid.
In-Person: YogaCity, Bäckerstrasse 408004 Zurich

Email Address:
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Upanishads Discussion Group |
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Tuesday, October 4, 2022
1:15 PM 2:30 PM
Date: TUESDAYS, OCTOBER 4, NOVEMBER 8, DECEMBER 6
When: 1:15-2:30PM EASTERN
With: Doerthe Braun, Nazli Weiss, Sarah Hull
Cost: FREE
Location: ONLINE
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Join us to meet the seekers of wisdom like Nachiketa, Narada, Maitraiyi, Janaka and others
In our study group we will read 15 Upanishads, one a month with a concurrent blog that will highlight the knowledge of each Upanishad that we read that month. For more information and preparation and to register go to below link.
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iYoga Delray Beach 
Mentor Immersion Program - Teacher Training - Colleen Gallagher
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Starting Saturday/Sunday, October 15/16, 2022, Saturday 2-4pm, Sunday 9-11am and 1-3pm.
Attend in person or on Zoom. This series of workshops will help you deepen your practice.
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Yoga Gems for Women’s Health |
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Address: YOGA THAT, 763 W. 41st Street Suite C, Miami Beach, Florida 33140
Phone: (917) 655-6447
Level: All levels
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Pom Cayeiro is a certified Level 3 Senior Iyengar Yoga Teacher. She graduated with a degree in Physical Therapy in her native country, Thailand. In 2007 she moved to Miami and started teaching yoga. She was trained at the Yoga Vidya Gurukul (Nasik, India ) and then travelled to Pune three times to study at the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute (RIMYI). It’s there where she found her passion to help others with the traditional Iyengar Yoga method. Her mentors and teachers are Dean and Rebecca Lerner, James Murphy, Lois Steinberg, and Colleen Gallagher. |
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Click the button below to email the details of your workshop
if you would like to be listed in the next newsletter.
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Call For Photos and Videos of Iyengar gatherings |
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Help us build our IYASE community and share images, audio, articles and video clips that you may have of events, workshops or other Iyengar gatherings. We are building an IYASE Archive so we can continue to share and enjoy those memories with our members and for the promotion of the legacy of BKS Iyengar.
Please make sure when submitting content that you own the copyright to the content. You can submit your items by clicking the button below.
Thank You and Namaskar,
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Yoga and Equity Information |
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The Yoga and Equity Regional Leaders Forum is a valuable opportunity to share information about DEIJ efforts taking place within the regions, talk about developing and implementing DEIJ programs, and learn how the Yoga and Equity Committee can support those efforts. Meetings are held quarterly.
If you're interested in learning more or attending the next meeting, please reach out to Theresa St.John-Siegel at tmstsiegel@gmail.com.
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