OUR STORY

Inward Bound Yoga or IBYoga can trace it roots back many years. Its principal founder, Barbara Linderman (1934-2007), was introduced to yoga when she was living in Madras (now Chennai), India, 1961-63, when her husband was stationed there with the U.S. Foreign Service.  During that time, Barbara took yoga classes from the “Father of Modern Yoga,” Tirumalai Krishnamacharya (1888 –1989), an Indian yoga teacher, ayurvedic healer and scholar.  Barbara, with a degree in physical education, loved the practice of yoga.   At the end of her series of lessons, she received a certificate signed by T. Krishnamacharya, commemorating her status as an intermediate yoga student.  It was one her most prized possessions.   After returning to the United States, she began teaching yoga, eventually spending many years teaching classes in Ann Arbor at the Friends Center.

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Inward Bound Yoga was officially established in 1995 by Barb Linderman, Cathy King, Martha Laatsch, Lynette Smith, and Jonathan Tyman.    It was essentially a continuation of the yoga classes that Barbara Linderman began at the Friends Center in 1975.    Always interested in the diversity of hatha yoga styles she included Iyengar,  Viniyoga, White Lotus, Ashtanga, and a focus on chanting, breathing, mudra, and open hearted lightness to our classes. Barb’s creative combination of Postures to Sacred music became her legacy that is still offered and endeared by many.

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Over the years Barabara had a legion of devoted students, many of whom went on to lead their own yoga classes.   This includes the current group of Inward Bound teachers who are still guided by Barbara’s teaching and spirit.   We continue to teach and lead a diverse set of yoga practices that were pioneered by Barbara Linderman and others.   Importantly, we aspire to emulate the warmth and compassion that she showed to her students.