Student Spotlight: Joanna Caplan

What is your name and where do you study Iyengar Yoga?

My name is Joanna Caplan and I study Iyengar Yoga in Toronto at Studio Po!

How long have you been practicing Iyengar yoga?

I have been practicing Iyengar Yoga for about 6 years.

What first brought you to Iyengar Yoga?

My first Iyengar Yoga class was a restorative practice and I had never experienced anything like it before. I had been practicing other types of yoga for years before coming to Iyengar Yoga and had started to feel like I needed something that wasn’t always vigorous and that could encourage deep rest.

What keeps you coming back?

I keep coming back to Iyengar Yoga because the more I practice the more I am in awe of the complexity of this system and its relationship to the body, mind, and heart. It is also the only thing that helps me find true relief from the chronic pain that I’ve been experiencing for the past year and a half.

What is your favourite asana? Why?

My favourite asana is Hanging Sirsasana because for me it is truly a transformative pose. Having the opportunity to let go and hang while in an inversion is powerful. My body gets to rest but in a very unusual and non-daily way. Practicing this pose always changes my perspective and frame of mind, for the better!

If you had 30 seconds to describe Iyengar Yoga and why someone should try it, what would you say?

Iyengar Yoga will make you feel better, physically and mentally. I believe that it can heal and make you a happier person.