Iyengar Yoga - Why is Alignment So Important?

Iyengar is a form of yoga that focuses on the proper alignment of the body. B.K.S. Iyengar, who was the founder of Iyengar, established the use of props to better facilitate yogis to get maximum benefit from each pose by concentrating on the alignment. This was done in order to achieve improved therapeutic benefits from each session.

Alignment is used to describe exact positioning of the body for each posture in yoga. Iyengar is the most alignment oriented form of yoga. Iyengar instructors place a lot of emphasis on alignment as opposed to all other yoga trainers.

Since Iyengar teaches proper body alignment and stresses importance of using props to achieve it, it is the best option for beginners. Most people find it difficult in the beginning to achieve the correct poses, so when certain props are available to help them, it gets easier.Props that are most commonly used to perform Iyengar include the following:

Cushions
Benches
Wooden gadgets
Yoga straps or belts
Sand bags
Foam Blocks
Each of the above is used in various poses of Iyengar. When it is practiced on a regular basis, it helps to assimilate and integrate one's body with their emotions. Instructor involvement is also a key feature of Iyengar. Unlike in other forms, these instructors are very involved with their students and give very descriptive instructions about alignment and misalignment of the body. They also pay close attention to all participants in a session so that they can help them improve their postures. Iyengar instructors have to be certified in order to train other people about the specific techniques utilized for proper alignment.

Most American yoga followers choose the Iyengar for therapeutic reasons. Due to the emphasis placed on proper alignment, it provides cures for various body pains and improves the body posture. Most back pains are related to bad posture, so a large number of people benefit from Iyengar as the instructors enforce straight alignment of all body parts during the sessions.

Other health issues that are being resolved with yoga include improved circulation, nervous and respiratory systems, enhanced lung capacity and in general a well being of all internal organs.

Iyengar emphasizes the standing poses as they are considered to build strong leg muscles which in turn improve balance and coordination, as they are extremely important to carry out advanced yoga. Even though different kinds of routines have different objectives, the main purpose is to relax the mind and body so that meditation could be done. Iyengar also follows this main mantra and provides a way of life for all by stressing focus on proper body alignment and posture. This leads the practitioner to achieve perfection in any asana. So Iyengar is targeted towards all who want to attain perfection of mind and body.

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