Iyengar yoga
Belur
Krishnamachar Sundararaja Iyengar, founder of Iyengar yoga, has been
practicing yoga for over 60 years and is considered to be one of the
foremost yoga instructors in the world. He was born into a poor
Iyengar family in the village of Belur Karnataka, South India.
Iyengars are a community of Brahmins (a priestly class) who study
the vedas and ancient religious texts that indicate a Supreme Being,
as well as subsidiary gods, whose existence depends upon the
all-powerful God. After receiving spiritual treatment, B.K.S.
Iyengar survived malaria, tuberculosis, typhoid fever and
malnutrition. He began teaching yoga in 1937 and has since traveled
the globe, spreading his ideas to the Western world. He has won
several awards and published fourteen books, including "Light On
Yoga," which has been dubbed "the bible of yoga." Time Magazine
called Iyengar one of the "100 most influential people" in 2004.
Iyengar yoga is one part spirituality and one part physical fitness,
paving the way toward a united mind and body.
Spiritually, Iyengar yoga is based upon Patanjali's eight limbs of
raja yoga. The first is Yama, meaning physically and mentally
abstaining from the following five things: violence toward others
and oneself, from coveting others' belongings, from sexual
intercourse, from attachment to possessions and anything that is
untrue. The second limb is called Niyama, referring to the five
observances: cleanliness of body and mind, satisfaction with what
one has, penance and mental control, introspection and surrender to
God. Asana refers to posture and position (ideally an erect stance
with relaxed muscles) and Pranayama is the directed control of one's
breath, which is so vital to successful yoga practice. Pratayahara
calls for the quieting of senses connected with the outer world.
Only then will Dharana (concentration), Dhyana (meditation) and
Samadhi (oneness with the Supreme Being) naturally follow.
A typical Iyengar yoga lesson will cover up to 200 posture positions
and 14 breathing techniques. Certified instructors pace around the
room, assisting students with these techniques and sharing various
props, including: buckles, straps, benches, chairs, blocks and even
sandbags. This form of yoga is often used for physical healing, as
the movements are minimal and the props take much of the strain off
the body. Beginners also like this style because they receive
individualized assistance and with the mastery of these positions,
it will help them in other yoga classes.
Iyengar yoga has spread like wildfire in the United States, with
hundreds of teachers. Major branches of the Iyengar Yoga National
Association of the United States are located in California,
Colorado, Washington, New York, Nevada, Texas, Michigan and
Minnesota. To find classes near you, check out Iynaus.org as a
starting point toward enlightenment and happiness.
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