THE PLACE TO ENJOY
YOGA AT THE SCHLOSS PICHLARN HOTEL IN IMLAU
Experience relaxation, inner balance, and strength through the yoga programs at the IMLAUER Hotel Schloss Pichlarn. Nestled in the tranquil natural setting of the Styrian Enns Valley, surrounded by majestic mountains and breathtaking panoramic views, we invite you to leave the stresses of everyday life behind and experience the strength and tranquility of Iyengar yoga with yoga instructor Magdalena.
Enjoy the exclusive atmosphere of our hotel, with comfort and culinary delights of the highest caliber, and experience the soothing tranquility of this special place of rejuvenation. The crisp mountain air and idyllic landscape clear your mind and allow you to find your inner peace.
A special highlight: During the warmer months, we also invite you to join us for outdoor yoga sessions. Surrounded by nature, with sweeping views of the impressive mountain scenery, mindful movement, fresh air, and inner balance come together to create a truly special experience. Feeling your own body, finding peace, and letting the power of your surroundings take effect—that’s how yoga unfolds its full potential.
If you’d like to deepen your practice or experience a session tailored entirely to your personal needs, our Personal Yoga Training . In a private session, everything is tailored to your individual preferences and well-being—for a particularly intense, mindful, and lasting experience.
What is Iyengar Yoga?
Iyengar Yoga, named after its founder, B.K.S. Iyengar, places special emphasis on precise postures and proper body alignment.
With targeted support from yoga props, participants—regardless of their experience level—can delve deeper into the individual poses (asanas) and gently challenge and strengthen their bodies. The method promotes flexibility, inner balance, and improved posture, while calming the mind.
Our yoga classes are suitable for beginners as well as experienced yogis. Under the careful guidance of our qualified yoga instructor, Magdalena, you’ll be introduced to the techniques step by step and can experience the effects of Iyengar yoga for yourself. Each yoga session concludes with a short relaxation session, Shavasana.
An Interview with Yoga Instructor Magdalena
Magdalena Weinzerl has been inspiring our guests as a yoga and fitness instructor at the IMLAUER Hotel Schloss Pichlarn since 2011. She has been an enthusiastic practitioner of Iyengar yoga for many years and has deepened her knowledge and yoga practice through numerous training and continuing education courses.
We interviewed Magdalena and talked about her yoga practice and her love for yoga.
What does a yoga session look like?
The classes are designed to be engaging for both beginners and advanced practitioners. As is typical in Iyengar yoga, the focus is on the physical postures (asanas). With my detailed instructions, we’ll practice various poses to strengthen specific areas of the body. This can be a bit challenging at first if you’ve never done it before, but it’s just like learning any new sport or fitness exercise.
Iyengar Yoga is just as suitable for beginners and older adults as it is for advanced practitioners and younger people, because we use props in a targeted way to make the poses easier. This improves flexibility, strength, and stability, and makes the body more flexible. That’s why our yoga classes are also suitable for people who aren’t (yet) very flexible. Iyengar Yoga is an experience with your own body.
How long have you been doing yoga?
I’ve always been very active and loved sports; I just had to keep moving. Then someone recommended a teacher who offered stretching classes. I really enjoyed it, and I kept doing it for a long time.
I was introduced to Iyengar yoga at an open house at a gym. I thought it would be easy, but it was actually very strenuous. I was about 24 years old at the time, and there were people in the class who were 60 or 70 years old. That fascinated me. Whenever I visit my hometown today, I still go to that yoga studio because the teacher from back then is still teaching. I think that’s really wonderful. So much has changed, but that yoga class is still there, and people are still enthusiastic about it.
What’s important to know when practicing Iyengar yoga?
You shouldn’t have a problem with being corrected. Some people find this uncomfortable; they see it as something negative. But in Iyengar Yoga, the precise execution of a pose is very important, and it is only through correction that we can learn and continue to improve.
It may also be important to know that in Iyengar Yoga, you always start by getting to know your body. Once the body is ready, other practices—such as breathing techniques, extended meditation, etc.—follow.
How do our guests benefit from Iyengar yoga?
In Iyengar yoga, I have to really concentrate on the exercises and focus all my attention on the practice: how to do this specific asana, how to position my arms, and so on. I have to listen to the teacher’s instructions and follow them. This helps me forget what’s been on my mind all day and be fully present in the moment. It’s a form of meditation that ultimately leads to greater relaxation and balance.
Practicing in a group yoga class is also a special experience, especially if you usually practice at home with videos. Practicing in a group is usually more intense than practicing alone.
You also benefit from having an instructor who demonstrates the correct posture, and you can check whether you’re doing the exercises you practice at home correctly. It’s only natural that your form becomes a little less precise over time. Even I, who have been practicing yoga for almost 20 years, still go to an instructor from time to time to have my poses corrected. If you don’t do that, you stop making progress. We learn throughout our entire lives.
What do you like most about yoga?
I appreciate yoga’s long tradition, which remains relevant even in our modern times and offers many benefits for everyday life. The practice of yoga never ends because you can always go deeper into it. That fascinates me. Even though I’ve been practicing yoga for 20 years, it still surprises me.
For a long time, I thought I was too impatient or too active for yoga, but that’s exactly what I need. In yoga, I find the peace I can’t find anywhere else.
