Zoë Reason

Zoë began practising Iyengar yoga in 1990 and has been teaching since 2005. She has a background in theatre directing and in group facilitation. She is qualified to teach Yoga at Introductory Level by the Iyengar Yoga Association (UK). Yoga has been at the heart of her life for ten years and she is absurdly grateful for the changes it has wrought in her and her circumstances. She is committed to passing on what she has been taught. Her teaching is characterised by her compassion, intelligence and energy.

She teaches Yoga classes in South East London and runs yoga holidays in Greece. She works with individuals and with groups. She has specialised in teaching yoga for “Plus Size” bodies. She also teaches Yoga in organisations.

Her teachers are Wendy McGuire and Judith Jones. Both Wendy and Judith are regular visitors to the Ramamani Institute in Pune. Zoë also regularly works with Swati and Rajiv Chanchani at their Yoga centre in the foothills of the Himalayas. The Chanchanis are senior Iyengar Yoga teachers who have worked extensively with the Iyengar family. They are authors of “Yoga for Children”. For more information about them and their centre please visit:

Rajiv and Swati Chanchani: www. yog-ganga.com

About Yoga

Yoga is one of the oldest systems of personal development in the world. This system of balancing the body, mind and spirit was formulated by ancient yogis, who understood the essential nature of human beings and realised a way to utilise all of a person’s inner resources to live in harmony with oneself and the environment.

Yoga is encapsulated in a set of aphorisms collated and organised by Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras. Patanjali lived about 1700 years ago, in India. He is credited with collating and writing the first records of Yoga, Ayurvedic Medicine and Sanskrit Grammar. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali consist of just 196 sutras (aphorisms) which cover all aspects of life and are still powerfully relevant.

Practising Yoga helps you overcome and prevent many stresses, strains, aches and pains. It promotes a firm foundation for health and well-being.

The word Yoga derives from the Sanskrit, meaning to bind, to join, as well as union or communion. It has the same root as the english word yoke. The union referred to is the union between one’s true self and the universal (being “at one with the world”), and also to a joining between one’s body, one’s thinking and one’s soul.

Pupils learn through a carefully graded and systematic programme of asana (posture). Pranayama (breath control) is gradually introduced once students have a firm foundation of yoga practise. Yoga practise both relaxes and energizes the body and mind and brings vitality, flexibility, strength, concentration, self-confidence and mental calm.

About Iyengar Yoga

What we refer to as “Iyengar Yoga” is a Yoga practice based on the teachings of Sri B.K.S. Iyengar. However, Mr Iyengar himself says that there is no such thing as “Iyengar Yoga” – its just yoga.

B.K.S. Iyengar, born on December 14, 1918, in Bellur, India, has studied and practised Yoga continuously for over 70 years.

Mr Iyengar has made a thorough study and understanding of Yoga, he has taught in all five continents, won worldwide respect and recognition for his achievements. His project has been to make Yoga accessible and relevant to people everywhere, no matter what their physical or mental ability.

Now in his eighties he continues to practise, teach and write, holding classes for both regular students and for teachers. He is based at and runs the Ramamani Memorial Iyengar Yoga Institute in Pune, India, where his daughter Smt. Geeta and son Sri Prashant Iyengar are also directors.

B.K.S. Iyengar has evolved precise posture (asana) and breathing (pranayama) techniques with a firm philosophical base in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.

The system of teaching is methodical and progressive, emphasising detailed correctness and absolute safety. When necessary, it uses supports called “props” that allow students to progress in their practice of postures safely at their own pace, to suit their body. Beginners work in a basic way on simple postures according to their capabilities. As they develop they then move on to more refined ways of working as well as to more complex postures.

For more information about the Sage Patanjali, and to hear a recording of B.K.S. Iyengar singing the invocation to Patanjali, please go to:

Invocation to Patanjali: www.bksiyengar.com

Who is yoga suitable for?

Yoga is appropriate for everyone. All ages, shapes, sizes and levels of fitness can benefit from practising yoga.

However, there are certain conditions which might be more safely taught in a medical class. If you suffer from any of the following conditions please call Zoë Reason in advance to discuss this – it won’t necessarily mean you can’t attend a class but some poses may have to be modified.

• Hypertension (high blood pressure)
• Heart disease (angina)
• Heart attack
• Epilepsy (minor/major)
• Diabetes
• Cancer
• Detached retina
• Menière’s disease
• Multiple sclerosis
• ME (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis)
• HIV / AIDS
• Asthma
• Allergies
• Varicose veins
• Nose bleeds
• Have you had a baby in the last 12 months?
• Knee problems
• Back problems
• Neck or shoulder problems
• Hip problems
• Ankle problems

In addition, if you are (or think you might be) pregnant please discuss this immediately with the teacher.

What do I need to know before coming to a class?

• Do wear comfortable clothes – preferably something that lets the teacher see your knees (leggings and shorts are ugly but ideal!)

• Do be prepared to work in bare feet

• Do let the teacher know at the beginning of a class if you have a period, a cold, backache or are feeling under the weather for any reason

• Don’t eat before you come to a class – leave 2 hours after a snack and 4 hours after a full meal

• Please don’t wear perfume or strongly scented deodorant to class

• Please do be on time for a class

AND FINALLY . . . if you have any questions – please ASK!