Iyengar Yoga
Iyengar Yoga was named after its founder, Bellur Krishnamachar Sundararaja Iyengar or BKS Iyengar for short and developed by him during the early half of the twentieth century while he was teaching yoga in Pune. Iyengar yoga has since grown in popularity and is now practiced by millions of students worldwide.Iyengar yoga is a form of Hatha yoga and, as such, concentrates on the use of Asanas to develop and unite the structural elements of the body, mind and spirit in order to induce good health and a sense of well-being. It particularly differs from other forms of yoga in its use of props - belts, benches, blocks, cushions, and sandbags being popular items of assistance when performing the Asanas that make up Iyengar Yoga.
Two other ways in which Iyengar is different is that body alignment is especially important and that poses are normally held for longer than other forms of Hatha Yoga. A typical Iyengar Yoga procedure is to slowly assume a pose, hold it for a few minutes, rest for a short specified period and then repeat into a new Asana. The slow pace of Iyengar Yoga renders it suitable for rebuilding strength when recovering from an injury or for those suffering from pain.
Here are two suggested combinations of Asanas - one for beginners and one for those with a moderate level of experience of Iyengar Yoga. The procedures should last typically about 90 minutes.
| Beginners | Intermediate Level |
|---|---|
| Sukhasana (Easy Pose) | Virasana (Hero or Heroine Pose) |
| Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog Pose) | Adho Mukha Svanasana |
| Surya Namaskar Repeat 3 times (Sun Salutations) | Surya Namaskar |
| Vrksasana (Tree Pose) | Vrksasana |
| Utthita Trikonasana (Extended Triangle Pose) | Utthita Trikonasana |
| Utthita Parsvakonasana (Extended Side Angle Pose) | Utthita Parsvakonasana |
| Dandasana (Staff Pose) | Ardha Chandrasana (Half Moon Pose) |
| Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bend) | Adho Mukha Vrksasana (Handstand) |
| Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle Pose) | Ardha Navasana (Half Boat Pose) |
| Upavistha Konasana (Wide Angle Pose) | Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose) |
| Navasana (Boat Pose) | Salabhasana (Locust Pose) |
| Locust Pose | Makrasana (Crocodile Pose) |
| Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Supported Bridge Pose) | Salamba Sarvangasana (Supported Shoulder Stand) |
| Viparita Karani (Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose) | Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle Pose) |
| Reclining Twist | Janu Sirsasana (Head-to-Knee Forward Bend) |
| Savasana (Corpse Pose) | Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bend) |
| Marichyasana III (Marichi's Pose) | |
| Savasana |
Your yoga teacher can advise you on which Asanas are best for you as well as guiding you towards which props are essential or likely to prove helpful.