Iyengar Yoga

Yoga is defined as “Union” and comes from the Sanskrit word “Yuj,” which means to attach, direct, and concentrate one’s attention. It is the true spiritual union of the individual soul with the universe.

Yoga was first mentioned in the Vedas, the earliest literary record of Indo-Aryan civilization and the most sacred texts of India. The Vedas are the original scriptures of Hindu teachings, containing spiritual knowledge encompassing all aspects of life.

Yoga is one of India's six philosophies and has been practiced for thousands of years.  Its views vary from school to school and teacher to teacher.  Patanjali was a scholar who documented the core of yoga in the Yoga Sutras around 450 BC and, in his lifetime, contributed to Ayurvedic medicine and Sanskrit grammar.  The Yoga Sutras embody 195 aphorisms (definitions & threads) that describe the mind's inner workings and lay out the eight-limb (steps) path for controlling the fluctuations of the mind, which is the framework for our yoga practices.

Patanjali is considered the father of Yoga, and Sri Krishnamacharya (1888-1989) is regarded as the father of modern yoga. He was a Vedic and Ayurvedic scholar and Hatha yoga teacher who established the Mysore yoga ashram. He mentored BKS Iyengar (Iyengar Yoga), Pattabhi Jois (Ashtanga Yoga), and TKV Desikachar (Vinyasa Yoga), who together comprise the central yoga systems.

Iyengar Yoga is also Hatha yoga, but is defined as Raja "Royal Yoga" because of its association with the teaching of Patanjali and its emphasis on correct alignment and precision. It uses props such as belts, blocks, and blankets to help students perform postures correctly, minimizing the risk of injury and making them accessible to young and old alike. At its core, it understands how prana (life force) nourishes the body, mind, and spirit, and how it builds strength, mobility, flexibility, and balance.