Iyengar Yoga: The Benefits Will Ripple Through Your Entire Life
Iyengar Awakens the Body, Mind, and Spirit
When I began practicing Iyengar Yoga I could immediately feel the benefits. First I became aware of the toll the years of rugged use and abuse of my bones and muscles and the age enhancing habits of sitting at a desk took on me. I have several problem areas such as a knee that was scoped, a wrist with mild carpal tunnel syndrome, a precarious lower back, and very tight hamstrings from a lot of running and hiking.
Through the tutelage of a magnificent teacher where I practice at Northern Lights Yoga here in Helena, Montana, most of those aches and pains have greatly diminished and even disappeared.
I am a huge proponent of any kind of yoga, but finding Iyengar Yoga had a profound impact on my life. The poses (which are sustained longer on the mat) are not easy and you must learn to train your thoughts to perceive and manipulate pivotal muscles that are sometimes tiny and most likely unknown to the conscious you. Yet, these muscles play a major role in not only achieving the correct pose but also in the broader sense of learning to maintain the right posture to prevent injury and gain a little grace in many senses of the word.
This attention and awareness that yoga brings to the body also plays a role in reshaping the mind to make it more attuned, focused, and in touch with a whole new world at large which is full of subtle nuances you were used to slogging on by in a blurry haze.
Background and Where to Begin
This type of yoga is named after Yogacharya B.K.S.Iyengar, the agile and pragmatic founder whose eyes beam with the light of inner peace. Iyengar is well into his 80’s but still maintains an amazing ability to practice his poses and teach those inspired enough to bring his discipline to the rest of the world. This yoga is known for its use of props like blocks, belts, ropes, and bolsters to assist the practitioner in working on asanas (postures). Continued work on these postures to achieve precise alignment begins to improve the focus and concentration of the practitioner in all their other endeavors.
Based on the enlightened works of Patanjali’s Sutras written many centuries ago, known as the 8 Limbed Path, Iyengar Yoga emphasizes stamina, developing strength, flexibility, balance, concentration, and meditation. The practitioner becomes familiar with the wisdom and application of these sutras.
Continued practice of this discipline melds the body, mind, and emotions to act cohesively with integration rather than each separate element acting on its own like a wild horse attached to you pulling you in three different directions. Iyengar Yoga is meant for anyone interested, regardless of what kind of shape they’re in because unity and self-acceptance are underlying goals of yoga.
But the use of props is the practical manner prevent people from injuring themselves or snapping some part of themselves which they may later need. A heavy concentration on standing poses is part of this program. The relief these poses create in your joints, hips, back, and relief from restless leg syndrome are well worth the effort alone, so give Iyengar Yoga a try if you’re lucky enough to have a qualified instructor near you.
This post is part of the series: A Roundup on Different and Invaluable Yoga Disciplines
Yoga is a practice which improves the flexibility, strength, and stamina of your body and also has the added benefit of bringing your mental and spiritual well-being to levels you never thought possible. This series gives you a general overview then describes Iyengar, Kundalini, and Flow Yoga.
