No cardio, but rigor and great precision (almost military, sometimes) in body placement. That’s what makes this yoga, named after the Indian master who codified and adapted all the postures. “The focus on alignment makes the student sensitive not only to the position of his feet or pelvis, but also to the sensations in his joints and the reactions of his organs,” says Stéphane Beillaud, a certified teacher. It is gradually becoming a technique of introspection.”
How to practice Iyengar yoga?
Courses are organized by level. Before reaching the famous “greetings to the sun”, very dynamic, we strengthen and relax in static postures. A host of accessories – cork bricks, straps, blankets, chairs… – are used to adapt his position so that the asana remains accessible. Then comes a form of meditation in action: “The teacher invites so many details into the posture that it silences the inner ‘chatter’. And that’s crazy!”, says Stéphane Beillaud.
For whom?
To test if… I prefer a very progressive learning and a teacher to correct me step by step. The advice of Stéphane Beillaud, Iyengar® teacher in Paris and online on Tigre Yoga play: “To get into this practice, prefer a certified Iyengar® person (see the French Iyengar Yoga Association). Then, whatever your experience, humbly start with a Level I course to go through the basics. And finally… come enthusiastic, everything will be fine!”
