IYENGAR YOGA

 The main characteristics of Iyengar yoga are:

• alignment: attention is paid to detail and precision in doing asanas so as to align the body (and thus quieten the mind)

• timings and sequencing: asanas are held for different lengths of time and are carefully sequenced to achieve different effects

• use of props: such as blocks, blankets and chairs to improve awareness in a pose, to aid alignment, to go further into a pose, to hold the pose for longer, to make poses accessible for those with injuries or limitations, etc.

• comprehensive and inclusive: Iyengar yoga classes range from flowing sequences, to detailed work, to long restorative holds, with no two classes being the same, and with the possibility of everything being adapted for anyone (for example, for pregnant women, from young to old, from fit to injured)

• awareness: Iyengar yoga aims to enable the practitioner to become more aware of their body, mind and soul in the tradition of Hatha yoga and Astanga yoga, as explained in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali