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2026 Three Day Iyengar Yoga Retreat

16/4/2025

 
3 Day Iyengar Yoga Retreat in the beautiful surroundings of Hawkshead, Lake District, 11-12th April 2026

To book or for more info contact Kate

2025 Retreat Review

26/3/2025

 
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“It was a truly fabulous weekend of yoga. I really enjoyed the whole experience, great location, great company and fantastic yoga with a great teacher. We are so lucky to know Kate” RM
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Yoga as a Tool for Mental, Emotional and Physical Re-balance

24/3/2025

 
“Yoga can give you freedom that you didn't think was possible. “ bks. Iyengar

Yoga works on the physical self by stretching and opening it in a way that relieves the tightness, the resistance, the tension and the pain that has built up over time. Resistance, tension and pain occurs because of how your body has been reacted to the environment around you.

These can be small reactions compounded over time, or from one big event that caused injury or physical trauma. The reaction is often a method of self protection, tissues sensitize around an area. This leads to physical habits that we aren’t aware of, cause us discomfort, don’t serve us and which we don’t necessarily need to hold onto. 

The exact same is true for the psychological self.  
Resistance, tension and stress  occur because of how your mind has been reacted to the environment around you.  These can be small reactions (Frustrations/worries )  compounded over time, or  from one big event that caused emotional/ mental trauma. The reaction is often a method of self protection, emotions sensitize around an issue. This leads to mental-emotional patterns that we aren’t aware of, cause us discomfort, don’t serve us and which we don’t need to hold onto. 

“Yoga teachers us to cure what need not be endured, and endure what cannot be cured” BKS Iyengar.

Yoga postures stretch and open us in a way that allows us to relax and release, both physically and psychologically.  Unblocking energies in our bodies, congestion in our tissues and fixations in our thoughts. 
 
Yoga develops a greater self awareness.  We begin to recognise our physical habits: eg. That you collapse the inner arch of the left foot, or that your head often tilts to the right or that your left quad over compensates for an inactive left glute.  Once we know these things, we can start to do something about them, work with them to rebalance the body so that we feel more comfortable and aligned.

It’s the same for mental patterns eg. you may realise you often look around and judge yourself on how the person next to you is doing, or that you often start thinking about what’s happening after class during the class, or that you prefer a certain place in the room and feel frustrated if someone gets there first. Once we recognise these mental habits, we can start to do something about them, work on them to rebalance the mind so that we feel more comfortable and aligned.

When practicing yoga try to become a non judgmental observer.  Treat the session as an exciting opportunity to investigate and better know yourself by observing the effect on the pose on your body mind and emotions. And observe with kindness and curiosity never criticism or judgement.

2024 Retreat Review

1/11/2024

 
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“You helped me so much in just 2 days, and left me with so many things to think about going forward in my yoga practice. Your extensive knowledge and care for all of us was so apparent throughout the weekend and was much appreciated. You are a fantastic teacher” LP
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An Introduction to Yoga Philosophy Course

27/9/2023

 
To access these lessons request a password here (Lessons 1 to 8 are below) 
  • Lesson 1- Eight Branched System
  • Lesson 2 - The Three Part Mind
  • Lesson 3 - The Yamas
  • Lesson 4 - The Niyamas
  • Lesson 5 - The Asanas
  • Lesson 6 - Pranayama (Breath) & Pratyahara (Senses)
  • Lesson 7 - The Mental Practices of Yoga - Branches 6,7 & 8​
  • Lesson 8 - Bringing it all Together

Yoga Philosophy - Blog One

15/9/2023

 
This blog post is an introduction into Yoga philosophy, if you're interested in finding out more, click here for my free yoga philosophy beginners course.   Regardless of whether you fully invest in the ideas or not I hope you find them enjoyable and interesting. 
Namaste.

 
In the West when we say we are going to a Yoga class, we really mean we are going to a “Yoga-asana” class.
 
Asana means pose or seat, in Sanskrit. The names of the poses we do, all end in Asana, eg. ‘Tadasana’ is mountain pose because Tad means mountain and Asana means pose.
 
The asanas are the yoga poses & postures that improve the wellness of the body and mind, so we can experience life at a higher state of awareness and clarity.

Our experience of the world depends entire upon the state of our nervous system, the asanas stabilise and revitalise the nervous system, strengthen and open the body, whilst settling the mind.
 
There are many different schools of asana practice.
 
I am an Iyengar Yogasana teacher because I’m trained in the method that was created and taught by BKS Iyengar and his family, who continue to teach & develop this method in Pune, India.
 
However, the Asanas are just one ‘branch’ of a larger ‘8-branched-system’, that is traditionally known as Astanga Yoga.*
 
You can just practice the branch of the asanas, and feel much better for it. 
 
However, “If you do just stick to one branch, then it is like buying an 8-step ladder only using the first step, then thinking ‘Oh this is good, I’ll stop right here’.”**
 
This 8-branched-system is known as  Astanga Yoga**  because “Asta” in Sanskrit means 8
 
The 8 parts are:

  • Yamas
How you treat everything around you in everyday life. Your moral discipline

  • Niyama
How you treat yourself in everyday life. Your personal discipline
  • Asanas
Yoga Poses. Your physical discipline
  • Pranayama
Breath work. Your discipline of your breath
  • Pratyahara
Practices where we withdraw the senses. Discipline of your senses
  • Dharana
Concentration - Discipline of your mental fluctuations. 
  • Dhyana
Meditation - Transformation of the mind 
  • Samadi
Full absorption - Achieved at the peak of meditation
 
‘Yoga is an 8 branch system that allows us to move from our ‘over-identification’ with our changing body and fluctuating mind, and ‘re-identify’ with what we truly are.’
 
The concept of what we truly are, is that we are something much bigger, and better, than our body, mind, emotions, thoughts, memories, roles we play, and the possessions we own. 
These are false identities. We will explore this more in blog 2.

  • Astanga Yoga is also called Hatha Yoga and Raja Yoga. Furthermore, it’s worth knowing that traditionally  there were 4 paths to Yoga and the 8 branched path of Astanga Yoga was just one of them, the other 3 paths were Jnana Yoga, Karma Yoga and Bhakti Yoga. The goal of each was the same but the actions of attainment different.
 
** Quote from Jackie Pascal, A  US based yoga teacher.
 
***Astanga yoga is also the name of a type of asana practice. Its full name is Astanga-vinyasana. This was an asana practice developed by a contemporary of BKS Iyengar yogi called Pattabhi Jois and this is not the Astanga Yoga that I’m referring to in the above.

This is lesson one of a free yoga  philosophy course,  click here for the full Introduction to Yoga Philosophy course.  ​

Yoga Philosophy - Blog Eight

13/9/2023

 
The introduction to Yoga Philosophy course separated out the 8 different branches of ashtanga yoga for deeper consideration. 
​
Now let's link them back together again and view yoga as a holistic system through the lens of the branch we practise in Iyengar Yoga, the Yoga Asanas (branch 3) 

Yoga is self-study, (self-study remember is Svadhyaya, one of the Niyamas, branch 2) In Asanas we observe our physical bodies. We do an action, then we observe the reaction. For example, if we grip our outer hip sockets in, we feel an internal lift at the groins. A beginner may not be able to feel or understand this action, so may just start by learning where their outer hip sockets are. 

As we advance in our yoga practice, we become more knowledgeable, more awake, more sensitive, and more conscious to our physical bodies and unconscious habits.  We experience the poses acting on our bodies at a deeper level, on the muscles, bones, tissues, our internal functioning, and at an energetic level. The Asanas are deeply therapeutic.  

As we advance, over the months and years, we develop a deeper level of awareness with ourselves, a deeper level of self-study. We don't necessarily become more ambitious or advanced in the types of poses we practice; we accept that a younger body will be able to do more than an older body. We will undoubtedly develop strength, stability, and flexibility, but this isn't the goal. Rather these are the necessary tools we need in order to achieve the goal.  The goal is deep awareness, deep self-study.

We need to build the stability and stamina in the body because the longer we can hold a pose without strain, the longer we can observe ourselves at a more subtle level & learn. 

As a beginner, we may be able to hold a pose for 30 seconds before the body becomes unstable. As the body starts to fade and strain, the mind becomes unsettled. Once the breath becomes ragged and we start pushing it stops being Yoga. But as we advance in our practice, we might be able to hold a pose for up to 8 minutes, giving us much more time to observe the reactions in the body, the sensations in the body, what comes up in the mind and how the mind responds. 

Similarly, the mind of a beginner can be unrefined, impatient, scattered, distracted, or aggressive. We can't hold focus for long. We start thinking about what’s happening after class, or how long we have to hold the pose, or we start pushing with our ego trying to force our head to our shin, or copying our neighbour rather than responding to your own body. 

In the final pose of savasana (a form of pratyahara, and dharana - branches 5 and 6) it may feel impossible for a beginners to be still for more than 1 min. Its understandable if total beginners lie there thinking about distractions, rather than observing themselves and staying present. They may get bored, impatient or fall asleep. Advanced yogis can stay in savanasana for 10 -15 minutes in a state of relaxed concentration, completely present and aware but passive and relaxed. 
As our sensitivity and ability to rigorously observe ourselves develops it is important we remember the yamas and the niyamas ( values and behaviours, branches 1 &2 ) that must underpin HOW we do our Asanas, (poses, branch 3) & pranayama (breath work, branch 4). 

We should strive to follow the following Yamas and Niyamas in our practice: 

  • Non attachment (Aparigraha), we engage in Asana work as a practice of deep self study in a non judgemental way. We observe, and are deeply aware of, our physical self, but we do not judge it as good or bad. We do not attach to our bodies and asana practice and compare things to others, or how we were a year ago, we don't feel proud or frustrated depending on how “good” we think we are performing. To think like this is a limiting state of mind. 
  • Non-violence (Ahimsa) or aggression, so we should not force the body or breath, or get frustrated with ourselves or with our practice, nor have negative feelings towards ourselves. 
  • Truthfulness, (Satya) be honest about our needs, take what props and modifications we need, be wise, look after our needs and don’t let the ego take over. 
  • Non-grasping, (another translation for Aparigraha) don't look ahead eager for the final pose (an imagined destination), rather engage fully & be present with each step on the journey.   The journey is when the learning,  evolving and Yoga is happening. 
  • Commitment, Discipline (Tapas) embrace that nothing is instant, change needs longterm physical and mental patience & commitment. 
  • Contentment, (Santosha) foster a sense of peace and gratitude for everything we can do and are doing. Let us be gracious with our limitations, and grateful for the teachers that have inspired us and brought us to where we are now. 
  • Pranayama (breath work, branch 4) works at an ever stiller more subtle level of energy and awareness than the Asanas (poses, branch 3) and so requires the student to have a deeper mental and physical sensitivity and stability. That is why in Iyengar Yoga students are required to have developed a good asana practice before a pranayama practice is introduced.  

Namaste Kate 

This is lesson 8 of a free yoga  philosophy course,  click here for the full free Introduction to Yoga Philosophy course.  
​​

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Coming Soon - Tuesday Classes

7/9/2023

 
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New class starting November - small group yoga at the beautiful Soulands Studio
Tuesdays 10.50am-11.50am
Only 8 place available

Register interest now via [email protected]

Friday Class - Winter 2023 Block

25/7/2023

 
Fridays 11.45-12.45
Starting 3rd November

A 7 week block of  Iyengar Yoga classes (60 minutes) , suitable for all. 
  • Pre booking essential. Contact [email protected] to book  
  • Participants are asked to bring their own yoga mat and a blanket/towel to class( basic sticky yoga specific mats are available for purchase at Yogamatters.com) 
  • Drop in spaces are available for existing students, new students are asked to attend the entire block, in order to learn the fundamentals
  • £7 drop in 60 minute class or £48 for the 7 week block

Friday Class - Autumn 2023 Block

25/7/2023

 
Fridays 11.45-12.45
8th September until 6th October 2023
Stainton Village Hall 
 
A 5 week block of  Iyengar Yoga classes (60 minutes) , suitable for all. 
  • Pre booking essential. Contact [email protected] to book 
  • Participants are asked to bring their own yoga mat and a blanket/towel to class( basic sticky yoga specific mats are available for purchase at Yogamatters.com) 
  • Drop in spaces are available for existing students, new students are asked to attend the entire block, in order to learn the fundamentals. 
  • £7 drop in 60 minute class or £36 for the 5 week block
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