B K S Iyengar
The most well-known and practised method of Yoga is ‘Iyengar Yoga’, taught by Yogacharya Sri B.K.S. Iyengar of Pune, India. He was born in 1918, in Bellur, India, and studied, practised and taught yoga in India and internationally for over 75 years.
Mr. Iyengar’s understanding and mastery of yoga was unrivalled in modern times. He won world-wide respect and recognition and made yoga accessible and relevant to people everywhere. Even people with serious conditions can practise using supports or yoga props. His insights changed how yoga is taught worldwide.
He set the standard for his teachers and students and his textbooks on yoga have become classics. Having passed away in August 2014, followed by his daughter Geeta in 2018, the running of the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute in Pune, India, rests with his son Prashant and grand-daughter Abhijata.
In 2004, BKS Iyengar was listed as one of the 100 most influential people in the world in Time Magazine. He said: ‘I shall be happy if my work helps people to achieve peace in body, poise in mind and tranquillity in the self’.
Whilst yoga’s ultimate aim is liberation it has many benefits along the way which can include:
- increased vitality & well-being
- enhanced flexibility & strength
- better concentration
- improved posture
- self-confidence
- mental & spiritual calm
“The body is my temple and asanas are my prayers.”
Yogacharya BKS Iyengar
What to expect from this method of yoga?
- Qualified and rigorously trained instructors committed to excellence in teaching
- A safe and systematic progression of yoga postures to develop each student’s ability and skill, both within each class and from class to class
- Sequencing that develops strength, flexibility, stamina, concentration, and body alignment
- Individual correction and knowledge of how to adjust postures for common physical problems
- Precise use of language
- Demonstration and teaching of specific points to develop understanding and intelligent action
- Individual correction and adjustment of students, when necessary
- Ways to use yoga to ease various ailments and stress
- Use of props, such as blankets, blocks, and straps, to facilitate learning and adjust yoga postures to individual needs
About Yogacharya BKS Iyengar – Iyengar Yoga UK
