Meet Our Certified Iyengar Yoga Teachers

I bring to my teaching a warm heart, knowledge of anatomy and well-being informed by 30 years of practicing and teaching Iyengar Yoga, plus an intention to connect with each person. The dedication of B.K.S. Iyengar, his family and the lineage of teachers inspire me to persevere daily and share what I’ve learned. Art and nature nourish my soul as do courageous people who work for human freedom and dignity. For me, yoga practice is grounding and essential – an infinite exploration that fosters a balanced perspective in all aspects of life. Among my favorite poses are headstand and shoulder stand to clear away mental cobwebs, take the load off the lower limbs, cultivate strength and stability. Sutra II:47: “Perfection in asana is achieved when the effort to perform it becomes effortless and the infinite being within is reached” guides me to do what’s possible at that moment, find the ease of simply being there, and continue on.

Amita Bhagat is a Level 2 CIYT, based in upstate New York. She has been traveling to RIMYI, in Pune, India to study at the mother Institute since 2012. She studies regularly with the Iyengar family and other senior teachers from India and the US. She is the Director of Amita.Yoga. Amita is a former board member of IYNAUS, the national association and continues to volunteer on the IYNAUS Grants and Archives Committees. She is currently on the IYISF Programming Committee.

Misia has been practicing Hatha Yoga & Meditation since the early 2000’s and became a regular Iyengar student upon moving to California in 2012 studying with well known Northern California senior level CIYT’s Jaki Nett, Victoria Austin, Jito Yamibe and Gwi-Seok Hong (Hawaii). In 2017, Misia became a certified body positive consultant with the California non-profit ‘The Body Positive” and has served on The Association of Size Diversity and Health (ASDAH) leadership team since 2017. In Fall of 2021 Misia became a Certified Iyengar Yoga Instructor (Level 1). Misia is a student of Hatha Yoga and Buddhism and recently received lay ordination as a Japanese Sōtō Zen Buddhist practitioner. With a deep love for Iyengar therapeutics, namely Back Health, Misia has had the pleasure of studying this topic since 2018 with   Sachiko Willis, and senior CIYTs Hong GwiSeok, Kathy Alef. Summer 2018, Misia completed the Yoga for Scoliosis Training  with Elise Miller. Misia follows the Pune cycle (Week1: Standing poses, Week 2: Forward Extension, Week3: Back Extension, Week 4 / 5 Arms Abs Inversions + Restorative Pranayama.)

Their journey at IYISF started out as a volunteer in 2017 and then they became part-time staff at IYISF offering support in admin, membership and fundraising from 2018 to 2022. They have also served on the IYNAUS archive committee since 2020.

My Iyengar Yoga journey began in New York City while attending art school at Pratt Institute. Kevin Gardiner, who is a close friend of my father, was my first yoga teacher. After completing 2 years of the Advanced Studies Teacher Training at IYISF (with Victoria Austin, Brian Hogencamp, and Jito Yumibe) and 2 more years of preparation, I became a Level 1 CIYT. I consider myself a lifelong learner, especially in the vast subject of yoga. Yoga keeps me intrigued and compels me to be curious to learn more. BKS Iyengar uses the term Involution to describe the experience of yoga penetrating each layer of our being from the periphery to the core. This happens so naturally and effortlessly when we practice diligently. As a teacher, I bring my knowledge and heart into the details of each asana, every unique class sequence, and teaching each individual student. I aim to bring a sense of quiet focus to the mind and body.

I am a Level II Certified Iyengar Yoga Instructor and I have been studying Yoga since the 1980s. I go for training every other year to RIMYI in Pune, India with the Iyengars. I have been familiar with Yoga since early childhood, when I would come home to find my father standing on his head. I love sharing everything that I have learn through my many years with my students. I hold a BA degree in Fine Arts and Communications from Santa Clara University, and I was a docent and teacher at the SF MOMA for 18 years.

Tom attended his first Iyengar Yoga class in 1983 in Studio 2 of the institute on Taraval Street and was instantly enthralled. He went to the 1991 Iyengar Yoga convention in San Diego and after seeing and experiencing the teachings of BKS Iyengar, he  committed himself to becoming a Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher (CIYT). In 1995, he achieved that goal and then the journey got interesting, Tom has traveled four times to study in Pune where the teachings of Geeta Iyengar transformed him. His studies have continued ever since and he is forever grateful for the teachings of this lineage.

Please join Tom in his online classes as he shares his studies and insights into this path that we share and love.

I fell in love with yoga in 1985 and began studying Iyengar yoga in 1996. From my native Argentina, I also hold degrees in physical education and Expression Corporal (a form of modern dance). I bring to my students the joy I find in the practice, my enthusiasm with a sense of humor and a playful attitude, and hopefully some inspiration to keep going despite whatever situation we may face. There is not one pose I don’t enjoy! Inversions rejuvenate me – handstand is better than coffee.The eagerness to discover who I am brings me to daily practice. I feel inspired daily by my Guru, B.K.S. Iyengar, for the sharpness and playful mind he had till the very end, by all my teachers who show me through their examples and by my students from whom I learn. The Yoga sutra that comes to me most often because it can be applied to almost any situation is “The pains which are yet to come can be and are to be avoided.” (2.16).

Maria’s website

I danced for 16 years and looked for something beyond the physical. When I found Iyengar Yoga I knew that my search was over. Since then my focus was solely established on the practice and teaching of Iyengar Yoga. Yoga drew me in because of its depth as a philosophy, science and as a form of art. I worked a decade as a costume & stage designer (M.F.A., Tel-Aviv University), and certainly saw the beauty in it. I constantly learn through daily practice, attending workshops, and annual trips to Pune studying at RIMYI. In classes I help students build solid foundations and a dynamic approach. I try to bring them into a state of awareness & to receive a taste of this ocean called yoga.

Inspired by Guruji’s words: “Do not stop trying just because perfection eludes you”, I challenge myself and students to move forward, in creative ways while keeping it friendly and joyful. Being a mother for three taught me the importance of having a positive approach, and I try to keep it in class as well.

Miri previously served on the Board of Directors for the Iyengar Yoga Association of Northern California (IYANC).

Miri’s website: www.mirisyoga.com
Miri’s Facebook: Miri’s Yoga
Miri’s Instagram: mirialonirivlin

Mychal A. Bryan is a CIYT practicing and teaching in Nassau, Bahamas. He has been directly trained by Lois Steinberg and has spent several years travelling with and assisting her in her teaching in North and South America. Under her guidance he has learnt how to address common ailments/issues including chronic joint pain, yoga for the menstrual cycle and pregnancy, and yoga for digestive health. He has ran an ongoing Common Ailments Clinic in The Bahamas, and has been a guest lecturer for students in the Physiotherapy PhD program at the University of Central Arkansas for 2 years. He has worked with clients both young and old to assist them in finding healing and awareness through the practice of Iyengar Yoga.

“…Balance is the state of the present – the here and now. If you balance in the present, you are living in Eternity.” B.K.S. Iyengar, Light on Life, 2006

I was profoundly influenced by these words and, in fact, read Light on Life three times in quick succession before I stepped onto a yoga mat. The book ignited something in me as a seeker. Yoga Sutra 1.12 discusses the two pillars of yoga practice – abhyasa (sustained effort) and vairagya (non-attachment to outcome) — that help one achieve equanimity. This goal of attaining balance or equilibrium informed my work as an economist and now informs my practice, teaching and daily life. I am a blessed student. I have been instructed by a number of luminaries, including some who teach at IYISF as well as members of the Iyengar family. But I must pay debt to students, without whom a teacher can neither teach nor learn. To quote the 16 th century poet, Louis de Camoes, “the more I give you, the more I owe you.” Namaste.

Patti Martin is a warm, encouraging and upbeat teacher who inspires confidence in her students to explore their potentials. Patti is inclusive and respects differences in students; she patiently nurtures the physical and mental evolution that comes with the practice of yoga. Patti is inspired by every person working hard to be better. Her favorite poses are those that she finds difficult, but within reach—those that require focus, faith, dedication, and practice. Patti’s favorite yoga sutra is 1.33: Through cultivation of friendliness, compassion, joy and indifference to pleasure and pain, virtue and vice respectively, the consciousness becomes favorably disposed, serene and benevolent.

Patti previously served on the Board of Directors for the Iyengar Yoga Association of Northern California (IYANC) and the Iyengar Yoga National Association of the United States (IYNAUS).

I am inspired by the profound and sensitive teaching of yoga master B.K.S. Iyengar and his children, Geetaji and Prashantji. My regular visits to Pune enrich and nourish my practice and teachings. I enjoy teaching advanced students, those beginning to understand the depth of practice, and those who suffer with back challenges. In the first chapter of the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali gives several methods to calm the mind and prepare it for spiritual evolution – have a soft, slow exhalation and wait for awhile, witness the serenity and peace in that empty space after exhalation. I find this sutra to be quieting to my nervous system and a great comfort to deal with the stresses of life.

Kathy’s website

I began practicing yoga in 1971, after a near-death experience showed me some home truths about my limitations and delusions. In 1983, I came to IYISF to do teacher training, and have been teaching continuously since 1984. Yoga practice is my passion – I look for the light in each student and do my best to transmit trust in long, steady, uninterrupted practice, through my example, words, hands, and eyes. Guruji asked me to train myself so that every action gives life, and after two major accidents, there is nothing more satisfying than expressing freedom every day through this very body and mind in yoga. As Yoga Sutra I.1 teaches, yoga is expressed now.

Victoria’s website

I bring to my teaching an enthusiastic belief in yoga as a practice that can infuse each moment of our daily lives and bring gifts of personal transformation, holistic health maintenance and stress relief. I love to practice poses that I hate, like forward bends, because they remind me of the work in front of me and how much further I could potentially go. I love to practice poses that I love, like adho mukha vrksasana (full arm balance) because it energizes me and instantly takes my mind off any worries. My other roles in life include husband, father, community member, business owner, musician, and outdoorsman, and I have discovered that yoga practice supports all these roles. Yoga’s powerful effects and the continually refreshed perspective on life that yoga offers inspire me and keep me coming back to my practice.

Chad’s website

I got interested in yoga when I saw someone practicing yoga on the beach with the San Francisco Bay as the background – she was an Iyengar teacher, who like me enjoyed open water swimming! I love doing Sirsasana (headstand) in the outdoors to see the sky as the ground and get a change of perspective. I am inspired by anything that makes me want to know more and investigate. As a teacher, I hope to ignite interest and curiosity in my students in yoga. My yoga practice is a “go to place” to bring clarity and to address the physical and mental challenges that life brings. As Yoga sutra I.13 says, “Practice is the steadfast effort to still these fluctuations.” Coming to a class requires the conscious effort to choose and discriminate among other possible choices to become present, directing our will, attention and energy to bring a calm and more tranquil mind.

Anne’s website

I value yoga because it allows us to explore and expand the boundaries of our bodies and mind. The short term benefits are immediate, and the long term benefits are profound. Initially I was drawn to Iyengar yoga for it’s ability to calm my mind, alleviate aches and pains, and increase my strength and flexibility. After continued practice, I found the benefits expanded. The practice helps me feel more connected to my mind and body, allows me to approach life and stressful situations with equanimity, and provides an opportunity for even greater exploration of myself and the world. I enjoy sharing this transformative power of the yoga journey with all students both experienced and new.

My first introduction to yoga and to the teachings of B.K.S Iyengar was in 1993. It was what I found to be the best method of healing for my back issues due to a Scoliosis Spine. After two years of experiencing intensive transformation of my body, mind, and spirit, I realized that this path of yoga that brought me peace, inner joy, inspiration, and healing on multiple levels, was to be my path for the rest of my life. I then completed a teacher training program at The Iyengar Institute of La Mesa in 1998. To celebrate the 80th birthday of B.K.S. Iyengar, I went to Pune, India where I was inspired by the Iyengar family to further my studies into the Vedic Science of Ayurveda. I eventually became a Clinical Ayurvedic Specialist and have continued my passion of the Vedic Sciences over the years in other related subjects.

In 2017, I completed the first three year certified Iyengar Yoga Therapeutics training program on the study and application of Iyengar Yoga as therapy for the body, mind, and soul. Every day I am grateful for my teachers, the great wisdom that the Iyengar family has showered on us, and humbled to live my life through the eyes of the Veda. The wise words of my Guru B.K.S Iyengar that have inspired my life, my yoga practice, and as a teacher of this living ancient tradition are; “Yoga is like music. The rhythm of the body, the melody of the mind, and the harmony of the soul, create the symphony of life”.

When I was a child I had a hand typed book about a sickly boy, who ran away from his home village in India to live with ascetics. They taught him to meditate and practice yoga. Boy’s health improved, he grew up, and lived a contented life helping people he met on his path. I was fascinated with the story and ever since, yoga was something I wanted to try. I stumbled into an Iyengar yoga class after moving to the North Beach neighborhood of San Francisco and my journey began.
It is hard to believe that an hour of practice can leave you feeling so changed, much calmer, lighter, and stronger. I find that the practice of yoga is an invaluable tool for physical and emotional health for me; it’s like an antidote to all the stresses in my life. I try to bring some of the concentration and intention from my practice into my daily life “off the mat”. As a teacher, I hope to provide a safe environment for students to begin or continue their yoga journey, to explore and to find the benefits of yoga specific to their personal situation in life. I enjoy backbends as they leave me feeling energized and empowered. Along with yoga, I love dancing, reading, knitting and drinking tea – a truly meditative act.

I aim to bring a spark of yoga to each student through the teachings that I’ve received in the Iyengar tradition. These teachings have been filtered through practice, study, and reflection. And I strive to communicate them with clarity and compassion. The wholeness that I experience during my practice and the positive effects that I accumulate over time continually reveal the transformative power of yoga. What draws me to practice? Its endless possibilities, obstacles and tiny insights, and balance of doing and being. I’m inspired by the intricacy of nature and discovery. I believe the joy in any asana can be found along the journey from movement and shape to silence and vibrancy. My yoga sutra study takes me along many paths. At this moment, I am absorbed in the sutras on transformation and the myriad treasures in B.K.S. Iyengar’s commentary that inform practice and life.

Brian has previously served as Chair of the Board of Directors for the Iyengar Yoga Association of Northern California (IYANC).

Brian’s website

From balancing a hectic corporate life and grad school over a decade ago and the eventual departure from corporate America that she had only dreamed about growing up in Malaysia, Magi found inner strength in yoga that also brought joy, ease, and freedom to her life.

In 2011, she serendipitously ended up in two month-long Iyengar intensive in the foothills of the Himalayas with senior teachers, Rajiv and Saraswati Chanchani while on a year-long exploratory yogic journey. After having practiced other styles of yoga in San Francisco the prior decade, she found Iyengar Yoga made a deeper impact that changed her practice and life, she now dedicates much of her life to it.

Iyengar yoga has helped me to establish personal discipline, self-awareness, greater health and balance in body and mind.  I trained to teach at the Iyengar Yoga Institute of San Francisco and study regularly with local and visiting teachers. I have studied in India with Rajiv and Swati Chanchani and Prashant and Geeta Iyengar. My teaching aims to meet students where they are, as individuals with a unique set of circumstances. I aspire to share the light of yoga, in all its facets, which has been a balancing and transformational force in my life. I am also a student of Ayurveda and meditation.

Sandy’s website

I fell in love with Iyengar Yoga while living in London, England. I moved to California in the late 70’s and enrolled in the teacher training program at the IYISF. I infuse my teaching with the joy of yoga. I am inspired by the teachings of the Iyengar family, and I enjoy practicing all the yoga asanas and deepening my understanding of the subject by studying all the Yoga Sutras. One of the things that I appreciate about yoga is it involves lifelong learning! Born in the Isle of Skye, Scotland, I have travelled to many parts of the world sharing the light of yoga with all the students I meet.

Janet’s website

I took my first yoga class in 1975 and received my first certification in 1977 with Indra Devi, the only non-Indian female who studied under Tirumalai Krishnamacharya, B.K.S. Iyengar’s Guru. She was 77 when I studied with her and I was inspired by how light and quick she was in her movements. I said to myself, “I want to be just like her when I am her age!” I try to instruct in a way that elevates the students’ sensitivity in the poses which can transform the alignment of the asana and aid in developing a deeper understanding beyond the physical. My teaching melds my knowledge of yoga, functional anatomy, design and movement into a methodical teaching style. My goal for students is to leave the class with a deeper understanding of the focused subject. My favorite Yoga Sutra is I.9 – vikalpah: Verbal delusion arises when words don’t match reality.

Jaki’s website

I was amazed when I found that my yoga practice helped manage both my depression and my chronic tendonitis and bursitis. Iyengar Yoga is for everyone and I practice because it makes me feel good inside and out. I try to make yoga accessible to all of my students, especially those who are inflexible and afflicted by pain. I love doing inversions and backbends – inversions reset me and backbends help me with my personal afflictions and bring vigor to my day! I’m inspired by nature, my mentors and teachers and the Yoga Sutras. My favorite Sutra is I.33, which is about being compassionate to those less fortunate, to be virtuous. It is an approach to life!

Mimi’s website

By sharing my experience and knowledge of Yoga, anatomy and philosophy in a precise, creative and supportive fashion, I strive to help my students achieve greater health and harmony through a balanced yoga practice adapted to their personal needs. I greatly benefited from the therapeutic value of Iyengar Yoga to rehabilitate my back from a sport injury, and over the past 30 years I have helped many students with their back and neck related issues. I love spending time in nature: walking on the beach absorbed in the infinity of the ocean, biking, hiking in the mountains – this communion with nature energises my being and inspires my practice. Yoga Sutra II.47, “by relaxation of effort and meditation on the infinite posture is perfected”, especially resonates with me as a reminder to balance effort and surrender.

Anne’s Website

I discovered yoga after a long relationship with dance and movement and was immediately drawn to its rejuvenating properties. I’ve always been inspired by the people I meet through yoga, and I strive to encourage a sense of community through my teaching. To me, each class is a new experience; I love the way yoga adapts and expands to meet the needs of all individuals in the room, regardless of level. Yoga is my bedrock; it provides both a physical and philosophical foundation to my daily life. In my personal practice, I find yoga to be fascinating, exciting, clarifying, dynamic, and profound – it’s the way I feel after each practice that keeps me coming back. I also find strength and inspiration in the philosophical aspects of yoga. For the last several years I’ve been studying the Sutras with a group of fellow yoga teachers and examining the relevance of the ancient texts to our modern lives.

Julia’s website

As a child, I enjoyed all forms of movement. I received a Masters Degree in Dance Arts from Mills College and I danced and taught until 1983 when I found Iyengar Yoga. While remaining true to the methodology that speaks to me so vividly, I continue to find fresh new ways to engage in my practice and teaching. Currently, I am exploring ways to modify for beginners an Immune System Asana prescription Mr. Iyengar gave me years ago. My favorite Sutra, I:39, embraces an individual’s uniqueness allowing for the student to find their preferred focus for meditation. My own yoga practice is enhanced by my passion for dancing, building Temples, and sharing a vibrant life with my two children. I encourage my students to integrate their own life’s rich pageant into their yoga journey finding all manners of practice that best suits their temperament.