Denise Mehlman - Iyengar Yoga Teacher

17/04/2026

Inversions are powerful tools for resetting the mind and invigorating the body. They influence not only our energy levels, but also support hormonal balance and soothe the nervous system.

Here is an accessible, supported way to experience Salamba Sarvangasana (Shoulderstand) using a bolster and wall ropes. The ropes help you feel light, stable, and secure, while the bolster supports the chest so the heart can open and the breath can flow with ease.

With less effort in the legs and shoulders, the brain can quieten more quickly. The pose becomes less about “holding” and more about being. It is a perfect way to stay longer, observe more, and let the effects deepen.

Expect a gentle refresh, like turning your world upside down in the best possible way. A new perspective, a calmer mind, and a lighter body.

Give it a try, and enjoy the shift.

Namaste

17/04/2026

The eye is drawn to the raised leg.
That is where attention goes.
But that is not where the pose is organized.

In Supta Padangusthasana,
the structure begins with the leg on the ground.

The femur of the grounded leg must press
downward and backward—
in the opposite direction of the lifted leg.

This counter-action is what integrates the pose.
Without it, the work becomes isolated.

The raised leg stretches.
The rest of the body remains uninvolved.
The belt does not exist to pull the leg closer.

It exists to reveal
whether both sides of the body are participating.

When the grounded leg is understood,
the need to “reach” disappears.

The pose is no longer something you do—
it becomes something you observe.

💬 Where does your attention go first and what does it leave out?
💬 Comment “BALANCE” if you felt this in your practice.
📍 Come practise with us - Discover the depth hidden in simple poses.

06/04/2026

Leo practicing yoga today ⭐️

16/03/2026

A variation of Adho mukha svanasana using the chair and the wall Highwood Village Hall

22/02/2026

🌿 Iyengar Yoga Workshop with Susan Long 🌿

Susan Long is teaching a workshop to mark her entry into ashrama (the fourth stage of life). Open to all levels – whether you’re new to yoga or have years of practice, this workshop is for you!

📅 Date: Saturday 7 March
🕙 Time: 10:00 – 15:30
📍 Location: Highwood Village Hall
💷 Fee: £50 (please contact Susan if the fee is difficult – no one should miss out for financial reasons)

To book, email Susan (susan@iyce.com) with:
• Your name
• Phone number
• How long you’ve practised Iyengar Yoga
• Any health considerations
• Emergency contact

💳 Payment: Cash or cheque on the day (payable to Susan Long)

🧘‍♀️✨

13/02/2026

Yoga practice with the chair 🪑 🤸‍♀️

02/02/2026

Nigella Lawson has been officially announced as the new judge of The Great British Bake Off. in an interview with , she talks about over the years, exercise has helped the 66-year-old maintain her health and wellbeing. ‘I do yoga three times a week,’ she told Good Housekeeping. ‘I have to do something I enjoy, otherwise I wouldn’t do it. The older I get, the more I realise I have got to do lots of stretching. So even if I’m not doing yoga, I make myself do lots of stretching.’

Nigella favours Iyengar yoga, that highlights precision and correct positioning when performing postures, often using props like blocks and belts as support. For her, fitness is as much about overall wellbeing as it is about physical results.

‘As you get on in life, you value feeling well as opposed to looking well,’ she’s said

“Yoga certainly makes you feel great, and you want to carry on feeling great.”

James Gourley//Getty Images

https://www.womenshealthmag.com/uk/fitness/yoga/a70152660/nigella-lawson-66-fitness/

31/12/2025

The mat is ready and waiting to see what 2026 will bring ! Classes start back from Monday 5th January

31/12/2025

28/12/2025

Yoga retreat Dalyan reunion . A fab day of yoga , good food and good company. Next retreat in September 2026 🧘🏼‍♀️🧘🧘‍♂️

17/12/2025

Reposted due to wrongly attributed quote - thanks Holly for the heads up!

In yesterday’s Q&A with Abhijata Iyengar, she talked about the enormous contribution that her aunt and “big mother”, Geeta Iyengar, had made to yoga. “Without her,” she said, “most of us would not be sitting together in this hall today. She was a phenomenal person.”

Geeta is quoted as saying:

"In an asana, the mind has to reach inside the body to find a quiet space until a point comes where perfect balance is felt. If the mind is wandering while practicing, then one is not fully present, and there can be no union. Involvement, interpenetration and insight are the required qualities for the practitioner." ~Geeta Iyengar~

(Beautiful photo by )