In-depth Course
year-long course for the serious yoga student
The next step in your yoga development
The In-Depth Course is an annual program of yoga study and practice, in which we aim to inspire students to develop a deep understanding of the āsanas and prānāyāma, and to deepen their practice and understanding of the “art and science” of Iyengar yoga. When you have a solid foundation in your yoga practice, yoga can become a means to enrich your life, develop healthy relationships and contribute more to the world around us.
4 experienced certified Iyengar yoga teachers will guide you in progressive research of āsana, prānāyāma and the underlying philosophy, basic anatomy and physiology. Each in their own way, based in their own experience. They provide you with practical tools to deepen your Iyengar yoga practice. And give you insight into how yoga can have even more added value for you.
A course day has a theme from philosophy or revolves around the therapeutic application of yoga in which practical anatomy is discussed. You will be given reading assignments and home practice materials so you can expand your own practice at home throughout the course and beyond. The course will provide you with an environment to explore yoga more deeply and can be taken repeatedly, as the teachers will address a wide variety of topics from the rich body of Iyengar yoga. It is also possible to follow separate course days, for example if you have already taken the course. This can give your practice a fresh impulse, or inspire you if you already teach, for example.
If you have the ambition to start teaching, you can strengthen the foundation of your own development and practice in the In-Depth Course. For further information, see the Mentor Program page or contact one of us.
This program is for you if you…
- are looking forward to start or develop your home practice
- want to study āsana and prānāyāma in a way that goes beyond physical exercises or a hobby
- want to live more consciously through yoga
- want to make contact with like-minded people
- have taken Iyengar yoga classes for at least a year – but longer is encouraged
- are looking for inspiration for your practice (or your teaching!)

Photo credit: Chantal Aimee Ehrhardt
Practical information
In 2024-2025 we have chosen to hold most course days during a weekend (i.e. a consecutive Saturday and Sunday) because this gives the teachers time to get to know the students present better and to further explore a subject. It also gives more space in the planning. Course days will be a little shorter during those weekends because we can work more efficiently: from 10.00-16.00 with time for a lunch break. The first and last course day are single days and will be from 10.00-17.00.
There are no classes in May, when the 30th anniversary of the IYVN (Iyengar Yoga Association of the Netherlands) will be celebrated with a four-day convention with Abhijata Iyengar. We would like to give participants in the In-Depth Course the opportunity to participate. For more information, see the association’s website.
Students taking the full course will be given priority. If there is space, participation on the basis of one weekend or individual lessons is possible.

Photo credit: Chantal Aimee Ehrhardt
Dates and subjects 2024-2025
** Dates subject to change.
21 September 2024 – Hiske
The different mind-states that influence your practice, and how to prepare for practice.
We’ll start by setting the stage: how to begin your practice with an invocation. We will discuss the history and meaning of the Patanjali invocation. For the theory part, you will learn about the ‘citta bhumis’ or the five common states of mind as mentioned in Sutra 1.2. And in practice you will experience how asana practice can help you move from the ‘monkey mind’ or ‘donkey mind’ to a more focused state.
12-13 October – Nanda
The meaning of ‘practice’ in your life and how to balance the guna`s.
The three gunas (tamas, rajas and sattva) represent the qualities of tangible reality in yoga philosophy. Nanda takes you through the gunas and how they are represented in your practice. Standing poses, backbends, headstand cultivate raja-guna. Forward bends, shoulderstand, pranayama bring in the element of tamo-guna. What does a sattvic practice look like and how can you achieve it?
23-24 November – Kerry
Exploring the basics of Yoga Psychology and Anatomy.
Yoga psychology provides us with exceptional clarity on how to become aware of the workings of our thoughts and mind. With insight into the elements of citta (manas, buddhi, ahamkara), we can make real progress into our self-awareness and our relationships with others.
The asana portion focuses on how to correctly train your arms and legs to achieve spinal extension, with special attention to hips and lower back.
14-15 December – Kristien
Playful sequencing Prana
Inspiration to build up a good Self-practice for yourself, paying particular attention to ‘heat and cold’, and ‘(normal) breath in asana’. Kristien discusses the concept of ‘intermediate asanas’ (stopping halfway to the final pose and linking it with another asana). Theory: Where is the Prana? In the bones, skeletal anatomy; in the Pranavayu area, explanation of vayus, and Pranamaya kosha, what is this?
18-19 January – Hiske
The Bhagavad Gita, warrior postures and surrendering asanas
We will discuss the Bhagavad Gita, which tells how Krishna the warrior teaches Arjuna about the paths to spiritual growth: Karma (action), Bhakti (devotion), and Jñana (knowledge).
In our asana practice, warrior poses such as Virabhadrasana (Warrior) and asanas that involve surrender, such as Dhanurasana (Bow pose) reflect these themes. These postures help us find balance between effort and relaxation, as the Gita teaches us.
8-9 February – Kerry
Svadhyaya, (self-study) on and off the mat.
The Niyamas are our inspiration to how we purify ourselves and interact with the external world. Kerry will provide an overview of the Niyamas, with a specific focus on how Svadhyaya unlocks unhealthy life patterns and resets our focus towards building a stronger sense of self. We’ll explore how the sutras direct us towards creating the ground work for a meditative state. Standing poses prepare us physically to be able to sit in the auspicious poses of swastikasana, virasana, siddhasana and padmasana. Additionally, in this weekend we will apply this knowledge in our inversions and pranayama practice.
8-9 March – Kristien
Fresh from Pune: ‘Extension first!’
From the basics to the more ‘complicated’ poses (towards the Level 2 syllabus: armbalancings, body knotting, Ekapada Sirsasana – from Akarna Dhanurasana, Bakasana from Malasana. And count back from complicated poses to the basics).
In the theory part, Kristien, who has just returned from Pune, discusses the living sources for the study of Iyengar yoga.ngar yoga study.
12-13 April – Nanda
Working for a balanced nervous system: backbends and intro to digital pranayama.
Backbends and certain pranayamas stimulate the sympathetic nervous system, while forward bends, restorative postures such as viparita karini, setubandha and other pranayama activate the parasympathetic system. Nanda shows you how this works in practice and gives you some theoretical background, and takes you into a conversation about the 4 aims of life: Artha, Dharma, Kama, Moksha.
8 June – Hiske
Pratyahara or withdrawal of the senses.
Pratyahara forms the bridge between the more ‘outwardly oriented’ parts of ashtanga yoga, which are more physical or mundane, on the one hand, and the ‘inwardly oriented, more spiritual and intangible parts on the other. It’s about withdrawing from external influences. Pratyahara is something you can actively do through techniques. And it is the gateway to spiritual concentration and meditation. We will explore techniques in practice, as well as the theory behind them.
Prices
- €980 for all 16 days In-Depth Course.
- It is also possible to pay in four terms of €250. Payment due 1 october, 1 december, 1 february and 1 april. When you purchase 4 installments you commit to the entire year, so it is not possible to purchase only 1 installment.
- €120 for a single weekend.
- €80 for a single day.
- We encourage participants in the In-Depth Course to participate in other workshops as well. That is why students who purchase the entire In-depth course are eligible for a special discount on our other workshops (Tally Eldor, Garth McLean and Eyal Shifroni will be giving a workshop in 2024/25) – this offers a great opportunity to broaden and deepen your studies! Contact us if you want to sign up for workshops at the discounted price.
Sign up
Enroll via Momoyoga. It works like this:
- Create an account with Momoyoga via www.momoyoga.com/iyoga-utrecht.
- Purchase the Advanced Course via the ‘Pricing’ page.
- You can pay directly for the entire year for the entire course via the option ‘Verdiepingscursus 2023-2024’.
- If you want to participate all year round, but want to pay in installments, choose the payment option: ‘Verdiepingscursus 2023-2024 | 4 termijnen’. Paying in installments means that you commit for the whole year. So it is not an option to take 4 classes and pay 1 term. After each ‘block’ of 4 lessons you can purchase the next ‘block’ and register for the next 4 lessons.
- If you don’t want to follow all classes, you can choose to pay per day via the option ‘Verdiepingscursus 2023-2024 | 1 dag’
- If you prefer to pay by debit card or cash in the studio, choose ‘cash‘ or ‘bank transfer‘ in the booking/payment process. You can then pay when you are at the yoga school, but you can register in advance.
- After you have paid, you can register for the course. Note: even if you have bought the entire course, you must register separately for each day! To facilitate that process, the links to the individual days are in the grid above.
Four experienced teachers
Hiske van der Meulen
Nanda Peek
Kristien van Reusel
Kerry Reinking