Iyengar Teacher Juan Carlos demonstrate a cobra pose

Myth: Iyengar Yoga is Slow without a Lot of Movement.

Many people have a misconception that Iyengar yoga does not encompass flow-based asana.

You will see from some classes taught by BKS Iyengar in the 60’s and 70’, that he incorporates a flow from one pose to another which is quite rigorous. Here is an old video that you might enjoy watching.

Props were developed to make yoga practice accessible to a broader audience. They also help you get into the pose deeper. You won’t be going deep into the pose with a lot of jumping around.

We are definitely not making flow-based yoga wrong. There’s a time and place for each kind of practice.

I say this to show how your practice changes over time, and also iterate that your practice is based on your body condition. Like a doctor prescribes therapy or medicine based on the current needs of a patient, yoga asana is also to be prescribed based on one’s physical state. The teacher can prescribe, but also the student must diagnose themselves through sharpening their awareness and sensitivity to understand what they need most. Sometimes you push hard and sometimes you take it easy.

This flow-style practice by Juan Carlos is energizing, moving into stiff areas slowly. The opening that comes is gradual as you move from one area to another in an organic way. Working through the asanas systematically to enliven and awaken, stimulate and finally rest and consolidate.

This sequence includes:

Swastikasana ( Sitting Cross-legged Pose )

Adho Mukha Virasana ( Forward Hero Pose )

Marjaryasana ( Cat Cow Pose )

Adho Mukha Svanasana ( Downward Dog Pose )

Bhujangasana ( Cobra Pose )

Ardha Uttanasana ( Half Forward Bend )

Uttanasana ( Forward Bend Pose )

Utkatasana ( Chair Pose )

Urdhva Hastasana ( Palm Tree Pose )

Tadasana ( Mountain Pose )

Bhujangasana ( Cobra Pose )

Urdhva Mukha Svanasana ( Upward Dog Pose )

Utthita Trikonasana ( Triangle Pose )

Virabhadrasana II ( Warrior Pose II )

Ardha Chandrasana ( Half Moon Pose )

Chaturanga ( Four-limbed STaff Pose )

Urdhva Badhanguliyasana ( Palm Tree Pose )

Baddha Konasana ( Bound Angle Pose )

Supta Baddha Konasana ( Reclining Bound Angle Pose )

Chatuspadasana ( Four Footed Pose )

Salamba Sarvangasana ( Shoulder Stand Pose )

Savasana ( Corpse Pose )