Welcome to Iriness, a sanctuary of Ashtanga yoga and wellbeing in the charming town of Horsham, West Sussex. Our name holds a secret we love to share:
A name lovingly created by Patrick, husband of our founder, Irina Pashkevich Bourdier.
Our home, Victoria House, was designed and built by Irina and Patrick in 2017 with yoga and holistic wellbeing at its heart. Light-filled, warm, and welcoming, its wooden floors, gentle heating, and air-conditioning create the perfect space to experience “peaceful miracles.”
At Iriness, we offer nurturing practices for every aspect of your being. Through Patanjali’s path of Ashtanga yoga, you can explore Ashtanga Vinyasa, kriya, pranayama, meditation, and philosophy. Our doors also welcome holistic therapists sharing their healing practices.
Yoga is at the heart of everything we do. For Irina, it brought balance, joy, and wellbeing – enough to leave a corporate career and create a dedicated sanctuary for others. Today, as an accredited Senior Yoga Teacher and Teacher Trainer with Yoga Alliance Professionals UK, she offers daily classes and CPD courses, guiding students to feel stronger, lighter, and more deeply connected to themselves.
Open seven days a week, Iriness offers Mysore-style Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga, kriya &pranayama, meditation, guided classes, beginners’ courses, workshops, and events with world renown visiting teachers.
Whether it’s your first time on the mat or you have years of practice, you’ll find a warm welcome here.
Step into our haven of peace and light, pause, breathe, and rediscover the quiet miracle of being.
Yoga is a journey into my own mind, body, and heart – and through it, into the heart of all.
I grew up in Moscow – a city both cold and beautiful, alive with music, literature, and culture. Despite the chill, it was a place full of human warmth and deep, heart-opening connections. From an early age, I was captivated by words and melodies, studying languages, the humanities, and playing the piano. These passions guided me to earn my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Russian Philology and Literature.
Life has taken me on many unexpected journeys – from working in Moscow’s fast-paced corporate world, to studying and living in the UK, and later moving to Israel for many years within international high-tech corporations.
Yet, in 1998, yoga found me, and it quickly became a way of life – a path of wisdom, balance, stillness, and quiet acceptance.
My journey as a teacher began in 2008, when I earned my first 600-hour teaching certificate with the Israeli Yoga Teachers’ Association and began teaching in my sitting room to a small, devoted group of students.
Over many years, I have trained in-depth with inspiring teachers such as Shimon Ben-Avi, John Scott, and David Keil, deepening my understanding of Ashtanga yoga, anatomy, and philosophy. Each teacher left a mark, and each connection enriched my own heart and practice.
In 2012, love brought me to Horsham, England, where I joined my husband Patrick and his two boys.
In 2015, during a retreat of my teacher John Scott in the Scottish Highlands, I realised that I wanted not only to practise yoga daily, but also to share it with others. The corporate chase was over for me.
Soon after, Patrick and I rebuilt a building near our home from scratch, creating Victoria House – the space for Iriness Yoga – a sanctuary for yoga, wellbeing, and holistic health, and a place where human connection and community are at its centre.
In 2018, I finally had the joy of meeting Gregor Maehle, the Australian author and yoga educator whose books had guided me for many years and quietly shaped my understanding of yoga and the wisdom of life. Since then, I have been studying with Gregor and his wife and yoga partner, Dr Monica Gauci, whose teachings on Patanjali’s Ashtanga yoga and their refined approach to anatomy continue to illuminate my practice. Certified by them in 2021, I remain a devoted and grateful student, ever deepening my practice and keeping my heart open to new insights.
Yoga has always been my compass – guiding me through life’s changes, grounding me in challenge, and lifting me in joy. It has shown me the beauty of human connection, the warmth of shared presence, and the quiet miracles within each moment. I feel profoundly grateful to share this practice with others. At Iriness Yoga & Wellbeing, I invite you to step onto the mat, breathe, grow, and rediscover the heart-opening miracle of being.
I have been teaching yoga since 2008, and in 2015 was accredited as a Senior Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance Professionals UK. Since then, I have been offering CPD courses for teachers and trainees, alongside guiding the Mysore programme at my shala. I am forever grateful to my teachers for their support and generosity, and for kindling the flame of wisdom within me.
Over 5000 hours of Yoga Trainings from 2005 to 2025:
2200 hours – Shimon Ben-Avi, Teacher Training, Apprenticeship. Patanjali’s Ashtanga & Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, Anatomy
200 hours – John Scott & Lucy Crawford, Teacher Training. Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga & Patanjali’s Ashtanga
500 hours – John Scott, Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga
700 hours – Gregor Maehle & Dr Monica Gauci, Teacher Trainings & CPDs: Patanjali’s Ashtanga & Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga; Anatomy, Yoga Therapy
100 hours – David Keil, Anatomy
300 hours – Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies, Philosophy
100 hours – Educational Somatics
Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga is a therapeutic practice that beautifully unites mental focus, breath, and movement (Tristana) through a progressive series of postures. It is designed to enhance mobility, strengthen the body, calm the mind, and support overall wellbeing, bringing a sense of joy, balance, and harmony both within and outwardly. The ultimate aim of yoga is self-awareness and self-realisation, and it provides a rich array of tools to guide and inspire this journey.
Traditionally taught as a teacher-assisted, counted self-practice (Mysore-style), Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga allows students in small groups to move through sequences at their own pace, counting each breath and movement while receiving one-to-one guidance from the teacher. This approach fosters independence, discipline, and creativity, helping each practitioner grow into the master of their own practice, whether they are a beginner or an experienced yogi.
This practice is suitable for all ages, abilities, and lifestyles. Its sequences of postures, breathwork, concentration, and relaxation can be adapted to meet individual needs, offering both a dynamic, physical experience and a gentle, flowing, dance-like practice. Each student is encouraged to explore and shape their own style.
In our classes, we offer not only Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga but also the full spectrum of Patanjali’s teachings: pranayama, meditation, philosophy, and therapeutic approaches such as Yoga Therapy and Somatic Education. We meet each student where they are, offering patient, mindful guidance, and supporting progress in a gentle and gradual way. We are here to create a safe, nurturing, and inspiring space where every student can grow, find balance, and reconnect with their inner vitality.
At Iriness, our goal is to help you discover your own “signature,” nurture it, and flourish with it. We honour the original teachings, where the connection between teacher and student is key to personal growth. That’s why we practise in small groups, allowing each student to receive individual guidance, building strength, flexibility, independence, and insight at every step.
For more information about Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga, watch this beautiful presentation by Irina’s teacher John Scott.
“I have been practising with Irina for more than 6 years now. Everyone in the classes loves Irina, as she is so kind and such an amazing teacher. I have learnt more about yoga with Irina than in any other yoga setting. She is patient and teaches you to explore different aspects of yoga for yourself and it is amazing. She also knows huge amounts about anatomy and safe positioning, and as I have back issues, I would not go anywhere I couldn’t trust regarding safe practice. Irina also teaches tons of helpful skills for healthy breathing, which really helps in every day life. If you are thinking of trying it – just come to Iriness. I am SO glad I did!” – Julie, Horsham
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