Somerset Yoga

The world’s most widely practised method of yoga is that taught by Yogacharya BKS Iyengar of Pune, India. He has studied and practised yoga continuously for over 70 years and taught in all five continents gaining worldwide respect and recognition for his achievements. He is credited with having demystified and systemised the yoga postures that most in the world know today, making it accessible and relevant to people everywhere. He was credited by Fortune magazine as being one of the 100 most influential people in the world in the 20th century.

BKS Iyengar did not call his method 'Iyengar', however to maintain the high standards he has taught, his senior teachers named the system Iyengar® Yoga, set up institutes around the world and registered the certification mark to ensure that students can be sure that a particular teacher is qualified.

Teachers of Iyengar® method must be fully qualified and certificated by Iyengar’s Institute of Pune, India and also bear the Certification Mark. All Iyengar® Yoga teachers are experienced practitioners of yoga who have successfully completed rigorous assessments of their own practice and teaching.

Only Iyengar® Yoga teachers teach the Iyengar® Yoga perfected by BKS Iyengar; they do not mix the Iyengar® Yoga method with other forms. That means that students can be sure of safe teaching.

Iyengar® Yoga pupils are taken through a carefully graded and systematic programme of asana (postures) with Pranayama (breath control) being more gradually learned.