The Teacher 

Jan Watson

Namaste,

I’m Jan Watson and I teach Iyengar Yoga at The Progress Hall in Mission Beach. I have been an accredited Hatha Yoga Teacher since 1991 and a certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher since in 1997.

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Firstly though, I am a student of Hatha Yoga;  I began attending Hatha yoga classes in 1974 when I lived in Sydney.  Studying to teach came later but my journey into this amazing system continues today, both as a student and as a teacher.

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I have absolute faith in the yoga system. I have the experience and knowledge to ignite your curiosity or to guide you, in looking at yoga as an alternate way to help resolve issues you may have.

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My teachers have all varied in their approach to teaching. To quote an old adage: “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear”. It seems an absolutely truth for me when I look back at the teachers who have come into my life over the years. 

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My First Experience of Yoga

It was in Sydney in 1974. I was 20, she was a TV personality and a very glamorous yoga teacher named Bette Calman. She had a yoga segment on the TV show ‘A Touch of Elegance‘.

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Dressed in cat suits or leotards and fine net stockings, with full makeup and her perfect, platinum, blond, hair she did cut a very elegant figure.

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She was amazingly flexible, adept and strong — she was able to hold her entire weight on her hands and arms (arm balances).

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The classes were always full and attendants walked the room to help students while Bette demonstrated and taught from the stage.

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More recently she came to public attention again, this time on you tube — doing arm balances. She was 86.

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Bette Calman was one of the pioneers of yoga in Australia and was introduced to and taught yoga by Michael Volin.

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Father of Yoga in Australia

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Michael Volin, Swami Karmananda, I met in Adelaide several years on. A Russian, bought up in China who had a rare opportunity of studying not only traditional Indian Yoga, but Chinese and Tibetan schools of this philosophy.

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In the late 1930s he joined Indra Devi (a famous yogini) in setting up a yoga school in China. He migrated to Australia and in 1950, and set up the first yoga school here, in Sydney.

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An important lesson he taught me, was to never underestimate the basic poses:-

He had us sit in Swastikasana – easy cross legs. To me this was just a tad too easy. However, 10 minutes on, we were still sitting, Michael was talking but I don’t remember much about what — my hips just wanted the pose to finish. 

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As did many traditional yogis, Michael can be seen practicing on a tiger skin in his book “Essence of Yoga” 1963. He was renowned as a yoga teacher throughout the western world and often referred to as the ‘Father of Yoga’ in Australia.  

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Orange Robes and Ashrams

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Satyenanda Yoga teachers are synonymous with orange robes and Ashrams. They teach Yoga Nidra, an effective and simple meditation lying down.

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Their signature series is the Pawanmuktasana Series. This is a systematic progress of joint movement through to dynamic energy practices. These are practiced at the beginning of class to loosen your joints.

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The Satyenanda teachers have a gift for instructing classes from a platform, they do not do any manual adjustments. Along with asanas they also teach pranayama techniques, and the 6 classical Hatha Yoga techniques called the ‘Shat Karmas’. 

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The ‘Shat Karmas’ are practiced to eliminate toxins and impurities of the gross body. At a weekend, under supervision, a small group of us were taken through several of these practices.

Neti involving washing out the nasal passages with luke warm, salty water

Shankha Prakshalana to clean out the stomach to anus. On an empty stomach we drank luke warm, salty water, 2 cups at a time, followed by a set sequence of 5 asanas. This was repeated three times then we went to the toilet. The process is repeated until only clean water is evacuated.

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Vaman Dhauti which cleans the region from stomach to mouth by voluntary vomiting. Again by drinking luke warm, salty water on an empty stomach followed by a set sequence of asanas.

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After resting some 45 minutes we were fed specially prepared food of ghee, rice and pulses. This diet was to continue for the next week.

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The other Shat Karmas’ I learnt were :- i) Nauli, a method of massaging and strengthening the abdominal organs ii) Tongue scraping, care of teeth, ears and eyes. iii) Kapalabhati technique for purifying the front brain and iv) Trataka  intense gazing.

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Santyenanda Ashrams are found throughout the world. One of many books they publish is ‘Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandhas’. An excellent and comprehensive text book on yoga.

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An introduction to Iyengar Yoga

Nicky Knoff and James Byran came into my life in 1993. An ad in the local paper advertising an Introduction to Iyengar Yoga – an 8 week Course at 129 Mulgrave Road, Cairns. Twenty students attended, and it was an absolute eye opener. The intense practice, the concise instructions and the ‘energy’ I felt after class. It was the turning point in yoga for me.

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.Nicky was the most senior Iyengar Yoga Teacher in Australia at the time and is a no nonsense teacher. She challenges you, by holding you in poses for a very long time. She also insists that you practice head stand in the middle of the room. Also, she taught us arm balancings; handstands were taught in the third class in the Introduction to Iyengar Yoga Course and she introduces advanced poses. As a result your stamina improves and you gain confidence.

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James is a showman, his arm balancing poses are beautifully executed, he’s strong and he does an awesome Uddiyana Bandha and Nauli. It was James that taught us the technique of ‘falling out‘ of headstand.

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I went on to train with Nicky Knoff and James Bryan as an apprentice for 3 years. It entailed 10 hours of practice per week, attending classes and home practice.  Assignments, attending a monthly teachers Training,  privates, workshops, retreats, observations in classes, learning adjustments, studying anatomy and physiology, adjusting in classes and finally teaching for them.

During my apprenticeship, James also taught Ashtanga Yoga series 1 and 2. Both he and Nicky had trained with Pattabhi Jois in Mysore, India. The two styles complimented each other, the Iyengar with its precision, the Ashtanga with its movement and set sequences.

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My Qualifications

S.A. Institute of Yoga Teachers Association in 1991

This was a comprehensive 12 month correspondence course through Ananda Yoga, Pondicherry, India and worked hand in hand with attending yoga classes under  IYTA and Yoga for Health teachers for its duration.

Topics covered Asana practice, Pranayama, Kriyas, Philosophy, Mudras, Meditation, Anatomy, Therapy, Health through Diet, Yoga Nidras Techniques, the Chakras and Yoga Philosophy.

There was a lesson each week giving a daily practice routine for that week, study notes and assignments.  

My teachers were Sandra Sebelis who was also a Shiatsu practitioner. She was my main teacher and mentor and she had me demonstrate different asanas in her classes  

The other teacher of note was an IYTA teacher, Dana. She taught a strong and challenging class, having been influenced by an Iyengar yoga teacher called Pixie Lilas during her study.

Extra study was also set on such subjects as the Cause and function of pain; Functions of the body; History of Surya Namaskara; Health issues, Karma – the law of life and reading the Bhagavad Gita.

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A Diploma of Yoga Teaching was granted to me in 1991. 

After travel to Asia I settled in Cairns, where I taught my first yoga classes in 1992, in Gordonvale.

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BKS Iyengar Yoga Teachers Association in 1997

Three year apprenticeship under Senior Teacher Nicky Knoff. 1993 – 1997.  A final assessment through the BKS Iyengar Yoga eachers Association.  Assessment panel of 3 Senior Iyengar Yoga teachers and a modorator. Assessed on knowledge of yoga theory, practice of asanas and pranayama and teaching components. I became a Certified Iyengar yoga teacher in 1997.

.BKS Iyengar Yoga Teachers Association in 1997

Iyengar Yoga

Upgrading Qualification

I continued to upgrade qualifications under Peter Scott who a group of us found in Noosa. Three of us ventured down to a 5 day Intensive. He gave very intricate details in his instructions and we were all lost! But, this was the next step for me in understanding how to move the muscles and joints and how the body functions and works. We thought we knew a lot, we didn’t. A reminder that you are forever learning.

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It was the beginning of a 13 year study with Peter. He held annual workshops at my yoga centre in Cairns. I went down for blocks of classes, workshops, intensives and retreats with him. Our practice prior to any workshop or intensive was invaluable. It was here that I could ask questions and I further gleaned the finer techniques of Iyengar yoga.

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Adjusting in workshops gave me the insight into what to look for in students’ actions and how to correct if needed. Demonstrating poses gave me the opportunity to be adjusted and to learn something new about the pose.

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Peter’s teaching is exemplary and inspiring; his instructions are concise as he moves students to practice beyond their perceived limits. As an Naturopath, he has extensive knowledge of the body and how it functions. He has the ability to transforms your poses into effortless action through correcting alignment through the use of muscles and joints.

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Peter is an Advanced Senior Iyengar teacher and continues to train teachers and hold workshops overseas.

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Dr Geeta Iyengar

The pleasure of attending workshops with Dr. Geeta Iyengar and to study under her in Pune India has been absolutely amazing. I went up on stage with her on a retreat in Queensland. It was a Therapy session and I suffered tinnitus. Her knowledge just astounds me; how the ears are affected by the dorsal area, the position of the head and also the spine. The poses I was taught up on stage have stayed with me and I still practice them. I no longer suffer from tinnitus.

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Practicing from her audio tapes of general classes and videos of teacher training and workshops have all  been immensely informative. You can listen or watch over and over and still come out with something new. Her instructions are such that even moving your big toe has an impact on your practice.

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I met BKS Iyengar while in Pune and although I did not have the pleasure to be taught by him, he was often interrupting the class, to clarify points and of course he was often seen in the library.

Gulnaaz Dashti

I have recently returned from studying with Gulnaaz Dashti in Pune, India. I remember her from when I was in Pune in 2003. She was student teacher under Guruji and Geeta.

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Emphasis on getting back to basics. To looking at the form and shape of the poses. For beginners straightening the legs and arms is crucial. She stipulates the importance of keeping the body, the joints and the muscles moving.

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To know the direction of poses becomes essential. For example: Adho Mukha Virasana – Adho Mukha Svanasana – Adho Mukha Vrskasana. The head stays down.  

Adho Mukha translates as face down. The shape in these poses doesn’t change all that much.

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Gulnaaz constantly refers to BKS Iyengar’s book ‘ Light on Yoga’ —  note the order of the poses.  Those shown at the beginning of the book are difficult yet they are taught first; to beginners. Their actions are needed in the intermediate and advanced poses.

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She has inspired me with her knowledge and her clear instructions. Her practice makes the asanas look easy; from ‘dead leg’ handstands to coming up into arm balances to advanced poses. Her instructions for Pranayama are exemplary.

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She has helped to connect the dots of understanding where the poses start and where they  lead.  I especially gleaned a reminder to KISS – Keep It Simple.

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My Yoga Space

I opened my own space in 2001 – The Yoga Centre in Cairns at 129 Mulgrave Road. The same room I had attended the Iyengar Course with Nicky and James. I run it for 19 years; contracting teachers to teach for me and also renting out space to others teachers. I have organised and taught yoga retreats in Australia and in other countries, run Intensives, Courses and Workshops over that time. I now teach in Mission Beach.

* I am always learning more and I am very grateful for all that yoga teaches me about my physical and mental bodies. The spiritual side is coming too. As we age it gets harder to switch off the thinking, our hormones change, we stiffen up both in body as well as in our thinking. Yoga helps me to keep equilibrium and helps me to stop getting so cranky and intolerant.  

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I give thanks to Yoga.