The term “Iyengar Yoga” was coined to describe the method of teaching Yoga developed by BKS Iyengar. Iyengar however, states ……
“I have no right to brand my method of practice and teaching as “Iyengar Yoga”. It is my pupils that call it Iyengar Yoga to distinguish it from the teachings of others. Though I am rational, I am a man of sentiment and tradition bound. I trust the statements of others, follow their lines of explanation and experiment with them to gain experience. If my experience tallies with their expressions, I accept their statements. Otherwise I discard them, live by my own experiments and experiences, and make my pupils feel the same as I felt in my experiments. If many agree, then I take it as a proven fact and impart it to others …….
………… The only thing I am doing is to bring out the in-depth, hidden qualities of yoga to the awareness of you all. This has made you call my way of practice and teaching “Iyengar Yoga”. This label has caught on and become widely known, but what I do is nevertheless purely authentic traditional Yoga. It is wrong to differentiate traditional from Iyengar Yoga”[1].
Throughout his life BKS Iyengar has dedicated himself to a practice. A practice that aims at experiential knowledge. Through this practice he has developed a methodology that applies 4 fundamental principles
1. Technique comprises alignment, precision in performance and use of props and supports
2. Timings involves the use of holdings to study the asana, to change ones capacity and to study oneself.
3. Sequence is the ordering of asanas in the practice to broaden the understanding and perception of an asana and of oneself.
4. Repetition is applied when we return again and again over time to mature the asana. Repetition confirms understanding and clarifies the mind.
As students in the Iyengar lineage we apply the methodology systematically within our practice. We study Iyengar's vast body of practice experience objectively. This objective knowledge is used to develop a profound experiential knowledge in practice via these 4 methods.
Ultimately, we apply Iyengar’s methodology to study cause and effect via the practice of Asana (postures) and Pranayama (breathing exercises). We study the tendencies of the mind and watch its behavour within a practice based learning paradigm. Each level in the practitioner programme provides classes in Yogasana, Pranayama and Led practice with student study notes and practice support so that we too can gain knowledge from experience.
[1] Astadala Yogamala Volume 2, Yoga Drsti page 25-26