Health Benefits of Iyengar Yoga

Iyengar yoga is ayogastyle that emphasizes precision and physical alignment of the body. By working to achieve perfect alignment in each pose, Iyengar yoga students aim to create balance in the body and mind. In addition to helping students gain flexibility and strength, Iyengar yoga may be useful in the management of certain health conditions.Practicing Iyengar YogaLike all forms of yoga, Iyengar yoga combines physical poses, deep breathing, andmeditation. A unique feature of Iyengar yoga is the use of props (such as blocks, pillows, chairs, and bolsters), which help students attain perfect alignment in each pose. Iyengar yoga also involves performing poses in a specific sequence in order to maximize their beneficial effects.Learn more aboutIyengar yoga.Health Benefits of Iyengar YogaResearch suggests that practicing Iyengar yoga may yield specific health benefits. Here's a look at some key study findings:1)OsteoarthritisIn a pilot study published in 2005, scientists found that Iyengar yoga may reducepainamong people with osteoarthritis of the knee. The study included 11 yoga beginners with osteoarthritis, all of whom were assigned to eight weeks of Iyengar yoga training (involving one 90-minute session each week). In addition to experiencing significant reductions in pain, the seven participants who completed the study showed a decrease in joint stiffness and improvement in function.2)Low Back PainIyengar yoga may ease pain, improve function, and liftdepressionamong adults with chronic low back pain, according to a 2009 study. Study results showed that 43 patients assigned to six months of biweekly Iyengar yoga classes had significantly greater reductions in pain intensity, disability, and depression (compared to the 47 study members who received standard medical care). Members of the yoga group also appeared to reduce their use of pain medication during the course of the study.3) Breast Cancer RecoveryIyengar yoga may benefit survivors ofbreast cancer, a 2010 study shows. For 12 weeks, 24 breast cancer survivors took part in Iyengar yoga classes. Analyzing questionnaires completed by 17 study members, researchers found significant improvements in several quality-of-life factors (including pain and mental health).Using Iyengar Yoga for Health PurposesAlthough Iyengar yoga is generally regarded as safe, it's possible for damage to occur with any type of yoga if poses aren't executed properly. If you're considering the use of Iyengar yoga for a specific health problem, make sure to get guidance from an expert teacher.

Iyengar Yoga, named after and developed byB. K. S. Iyengar, is a form ofHatha Yogathat has an emphasis on detail, precision and alignment in the performance of posture (asana) and breath control (pranayama). The development of strength, mobility and stability is gained through theasanas.B.K.S. Iyengar has systematised over 200 classical yoga poses and 14 different types of Pranayama (with variations of many of them) ranging from the basic to advanced. This helps ensure that students progress gradually by moving from simple poses to more complex ones and develop their mind, body and spirit step-by-step.[1]Iyengar Yoga often, but not always, makes use of props, such as belts, blocks, and blankets, as aids in performingasanas(postures). The props enable students to perform theasanascorrectly, minimising the risk of injury or strain, and making the postures accessible to both young and old.Iyengar Yoga is firmly based on the traditionaleight limbs of yogaas expounded byPatanjaliin hisYoga Sutras.

B. K. S. Iyengar, orBellur Krishnamachar Sundararaja Iyengar(born 14 December 1918), is the founder ofIyengar Yogaand is considered one of the foremost yoga teachers in the world.[1][2]He has written many books on yoga practice and philosophy includingLight on Yoga,Light on Pranayama, andLight on theYoga Sutras of Patanjali. Iyengar yoga classes are offered throughout the world. Iyengar is one of the earliest students ofTirumalai Krishnamacharya, who is often referred to as "the father of modern yoga."[3]After modern yoga had arisen from the teachings of Krishnamacharya, it was Iyengar who established it. As he revealed in an interview in the documentaryBreath of the Godshe struggled in the beginning to make a living as a yoga instructor because he was confronted by a great deal of prejudice. He has been credited for establishing and popularizing yoga firstly in India and then moreover around the world.[4]He was awarded thePadma Shriin 1991, thePadma Bhushanin 2002 and thePadma Vibhushanin 2014.[5][6]In 2004, Iyengar was named one of the100 most influential people in the worldbyTime Magazine.[7][8]

Early years[edit]B.K.S. Iyengar was born into a poorIyengarfamily[9](a priestlyBrahmincaste)[10]atBellur,Kolar District,[11]Karnataka, India. He was the 11th of 13 children (only 10 of whom survived) of father Sri Krishnamachar, a school teacher, and mother Sheshamma.[10]Iyengar's home village of Bellur, in Karnataka, was in the grip of theinfluenza pandemicat the time of his birth, leaving him sickly and weak. Throughout his childhood, he struggled withmalaria,tuberculosis,typhoid fever, and generalmalnutrition. When he was five years old, his family moved toBangaloreand within four years his father died of appendicitis.[10]Education in yoga[edit]In 1934, his brother-in-law, the yogiSri Tirumalai Krishnamacharya, asked Iyengar, who would have been 15 years old at the time, to come toMysore, so as to improve his health through yoga practice.[10]There, Iyengar learnedasanapractice, which steadily improved his health. Krishnamacharya had Iyengar and other students give yoga demonstration in the Maharaja's court atMysore, which had a positive influence on Iyengar.[10]Iyengar considers his association with his brother-in-law a turning point in his life[10]saying that over a two-year period "he [Krishnamacharya] only taught me for about ten or fifteen days, but those few days determined what I have become today!"[12]K. Pattabhi Joishas claimed that he, and not Krishnamacharya, was Iyengar's guru.[13]At the age of 18 (1937), Iyengar was sent by Krishnamacharya to Pune to spread the teaching of yoga.[10][14]Though BKS Iyengar has very high regard for Krishnamacharya,[15]and occasionally turned to him for advice, he had a troubled relationship with his guru during his tutelage.[16]In the beginning, he predicted that the stiff, sickly teenager would not be successful at Yoga. He was neglected and tasked with household chores. Only when Krishnamacharya's favorite pupil at the time, Keshavamurthy left one day, did serious training start.[17]Krishnamacharya began teaching a series of difficult postures, sometimes telling him to not eat until he mastered a certain posture. These experiences would later inform the way he taught his students.[18]Teaching career[edit]With the encouragement of Krishnamacharya, Iyengar, aged 18,[9]moved toPunein 1937 to teach yoga. He spent many hours each day learning and experimenting with various techniques.He taught yoga to several noted personalities includingJiddu Krishnamurti,Jayaprakash NarayanandYehudi Menuhin.[19]He taughtsirsasana(head stand) toElisabeth, Queen of Belgiumwhen she was 80.[20]International recognition[edit]In 1952, Iyengar befriended the violinist Yehudi Menuhin.[21]Menuhin arranged for Iyengar to teach abroad inLondon, Switzerland,Parisand elsewhere. The popularity of yoga in the West has been attributed, by some, in large part to Iyengar.[8]In 1966,Light on Yogawas published. It eventually became an international best-seller and was translated into 17 languages.Light on Yogawas followed by titles onpranayamaand various aspects of yoga philosophy. In total, Iyengar has authored 14 books.[22]In 1975, Iyengar opened the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute in Pune, in memory of his late wife. He officially retired from teaching in 1984, but continues to be active in the world of Iyengar Yoga, teaching special classes and writing books. Iyengar's daughter,Geeta, and son,Prashant, have gained international acclaim as teachers.[8]In 2005, he visited the United States to promote his latest book,Light on Life, and to teach a special workshop at theYoga Journalconference in Colorado. 3 October 2005 was declared as "B.K.S.Iyengar Day" by San Francisco city'sBoard of Supervisors.[2]Anthropologist Joseph S. Alter of theUniversity of Pittsburghstated "He has by far had the most profound impact on the global spread of yoga.[2]In June 2011, he was presented with acommemorative stampissued in his honour by theBeijingbranch ofChina Post. There are over thirty thousand Iyengar yoga students in 57 cities in China.[23]The noun "Iyengar" is defined byOxford Dictionariesas "a type ofastanga yoga...", named after B.K.S.Iyengar, its deviser.[24]Personal practice[edit]BKS Iyengar reported in interviews[15][16]that, at the age of 90, he continues to practice asanas for 3 hours and pranayamas for an hour daily. Besides this, he mentions that he finds himself performing non-deliberate pranayamas at other times.Approach to teaching[edit]BKS Iyengar attracted his students by offering them just what they sought - which tended to be physical stamina and flexibility.[16]He conducted demonstrations and later, when a scooter accident dislocated his spine, began exploring the use of props to help disabled people practice Yoga. He also drew inspiration from Hindu deities such as Yoga Narasimha and stories of yogis using trees to support their asanas.[18]Recognition by Krishnamacharya[edit]In an interview to Namarupa this is what BKS Iyengar said about Krishnamacharyas endorsement of his teaching style:[15]"He [Krishnamacharya] never taught me much about teaching, but he saw me teach. In 1961, he came to Pune and was teaching my daughter and son. He taught them for many hours, but unfortunately they could not get what he was trying to show them. When I came up and asked what was wrong, my daughter told me what she did not understand about a posture. So, I explained to her, "You must stretch from this end to that end". And immediately when Krishnamacharya saw this, he gave me a gold medal known as Yoga Shikshaka Chakravarti, which means "Emperor of Yoga Teachers, Teacher of Teachers". He said I must teach like this and not just in private, but in public".Family[edit]In 1943, he married Ramamani, to whom he had been introduced by his brothers. Together they raised five daughters and a son. Both his eldest daughter Geeta (born in 1944) and his son Prashant have become internationally-known teachers in their own right. The other children of B.K.S. Iyengar are Vanita, Sunita, Suchita, and Savita.[25]Geeta Iyengar is the author ofYoga: A Gem for Women(2002), and Prashant is the author of several books, includingA Class after a Class: Yoga, an Integrated Science (1998), andYoga and the New Millennium(2008). Geeta and Prashant co-direct the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute (RIMYI) in Pune.[26]Charitable works and activism[edit]Iyengar has supported nature conservation, stating that it is important to conserve all animals and birds.[27]He donated Rs. 2million toChamarajendra Zoological Gardens, Mysore, reckoned to be the highest amount donated to any zoo in India.[27]He also adopted a tiger and a cub in memory of his wife, who died in 1973.[27]He has helped promote awareness ofmultiple sclerosiswith the Pune unit of theMultiple Sclerosis Society of India.[28]See also[edit]Yoga portal

Biography portal

India portal

Iyengar YogaBibliography[edit]Iyengar published his first book (Light on Yoga) in 1966. The book has been translated into 17 languages and sold 3 million copies.[2] Iyengar, B.K.S. (1966; revised ed. 1977).Light on Yoga.New York: Schocken.ISBN 978-0-8052-1031-6 Iyengar, B.K.S. (1989).Light on Pranayama: The Yogic Art of Breathing.New York: Crossroad.ISBN 0-8245-0686-3 Iyengar, B.K.S. (1985).The Art of Yoga.Boston: Unwin.ISBN 978-0-04-149062-6 Iyengar, B.K.S. (1988).The Tree of Yoga.Boston: Shambhala.ISBN 0-87773-464-X Iyengar, B.K.S. (1996).Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.London: Thorsons.ISBN 978-0-00-714516-4 Iyengar, B.K.S., Abrams, D. & Evans, J.J. (2005).Light on Life: The Yoga Journey to Wholeness, Inner Peace, and Ultimate Freedom.Pennsylvania: Rodale.ISBN 1-59486-248-6 Iyengar, B.K.S. (2007).Yoga: The Path to Holistic Health. New York: Dorling Kindersley.ISBN 978-0-7566-3362-2 Iyengar, B.K.S. (8 Vols, 2000-2008).Astadala Yogamala: Collected Works.New Delhi: Allied Publishers. Iyengar, B.K.S. (2009).Yoga Wisdom and Practice.New York: Dorling Kindersley.ISBN 0-7566-4283-3 Iyengar, B.K.S. (2010).Yaugika Manas: Know and Realize the Yogic Mind.Mumbai: Yog.ISBN 81-87603-14-3 Iyengar, B.K.S. (2012).Core of the Yoga Sutras: The Definitive Guide to the Philosophy of Yoga.London: HarperThorsons.ISBN 978-0007921263