Learning Iyengar Yoga

Learning Iyengar Yoga

While charting out his beginners’ sequences, BKS Iyengar took into consideration:
• How to enhance all the systems of the body, i.e., nervous system, muscular system, organics system, etc
• A methodical way to awaken the body intelligence
• The need to feed the curiosity of the practitioner

BKS Iyengar’s talent was to create a holistic and result-oriented approach with a reduced sequence of asanas. This program is designed to explore the body in ‘renewed and extending’ ways – while still being accessible for everybody.

I will write a series of 10 articles introducing its most classic poses, with some of their variations, specifics, and benefits.

Tadasana (also called Samasthiti) is the first pose taught in this sequence. According to BKS Iyengar, the importance of Tadasana is largely overlooked.

1. Tadasana (the mountain pose)/ Samasthiti (evenness, stability)

This pose is usually practised between all standing poses. It enables the practitioner to follow the progress between them. A sense of evolution appears in how you feel and how to adjust the body.
The correct execution of Tadasana improves the muscular-skeletal posture of the body, which in turn tones the inner organs. Once the body gets proper corrections and adjustments, the consciousness moves away from the brain, and a sense of wholeness appears.

– Geeta Iyengar