Iyengar Yoga
Iyengar yoga was founded amid a poor caste of Brahmins in Belur Karnataka, India by Belur Krishnamachar Sundararaja Iyengar. As a child, he suffered from malaria, tuberculosis, typhoid fever and malnutrition. To overcome these maladies, he studied the vedas and the yoga sutras of Patanjali. He has published fourteen books on Iyengar yoga, including "Light On Yoga" (the quintessential yoga book) and most recently, "Light On Life." He was awarded the Padmi Shri (1991) and Padma Bhusan (2002) as a distinguished citizen of India and was named one of the 100 most influential people by Time Magazine in 2004. Today, the eighty-six-year-old yogi continues to practice the style of yoga he founded and has inspired tens of millions of students.
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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Today's Tip On Yoga
Hatha yoga (pronounced "ha-tuh") literally translates to "sun-moon," referring to the two different energy channels within the body. Most Americans know yoga as the combination of breathing techniques and posturing, but in traditional Indian religion, it is one of the paths that leads to Raja Yoga (or the "contemplation of One Reality.") The practice of this yogic form was widely spread by 15th Century Indian sage Swami Swatamarama and was designed to assist individuals in finding and unblocking internal chakras (or energy centers). Through true understanding and meditation, it was believed that disease and disorders could be prevented and treated in this way.
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