Homage to B.K.S Iyengar, without whom we may never have seen the practice of Yoga become the worldwide activity it is. Mr Iyengar holds in his living hands the experience of learning from his relatives and passing on the spirit of dynamic Yoga practice. I bow to him.
Reaching the end of my first teaching year, and those students who’ve joined my classes over the 13 weeks may want something to study during the festering season. Cannot recommend enough the text “Light on Yoga”, a book which took several rewrites to become publishable, and ushered in the era of Eastern Yoga reaching Western audiences. Everything is here within the book.
My tribute has been to write the whole of Iyengars classification of postures/ asanas into a dictionary for 2 reasons:-
Sanskrit- English translations and commonly used names.
Grading- Iyengars difficulty ratings, from 1- 60 Easiest to most difficult.
The purpose of this document is to elucidate Iyengars classification of every Yogasana and also match the Sanskrit to English to give us a ready reckoner of some 207 postures found in “Light On Yoga”. B.K.S Iyengar
Interesting to note that the classification below was devised for general use and teaching by Iyengar when the science of yoga first came to the western world in 1960’s. In recent years since late 1990’s the influence of Pattabhi Jois revitalised Astanga Vinyasa as the dominant form of teaching in the west, complementing the era’s propensity to demand dynamic faster aerobic exercise style classes. Many gym’s and other institutions predominant class structure is based around versions of ‘power’ or ‘dynamic’ yoga sometimes at the same time as the Bikram emphasis on heated rooms or studios. Iyengar developed this according to his own/ Indian abilities, therefore placing some postures of great difficulty to westerners in a lower classification of his own, for example full lotus posture.
I offer you the first 5 which will have featured in my teaching this Autumn. With recent photos of me in Natarajasana 58, and Iyengar in the King Dancer, dedicated to Shiva, who is also the fountain and source of Yoga.
1. Savasana-corpse
Tadasana/ samasthitih –mountain
Siddahasana-accomplished
Vrksasana-tree
Virabhadrasana 2- warrior 2
Garudasana-eagle
Salabasana-locust
Chaturanga dandasana-supported plank
Bhujangasana-cobra
Urdhva Mukha Svanasana- upward facing dog
Virasana-hero
Simhasana 1-lion
Purvottanasana-intense front stretch
Karnapidasana-ear pressure H.S.S
Urdhva Prasarita Padasana-extended upright feet
Bharadvajasana 1- sage bharadvaja
2. Utkatasana-fierce seat
Ardha navasana-half boat
Paripurna navasana-complete boat
Dandasana- staff
Gomukasana-cow face
Supta Virasana-reclined hero
Paryankasana-couch
Salamba Sarvangasana 1, 2 , 3 – supported shoulder standing var. H.S.S
Supta Konasana- reclined angle H.S.S
Malasana-garland
Noticeable Sequences. Found in clusters alongside postures in sequence in bold. The following with their difficulty rated before their abbreviated code. Iyengar groups these postures together in close similarity sequence- my own sequences also always contain the entry and exit from these groups in a class context. Difficulties quoted would also have to be linked with appropriate class abilities.
Halasana Salamba Sarvangasana 3-11– H.S.S
Salamba Sirsasana 4-12– S.S
3. Uttitha trikonasana- extended triangle
Virabhadrasana- warrior var.1
Ustrasana- camel
Padangusthasana-big toe
Baddha konasana- bound angle
Ubhaya Padangusthasana- both big toes
Salamba Sarvangasana- shoulder standing pose var. H.S.S
Niralamba Sarvangasana- free shoulder standing pose H.S.S
4. Uttitha Parsvakonasana-extended side angle
Parvritta Parsvakonasana-revolved side angle
Prasarita Padottasana var.-spread leg intense stretch
Prasarita Padottasana- var.- spread leg intense stretch namaste
Parighasana-gate
Bhekasana- frog
Halasana-plough H.S.S
Makarasana- locust head hold
Dhanurasana- Bow
Parsva Dhanurasana- side bow
Urdhva Padmasana in sarvangasana- inverted lotus in shoulder stand H.S.S
Chakrasana-wheel
Dwi hasta bhujasana-both arms hand balance
Padmasana- lotus
Sanmukhi mudra- closed mudra
Parvatasana- seated mountain
Tolasana- scale
Salamba sirsasana 1 var.- supported headstand S.S
Baddha hasta sirsasana- bound hand supported headstand S.S
Parsva halasana- lateral plough H.S.S
5. Parivritta Trikonasana-revolved triangle
Virabhadrasana- warrior var.3
Ardha chandrasana-half moon
Adho Mukha svanasana- downward facing dog
Matsyasana-fish
Maha mudra-closed bandhas
Janu Sirsasana-head to knee (prep for Paschimottasana-)
Triang mukhasikapada Paschimottasana-one legged forward fold (prep for Paschimottasana-whole back stretch)
Marichyasana-sage twist (prep for Paschimottasana)
Salamba sirsasana- var-supported headstand S.S
Eka pada sarvangasana-one legged shoulder stand H.S.S
Pindasana in sarvangasana-inverted embryo H.S.S
Jathara parivartanasana-both legs turning
Eka hasta bhujasana-one armed hand balance
my last class of the year will be at Sir David English Centre 17th December. 8 P.M
be happy you can practice, the practice will make you happy