"The aim of yoga is to calm the chaos of conflicting emotions." - B.K.S. Iyengar
Iyengar Yoga is based on the teachings of the yoga master B.K.S. Iyengar, author of the classic yoga treatise Light on Yoga. The Iyengar family’s teachings are deeply grounded in the yoga sutras of Patanjali, an ancient summation of the path of yoga considered to be at least 2,500 years old.
This method of yoga is recognized for its thorough exploration of poses as they relate to the physical, emotional, spiritual, physiological and psychological aspects of each individual student.
It is a method that is appropriate for anyone - regardless of age, degree of health or other perceived limitations. The Iyengar method teaches students how to develop strength and flexibility; it gives them an increased ability to focus, observe, and relax; and it encourages understanding and compassion toward oneself and others.
The primary aim of yoga is to restore the mind to simplicity and peace, to free it from confusion and distress. This sense of calm comes from the practice of yogic asanas and pranayama. Unlike other forms of exercise which strain muscles and bones, yoga gently rejuvenates the body. By restoring the body, yoga frees the mind from the negative feelings caused by the fast pace of modern life. The practice of yoga fills up the reservoirs of hope and optimism within you. It helps you to overcome all obstacles on the path to perfect health and spiritual contentment. Yoga can be tailored to suit each individuals capabilities, allowing students to develop and improve at their own pace-the ultimate aim being to fully master the art of meditation to reach an "accomplished state" with body and mind united in total harmony.
B.K.S. Iyengar — Yoga: The Path to Holistic Health
Yoga is for everyone. You need not be an expert or at the peak of physical fitness to practice. The strain of modern life can lead to physical pain and illness, as we neglect our bodies in the race for material success. The stress of modern life can also lead to mental suffering: feelings of inadequacy, isolation, or powerlessness. Yoga helps to integrate the mental and the physical plane, bringing about a sense of inner and outer balance, or what I term alignment. True alignment means that the inner mind reaches every cell and fiber of the body.
B.K.S. Iyengar