Iyengar yoga has been described as meditation in action. Practising the yoga postures with awareness has an integrating effect and works to harmonise mind and body.
It is one of the more traditional types of yoga and has it's origins in Hatha.
I believe it is truly one form of yoga that holds the tremendous powers to benefit and heal the body.
There are countless reasons to do Iyengar yoga, but here are some of the top reasons to give this practice a try.
Iyengar yoga is accessible to anyone. Regular practice increases suppleness, strength and stamina, improves posture and concentration and quietens the mind to promote wellbeing.
Yoga Postures are held for longer than in some other methods, allowing tight muscles to lengthen and relax, and helping to focus awareness. Yoga props such as blankets, blocks and belts may be used to improve your understanding of poses or to help if you have difficulties.
“Action is movement with intelligence. The world is filled with movement. What the world needs is more conscious movement, more action.”
No two yoga classes are the same: teachers select yoga poses from the different groups of poses to emphasise the various aspects of the practice.
B.K.S. Iyengar was born in 1918. He started doing yoga as a teenager in an effort to improve his health after contracting tuberculosis and began teaching yoga in 1936.
As American and European students began seeking yoga instruction in the 1960's, Iyengar's method rose to prominence.
He established his principal school, the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute in Pune, India in 1975. This center became the centre for the popularization of yoga.
As one of the first teachers to teach yoga to westerners, Iyengar's influence on modern asana practice cannot be overstated. He died in 2014, at the age of 95.
His son Prashant and daughter Geeta went on to administer the RIMYI.
But don't get the idea that Iyengar class will be easy, even though the style of practice is adaptable to different levels. Iyengar is also very appealing to more advanced yogis who want to work on their alignment. People who are very meticulous, technical, have an interest in anatomy, and an appreciation of subtle movements in the body typically enjoy Iyengar-style practice. Even if you never take an Iyengar class, his influence is so prevalent today you will surely encounter it in the way poses are taught and props are used across the yoga spectrum.
