Balmain Iyengar Yoga Studio
Articles
Understanding Iyengar Yoga
A personal journey with Balmain Iyengar Yoga School founder Pixie Lillas.
Yoga is growing rapidly in the West, none more so than Iyengar yoga which is reputably the world’s most widely practiced form of this ancient art, science and philosophy.
Yet in the late 70s the term ‘Iyengar yoga’ was barely used. BKS Iyengar had only just opened his new yoga institute in the India city of Pune, and it was difficult to find a bookshop which carried his ‘Light on Yoga’, now recognized as the standard reference for yoga asana practictioners. Indeed, Mr Iyengar did not coin, or use, use the term ‘Iyengar yoga’, which has come into general use only during the past 15 to 20 years. Read full article...
Inverted postures in Iyengar Yoga
What is the reason behind the emphasis in Iyengar Yoga on inverted postures such as Sirsasana (headstand) and Sarvangasana (shoulderstand)?
Anyone practising Iyengar yoga will have noticed the importance given to the various inverted postures and how these postures form a part of every sequence in every class. Some students are pleased and enjoy them; others struggle with finding the right alignment for their neck or shoulders and perhaps wish there were less of this particular type of asana.
Why place such emphasis on these poses? Read full article...
The Evolution of Practice
Pixie Lillas, founder of the Balmain Iyengar Yoga Studio, recollects her early experiences of studying and practising Yoga with Mr Iyengar and how, as he says, "the truth changes".
At my first meeting with Guruji at the Institute in Pune in 1977 I was young in yoga and in years and I was going to the Institute without any real idea of what time spent learning from Mr Iyengar would involve. I thought perhaps that in any case it would be more “yogic” to go with as few preconceptions as possible, believing myself to be free-minded and without set concepts. As soon as I arrived I began to see that this was just one of the many fixed beliefs I held. Read full article...
Why are some poses not practised during menstruation?
by Pixie Lillas
This is often a bit of a puzzle for new students as women have become accustomed in our culture to ignoring menstruation and often do not want to feel restricted by it. This is understandable and nowadays not many situations allow for taking a bit more rest during this time of the month. Yoga however aims at something different: an increased self – awareness and the best possible health for our body.
The Art of Pranayama
By Pixie Lillas
Pranayama is the art of breathing according to yoga principles and techniques. It is the beginning of the more inward journey on the path of yoga, and a more subtle and refined form of self-awareness and exploration is both developed, and required, for its practice.