BKS Iyengar's legacy: What is Iyengar yoga and how is it different?

Yoga guru BKS Iyengar passed away on August 20, 2014, leaving behind a message 'I always tell people, live happily and die majestically.'(as per his website). The yoga guru, who is also hailed as the father of modern yoga and has been awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2002 and Padma Vibhushan in 2014 for his achievements had been admitted to a hospital after he faced difficulty breathing. His condition soon deteriorated, and he was put on dialysis for renal insufficiency.

Considered to be one of the foremost yoga teachers in the world, BKS Iyengar is the founder of Iyengar Yoga and had written many books on yoga practice and philosophy. He first learned yoga from his brother-in-law Sri Tirumalai Krisnamacharya, in an attempt to improve his health. He soon fell in love with the practice and went on to teach yoga in London, Switzerland, Paris and other places. Want to know what exactly the form of yoga is, and how it is different? Well, be break down the science for you.

What is Iyengar yoga?

Iyengar yoga is a form of yoga that was masterminded by late yoga guru BKS Iyengar. While the practice is based on the eight aspects of yoga (ashtanga yoga), yoga guru BKS Iyengar formulated this form of yoga through research based experience, and experience based research. Due to its immense popularity, the form of yoga was named Iyengar Yoga. What set this practice apart was the fact that it was formulated to allow everyone to practice Iyengar yoga and its teachings with ease.

To be more specific Iyengar yoga is the practice of asanas and pranayam with an intense focus on ones posture. In order to help people perform these asanas efficiently, Yoga guru BKS Iyengar designed props such as the yoga block, belts, ropes and wooden gadgets that helped a person perform the asanas correctly. Also, Iyengar yoga emphasises that while performing a particular yoga asana one must make sure that their posture is absolutely correct and all the anatomical structures of a person's body are aligned correctly. He believed that if the asanas were done correctly (as per the instructions of a trained yoga teacher) it could help bring the body and mind into alignment helping a person become healthy and even keep certain diseases at bay.

Iyengar yoga has 200 classical yoga asanas and 14 different types of pranayams; ranging from easy to extremely difficult. These asanas have been structured and categorized such that they allow a beginner to progress thorough the practice surely and safely, while gaining flexibility, strength and a control on their mind.

What makes Iyengar yoga different from other forms of yoga?

1. The postures are more complex: In Iyengar yoga a person practices yoga asanas that require a lot more skill when compared to other forms of yoga. Also, the asanas require a lot more flexibility and finesse while being done. In most cases this form of yoga has to be taught and closely guided by a trained teacher.
2. You hold the asanas for a longer period of time: While performing yoga asanas under the Iyengar yoga technique, the asanas are held for a longer period of time than in other forms of yoga. This is because yoga guru BKS Iyengar believed that if one holds these postures for a longer period of time, it helped the body achieve the asana's benefits completely, allowing its effects to penetrate deeper in to the body. Apart from that, according to the principles of Iyengar yoga, when a person gets into a yoga asana it takes the body some time to acclimatise and become stable in that posture. After that, the person can focus on their breathing and allow their body to benefit from the asana.
3. Pranayam comes only after one has mastered the asanas: In most other forms of yoga a person can perform pranayam (deep breathing techniques) as soon as they start practicing the asanas, but in Iyengar yoga, yoga guru BKS Iyengar emphasises that one should perform pranayam only after they have mastered the asanas. This is because while performing an asana a person is taught to fine-tune the movements of their body. They are taught to discipline their body, make it more flexible and better aligned. At the same time they learn to breathe correctly and focus on even the smallest parts of their body; helping them intensify their meditative state while performing asanas. This also allows the flow of life energy or prana without any blocks, which is how pranayam essentially benefits the entire body. Moreover, if a person practices asanas properly they will also be able to be more aware of their entire body making their mind more sharp and attentive. Once they have mastered all these techniques, they may start practicing pranayam as it is not simply a form of deep breathing but requires one to sit in a posture for a long period of time, reign in their mind and breath in and out with the correct technique to gain it's full benefits for which a person's body and mind has to be ready.
4. You will use props: Yoga guru BKS Iyengar emphasises the correct alignment of all parts of the body while performing a yoga asana. In order to facilitate this, he developed several props like the yoga block, chairs, blankets and belts that can aid a person in performing yoga asanas . These props help a person adjust and support oneself so that they can perform the asanas while exercising each part of their body over a large range of motions safely and effectively.
5. The sequence of the asanas are different: Different forms of yoga prescribe different sequence of yoga asanas. This is basically a guideline of which asanas should be done after another, as each sequence has different benefits. But, according to the principles of Iyengar yoga, by varying this sequence the effect of the asana (both mental and physical) can be intensified. A fact that is otherwise not possible. Yoga guru BKS Iyengar also believed that this alteration helped bring about a change in the whole person, including his/her spiritual evolution.

Picture Source: http://www.bksiyengar.com/

You may also like to read:

• BKS Iyengar dead: Yoga legend passes away at 95, Twitter full of condolences
• PM Narendra Modi condoles BKS Iyengar's death
• Yoga tips for beginners

For more articles on yoga, visit our yoga section. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest updates! For daily free health tips, sign up for our newsletter. And for health-related queries, visit our Questions and Answers section.