R.I.P. GURUJI

Dec 14th, 1918 – Aug 20th, 2014

BKS Iyengar, was born in the village of Bellur, Karnataka, India, on 14th December 1918 and passed away on 20th August 2014, in Pune-India.

Throughout his childhood, he suffered a number of illnesses, including malaria and tuberculosis.

At about the age of 16, he was sent to live with his sister in Mysore, who was married to a great Yogi, Sri Tirumalai Krishnamacharya, there he was initiated in the path of Asthãnga yoga.

Two years later, he was sent to teach in Pune, where he lived and taught with his son Prashant and daughter Geetaji Iyengar, until his passing on August 20th, 2014.

Mr. Iyengar is considered one of the most important yoga teachers in the world. He made yoga accessible to all.  The introduction of “props”(chair, bricks, belts, etc.) in a yoga class, helped people who couldn’t otherwise be able to practice yoga.

Iyengar yoga is renowned for the attention to detail, alignment, and accuracy on the performance of the Asanas.

At the beginning of each class we sing the sloka in honour of the sage Patanjali, listen to BKS Iyengar singing the sloka.

 

The Patanjali Sloka

Tribute is made to Patanjali in this sloka (verse) written by the poet and grammarian Bhartrihari in about the 7th century A.D. It has been adopted as a standard beginning to many Iyengar Yoga classes.

Yogena cittasya padena vacam
Through Yoga, serenity of mind,
Malam sarirasya ca vaidyakena
Through Grammar, clarity of speech,
Yopa karottam pravaram muninam
Through Medicine, purity of body,
Patanjalim pranjalir anato’smi
Patanjali, I honour you.

Abahu purusa karam
Whose upper body has a human form,
Sankha cakrasi dharinam
Who holds a conch and discus,
Sahasra sirasam svetam
Who is crowned by a thousand headed cobra,
Pranamami Patanjalim
I salute the sage and scholar Patanjali.

The first half of the sloka is from Sushruta, an authority on Ayurveda. The second half describes Patanjali’s symbolic form:

• the seven-headed serpent represents infinity,
• the conch calls us to Yoga practice,
• the disc symbolizes the wheel of time and the law of cause and effect.

In reciting the sloka, respect is paid to the three aspects of Patanjali’s work: Yoga, grammar and medicine, and to Patanjali himself.

Sloka to Guruji

Guru Brahma Gurur Vishnu
Guru Devo Maheshwaraha
Guru Saakshat Para Brahma
Tasmai Sree Gurave Namaha

Guru is verily the representative of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.
He creates, sustains knowledge and destroys the weeds of ignorance.
I salute such a Guru.

 

Level 1 syllabus

1. Tadasana
2. Gomukhasana (arms only)
3. Utkatasana
4. Vrksasana
5. Utthita Trikonasana
6. Virabhadrasana 2
7. Utthita Parsvakonasana
8. Virabhadrasana 1
9. Ardha Chandrasana
10. Parighasana
11. Parsvottanasana (arms down, head up)
12. Prasarita Padottanasana 1 (concave back, head up)
13. Uttanasana (concave back)
14. Padangusthasana
15. Padahastasana
16. Adho Mukha Svanasana (support – for hands or heels)
17. Dandasana
18. Siddhasana
19. Virasana
20. Parvatasana
21. Trianga Mukhaikapada Paschimottanasana
22. Marichyasana 1 (twist only)
23. Malasana 1 (a) (with or without wall support for back) – not shown at assessment
24. Malasana 1 (b) (heels on rolled blanket) – shown at the assessment
25. Bharadvajasana 1 (turning, without holding the upper arm)
26. Chatushpadasana (see Yoga a Gem for Women pl. 102 and cf. LOY pl. 258)
27. Salamba Sarvangasana
28. Halasana (legs on stool or feet at wall, feet on floor in own practice)
29. Karnapidasana
30. Supta Konasana
31. Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (on a brick/blocks)
32. Urdhva Prasarita Padasana (90 only)
33. Savasana

 

 

©

Only certified Iyengar Yoga teachers are permitted to use the “Iyengar Yoga” certification mark! It is a sign of excellence, clarity, and depth of understanding of the art, science, and philosophy of yoga.

---

Home
Online classes
Studio classes
About
Class prices
Payment page
Studio Re-opening and Coronavirus
Health and Fitness Questionnaire
Testimonial – What our students are saying