Student of the Month - November 2024 - Louise
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πππNovember 2024 βStudent of the Monthβ isβ¦β¦β¦β¦β¦β¦β¦ Louise Furre!πππ
Louise attends my class in Sherborne which I was very fortunate to inherit from my first yoga teacher, Anna. Louise has been practicing Iyengar Yoga for much longer than me and it is wonderful to have her wisdom, along with a very healthy dose of scepticism(!), in the class. Louise is a βfirst generationβ student of BKS Iyengar, having travelled to Pune in the 70s and 80s along with some of the most senior teachers in the UK. She went to Pune in the summers of 1977 and 1981, both times as part of a group organised by Kofi Busia. Kofi was her second teacher, the first being Penny Nield-Smith who used to travel down to Oxford from London to teach.
βTell us a bit about yourselfβ¦..
π§ββοΈLouise Furre, I lived near Chard for my first 11 years, after that I lived in Northumberland, Oxford, Lincoln and Nottingham before returning to the South West in 1999. I studied Maths and Philosophy and eventually ended up a Maths teacher, my last job before I retired 12 years ago was at The Gryphon in Sherborne. Three sisters, one husband, two children and two grandchildren. Yoga has been a consistent thread through my life since my early 20s.
βHow long have you been practising yoga?
π§ββοΈI went to my first yoga class sometime in 1974. There have been some years when life has been busy and I haven't had a local teacher and I have never been great at practising on my own, but my allegiance has been unbroken!
βWhat made you start yoga?
π§ββοΈThere was an Iyengar class half way between my college and where I was living. A friend went first and liked it and I tagged along with her.
βWhatβs your favourite pose?
π§ββοΈI think Paschimottanasana and Ardha Chandrasana (against the wall!)
βAnd what is your favourite yoga prop?
π§ββοΈMy bolster.
βHow has practicing yoga benefitted your life?
π§ββοΈAt present it is helping me deal as comfortably as I can with the life changes that come with getting older. Over all my years with yoga I suspect that its greatest benefit to me has been in keeping stress and anxiety to manageable levels.
βWhat makes you keep practicing?
π§ββοΈYoga is an old friend
βAnything else youβd like to add?
π§ββοΈI don't believe all of it, but I have found it a tolerant and very welcoming community and that hasn't seemed to matter.
πβ€Thank you Louise for sharing your yoga journey and some wonderful photos with us!
#YogaStudents
#IyengarYoga
Louise in Pune in 1981 with Guruji and Prashant
Group photo at RIMYI in 1981. Note Prashant in the back row next to Senior teacher Richard Agar Ward. Guruji and Geetaji in the centre and can you spot Louise?!
Louise with student friends in India
One of Louiseβs favourite poses - Ardha Chandrasana with the wallβ¦..
β¦β¦ and Paschimottonasana with her favourite prop - the bolster!