Art of Yoga

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How can Iyengar Yoga help you?

Yoga is first and foremost a spiritual path. However, people often come to it for a variety of practical reasons: insomnia, aching backs, stiff legs, anxiety. In the process of curing these issues they experience the transformative power of yoga which brings a sense of profound well-being.

Yoga works every fibre of the body; the joints, organs, glands, circulation, skin and nerves. It promotes strength, suppleness and vitality.

As well as a sense of internal harmony and well-being, it reduces stress and increases energy levels and powers of concentration.

Yoga can be adapted for all ages and levels of fitness and health to obtain maximum benefit from the asanas according to their needs.

What is Iyengar Yoga?

B.K.S. Iyengar was named by Time magazine as “one of the 100 most influential people in the world,” and is widely regarded as the foremost living yoga teacher. His approach develops self-awareness through precision in alignment and movement and attention to the subtle relationship between body, breath, mind, and spirit.

Iyengar’s thorough study, understanding and mastery of yoga are unrivalled in modern times. Having taught in five continents, he has won worldwide respect and recognition for his achievements and has made Yoga accessible and relevant to people everywhere, no matter what their physical or mental ability.

Mr Iyengar in his life time set the highest standards for his teachers and students while his textbooks on yoga have become classics. His family and senior teachers still keep his teaching alive in the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute in Pune, India, where his daughter Smt. Geeta and son Sri Prashant Iyengar are also directors. There are over 2200 qualified Iyengar yoga teachers in the world in over 40 countries with over 180 Iyengar yoga associations worldwide.

About Lorraine

Lorraine started Iyengar yoga at the age of 16 and first studied with BKS Iyengar in 1986, the same year as she qualified as an Iyengar yoga teacher. Lorraine is fully insured and qualified to Senior Level One.

Based in London, she teaches yoga to people from many different walks of life, including school children, the Metropolitan police and other yoga teachers.

Lorraine’s teaching manner is warm and inspiring. Her instruction is the culmination of 25 years experience, she is detailed and precise whilst being positive and patient at all times. Lorraine has studied with BKS Iyengar and his family, both in England and India. She finds the Iyengars’ approach to yoga unequalled in its depth, refinement and subtlety

Dalston Studio (Hackney)

These Yoga classes take place in a loft-style studio in the heart of Dalston, Hackney. The studio is fully-equipped studio with a double-height ceiling and underfloor heating. In the summer months there is the option to do the class inside or outside on the shaded roof terrace; the class is taught from the central divide. Classes are relatively small so all levels can be accommodated easily.

View the Calendar Beginner Classes Intermediate Classes Thursday Morning Classes Weekend Workshops

Yoga Holidays

Bali

Sayan

Cyprus

Larnaca

Sri Lanka

Ulpotha

Maldives

Landaa Giraavaru

Greece

Hydra

Cyprus

Karpasia

Lorraine is the best teacher I’ve ever had. Somehow she manages to get you to ask more of yourself, and not in a pushy way. The ‘spiritual focus’ is hard to define but the emphasis on wholeness and wellness is ever-present. She’s warm, funny and wise. I can’t recommend her highly enough.

Liz Wilhide, Writer

During the last few years I have moved out of London, had some very sad losses in my family and had a baby! Lorraine’s teaching and guidance have made it possible for me to cope and thrive in this busy time.

Lorraine’s teaching stands out for her incredible expertise, authority and professionalism but also because she engages with every student as in individual. The classes and instruction are carefully tailored for the needs of the group and the individual students. Even online I feel individually guided and supported by Lorraine. Before meeting Lorraine, I had attended yoga classes for many years and had been on yoga holidays and retreats with experienced and wonderful teachers from a variety of different schools of yoga. Over the past 6 years studying with Lorraine I have made more progress with my yoga practice than ever before and have established a regular meditation practice. I am really grateful to Lorraine and can’t recommend her classes highly enough.

Harriet McCulloch, Lawyer

Regardless of how you learn, Lorraine will help you connect to Iyengar yoga in an exacting yet accessible way. She is proof that high standards and empathy are not mutually exclusive.

Louise Southcott, MD

For years I had back problems. For years I had been in and out of physiotherapy. For years I had been going to the gym. But for every two steps forward I would take three steps back.

Then my problems became much worse and I developed radiculitis caused by a pro-lapsed disc. More physiotherapy and a lumbar epidural followed and, just when I thought all of this had finally worked, I pulled my calf muscle.

‘Have you tried yoga?’ asked my physiotherapist as she explained that this latest set-back was all part of the same thing.

I was lucky that she recommended Lorraine who took an interest in my symptoms, scans and recent treatment even before I met her for my first session. Lorraine then set about designing a remedial yoga programme for me.

I can honestly say, six months on, that Lorraine’s meticulous yoga programme has changed my life. Even after the first couple of sessions I felt better. I started to understand my body; the imbalances, my bad posture, the importance of breathing properly.

Don’t think yoga is easy, it’s not. That’s why it takes many years to perfect and novices like me benefit from experts like Lorraine. It’s also why I no longer go to the gym, turns out this was counter- productive in any case.

Richard Britton

I’m not your typical slender, lithe yoga type – more of a welsh mountain pony with the strong streak of stubbornness. But I have LOVED doing yoga with Lorraine. It’s hard, I sweat, a lot, and I often topple over but the sense of satisfaction is huge. And you can literally see yourself improving with every session. I move countries every few years so I’ve tried yoga with a variety of teachers. But having had classes with Lorraine has spoiled me and nothing else quite compares. It’s always Lorraine’s voice I hear inside my head when I’m taking other classes. Her way of explaining things just makes sense. Did you know you can quite literally “suck up your thigh bone”. I can now do a head stand in the middle of the room and a “bridge” without having to be literally held up. And, unheard of for me when it comes to physical exercise, I can’t wait to get back for the next class.

Jemima Gordon-Duff, Governance Adviser, Maputo

I first met Lorraine almost 14 years ago, prior to this, I had attended the odd yoga class in difference locations. After my first class with Lorraine, I was hooked. I had found a teacher and a style of yoga that really spoke to me. Since then, I have attended over 10 consecutive years of her yoga retreats and loved every minute.

Yoga, in particular Iyengar, affords me the space to undo the physical and mental knots that working in a stressful environment and in a fast paced city can often create. It’s always there and with it’s endless benefits.

I feel very lucky to have discovered Yoga and to have found Lorraine. She has a warm, informative and wise approach to her teaching and has been an inspiration in guiding me through all weathers of my yoga journey. One of her many skills is having the ability to work with a range of experiences with in the one class so you always feel that you benefit from individual attention to aid the development of your practice.

Lastly, her genuine warmth, compassion and sense of humour always make for an enthused class and attracts like minded students which have become friends over the years. Yoga, particularly Iyengar, has become very much part of my everyday life and central to my well being.

Jo Firmin, Occupational Therapist

Having only ever done one or two random yoga classes in my twenties and never particularly taken to it, my introduction to Iyengar yoga through Lorraine at Ulpotha – a magical retreat in the jungle in Sri Lanka – couldn’t have been better. I arrived tired, anxious, with aches and bad posture as a result of months of working too many hours and not getting any exercise. Lorraine promised she would fix me. I thought that was optimistic and that I’d be lucky if I could just switch off for a bit but she really did fix me!

Being the only one on the course to not actually practice yoga was a bit daunting but Lorraine made me feel completely included in the class by effortlessly tailoring bits of it for me and helping me through all the new and trickier asanas. That she managed to give classes to a group whose experience levels ranged so dramatically from zero (my case) to professionals whilst making everyone feel challenged and imparting new insights is a testament to her ability as a teacher and deep understanding of Iyengar yoga. I continue to attend Lorraine’s workshops in London as I am now totally convinced of its healing and strengthening effects.

Ulpotha provided me with the most perfect setting in which to start my journey with yoga practice and to re-energise. The daily yoga and swimming in the lake, the proximity to nature, the delicious organic and fresh vegetarian food, the Ayurvedic treatments as well as the company of warm and interesting people from all over the world – including the Ulpotha residents – made this the perfect retreat for the body and soul. It was just what I needed and I can’t wait to go back next year for a booster.

Davina Glen

I was fortunate enough in the winter of 2021 to be offered a place on the Iyengar Yoga (UK) / York St John University 10-week pilot study into restorative yoga for sufferers of Long Covid. As a March 2020 Longhauler, my spirit and body were both suffering from extreme fatigue and a lack of medical help, causing a profound lack of hope and agency. From the first online meeting with Lorraine and her superb team this all changed. The experience became a unique weekly oasis from feeling helpless and hopeless. The free sessions sculpting each individual participant’s needs was quality therapy beyond belief; their abilities to support, adjust, invent and deeply care about us all was wonderful. I have continued this year on Lorraine’s therapy class, which has helped me through the extra trauma of finding out this year that I also had Pernicious Anaemia and would mostly have to manage my own way through that journey too. Lorraine and team have been beside me all the way, and slow but profoundly encouraging progress has been maintained. Diet advice, breathwork and the tailored yoga positions have been a lifeline. And even enabled me to have enough strength to interact with my granddaughters as a relatively normal granny – and deal with the PEM afterwards! I cannot praise and thank them enough.

Judith Warner, Author

I was diagnosed with a herniated disc in August 2014 when I fell on my lower back whilst rushing down the stairs. The orthopedic surgeon I saw told me that this was an extremely serious injury, that I most likely needed a surgery and that I wouldn’t be able to undertake any further sports activities, such as skiing or dance. I was prescribed pain killers, Vitamin B. Eventually I was not able to move and had to lie in bed for 2 weeks and all of this just before my MA degree started in London.

Lorraine McConnon was recommended for 121 remedial yoga classes and I felt I had to try every option as the prognosis was so negative. I could barely move; my leg and my lower right hip were hurting a lot. Lorraine gave me a lot of homework and I began to do the exercises every single day, after the 4th session the pain disappeared almost completely. I also realized that although my pain had disappeared I still was very sensitive and had to maintain doing the yoga exercise on a regular basis. The lesson I have learned, thanks to Lorraine, is that through the disciplinary connection with one’s body and a good yoga plan, one can remove such serious injury.

Anni, age 23, student

Nowadays, the practice of Yoga is an integral part of my daily life. Even though I lead a very full life I always make the time to do a daily yoga practice. It improves everything else I do; it off-sets the stress of my demanding job, and enables me to be a devoted family man and lead a healthy and fulfilled life with a great sense of well-being. And more important, yoga has induced me to look inside, to be aware are the consequence of our own action. The discipline and patience in yoga practice has convinced me that we can reverse our imbalance and frustrations or, at least, learn how to bear then..

The reasons why I started Yoga have definitely evolved over the years. In the beginning it was different: slow, hard, difficult to focus … and this is where if it hadn’t been for Lorraine’s particular teaching approach I would have given up, without a doubt, because I tried other teachers in my first years.

Every day my yoga progresses, it becomes more enjoyable, and for some reason more natural. I always believe that I am just starting to scratch the surface of what Yoga is all about, and I want to discover more and more.

But, to have dropped Yoga in the beginning it would have been so easy…

I really feel I had the privilege of receiving Lorraine’s attention from day one! She was able to guide me according to every stage of my practice. Always, teaching with outstanding standards, and encouraging me to discover my own freedom.

Even though I don’t live in London anymore, I try my best to visit her every year. Her words simply connect, and her intuition is unique.
I have no words to thank her, for having introduced me to wonderful science and art of Iyengar Yoga.

David Ades, CFO

A friend suggested I try yoga after I had Covid19 on top of an asthma flare up. It was not a nice experience.. Episodes of intense breathless that felt like I was suffocating were intense and frightening.

By the time I contacting Lorraine, I’d tried a 10 minute stretching DVD but I only managed 5 mins. Less than 2 months post covid infection I still could hardly breath which was frightening. I was unable to go to work. As a Practice Nurse who specialises in asthma management I knew the full implications of my situation.

I spoke with Lorraine before the first session as i was mainly concerned as to how I was ever going to manage a 90 minutes class when I couldn’t do 5 minutes exercise. Lorraine asssured me I’d be fine and I joined her Monday 15:30 yoga therapy group. I did survive, in fact I flourished. We started very gently at first but I could feel my lungs getting air to places they previously hadn’t.

That was 10 months ago. I have a long way to go to reach my previous fitness levels but I have been genuinely amazed at my improvement. I particularly like the way Lorraine gets us into poses giving detailed instructions on Zoom and then tells you what the yoga pose is doing to the body whilst youre in the pose. Each week Lorraine checked in with us to see how we were and pitched the class accordingly; I never felt any pressure to go beyond what felt comfortable. Each week was adjusted to my energy levels and breathing ability.

I frequently mention yoga therapy to my colleagues and patients I see. I’ve even recommended it to the man who came out to fix my car!

In short, the physical impact of yoga therapy on the movement and flow of muscles, blood circulation, and the filtration systems of the body is incredible, not to mention the impact on my neurological system as my upper body becomes more mobile as free movement becomes more comfortable. It has given me a great sense of well-being as my confidence in my body has begun to return. I have also returned to work.

I highly recommend Yoga therapy to help you reach your full health potential.

Lorraine is simply fantastic.

Mary-Naomi Williams

Practice nurse specialising in asthma management

Mary-Naomi Williams

I have attended Lorraine’s yoga course in London over the past 3 months as a complete beginner. It would have been easy to drop out after a couple of classes given the pressures of everyday life. However something about Lorraine kept me coming back week after week.

Having reflected on what it is about Lorraine’s skillset, the best way to sum it up is that she is someone who is operating at the very top of her field. Her words connect, her intuition is unique and she is capable of deeply connecting in the same class with novices like myself and students with 10+ years yoga experience.

The key question to ask of a yoga instructor is whether he/she has the ability to connect with their students and fire them up so they want to enjoy a lifetime of yoga. Lorraine has that quality in abundance.

Jonathan Finn, Investment Banker, London