30 January, 2011

Benefits of Iyenger Yoga


Yoga, is the name synonymous with well being, quintessentially the best for agility, flexibility and over all health. Contrary to widespread belief, there isn’t one uniform set of yogasanas practiced all over the world. Yoga is an ancient practice with many different schools and teachings. There are various forms of yoga- including Hatha, Vinyasa, Ashtanga, Bikram and Iyengar. Iyenger yoga has captured a lot of attention in the recent times due to its unique ways of including body alignment and props like (belts, straps, wooden blocks etc) to achieve over all fitness. It is considered the best remedy for stress relief. This form of yoga can be learnt at RIMYI (Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute), Pune and other branches all across the country and abroad. You can also hire certified Iyenger yoga trainers who can teach you at home.

Iyengar yoga, is named after Shri Belur Krishnamchar Sundararaja Iyengar, a native of southern region of India. Shri Iyengar created this sub-discipline of yoga after years of extensive research on various Hindu religious books and the Vedas that discuss in detail the practices of many gods and goddesses for eternal power and health. Iyenger yoga has been into practice for the last sixty years. This form of yoga is recommended for those who suffer from various spiritual and mental tribulations. This technique works on
different levels of the physical body, mind and the spirit.

Dr Rajvi H Mehta, teacher at Iyengar Yogashraya in Mumbai, and editor of Yoga Rahasya, the quarterly journal of the Iyengar Yoga Institute said, “Iyengar yoga emphasizes the building of stamina and development of flexibility, concentration, strength and balance. All these are achieved through deep meditation and various
postures.” It helps to prevent stress and negativity. It helps to achieve calmness of mind and increases vitality and well being of the body. As the body is exercised - the inner organs, circulation, joint action etc. are all worked so as to improve their function and efficiency. One thus overcomes many symptoms of an imbalanced modern life, such as headaches, stiff necks, lower backache, insomnia and digestive disorders etc. in the
process improving health as opposed to just fitness.

Some of the chronic ailments for which people have benefited from Iyenger yoga practice include:

Circulatory disorders; heart problems, hypotension, hypertension, circulatory problems in the legs.

Digestive disorders; constipation, acidity, diabetes and hernias.

Respiratory disorders; asthma, coughs, colds and bronchitis.

Nervous disorders; headaches, migraines, sinusitis and stress.

Reproductive disorders; menstrual problems, uterine displacement and menopausal problems.

Skeleton-muscular disorders; arthritis and pains in the knees, shoulders and other joints, curvatures of the back and back pain, slipped discs and sciatic pain.

It is always better to discuss your medical condition with your instructor before starting with yoga. Children below 7-8 years are not recommended to try this form of yoga as their spine and bones are still developing and if forced can damage the growth. Yoga can be practiced by men and women of all ages. For women, practice is beneficial during menstruation as well as pregnancy although the practice needs to be adjusted depending on one's physical condition.

Whenever you decide that yoga is the fitness solution for you, do try out the Iyenger yoga for a holistic transformation of your mind, body and soul.

Parimita Chakravorty

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