|
|
| Hello,
I have been taking Iyengar yoga classes for five years, and I absolutely love the method, the structure, and the assurance to the student get from teacher certifcation.
However, I struggle with how to craft a practical home practice. I have experimented with the courses in Light on Yoga and Yoga: the Iyengar Way, but the sequences are so long that I always reach a point where I run out of time.
Also, in some respects, Iyengar's method of performing poses makes some types of poses difficult to practice without a teacher's guidance. I have found that intermediate twists are nearly impossible for me to do on my own.
What I am asking is, has anyone found a way to adapt the Iyengar method to a home session of about 45 minutes to one hour with a blend of accessible poses? In each session, I would like to include a standing pose, a back bend, a forward bend, a twist, and an inversion. However, the standard Iyengar books are unclear as to these categories.
many thanks in advance,
Naomi |
|
| |
|
| Hey Naomi, here's a bit of a routine for you:
crossed legged...roll out your neck
arms overhead, grab your wrists, open chest
palms together - half moon to each side 2x
butterfly - 2x
staff position
seated forward bends - 3x Can also do one legged forward bends.
boat
forward bend
camel pose - 2x
table pose
downward dog
upward dog
child's pose
(repeat cycle) 3x
mountain pose
tree
half moon
hero's forward bend
feet 3 1/2 feet apart
side stretches
triangle
proud warrior
mountain pose - close your eyes, be very straight...very still
I practice a Iyengar based yoga where we don't use props just the great equipment we already have...our bodies! If you know the basic postures you should be able to adapt a home practice, no prob. Sometimes it helps to keep things simple, like a dog just doing downward dog. No?
best of luck |
|
| |
|
| Have you checked out some of the yoga journal videos? They have wonderful ways of teaching you a home practice in the time frame you want. The best thing is that Patricia Walden is an Iyengar teacher. Anything you get from her is the method you want. I hope this helps.
I have yoga for flexibility and the Rodney Yee video yoga for energy and strength. I like to put both together when I practice,and that's about an hour. Aggie |
|
| |
|
| Check the book - Yoga Self Taught by Andre Van Lysbeth; There are about 8 Hatha Yoga postures and variation and Sun Salutation discuessed in this book. The total time for all these once you get adept is about 30 minutes. I have practised this sequence for more than 22 years and found it the perfect way to fit my practise into a tight schedule. When you have the time, of couse, you can practise more elaborate sequences. But this routine in the book, is ideal to keep you going on. |
|
| |
|
| Hello. I have discovered a wonderful tape which will probably both guide and help you in the ways you expressed you wanted. It is a Gaiam tape by Rodney Yee and is called Yoga for energy. Gives all poses in fluidity, broken up into 4 sessions (to give or take for time), and isn't very strenuous.
You'll love it :) |
|
| |
|
| Hello,
My name is Ty and I am a teacher with the Victoria Yoga Centre In B.C. Canada - we are and Iyengar school.
Every two months on our website we post a home practice, I wanted to pass that on to you.
check ou www.victoriayogacentre.bc.ca
Good Luck,
Ty |
|
| |
|
| 
Ty,
thank you for sharing your web site address! I've also been looking for a way to practice at home without a teacher. I can't wait to try these poses in a sequence!
nance |
|
| |
|
| Why don't you go to the source himself?
In the back of Light on Yoga, Mr. Iyengar gives a years' worth of practices. Each to be done a week at a time, if I remember correctly. They do build on themselves, which is also nice.
As an Iyengar-head, I would assume you have the book!
Christine |
|
| |
|
| I must apologize. I whipped off the above response without paying much attention, just before I crashed for the night. May I expound on what I was thinking?
I would still go back to the Light on Yoga practices.
Given the fact you've been practicing for 5 years, you should be familiar with modifications that make even the seated twists more do-able.
The practices there are meant to be done daily, a week at a time. As the body opens up, things do get easier. You know, I know you know, that if it's tough, it only means we need that asana more for that area of our body!
If you're not able to remember your modifications from class, why don't you make an appointment with your favorite teacher and ask her to work through a couple of weeks with you so you have something to work on? Play that by ear and see how it goes.
I am not a big video person, given the fact too many people try to follow a yoga video like an aerobics tape. They're not to be used in the same fashion. Plus, like a teacher, if someone's yammering at you, you have no chance to get into the meditation of the asana. Much worse, a video can't look at your body and give you suggestions where you need them. Like in twists!
Rethink those LOY sequences. They're really good and well-thought out. No one ever said yoga was easy, did they?
Christine |
|
| |
|
| Erin - 2003-02-24 9:24 AM
Hey Naomi, here's a bit of a routine for you:
crossed legged...roll out your neck
arms overhead, grab your wrists, open chest
palms together - half moon to each side 2x
butterfly - 2x
staff position
seated forward bends - 3x Can also do one legged forward bends.
boat
forward bend
camel pose - 2x
table pose
downward dog
upward dog
child's pose
(repeat cycle) 3x
mountain pose
tree
half moon
hero's forward bend
feet 3 1/2 feet apart
side stretches
triangle
proud warrior
mountain pose - close your eyes, be very straight...very still
I practice a Iyengar based yoga where we don't use props just the great equipment we already have...our bodies! If you know the basic postures you should be able to adapt a home practice, no prob. Sometimes it helps to keep things simple, like a dog just doing downward dog. No?
best of luck |
|
| |
|
| Erin, a couple of comments. I hope you don't mind.
The head/neck connection is not a ball joint. Do neck circles slowly, slowly, extending the side of the neck that is BENT as well as the side where you're feeling the stretch.
I liked the idea of your practice. However, given the fact there are so many English translations that could be a gudzillion poses, would you mind giving me some of the Sanskrit names for some of your asana? You can find many of them by clicking here.
What "side stretch" are you doing? There are a million. Seated? Standing? Twisting at all?
What variation of half moon? It sounds like you're actually doing Chandra
Is your butterfly actually Baddha Konasana?
Hero's forward bend: Is that Balasana with the arms out in front? (Pranamasaa?)
What do you call "Proud warrior?"
The names you use aren't Iyengar labels, so I'm curious to know what variations you're enjoying. I'm always looking for more variations from different traditions for my site.
Thank you,
Christine |
|
| |
Structuring a home practice
