Yogacharya Sri B.K.S. Iyengar

B.K.S. Iyengar is one of the most respected and well known yoga teachers in the world. He has studied and practiced yoga continuously for more than 65 years. His teacher was Sri. T. Krishnamacharya. In 1937 he moved to Puna where he developed an intense practice and began to explore yoga therapy. In 1952 the famous violinist Yehudi Menuhin began to take yoga lessons from Iyengar. This gradually led to the introduction of Hatha Yoga to the West - becoming known as Iyengar Yoga. In 1975 he opened the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute in Puna, India, an International Centre for yoga classes and training. His son Prashant and daughter Geeta have also become renowned teachers.

Mr Iyengar , now in his 80's, has written a number of definitive yoga texts including 'Light On Yoga', and 'Light on Pranayama' both international best-sellers and he continues to play an active role at the Puna Institute. In 2004, Times Magazine named B.K.S. Iyengar 'one of the 100 most influential people in the world'.

What is Yoga?

Yoga, or more properly - Hatha Yoga is an ancient art leading to a sense of physical and emotional well-being. Iyengar Yoga is a form of the classic Hatha Yoga as practiced and researched by B.K.S. Iyengar. In a yoga class you will be introduced to the postures of yoga, known as Asana, which include standing, sitting, inversions, restorative and each class ends with relaxation. The Asanas are a mixture of stretches, forward extensions, twists, backbends and abdominal postures - all to create strength and harmony, providing the body with energy by directing the blood supply to the areas of the body which need it most. In yoga every cell is observed, attended to, and provided with a fresh supply of blood, allowing it to function smoothly. Yoga is noncompetitive, but you will feel stretched! You will leave the class feeling well worked and mentally calmer and clearer.

Each class is different and may emphasis different groups of Asanas, working in a focused way to energise, open or relax different areas of the body. Everyone can practice yoga. If you are not very fit or flexible to start with it doesn't matter as you work within your own capabilities, gaining greater health with regular practice.

A Yoga practice has a beneficial effect on the whole body. Asanas not only tone the muscles, tissues, ligaments, joints, and nerves, but also maintain the smooth functioning and health of all the body's systems. They relax the body and the mind, allowing both to recover from fatigue or weakness, and the stress of daily life.

What are the unique features of Iyengar Yoga?

• Beginners work in a basic way on simple postures according to their capabilities. Attention is also brought to stretching with good breathing. Breathing into the stretches.
• The system of teaching is methodical and progressive with emphasis on alignment and safety.
• The use of equipment such as blocks and belts, used initially to help the practitioner to achieve a better and safer posture.
• Guruji, as Iyengar is known to his followers, has taken into consideration while planning the programmes from level 1, level 2 to Intermediate levels and upwards, all the systems of the body such as the digestive, circulatory, glandular, muscular, skeletal, excretory, reproductive, lymphatic and nervous systems. So you can be sure of a safe and total practice right from the beginning.