Iyengar yoga is a form of yoga as an exercise that focuses on the structural alignment of the physical body through the practice of asanas. It is based on Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, which guide you to peace of mind and, ultimately, to happiness (Samadhi). This style usually uses accessories, such as belts, blocks and blankets, to help perform the asanas. The accessories allow beginning students, the elderly or people with physical limitations to perform the asanas correctly, which minimizes the risk of injury or strain.
Iyengar yoga is accessible to all ages and all body types.Iyengar yoga was founded by B. K. S. Iyengar in the 1960s and popularized with his book Light on Yoga.
It works to strengthen the connection between body and mind and is based on yoga sutras. To practice this style of yoga at home, you'll first have to create a sequence using the more than 200 different poses and 14 breathing techniques that exist in Iyengar. Unlike vinyasa yoga styles, in Iyengar, you don't flow from breath to movement, but will hold them for an extended period of time.Iyengar was a pioneer in the use of accessories such as cushions, benches, blocks, straps and sandbags, which work as aids so that beginners can practice asanas more easily and completely than would be possible without several years of practice. He believed that a balanced body led to a balanced mind, hence the unique combination of meditation and movement in Iyengar yoga.Yoga Journal points out that, unlike other styles, beginners in Iyengar yoga start from the beginning to adopt standing poses (such as Trikonasana and Virabhadrasana), executed with careful attention to detail.
Traditionally, Iyengar teachers have completed at least two years of yoga teacher training to obtain the introductory certificate.Because it was founded on the belief that yoga should be for everyone, Iyengar yoga is ideal for anyone of any age or skill level. Study participants reported lower levels of anxiety and better overall well-being after three months of Iyengar yoga.Iyengar yoga became an institution with the founding in 1975 of the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute in Pune, named after his wife. A milestone was the publication of Iyengar's successful book, Light on Yoga in 1966, which described more than 200 asanas in unprecedented detail. Yoga scholar Suzanne Newcombe points out that, despite references to Patanjali, Iyengar didn't ask students to adopt any set of beliefs.
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