How is Iyengar Yoga different from Stretching and Deep Breathing?
Iyengar Yoga teaches and leads towards the experience of all 8 aspects of astanga yoga, primarily through the tools of asanas and pranayama. In Iyengar yoga one learns how the performance of Asana needs the disciplines of Yama and Niyama (ethics and personal discipline), the role of the breath (Pranayama) and how the turning of the senses of perception to look inwards (Pratyahara) and total concentration (Dharana) while doing asanas lead one to experience the higher mental states. Asanas are postures which are performed by the physical body but the breath, the mind and the intelligence must also be involved in the performance. Any posture performed without total involvement becomes an exercise and not an asana. Asanas require reflection in action such that the mind, emotions and the physical body are not separated. In this way regular practice of Iyengar Yoga definitely acts on the mind, emotions and intellect. An example is when a person is very nervous such as before a public perform
