The barn is quiet for the winter. Charles is away on sabbatical in Pune, India, deepening his practice at the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute, the home of Iyengar yoga. Classes resume in Spring 2027, and he’ll bring what he learns back to the barn. But your practice doesn’t have to pause. Charles has recorded two free Iyengar yoga classes you can follow at home, whenever it suits you. They’re made for beginners and for returning students who want to keep their practice going until spring.
Class 1: Iyengar yoga for beginners at home (25 minutes)
Recorded for International Yoga Day 2025, Iyengar Beginners and Beyond is a short, grounding practice you can return to any time you need it. All you need is a clear stretch of wall. You’ll start lying down with your legs up the wall, move into chaturanga wall push-ups, and finish stretching out in Ardha Uttanasana (half forward bend) with your hands on the wall. If you have yoga blocks, or a couple of thick books, you can place them under your hands for some of the standing poses.
Class 2: Hamstrings, Hands, and Happiness (30 minutes)
A practice-along class with poses to open the backs of the legs and prepare you for handstand. You’ll need a mat, a belt and a sturdy chair. If you’re brand new, start with Class 1 and come back to this one once you feel at home on the mat.
Iyengar yoga props you already have at home
In the barn we use blocks, belts, bolsters, blankets and chairs so every pose is within reach. You don’t need to buy anything to start practicing yoga at home. Household swaps work well:
- Belt or strap: a dressing-gown cord, a long scarf, or a sturdy necktie.
- Blocks: two thick hardcover books, taped together if they slide.
- Chair: a sturdy kitchen or dining chair without arms, placed so it can’t slide (on your mat, or against a wall).
- Bolster: a couple of firm cushions, or a blanket rolled tightly.
- Blankets: any firm, folded blanket or large bath towel.
- Mat: a yoga mat is best. Otherwise a rug that won’t slip on the floor, never a bare slippery surface.
Tips for practicing yoga at home safely
- Clear a little space near a wall. Iyengar yoga uses the wall often, for support and alignment.
- Practise on an empty stomach, ideally a couple of hours after a meal.
- Go at your own pace. Pause the video whenever you need to. Work with effort, but never into sharp pain.
- If you have an injury or a health condition, skip anything that doesn’t feel right and check with your health professional first.
- Little and often beats long and rare. Twenty minutes, two or three times a week, will keep your body ready for spring.
See you in the barn this spring
When classes return in Spring 2027, we’ll open registration for the new six-week term. If you’re new, your first class in the barn will be free. Join the list and we’ll email you as soon as registration opens.