B.-K.-S.-Iyengar-In-His-80s

Iyengar: Who He Was & His Yoga Teacher Training

Its almost a decade now the Iyengar past at the old age of 94. And many in the yoga industry do not know who he was and his deep impact on yoga teacher training (ytt).

Who Is He?

B.K.S. Iyengar was a yoga teacher guru and yoga scholar and is considered to be one of the foremost important yoga teachers in the world. 

Inyengar was born in 1918 in India. He began practicing yoga at a young age. This was primarily to help him to alleviate his many health problems. He wrote several landmark yoga books like the classical light on yoga which is considered to be a seminal yoga text.

Iyengar’s approach to yoga emphasizing proper alignment, plus use of props (e.g. blocks, straps, and blankets). This is to help the yoga practitioner to get specifically into poses. 

Lastly, he pioneered yoga therapy, as he used yoga therapeutically growing up. So he strongly promoted  the therapeutic benefits of yoga. This style of yoga helps individuals with physical challenges, back problems, and joint problems more than other styles of yoga.

Iyengar-With-Students-In-A-Yoga-Teacher-TrainingIyengar Yoga Teacher Training

Iyengar’s yoga teacher trainings have attracted a global following, and were started with the established the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute in 1975. Located in Pune, India, its is the hub for Iyengar Yoga teacher training.

Their ytt programs provide them with the skills and knowledge to be effective and knowledgeable yoga teachers using unique Iyengar poses and props.

Iyengar-Doing-Pose-From-The-Book-Light-on-Yoga.His Lasting Legacy

B.K.S. Iyengar was the most influential yoga teacher of the 20th century. His legacy continues to shape and influence the practice of yoga today. Some of the key aspects of Iyengar’s lasting legacy include:

Innovative Approach To Yoga: Iyengar’s unique approach to yoga again emphasized proper alignment and the use of props.  And deeply impacted the use of props with other styles of yoga.

Global Reach: Iyengar’s teachings have a global reach and audience with yoga teacher training programs and yoga studios around the world.

Emphasis On Therapeutic Yoga: Stemming from how yoga helped Iyengar in his early life, Iyengar’s focus on the therapeutic benefits of yoga for physical or medical conditions.

In sum, Iyengar continues to shape the practice of yoga worldwide. It does this by its innovative approach to yoga practice and teaching.