History of Iyengar Yoga

Yogacharya B.K.S.Iyengar (Guruji) (Bellur, India, 1918) is a living legend who has taught yoga in unique way to all his students. He finds the meaning of the yoga sutras by his practical search and regular practice of yoga. Thus, he has helped all to experience the wisdom of the yoga sutras. His style of teaching yoga is called "Iyengar Yoga" and is now being followed by certified teachers across the world. He has been practicing and teaching yoga for over 75 years, and wrote many classic books on yoga, such as Light on Yoga, Light on Pranayama and Light on Life.

As a child, Iyengar suffered from many illnesses. In order to overcome these, he started practicing yoga with his brother in law, Sri Tirumalai Krishnamacharya, in Mysore, India. Even though it was hard at first, he overcame his illnesses and even started to teach in 1937, in Pune. Over the years, he became more successful, and in 1952 he met world famous violinist Yehudi Menuhin, who became one of his students and helped spread his fame world-wide. Menuhin arranged for Iyengar to teach in Europe, as one of the first yoga teachers to spread yoga to the western society.

Now, at age 91, he is still living in Pune, India. His institute, the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Institute, is still alive with his teachings, and his daughter Geeta and son Prashant are still leading classes there. Even though mr. Iyengar himself officially retired from teaching, he still practices daily at the institute, and occasionally teaches.

Interesting fact: Iyengar's teacher Krishnamacharya was also the main teacher of Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, the founder of Ashtanga yoga. Krishnamacharya's son, TKV Desikachar, is also still one of the most influential yoga teachers in the world.

Iyengar yoga is a yoga style where the practice of asanas is considered the starting point of a spiritual practice. Much attention is placed on correct alignment in asanas in order to develop strength, stamina, flexibility and balance, as well as concentration and meditation. It aims to unite the body, mind and spirit for health and well-being. This discipline is considered a powerful tool to relieve the stresses of modern-day life, which in turn can help promote total physical and spiritual well-being.

What to expect in Iyengar yoga classes.

There are some points that make Iyengar yoga different from other types of Hatha yoga. For instance:

• Props (such as blocks, belts, blankets or bolsters) are used to facilitate learning and to adjust the asanas to individual needs. Props can be used to make difficult asanas more accessible to every body, or to make them more challenging.
• There is a lot of attention on alignment. People tend to stretch easier in their more flexible areas and rely on their better-developed muscles for strength. This will only reinforce existing habits. Iyengar yoga encourages weak parts to strengthen and stiff areas to release, thus awakening and aligning the entire body. As the body becomes better aligned, less hard work is required and relaxation will increase naturally.
• Timing: Iyengar yoga classes will give you generally more time in a pose to explore its effects and work on detailed alignment.
• Sequencing: in Iyengar yoga there is not one set sequence, but poses can be practiced in various orders for different effects or benefits. A sequence is a safe and systematic progression of yoga postures to develop each students ability and skill, both within each class and from class to class. It can be used to develop strength, flexibility, stamina, concentration and body alignment.
• Training of the teachers: there's a well-regulated teacher training program one has to follow in order to be certified as an Iyengar yoga teacher. This thorough training of the instructors leads to precise use of language, demonstration and teaching of specific points to develop understanding and intelligent action, and individual correction and adjustment of students when necessary.
• There is a lot of attention for the therapeutic use of asana in Iyengar yoga.

Iyengar yoga links

www.bksiyengar.com - the official site
www.iyengar-yoga.com - more info on Iyengar yoga
www.iyengaryogaamsterdam.com - the Iyengar yoga institute in Amsterdam
www.yogastudio.nl - the Iyengar yoga institute in Rotterdam
www.iyengaryoga.nl - the website of the Dutch Iyengar yoga association
www.yogaartandscience.com - a website that explores Iyengar yoga as an art, and as a science
www.bradpriddy.com/yoga - good resource for info on poses and sequencing
http://teachingphilosophyandyoga.blogspot.com - a blog about teaching both Iyengar yoga and philosophy
http://yogaspy.wordpress.com - observations on yoga culture in North America by an Iyengar yoga student