So what is Iyengar yoga?
It is the type of yoga popularised in the West by a man called BKS Iyengar. It focuses on correct alignment, precision in technique and in the use of props. It covers over 275 different yoga poses, representing the most complete and systematic selection of poses.
Tell me a little bit about Mr. Iyengar.
Well, he's a pretty important man, without whom yoga as we know of it today wouldn't exist - Mr. Iyengar was named as one of TIME magazine's 100 most influential people in the world. He was born in Bellur, India in 1918 and is based at and runs the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute in Pune together with two of his children.
What can I expect from an Iyengar yoga class?
That depends on your teacher, but it is safe to say that all Iyengar teachers have been through a rigorous training program that allows for the systematic and progressive teaching of yoga poses. Some people think yoga is about sitting with your eyes closed visualising the flickering of a candle, and then they try Iyengar yoga and don't really know what has hit them!
I've read that Iyengar yoga uses a lot of props - can you explain this?
Well, there's a general misconception about the use of props - even among Iyengar yoga teachers. BKS Iyengar invented the use of props to help the sick and elderly, but if you're young and healthy you should attempt the classical poses without props. Props should only be used to improve the pose and to teach us something about the pose. They are not there to make life easy.
Absolutely, who would want that?
Ha, I guess most people! But yoga is about challenging yourself, to explore your body and experience all aspects of yoga. You can't do this if every time you come to class you take a belt, block or brick and sit and do nothing. Yoga is about changing your outlook on life, be a better person and trying something new every once in a while.
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