Iyengar Yoga Institute

The studio is great, there are two large rooms with lots of light and a bunch of wall space. They have a big prop room with all your standard Iyengar paraphernalia.
I found the teachers very experienced and slightly less rigid than other Iyengar teachers I have ran into. Overall I think this is one of London’s best yoga studios.

I took Judy’s class last saturday at 10am. I had 4 years of Iyengar instruction from 2000 to 2004 from Eric Small and others, e.g. Julie Lawrence in Portland, Oregon during this time. Since then, i’ve had 5 years of experience doing Anusara, Viniyoga, Ashtanga and Vinyasa styles never forgetting my Iyengar roots which also helped me during my own 200 hour teacher training accredited by the Yoga Alliance.
Several of Judy’s comments made me feel denegrated and i’d never return to this studio again. She made negative comments putting down other poses or entry/​exit taught to me by other Iyengar teachers.
For example, in between standing poses coming to tadasana prior to bringing my hands to my sides i was taught to bring them into anjali mudra… i was told ‘please don’t pray in my class’. While sitting in Dandasana i was sitting on a blanket (such that physically it would be impossible for the backs of my knees to touch the floor). She insisted i’d never had any iyengar training and that i should not ever come to her class. I told her not to worry, i’d head back to Seattle on the next flight.
At the beginning of class the women said they’ve never had a man in their class, now i know why. I then went to a nearby café where most of the people in class sat at the table next to mine, including Judy, and ignored my ‘hello’. As an American who’s lived in London for a few months without many contacts here i realized i wouldn’t be making friends from this studio either… unlike other studios.
Her approach is the most unyogic i’ve ever experienced in 9 years of doing yoga. I then went to a BBQ with co-​workers where two people said they had similar experiences at the london iyengar institute and have never gone back; so at least i’m not alone.
In my opinion, if yoga is not taught from the heart, there’s really no purpose to it.

This is the mecca of Iyengar Yoga Institutes.
I was happy to have the privilege of attending a class here. The teachers are excellent and know what they’re doing.
The studio is warm and inviting. One of the best part of this place is finding it. Its like a treasure hunt with all the little hints along the way ;-)