Iyengar Yoga is named for its creator, B.K.S. Iyengar (1918- 2014) who has been universally acknowledged as the world’s foremost yoga teacher and is responsible for bringing yoga to the west. He is called the Michelangelo of Yoga. In a 1994 edition of Time magazine he was listed as one of the most influential people of the 20th century.
He is renowned for his incomparable practice, lifelong devotion and the spreading of yoga knowledge throughout the world. The distinguishing qualities of his teaching are specificity of instructions, the art of sequencing, the timing of the poses and a profound understanding of the connection between mind and body. His revolutionary use of yoga props including straps, blocks, chairs and many others is meant to help all practitioners experience the essence of yoga poses (asanas). Mr. Iyengar is the author of Light on Yoga or what practitioners of all yoga styles call the “Bible of yoga” as well as numerous other classical yoga books.
Until just before his passing he practiced daily at his Institute in the main hall in Pune, India. His devotion and the depth of his practice were practically tangible for those students who got to observe and practice in the same room with him. Now, his daughter Dr. Geeta S. Iyengar, son Prashant S. Iyengar, and his granddaughter, Abhijata Iyengar, as well as a number of highly trained teachers continue to pass on the wealth of his knowledge.
