Iyengar yoga benefits and differences
In the vast modern landscape there are different styles of yoga, some more traditional, others innovative and still others that have little to do with yoga practice.
Referring to traditional yoga, we then have styles that simply took their name from the master who handed down his lineage and underlined some characteristics fundamental for him.
One of these masters, perhaps one of the best known is certainly Iyengar.
Iyengar yoga benefits and differences
When we talk about Iyengar yoga we are talking about a yoga school that places emphasis on detail, that is, the precision of movement, the alignment of the body and the control of the breath;
Through the practice of asanas and pranayama this style develops the strength, mobility and stability of the body. If we have to make a comparison we could say that iyengar yoga is like classical ballet in the dance scene.
Characteristics of the Iyengar YOga
This style naturally takes its name from its creator BKS Iyengar who, by systematizing more than 200 classic postures and 14 different types of pranayama, has created an unprecedented combination of asanas with the aim of helping the practitioner to grow gradually and harmoniously in the practice.
His is an approach to traditional yoga that allows the student, moving from simple positions to increasingly complex positions, to develop mind, body and spirit little by little. Typical of this style is the use of preparatory tools (such as belts, blocks, chairs, ropes, etc.).
The tools used therefore ensure that:
- the style is accessible to everyone, even to those with limiting physical problems;
- allows practitioners to perform asanas in a more correct and aligned position;
- allows practitioners to hold asanas longer, making them more effective.
Characteristics of Iyengar Yoga
The Iyengar style is linked to tradition and is in fact based on the eight stages of yoga synthesized by Patanjali, on the other hand the Iyengar practice is standardized on the teachings of its creator who first of all was and defined himself a yoga scholar.
Iyengar himself learned yoga and meditation through a long and difficult path under the guidance of his guru Sri Krishnamacharya (considered the father of modern yoga). Iyengar in the time became famous for the rigidity of his teaching in which he asked for discipline and a desire to work hard.
“Yoga not only changes the way we see the world, but also transforms the person who looks”
B.K.S. Iyengar
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