I admin it, I’m an Iyengar girl. I have a book written by B.K.S. Iyengar’s protégés over 35 years ago. It’s old and yellowed, but I still refer to it. I love the precision of the poses, and I love how they tell you to get into the poses properly. Things like “pull the skin on the front of your thighs up”, or “pull the kidneys in”, or “grip the bone with your calf muscle”.
If you’re doing a seated forward bend, you push the heel and ball of your foot away from you, and pull your toes and the arch of your foot towards you. If you’re not in tune with your body, these instructions probably make you scratch your head. But if you are, they are exactly what you need to hear to help you get the most out of the poses.
Iyengar Yoga: Precision, Alignment, and Mindfulness
A derivative of Hatha Yoga, Iyengar Yoga is the creation of B.K.S. Iyengar. It’s built on what’s known as the eight limbs of yoga. Those eight limbs of yoga are listed below. They’re based on morality with our fellow man, to seek peace and to be honest.
- Yama: Universal morality
- Niyama: Personal observances (morality within ourselves – finding inner peace)
- Asanas: Body postures (poses)
- Pranayama: Breathing exercises and control of prana
- Pratyahara: Control of the senses
- Dharana: Concentration and cultivating inner perceptual awareness
- Dhyana: Devotion, Meditation on the Divine
- Samadhi: Union with the Divine
The third limb is the poses of yoga, the movements that are engaged in upon practicing the art. Next is Pranayama, the breathing limb of yoga, followed by centering deeply with the body to the exclusion of whatever clamors for attention. Afterwards, is being able to focus – to set your mind on the yoga and not letting your mind get sidetracked by things in and out of the realm of the body.
The seventh limb is meditation, contemplating, and developing tranquility, and the final limb is understanding. It’s an agreement of the mind, a unity of the body and spirit that reaches a level of discernment you wouldn’t have without the practice of yoga.
Iyengar Yoga is a type of yoga that anyone can learn through practice. One of the key elements of this style of yoga is the great focus on the precision found in the poses. The poses are so important that certain objects are allowed to be used in order to reach the precision of the pose. The postures or poses in this kind of yoga aren’t practiced randomly but are meant to be worked in an order that brings union to the mind and body.
The Life and Legacy of B.K.S. Iyengar
Bellur Krishnamachar Sundararaja Iyengar (1918-2014) was born in Karnataka, India, during an influenza pandemic. His early life was marked by illness and hardship, including malaria, tuberculosis, and typhoid. At age 16, his brother-in-law, the renowned yoga teacher Tirumalai Krishnamacharya, invited him to Mysore to teach him yoga to improve his health.
After developing his practice, Iyengar moved to Pune in 1937, where he began teaching. His breakthrough came in 1952 when he met and taught violinist Yehudi Menuhin, who arranged for Iyengar to teach in Europe. This began his international recognition.
His 1966 book “Light on Yoga” is considered the definitive guide to yoga asanas, containing over 600 photographs of poses with detailed instructions. The precision and methodology established in this work revolutionized how yoga was taught worldwide.
By the time of his death at age 95, Iyengar had established institutes in 72 countries and personally taught thousands of students in his methodical, alignment-focused approach.
The Foundation of Props
One of Iyengar’s most significant contributions to modern yoga is the systematic use of props. These tools—including blocks, straps, blankets, and chairs—were developed to help practitioners achieve proper alignment regardless of any physical limitations.
Props in Iyengar Yoga are not viewed as crutches but as tools for learning. They help students understand the correct alignment and action in poses while preventing injury and allowing deeper exploration of each asana.
Therapeutic Applications
Iyengar Yoga is recognized for its therapeutic applications. The precision of the practice has made it particularly beneficial for individuals with specific health concerns, from back pain to chronic illness.
The Iyengar approach includes specific sequences designed to address various conditions, with carefully ordered poses that build upon each other to create particular physiological effects.
Teacher Training and Certification
The certification process for Iyengar teachers is among the most rigorous in the yoga world. Teachers must study for many years and pass extensive assessments before being certified, and they continue their education throughout their teaching careers.
This emphasis on teacher training ensures that students receive skillful adjustments and guidance, particularly important for the precision required in this style.
The Structure of Practice
Iyengar classes follow thoughtfully structured sequences that build logically. Unlike some forms of yoga where poses flow continuously, Iyengar practice often holds poses longer with rest periods between intense postures.
This methodical approach allows students to explore the subtle aspects of each pose and develop greater body awareness over time.
Mind-Body Integration
While focused on precise physical alignment, Iyengar Yoga fundamentally aims at integrating body, mind, and spirit. The concentrated attention required for proper alignment naturally draws the mind into focus.
As Iyengar himself said, “The body is the bow, asana is the arrow, and the soul is the target.” The physical precision becomes a pathway to mental clarity and spiritual awareness.
Foundational Poses
Iyengar Yoga begins with standing poses, which build strength and understanding of alignment principles. Poses such as Tadasana (Mountain Pose), Trikonasana (Triangle Pose), and Virabhadrasana (Warrior Pose) form the foundation of practice.
Even in these seemingly simple poses, students receive detailed instructions like “lift the sternum”, “firm the thighs”, or “lift the kneecaps” — specific directions that develop nuanced body awareness.
Daily Benefits
Iyengar Yoga is a type of yoga that anyone can learn through practice. One of the key elements of this style of yoga is the great focus on the precision found in the poses. The poses are so important that certain objects are allowed to be used to reach the precision of the pose. The postures or poses in this kind of yoga aren’t practiced randomly but are meant to be worked in a specific order that brings union to the mind and body.
The poses (also known as asanas) offer many benefits for the physical, mental, and spiritual parts of each user. The asanas learned always have a point, a specific purpose to enhance something within the person practicing the moves.
Each kind of yoga shows how to stretch out the muscles, how to limber them up, and create flexibility throughout the body. Yoga increases strength and endurance and offers a calmness that aids in reducing stress. Since we all know the downside to living with stress, know that yoga can help improve the way our body reacts to stress.
Finding Clarity
With Iyengar Yoga, you’ll learn how to tune out the noise that plays in your head. We all have them – those annoyances that can jack your blood pressure up and make you feel like you need a thirty-hour day or another set of hands to get everything on your have-to-do list done.
With practice, you can learn how to center yourself through yoga and focus on what’s most important in your life.
