London Yoga Tour: Part I

Move over, Spice Girls. Yoga is now one of London's top attractions.

By Jenifer Otwell

Yoga was hip in Britain in the mid-'60s, along with Flower Power; B.K.S. Iyengar's regular summer visits to students' homes were a highlight for the more dedicated. Yoga then went underground for a while, tentatively re-emerged in the early '90s, and has been exploding into the mainstream during the last five years. Studios are opening all over London, and the British Wheel of Yoga, the governing body of yoga in Britain, has even become concerned about the need to provide enough qualified teachers for the influx of students. (Most British teacher-training programs take at least three years.)

The opening in February of Triyoga, the largest dedicated yoga center in Europe, heralded the beginning of a change in the face of yoga in London. All of the details of the building were minutely planned to enhance the practice of yoga. The modern stained glass windows (representing colors of the chakras) in the two spectacular yoga rooms infuse the classes with a warm, enveloping energy.

But it's not just the appearance of Triyoga that sets it apart. The center hosts 76 yoga classes a week, including Okido yoga—a Japanese form of yoga which contains elements of Zen and the martial arts—and a popular Yoga Club class on Saturday afternoon, for those who dig sounds with their Sun Salutations. Classes are complemented by a large team of therapists and a full Pilates schedule. The teachers, whose styles vary, are some of the best in the country.

Simon Low, one of the founders and the director of yoga and health practices at Triyoga, studied in California with Dr. Larry Payne, and began teaching yoga in America before returning to his native England. When Low returned to London 10 years ago, he found class sizes smaller than in the United States, and teachers harder to find. Since then, the yoga community has flourished, and classes are filling up. "Until now students haven't had the opportunity to enjoy big classes in London. In New York and California studios, it's not uncommon to practice with 60 to 70 others—and this can be a very empowering experience," says Low.

During the '60s and '70s, most yoga was taught under the auspices of local education authorities, focusing on the Iyengar style. So Iyengar Yoga has been a substantial part of the London scene for years. The Iyengar Yoga Institute in peaceful, leafy Maida Vale has more than 40 weekly classes. The schedule includes a remedial class for students with health problems and a Friday night pranayama class.

Sivananda students will find a wide range of daily yoga and meditation classes, workshops, and weekends at the Sivananda Vedanta Centre, which also offers weekend satsang sessions and a Kids Sunday Yoga School. It's located just a couple of minutes from the Thames—perfect for a restful post-yoga walk along the river.

The first studio to combine yoga and alternative therapies, and the one that has received the most publicity over the years, is The Life Centre, opened in 1993 in fashionable Notting Hill. Most teachers here have an Ashtanga slant, but they have varied backgrounds and so, different styles. The studio offers more than 60 hours of yoga classes per week. The yoga is fairly dynamic, but the staff has responded to requests and added a Zen Buddhist meditation class. It has been popular from the beginning, indicating that students are ready for further exploration of the spiritual elements of yoga.

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