What is Yoga?
…an ancient and timeless art, science and philosophy
…the union of body, mind and soul
Common Misconceptions about Yoga
You must be flexible to practice yoga.
Why not practice yoga to become flexible? People who are naturally flexible are the people most injured practicing yoga because they lack the strength and know how of when to stop. A stiff body is like a built-in brake, it prevents you from hurting yourself if you listen to your body.
You must be young or physically fit to learn and practice yoga.
Actually, yoga is for all ages and abilities. With the right teacher you can go far!
Yoga is a religion.
Yoga is not a religion, it is the study and observation of one’s Self. Yoga is a science and philosophy.
What is Iyengar Yoga?
Iyengar yoga is a form of yoga based on the teachings of yogacharya B.K.S. Iyengar.
Iyengar yoga is based on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.
Iyengar Yoga is systematic intelligence, it is progressive and builds on a strong foundation of the basic postures.
It uses the principles of alignment to achieve a symmetrical stretch of the muscles and tendons and to place and re-place the internal organs. The alignment of the body is the first step to bringing the body, mind, and soul to alignment.
Iyengar Yoga uses yoga props such as blocks, straps, blankets, bolsters, chairs, and wall ropes to learn and deepen one’s understanding of the poses. Iyengar Yoga is not yoga with props but uses props to educate the body.
Iyengar yoga uses themes and sub-themes in yoga classes to deepen the awareness of poses. For example: in a class, the teacher may sequence postures that are related to each other to deepen the understanding of these poses and the actions of the body to perform these yoga postures.
Iyengar Yoga is a dynamic style of yoga. There are jumpings, standing poses, forward bends, sitting postures, backbends, twists, inversions, arm balances, and pranayama.
More on Iyengar Yoga
B.K.S. Iyengar has produced significant innovations in the teaching of this art. He has written several books on yoga including the famous Light on Yoga, Light on Pranayama, and Light on The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. His daughter Geeta and son Prashant are also accomplished teachers and authors of yoga texts. The Iyengar family’s teachings are deeply grounded in the yoga sutras of Patanjali, an ancient summation of the path of yoga considered to be at least 2500 years old. B.K.S. Iyengar is responsible for bringing yoga to the West with his innovations of yoga props and of yoga therapy.
Some noteworthy facts:
- A complete approach to physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual transformation, bringing the practitioner to mental clarity and wisdom, emotional serenity, and poise, and physical health and vitality.
- Emphasis on standing poses to develop strength, stamina, concentration, and body alignment.
- A safe orderly systematic progression of poses to develop the student’s ability both within a class and from class to class.
- Use of props, such as blankets, blocks, and straps, to facilitate learning and adjust poses to an individual’s needs.
- Highly developed teaching methodology including the precise use of language, demonstration, and teaching of specific points of action in a pose, individual correction, and adjustment of students.
- Ways to use yoga to ease various ailments and stress.
- Complete integration of the yoga philosophy with the practice of asana and pranayama.
B. K. S. Iyengar