Alan's first blog on his month of Iyengar Yoga in Pune, India

Cranleigh, England to Pune, India

Alan Cameron is part of Yogabody and teaches classes from time to time at Cranleigh Arts Centre. He lives in Cranleigh and is a long standing student of BKS Iyengar and a Yoga teacher. On Saturday he left for India, to spend a month doing Yoga at the Iyengar Yoga Institute in Pune. A dream come true for many. It may have been the early 1980's since he was there last.

Hot of the press- here is Alan's First Blog

We're now halfway through our first week at the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute, so we're beginning to develop our 'Indian legs' and of course our yoga postures .

Settling into a warm climate allows the body to stretch more readily of course. Even the challenges of lotus and other knee bending positions seem a little less daunting! The theme of the first few classes has been concerned with working deeply from inside, often using extended exhalations to increase that inner awareness and to reduce the resistance to new movement which is often present for most people.

There are approximately 60 people in each class, but the asana hall is set out to cope well with this number. Approximately half of any given class is made up of overseas visitors - instruction is frequently given in both English and Marathi, but quick fire instructions and differing accents can lead to confusion occasionally! The atmosphere is serious and demanding but punctuated by bursts of good humour. High energy levels and humility are needed in equal amounts most of the time. It feels a privilege for me to be able to be here again.