What is Iyengar yoga

 Iyengar Yoga is a popular yoga style well-known for its focus on detail and presice allignment of the pose (asana). This unique system has been founded by B.K.S. Iyengar (*1918 - † 2014). His path to yoga has begun in early childhood when he encoutered several severe illnesses.

B.K.S Iyengar practised daily and taught in his Ramamani Iyengar Yoga Institute in Indian Pune together with his son, daughter and granddaughter. Guruji is also the author of the most read and famous yoga books Light on Yoga.

Iyengar has been the first one who included props into yoga teachings (belts, bolsters, chairs, blocks etc.), which has become a main characteristic of his yoga system. Beginners use the props as a support for stability and advanced practitioners use them as a second teacher for deeper understanding of asanas.

Not only healthy people can benefit from Iyengar yoga practice as it is suitable for those with health  issues too. Problems such as backaches, depressions, high blood pressure, weak immunity system, joint troubles could be successfully healed with the unique terapeutical approaches and sequences created and continously improved by Guruji. Iyengar Yoga teachers study throughout their Teacher training as well as their own practice the anatomical and physiological basics of human body. They are trained to precision in their teaching.

The goal is to teach the student to be aware of his own body and its correct allignment in individual asanas. Attention is mainly payed to upper and lower limbs, their correct allignment in joints and natural position of the spine. Next specific feature of Iyengar Yoga is the logical sucession of asanas (sequencing) that supports correct physical setting of the joints and muscles. The sequencing facilitates development in strength, flexibility and concentration. Every class is full of extensive word instructions, explanations and manual adujsting of your poses. Regular practice of Iyengar Yoga brings positive energy, improves physical and mental balance. It helps to develop coordination of movements and leads to awareness of own body. It also strengthens the muscles and relieves your joints and spine.

How did he develop Iyengar yoga?

In order to try and restore his health as a youngster, Iyengar was sent to a school in Mysore, India and introduced to yoga by his brother-in-law Tirumalai Krishnamacharya. Over a two-year period he learned from Krishnamacharya - who lived to 100 and is known as the Father of Modern Yoga. In turn, Iyengar moved to Pune in Western India and began teaching yoga himself and experimenting with different techniques.

Schools around the world now teach Iyengar yoga and the discipline has several influential followers. 

Even at the age of 90, Iyengar stated in interviews that he continued to practice yoga for up to three hours a day.

In 2004, Iyengar was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine. In 2014 he was awarded a state honour, the Padma Vibhushan.

His son, Prashant, and daughter, Geeta, are now the principal teachers in the Pune yoga school, and his granddaughter, Abhijata, has also taught there.

 Iyengar Yoga Props

Why it is required to use the props ?

Iyengar yoga is about in helping students to achieve, maintain health through emphasizing precision and alignment in all poses, using props to assist all people to be able to access yoga, and through sequencing. Iyengar style also makes use of props to ensure everybody at all stages of life can access yoga and gets the benefits of the poses by using the props.

Iyengar yoga it's like meditation in action .when you are in a pose you are going deeper in to your body. Iyengar the range of different poses and specific sequences are used for different purposes, with the teacher monitoring students and also making adjustments. Different students also work at different paces under the guidance of the teacher depending on need .it brings the attention and awareness when you are in the pose you search what is happening in your body and the moment, the moment you bring attention, you are creating something, and creation has life and energy. Awareness allows us to overcome tiredness and exhaustion in our poses and in our lives. Awareness in action brings back energy and rejuvenates the body and mind. Awareness brings life. Life is dynamic, and so therefore the asana should also be this is what once B.K.S.Iyengar said in his interview.

Image of yoga props

Patanjali Invocation

Yogena cittasya padena vacam Malam sarirasyaca vaidyakena Yopakarottam prvaram muninam Patanjalim pranjaliranato'smi Abahu purusakaram Sankha cakrasi dharinam Sahasra sirasam svetam Pranamami Patanjalim Hari Hey Om

To the noblest of sages, Patanjali, who gave us yoga for serenity of mind, grammar for purity of speech and medicine for the perfection of the body, I salute. I salute before Patanjali whose upper body has a human form, whose arms hold a conch, and disc and a sword, who is crowned by a thousand headed cobra. Oh incarnation of Adisesa my humble salutations to thee.