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 attend individual course days, for example if you have already completed the course. This can give your practice a fresh impulse, or inspire you if you already teach, for example.

If you have ambitions to learn to teach, the In Depth Course can help you strengthen the foundation of your own development and practice. 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

The course days usually take place on a weekend (a consecutive Saturday and Sunday). This gives the teachers time to get to know the students better and explore a topic in more depth. Classes are slightly shorter on these weekends to allow for more efficient work: from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, with time for a lunch break. The first and last days of the series are “stand-alone” and run from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

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

Focus on Prāṇayāma

This course year, we will delve deeper into the content of B.K.S. Iyengar’s Light on Prāṇāyāma step by step. Each weekend, we will cover a section of the book and systematically build upon what we have already learned. In this way, we will gradually develop a solid understanding of the techniques, structure, and application of prāṇāyāma in the Iyengar tradition.

So make sure you at least have this book in your possession!
Scroll down for the rest of the book list.

Dates and subjects 2025-2026

** Dates subject to change.

5 October 2025 – Hiske | Book day 1

Prāṇāyāma in the context of Ashtanga Yoga
In sūtras II.49–II.53 of the Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali, prāṇāyāma is presented as the fourth step in Patañjali’s eightfold path (ashtanga). It marks the transition from the outer to the inner path of yoga. During this day of classes, we will explore the significance of regulating the breath, the pauses between inhalation and exhalation, and the resulting stillness of mind. B.K.S. Iyengar’s explanation in “Light on the Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali” serves as our starting point.

8-9 November 2025 – Nanda | Book day 2 | Book day 3

Working with the Elements in Āsana
This weekend, we’ll explore how the five elements that play a significant role in Sankya philosophy—earth, water, fire, air, and space—can be experienced in asana practice. Each element represents a specific quality: stability, movement, strength, lightness, and openness. We’ll approach the elements not as symbolic, but as concrete aspects of how we move, align, and perceive on the mat. How do you build stability (earth)? Where does energy flow, and where does it become stuck (water)? How do you develop direction and intensity (fire) without forcing it? What does it take to allow space (air and ether) without it becoming empty?

13-14 December 2025 – Kerry | Book day 4 | Book day 5

Seeing what is there: Pramāna and Santosha in Āsana
This weekend, we’ll delve into sūtra I.7, which explores valid knowledge (pramāna), and how this clear way of perceiving can support our practice of santosa (contentment). In asana classes, you’ll work in pairs on simple, careful adjustments and use your phone’s camera to see yourself from a new perspective—paying particular attention to your inversions. What do you really see? And how does that change what you feel, do, or let go of?

10-11 January 2026 – Kristien | Book day 6 | Book day 7

The Role of Timing in Asana
This weekend, we’ll explore the timing of movement and stillness in asana. What happens when you move fluidly through poses, and what changes as you stay longer—still on the outside, but with an inner flow that continues?
B.K.S. Iyengar’s approach to timing in practice evolved over the years. He no longer used the clock to limit the duration of a pose, but rather as a tool to notice when his mind began to wander.

7-8 February 2026 – Hiske | Book day 8 | Book day 9

Obstacles on your path: The Antārayas
The nine antarāyas (obstacles on the path of yoga) as described in sutras I.30–I.32. You will learn how distraction, doubt, lethargy, carelessness and other obstacles can manifest in body, breath and mind – and what consequences this has, such as discouragement, restlessness or instability. B.K.S. Iyengar’s commentary in Light on the Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali offers tools to recognize and deal with these obstacles, including the cultivation of ekāgratā – a focused, coherent state of attention.

7-8 March 2026 – Nanda | Book day 10 | Book day 11

The How and Why of Yoga Therapy
What do you do with your own practice when you encounter complaints or limitations? We focus on simple, common situations, such as fatigue, back or neck pain, and explore how you can build a targeted sequence that offers support. The emphasis is on self-observation and self-care: how can you learn to recognize what’s needed at a given moment and then tailor your sequence accordingly? You’ll learn basic principles of sequencing, using support, and how small adjustments can make a big difference.

* This weekend is intended for personal insight and application, not to give therapeutic lessons to others, but to learn to practice more independently, carefully and intelligently.

11-12 April 2026 – Kerry | Book day 12 | Book day 13

Anchoring the Mind – From Grounding to Stillness
This weekend focuses on the difference between mindfulness and yoga meditation, based on sutras I.32-I.39, in which Patanjali describes various supports for meditation. In the āsana practice, we explore leg alignment and hip opening as physical anchors for inner stability. How do you focus your attention – and what helps you maintain that concentration?

30-31 May 2026 – Kristien | Book day 14 | Book day 15

Anatomy in action: arms, shoulders, neck

Focus on the upper body: starting with the arms, moving through the shoulders and neck, and ending at the head. We’ll study the anatomy and learn to recognize important bony landmarks that can help us perceive and refine our postures.
The asana practice focuses on standing poses as preparation for
Ustrasana, and on a structured sequence: Sirsasana > Viparita Dandasana > Urdhva Dhanurasana. Why is this sequence important for opening and understanding the arms? We’ll also examine the arms in Sarvangasana and reflect on the personal benefits of this pose as a support for body and mind.

7 June 2026 – Hiske | Book day 16

Savāsana – the art of relaxation
Savāsana may seem like the simplest yoga pose, but it’s actually one of the most challenging. But it’s also one of the most important: it allows everything you’ve practiced to integrate. Savāsana isn’t just about lying down: there’s a technique you can follow. Once you understand it, you’ll recognize the stages in Savāsana that the other āsanas contain.

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.
  • €140 for one 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.

What do you need

Book list

  • Light on Yoga (Yoga Dipika in Dutch) – BKS Iyengar
  • Light on Prānayāma – BKS Iyengar
  • Light on Life (Yoga als Levenskunst) – BKS Iyengar
  • Light on the Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali – BKS Iyengar
  • Yoga in Action (Yoga in Actie) deel 1 en 2 – Geeta Iyengar

Further reading (not required, but highly recommended)

  • The Tree of Yoga – BKS Iyengar
  • Yoga, a Gem for Women – Geeta S. Iyengar
  • Bhagavad Gita (for instance by Stephen Mitchell or Eknath Easwaran)
  • The Gift of Consciousness – Gitte Bechsgaard
  • Yoga Asana Anatomy – Hermann Traitteur

Props

The studio is fully equipped with all mats and props, so you won’t need anything for the course weekends. We do ask that you practice at home, so you might need some supplies there. You don’t necessarily need to purchase these in advance; you can see what you need as you go and add what you’re missing.

Questionnaire

If you’re participating in this course, we’d like to know a little more about you. Once you’ve registered, please complete this questionnaire. This way, we can get to know you a little better. Your answers will only be visible to the teachers and will, of course, be kept confidential. Please complete the questionnaire even if you’re only registering for one day or a weekend.

Homework

There is homework for each session, including reading passages from Light on Pranayama. The homework that is already known is in this document: Homework for students In-Depth Course 25-26. Additional reading/listening/writing assignments may be added later in the year, which will be sent by email.

How to 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 for the entire year at once.
    • If you’d like to participate for the entire year but pay in installments, choose the payment option: “Verdiepingscursus | 4 termijnen.” Paying in installments means you’re committing to the full 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.
    • Als je niet alle lessen wilt volgen, kun je kiezen om per dag of per weekeind te betalen.
    • If you prefer to pay by bank transfer, please select “bank transfer” during the booking/payment process. You can no longer pay by card at the studio.

Note: After you’ve paid, you can register for the course. Even if you’ve purchased the entire course, you still need to register for each day separately! To make this easier, the links to the individual days are in the schedule above.

Four experienced teachers

Hiske van der Meulen

Nanda Peek

Kristien van Reusel

Kerry Reinking