I’m writing this post at Union Station in Washington DC, while I’m waiting to return to Asheville from the Iyengar Yoga Association of the Southeast Conference. These conferences provide a wonderful opportunity for everyone to take classes with our senior teachers, as well as with other Iyengar-certified teachers from the region. It’s also a great time of catching up with old friends, making new ones, and engaging in general yoga hijinx. Such as taking photos of yourself and your friends doing spontaneous yoga all over town. Like this one taken in Dupont Circle by a very patient young woman who, I’m pretty sure, thought we were nuts:
Me and my pals Caitlin and Helen in an impromptu utthita hasta padangusthasana on the fountain at Dupont Circle
Caitlin and Helen were interested in attending a couple of classes at the conference, but were stymied by the idea of bringing their own props. (Note for the non-Iyengar peeps out there – attendees to Iyengar events that are held at venues other than a studio are generally expected to bring their own props: 3 blankets, 1 strap, 2 blocks, and your mat. Optional = a bolster.) So they elected to do a tour of local flow studios, and even did a barre yoga class. (which, apparently, did not include actually using the barre. What’s with that?) The idea of bringing props to a yoga conference was a foreign one to these two hardcore vinyasa flow yoginis. They were curious as to how, exactly, one would transport all these props. So, for their (and your!) edification, I’ve elected to share a few images from the conference, of Iyengar yogis and their props conveyances…
The most popular conveyance seems to be the extra large rolling suitcase:
Here's a photo of my own teacher, Cindy Dollar, in front of a wonderful photo of BKS Iyengar, with her rolling suitcase o' props.
This is followed in popularity by the giant Ikea bag(s):
This very sweet yogini delayed her mad dash to class so I could get a photo
Some bags are heavier than others:
This is Greenville, SC Iyengar teacher Suzanne Spitzer, mugging for the camera with her beautiful purple bag
And some folks bring in moving dollies full of props!
Volunteers from Unity Woods Yoga, in DC, who graciously provided bolsters and chairs for the conference
I also have a great image of his n’ hers rolling props bags which, sadly, I shot as a video. And which I can’t post here, for some reason.
So, for all you Yoga Journal Conference attendees, Wanderlust adventurers, and Omega, Kripalu, and Yogaville workshoppers, here’s a slice of life from Iyengar world. I neglected to get a photo of my own props bag (of course I had a bolster in there!) – but I’m sending out apologies to everyone who was on the Green Line metro car with me from Union Station to Columbia Heights last Friday. I lost count of how many people I ran into with my giant bag. I think I’ll be investing in a rolling bag before the next conference.
