The Houston Iyengar Yoga Studio was founded by Constance Braden in 1995. We are now happily situated at Spring Street Studios, the northernmost of the Sawyer Yards warehouses repurposed as artists’ studios.
If you need to use the elevator, please letus know in advance. It’s a freight elevator—your teacher will be happy to operate it for you. Get directions on Also, please note that the building doors lock automatically at 6pm. Please arrive early for your evening class. To contact us, please email Constance: constance
CLASSES
LEVEL 1
For all students new to Iyengar Yoga. Iyengar Yoga is progressive—fundamentals of alignment and muscle action taught at Level 1 are essential for the safe and beneficial performance of poses taught at more advanced levels.
Students experienced in other systems of yoga learn a new physical vocabulary, greatly benefit from the step-by-step approach of Level 1, and prepare the body and mind for rigors specific to Iyengar Yoga, the long holding of inversions, for example.
Emphasis is on standing poses, with the introduction of some sitting poses, shoulder stand, and simple forward bends, twists and backbends. Challenging for all levels of ability.
LEVEL 2
For students who have completed at least one 12- or 14-week session of Level 1, can demonstrate some proficiency in and understanding of the standing poses, and are ready to work more regularly on inversions, backbends, etc.
PRANAYAMA I
Prerequisite: one year of instruction in and home practice of asana in the Iyengar Yoga method. Student must be able and willing to keep up the practice of asana, and practice pranayama daily.
50+
For students over 50 years of age who would benefit from a slower paced class. Challenging, but appropriate for older practitioners. Props are often used for support.
TEACHERS
constance braden
Constance is the founder, director, and primary instructor at the Houston Iyengar Yoga Studio. She started practicing yoga in the late eighties while teaching English in Japan; her teacher gave her a copy of B. K. S. Iyengar’s Light on Yoga, and it was Iyengar Yoga she sought out when she returned to the United States. In Houston, she studied for many years with George Purvis. She has a background in music and literature, has lately turned to visual art, and enjoys practicing and teaching Iyengar Yoga as an inexhaustible spiritual art and philosophy. For three years she was editor of Yoga Samachar, the magazine of Iyengar Yoga’s National Association of the U. S. She has studied at the Iyengar Institute in Pune, India five times, holds an Intermediate Junior II certificate, and has mentored many students who have gone on to become certified teachers of Iyengar Yoga, several of whom have opened their own schools.
jimena lieb
Jimena has been practicing yoga since 2007 and has been dedicated to the Iyengar method since 2009. Stress and injury were the original reasons she sought out yoga and she soon realized yoga’s healing powers and was eager to learn more! To her, Iyengar Yoga was the “tough love” she needed in her life and it has evolved into a passion she loves to share with her students. Jimena has trained extensively over the years with many Iyengar Yoga teachers, earned her Iyengar Yoga certification in 2015 and continues her studies in this truly remarkable form of art, science, and philosophy. Jimena is originally from Mexico City and is fluent in Spanish.