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| I just wanted to report that I have been to a few Iyengar classes (originally to learn more about alignment for my Ashtanga practice) and I'm loving it! I thought I would just practice for a while to learn more but I think I could permenantly add this to my Yoga routine. I think the things I especially like are the teachers and the focus on every detial of a pose. I didn't realize how much I was doing incorrectly in Utthita Parsvakonasana, for example. We spend almost an entire class on opening hips specifically for that pose. We went into the pose in various ways and did hip openers that ended up helping the pose. I see how some people wouldn't like the pace, but I though it was so enlightening!
And after each class, I feel sore (the good kind) for days in areas I never new existed. I imagine that's because I'm working muscles that I haven't been, but should have been, in each pose.
Anyway, I just wanted all of you Iyeng(ites) (?) to know I've seen "the light" so to speak...
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| You are on correct path and lucky indeed. Best luck. |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
    
| Janet - for people who want to know the "why" and the "how" of yoga, nothing beats Iyengar  |
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| Sounds like another convert to me Tourist ;-)
The amazing thing is that after a bit, you start to gain concious control over the smallest areas of muscle as well as discovering it's possible for your aches to have aches of their own 
Fee |
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| i'm just sitting here smiling 
big workshop coming up tomorrow...
then in a week i'm off to begin serious yoga practice.
should be a pretty good time...
and largely in part to iyengar yoga!
whee i love it too!
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
| Orbilia - 2006-05-04 8:24 AM
it's possible for your aches to have aches of their own
dhan - have fun! |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 2479
Location: A Blue State | It's very good to find a practice that you enjoy and which takes you somewhere. Even better if it comes with a teacher! ... bg |
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| Yup - I can totally relate. I initially started Iyengar last year to work on alignment for a while before moving into Ashtanga, but, like you, just enjoy the work so much. Don't have any desire to switch at this point at all. It took me a bit to get used to the props and pace, but the changes and depth one can go to are fascinating. I do a more vinyasa based practice at home some days just to have some flow at times, but, with a good teacher and a small class it's very fulfilling.
Maria
Edited by MariaFloresta 2006-05-05 7:48 AM
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| You all inspired me and I went off to my first Iyengar class last night. It was very basic but that's what I wanted as in addition to learning, I wanted to see how it would be taught to adapt applicable methods as I might need them--I especially liked the way the teacher demoed, then had us slowly go into and out of each asana with explanations and thinking about body specifics and breathing then had us let the mind go and try them using the short term muscle memory.
I haven't used blocks much before and found them awkward but see how they can be useful. Same with straps. So all in all I enjoyed it more than the first few ashtanga classes I went to where the attitude was keep up if you can and you'll learn this in a few years. |
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| Well done Bruce *WG*! The various props become less awkward and more instinctive with use. You'll learn to adore those straps if your teacher incorporates partner work as being stretched on the 'rack' (aka Bridge pose) by two willing helpers is amazingly gorgeous.
I've fallen in love with my bolster as lying back over it in cobbler pose with my legs strapped into place at the end of an intensive practise is simply delicious!
In the few months I've been practising Iyengar, I've noticed far more dramatic changes in my body shape than in the entire three years I'd been practising Sivananda and it seems to have dramatically increased my aerobic capacity too (odd given the lack of dynamic sequences?).
I still enjoy the more fluid nature of Sivananda so often incorporate the warm-up and dynamic sequences into my home practise. I also got far more tuition in breathing, deep relaxation, and meditation in this tradition so the two marry together nicely to give me a rounded home routine.
Fee |
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| it's nice to read everyone's replies...
i notice many of you mention your home practices. i am currently looking for ideas for practicing at home. i am used to praciticing Ashtanga, which is so strucutred i never wondered what to do at home. i would appreciate suggestions about how to practice Iyengar at home. I have "Light on Yoga" which lists asanas for home practice in the back of the book. yesterday, i just warmed up with some sun-salutations, like in Asthanga, and then did the "week 1-2" asanas in the back of LOY. it seemed a little short for a practice, becuase i'm used to 1.5 hrs. i would like to hear from others, about how you structure your home Iyengar practice; what do you do any given day, do you have a structure or is it more free form, and how long you hold poses, etc... i feel like i'm not creative enough, nor do i have enough knowledge about sequencing to come up with poses "on the fly" as i'm practicing.
thanks for any advice!! |
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Expert Yogi
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| Janet - the Light on Yoga sequences get harder pretty quickly. You could try "Yoga the Iyengar Way" or the Holistic Health book. Basically, a simple way to sequence is: standing poses, headstand, back bends, shoulderstand, seated poses, savasana. Some real keeners write down what they do in class each week and do that as their practice or at least take one or two key poses and work a bit more on them until the next class. Hope that is helpful |
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| Seoulyogi,
I find that I like structure too for my home practice and what works for me are dvds which are more vinyasa sequenced. Maybe not what purists would do, but it suits me right now. I have several by people with strong Iyengar backgrounds (Rodney Yee and Shiva Rea are my favorites) and I work with them. I incorporate the technique I learn from my classes and since I repeat them a lot, I know the sequencing and can focus on my form. I do like vinyasa practice as there is something meditative about it and the breath work is good, so I use my 2 classes a week as my technique time do my home practice 3-4 days. If I only have 1/2 hour, I will just go through a basic flow from a handout which Patricia Walden put together and my teacher gave me.
Maybe there will come a time when I won't need them anymore, but some days I don't want to think about what I want to do next. If I could afford 5 classes a week that might solve it :-)Though I will pause them to add in something I would like to do that isn't in that particular flow - shoulderstand or headstand.
Maria
Edited by MariaFloresta 2006-05-05 10:33 AM
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| Dear SeoulYogi:
With no offense, I want to correct you. There is NO such a thing as Iyengar Home Practice, Ashtanga Home Practice, and so on. Please learn whatever you want to learn from anyone including x,y,z. And, then form your own Home Practice to achieve what you want to. Ashtanga system has one kind of philosophy which is NOT necessarily wrong, but it is NOT suitable for anyone. So, if you want to develop that philosophy into yourself, you must do some Ashtanga practice at home. Doing that whole structured routine is a part of that philosophy.
Best Luck |
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| kulkarnn - 2006-05-05 10:35 AM
Dear SeoulYogi:
With no offense, I want to correct you. There is NO such a thing as Iyengar Home Practice, Ashtanga Home Practice, and so on. Please learn whatever you want to learn from anyone including x,y,z. And, then form your own Home Practice to achieve what you want to. Ashtanga system has one kind of philosophy which is NOT necessarily wrong, but it is NOT suitable for anyone. So, if you want to develop that philosophy into yourself, you must do some Ashtanga practice at home. Doing that whole structured routine is a part of that philosophy.
Best Luck
I'm into the SCThornley Home Practice, TEE HEE
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
| Neel - I am assuming you meant "not suitable for EVERYone"?
Steve - I agree. Your practice is your own. Do it, own it, be it |
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| Yes SisTourist. Thanks for the correct correction! |
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Expert Yogi
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Location: A Blue State | seoulyogi - 2006-05-05 10:09 AM it's nice to read everyone's replies... i notice many of you mention your home practices. i am currently looking for ideas for practicing at home. i am used to praciticing Ashtanga, which is so strucutred i never wondered what to do at home. i would appreciate suggestions about how to practice Iyengar at home. I have "Light on Yoga" which lists asanas for home practice in the back of the book. yesterday, i just warmed up with some sun-salutations, like in Asthanga, and then did the "week 1-2" asanas in the back of LOY. it seemed a little short for a practice, becuase i'm used to 1.5 hrs. i would like to hear from others, about how you structure your home Iyengar practice; what do you do any given day, do you have a structure or is it more free form, and how long you hold poses, etc... i feel like i'm not creative enough, nor do i have enough knowledge about sequencing to come up with poses "on the fly" as i'm practicing. thanks for any advice!! That's an interesting observation about the time needed. My home practice follows several sequences from LOY (near the end). When I first started using these seuqences, they also seemed quite short to me. But as time when by, I came to hold these poses longer and to add various related/preparatory asanas. Some of them now require almost 3 hours, and none really fits into less that 2 1/3 hours. ... bg |
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Veteran
Posts: 258
| Iyengar yoga is phantastic! It offers you flashes of wisdom! And then you find this same wisdom in the sayings of Mr. Iyengar that you read in his books and you feel very much connected. Iyengar yoga makes your life much better. It makes you become a better person. |
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| Bay Guy - 2006-05-05 12:02 PM
That's an interesting observation about the time needed. My home practice follows several sequences from LOY (near the end ). When I first started using these seuqences, they also seemed quite short to me. But as time when by, I came to hold these poses longer and to add various related/preparatory asanas. Some of them now require almost 3 hours, and none really fits into less that 2 1/3 hours. ... bg
hi bad guy (that sounds funny to say! )
when you say you follow several sequences from LOY (near the end ) - do you mean the sequences are near the end of the sequences, or you practice the sequences near the end of your practice?
also, do you tend to follow the time suggestions in the book?
thanks!
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| kulkarnn - 2006-05-05 10:35 AM
Dear SeoulYogi:
With no offense, I want to correct you. There is NO such a thing as Iyengar Home Practice, Ashtanga Home Practice, and so on. Please learn whatever you want to learn from anyone including x,y,z. And, then form your own Home Practice to achieve what you want to. Ashtanga system has one kind of philosophy which is NOT necessarily wrong, but it is NOT suitable for anyone. So, if you want to develop that philosophy into yourself, you must do some Ashtanga practice at home. Doing that whole structured routine is a part of that philosophy.
Best Luck
neel, thank you for clarifying that. i think understand what you're saying. you're a wealth of knowledge, i appreciate reading your posts.
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Expert Yogi
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Location: A Blue State | seoulyogi - 2006-05-06 6:31 PM hi bad guy (that sounds funny to say! ) when you say you follow several sequences from LOY (near the end ) - do you mean the sequences are near the end of the sequences, or you practice the sequences near the end of your practice? also, do you tend to follow the time suggestions in the book? thanks! Hi --- I mean near the end of the list of sequences (in fact, the very last ones). I follow most of the time suggestions in the book (e.g., 10 minutes in headstand and in shoulderstand and 5 minutes in Halasana). ... bg |
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| Kristi,
I am having the same experience with it. I feel I am growing everyday. |
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| I agree with Neel K., in a perfect situation, or one that allows access to teachers learning from teachers is important for growth. I'm in Japan and not able to get to Tokyo where there are very good instructors. There are teachers around my area, but our times don't mesh, so I have been incorporating Iyengar asanas and detail from what I can get from LOY into the first series of Ashtanga. And I've found areas where some poses that I find seem to flow with my usual Ashtanga series. So, I add on to it...Usually an hour and a half to two hours(time is not a luxury at the moment). Forgive me for mixing the systems and philosophies, as I know there are reasons for them, but it's all I have at my disposal now. I think ultimately, the styles can compliment each other as long as care is taken and the essense(life style, pranayama) isn't extracted to become merely an exercise and/or just about stretching. And when a class offers itself jump at the chance to take it . There's only so much we can get from a book.
When I do teach(beginner classes) I follow a system as closely as possible so people understand what they're learning and where it came from, which are Ashtanga and a soft vinyasa yoga like Sadhana Yoga so as not to garble the systems together. The important thing is that yoga is becoming a world culture and people are learning about their bodies and the peaceful coexistance that yoga has to offer. |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
| I don't think there is any problem using Iyengar knowledge of alignment with any other style unless there is a specific disagreement with something (where one says bend the knee and the other says not to bend the knee sort of thing). |
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i love Iyengar!
