The 5th Yoga on Links — 29 August 2026: words of gratitude from Kyoko
We were so lucky with the weather! Sandwiched between a rainy Friday and Sunday, we were blessed with sunshine on Saturday morning for our outdoor event, Yoga on Links. This year was extra special as we celebrated the 5th anniversary of the event — and we have no doubt that it will continue for many years to come!
Around 40 people gathered at Bruntsfield Links to practise yoga together under the open sky. There were some familiar faces from the EIYC classes, as well as new people who simply turned up to experience outdoor yoga. It was lovely to see children joining us too.
We put together a sequence that was accessible and enjoyable for most people and age groups, because Yoga on Links is an event for everyone. Five teachers from EIYC — Elena, Leyla, Sarah, Toni and Kyoko — shared the teaching. There were moments when we were smiling and even laughing, and others when everyone was quietly focused on what the teacher was saying. Yoga really does bring people together.
Bruntsfield Links is such an ideal place for this event. It is away from the busiest parts of the city, so even during the Fringe we can enjoy practising yoga in a peaceful and beautiful environment, away from the hustle and bustle of the Festival. And it is wonderfully green. Instead of looking at walls and ceilings in an indoor studio, we could look up at the trees and sky and feel the grass beneath our feet.
After some standing poses and abdominal work, we all lay down on our backs for Savasana, feeling completely absorbed in the surrounding nature.
Afterwards, people stayed to chat with each other and with the teachers. Some told us that they had not known about EIYC before the event and that they might come along to try one of our classes at the Centre. That was wonderful to hear!
One lady approached us with a big smile and told us how much she had enjoyed the session. She was especially grateful to have found an Iyengar Yoga event in Edinburgh. She is from Kazakhstan and is only here temporarily, visiting her daughter who is studying in Edinburgh. She was delighted to find us because she herself is an Iyengar Yoga teacher in her hometown.
Isn’t it amazing that Yoga on the Links has created a connection with Kazakhstan too!
And for anyone planning to go to Pune to study at the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute, look out for Sholpan — she goes there too!
A huge thank you to everyone who came along and made the morning so special, and to all the teachers and Board members who worked so hard behind the scenes to make the event happen.
We hope to see you on Links again next year!
