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Lakewood classes are held at the Lakewood United Church of Christ,
in the beautiful and spacious fellowship hall shown below.

What is yoga? Yoga is an ancient art, science and philosophy for the well-being of all mankind. Yoga can take many forms, from service to study to devotional chanting. The form best known in the west is Hatha Yoga in which physical postures and the breath are used to move the mind towards meditation. It is not a religion but a deeply spiritual practice that can be done by people of any religion or by those with no religion at all. Asanas, or physical postures are used to calm and quiet the mind and bring the body energy, health, and vibrancy.

Yoga in the Iyengar tradition B.K.S. Iyengar is a living yoga master, considered the world’s foremost authority on yoga. At age 84, he is still a regular practitioner and his work has influenced most other yoga systems taught in the west today. He believes yoga should be available to everyone, that it is not just Indian gymnastics, and has thus developed a method to allow access for all. He uses props to help attain poses which we may be unable to do otherwise, and to create a sense of ease and well-being even in the midst of working with challenging postures.

Mr. Iyengar is known for personalizing the asanas so that they are tailored to individual bodies and individual needs. Yoga in the tradition of B.K.S. Iyengar is considered the most anatomically correct because there is emphasis on proper alignment of the body with gravity. As the practice is developed, the poses are maintained for longer periods of time and this creates physiological well being and a connectedness with our own body and mind. Teachers in the Iyengar method use physical adjustments as well as words to access the actions and movements of poses, helping students to find the alignment that is correct for them.

Yoga in the Iyengar tradition has a firm foundation of beginning poses that culture the intelligence of the body. As the practice grows, there is a tremendous variety in how the poses are applied, working creatively with sequences to achieve desired effects. This creates a wisdom in the body/mind that balances and connects us with our essence, reducing stress and creating well-being.