Currently I’m reading “Light On Life” by B.K.S. Iyengar to prepare myself for my one month intensive yoga teacher training. He is the founder of Iyengar Yoga and is considered one of the foremost yoga teachers in the world. With many books under his belt, he is also one of the earliest students under Tirumalai Krishnamacharya, who is sometimes referred to as “the father of modern yoga”.

Iyengar has admitted it was difficult to make a living as a yoga instructor despite his experience and knowledge on the subject. However, he has managed to establish and popularize yoga in India and around the world. At some point, the universe provided him with yoga as a tool to practice in a world that can be greatly prejudiced. In 2005 Iyengar was named one of People Magazine’s 100 most influential people.

It was Iyengar’s failing health that lead him to the mysore to practice yoga and that asana practice steadily improved his health. Today, at age 90 he continues to practice asanas for three hours a day and pranayamas for another hour daily.

Iyengar yoga by definition:

a form of Hatha Yoga that 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 the asanas.

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.

Iyengar Yoga often, but not always, makes use of props, such as belts, blocks, and blankets, as aids in performing asanas (postures). The props enable students to perform the asanas correctly, minimising the risk of injury or strain, and making the postures accessible to both young and old.

Iyengar Yoga is firmly based on the traditional eight limbs of yoga as expounded by Patanjali in his Yoga Sutras.