B.K.S. IYENGAR YO GA THE PATH TO HOLISTIC HEALTH The defi nitive illustrated guide by the world’s leading yoga teacher with a new chapter on his life and work (cid:56)(cid:36)(cid:65)(cid:36)(cid:73)(cid:36)(cid:22)(cid:63)(cid:79)(cid:59)(cid:68)(cid:61)(cid:55)(cid:72) (cid:79)(cid:69) (cid:61)(cid:55) 0U0S1__1H_aIDlf_0T7i0tl e .1indd 1 87/1/147/0/077 1 40::1252::0111 PAMM London, New York, Melbourne, Munich, Delhi CONSULTANT: Dr. Geeta S. Iyengar PROJECTEDITOR: Ranjana Sengupta PROJECTDESIGNER: Aparna Sharma EDITORS: Dipali Singh, Sheema Mookherjee DESIGNERS: Ankita Saha, Nikki Duggal DTPDESIGNER: Sunil Sharma MANAGINGEDITOR: Prita Maitra MANAGINGARTEDITOR: Shuka Jain REVISEDEDITION DKUK: SENIORARTEDITOR: Isabel de Cordova SENIOREDITOR: Jennifer Latham DKUS: USEDITOR Jane Perlmutter DKINDIA: DESIGN MANAGER: Arunesh Talapatra DESIGNERS: Neha Ahuja, Ivy Roy, Mahua Mandal DTPDESIGNERS: Govind Mittal, Pushpak Tyagi EDITORIALTEAM: Dipali Singh, Alicia Ingty, Aditi Ray, Saloni Talwar HEADOF PUBLISHING:Aparna Sharma B.K.S. Iyengar would like to thank Dr. Geeta S. Iyengar for her contribution to editing the script and assisting with the photography; Parth Amin, for his ideas, and perseverance in completing the book; Professor R.N. Kulhali, for drafting and compiling the Yoga text; Zarina Kolah, Yoga Consultant, for her help in compiling the text and liaising with the DK editorial team; Harminder Singh for the photography; and models Roshen Amin, Leslie Peters, Ali Dashti, and Jawahar Bangera. PUBLISHER’S NOTE The ideas, procedures, and suggestions contained in this book are not intended as a substitute for consulting with your physician. All matters regarding your health require medical supervision. First American Edition, 2001 Published in the United States by DK Publishing, 375 Hudson Street New York, New York 10014 This revised edition published in the United States in 2008 by DK Publishing 08 09 10 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 ID070–January 2008 Copyright © 2001, 2008 Dorling Kindersley Limited Text copyright © 2001, 2008 Kirloskar Computer Services Limited Text pp.8–29 copyright © 2008 Dorling Kindersley Limited Copyright in all photographs © 2001, 2008 Kirloskar Computer Services Limited, with the exception of those listed in the acknowledgments. All rights reserved Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book. Published in Great Britain by Dorling Kindersley Limited. A catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress. ISBN 978-0-7566-3362-2 DK books are available at special discounts when purchased in bulk for sales promotions, premiums, fund-raising, or educational use. For details, contact: DK Publishing Special Markets, 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014 or [email protected]. Reproduced in Singapore by Colourscan Printed in China by Toppan Discover more at www.dk.com 0U0S2_-000023-_0T0it3le_.Tinitdled. in d2d 2 78//1176//0077 43::1161::4385 PPMM (cid:56)(cid:36)(cid:65)(cid:36)(cid:73)(cid:36)(cid:22)(cid:63)(cid:79)(cid:59)(cid:68)(cid:61)(cid:55)(cid:72) (cid:79)(cid:69) (cid:61)(cid:55) THE PATH TO HOLISTIC HEALTH 0U0S2_-30_0I3D_0T7it0le . i3ndd 3 87/1/147/0/077 1 40::1262::5153 PAMM Contents FOREWORD 6 Chapter 1 - BKS Iyengar’s Life and Work 8 The Story of Iyengar 10 A Day in the Life of the Guru 14 Good Works 22 A Family of Teachers 24 Yoga for Women 30 Yoga for All 32 (cid:85) Chapter 2 - Yoga for You 34 Aims of Yoga 36 The Way to Health 39 Benefits of Poses 40 Yoga & Stress 41 Yoga & Fitness 42 (cid:85) Chapter 3 - Philosophy of Yoga 44 Meaning of Yoga 46 Philosophy of Asanas 48 States of Mind 50 Eight Limbs 52 Pranayama 54 Chakras 56 The Guru & the Yogi 58 (cid:85) Chapter 4 - Asanas for You 60 Classic Poses 62 Standing Asanas 66(cid:85) Tadasana 68(cid:85) Utthita Trikonasana 70(cid:85) Virabhadrasana 2 76(cid:85) Utthita Parsvakonasana 80 Parsvottanasana84(cid:85) Adhomukha Svanasana 88(cid:85) Uttanasana 92(cid:85) Virabhadrasana 1 96 Sitting Asanas 100(cid:85) Dandasana 102(cid:85) Virasana 104(cid:85) Baddhakonasana 108 Forward Bends112(cid:85) Janu Sirsasana 114(cid:85) Trianga Mukhaikapada Paschimottanasana 118(cid:85) Paschimottanasana 122 Twists 126(cid:85) Bharadvajasana 128(cid:85) Marichyasana 132(cid:0)(cid:0) 4 0U0S4_-40_0I5D_0C7o0n t e4nts.indd 4 87/1/147/0/077 1 40::2242::3184 PAMM Inversions136(cid:85) Salamba Sirsasana 138(cid:85) Salamba Sarvangasana 144(cid:85) Halasana 150 Back Bends154(cid:85) Ustrasana 156(cid:85)Urdhva Dhanurasana 160 Reclining Asanas164(cid:85) Supta Virasana 166(cid:85) Savasana 170 (cid:85) Chapter 5 - Yoga for Stress 174 Understanding Stress 176 The Modern World 177 Food & Nourishment 178 Positive & Negative Stress 179 Asanas & Stress 180 Asanas with Props 182 Props 184 Asanas for Stress Tadasana Samasthithi 186(cid:85) Tadasana Urdhva Hastasana 187(cid:85) Tadasana Urdhva Baddanguliasana188(cid:85) Paschima Baddha Hastasana 189(cid:85) Tadasana Paschima Namaskarasana 190 Tadasana Gomukhasana 191(cid:85) Utthita Trikonasana 192(cid:85) Utthita Parsvakonasana 194 Ardha Chandrasana 196(cid:85) Uttanasana 198(cid:85) Prasarita Padottanasana 200(cid:85) Adhomukha Svanasana 202 Dandasana205(cid:85) Virasana 206(cid:85) Urdhvamukha Janu Sirsasana 207(cid:85) Baddhakonasana 208 Swastikasana209(cid:85) Paripurna Navasana 210(cid:85) Upavista Konasana 213(cid:85) Paschimottanasana 214 Adhomukha Paschimottanasana 217(cid:85) Janu Sirsasana 218(cid:85) Adhomukha Virasana 220 Adhomukha Swastikasana 222(cid:85) Bharadvajasana 223(cid:85) Marichyasana 225(cid:85) Utthita Marichyasana 226 Parsva Virasana 228(cid:85)Salamba Sarvangasana 230(cid:85) Halasana 232(cid:85) Viparita Karani 234(cid:85) Setubandha Sarvangasana 236 Viparita Dandasana 238(cid:85) Ustrasana 240(cid:85) Supta Padangusthasana 242(cid:85) Supta Baddhakonasana 244 Supta Virasana 246(cid:85) Savasana 248 (cid:85) Chapter 6 - Pranayama with Props 250 The Importance of Pranayama 252 (cid:85) Ujjayi Pranayama 254(cid:85) Viloma 2 Pranayama 256 (cid:85) Chapter 7 - Yoga for Ailments 258 Yoga Therapy 260 Heart & Circulation 264(cid:85) Respiratory System 276(cid:85) Digestive System 285(cid:85) Urinary System 300 Hormonal System 302(cid:85) Immune System 308(cid:85) Muscles, Bones, & Joints 312(cid:85) Skin 344 Brain & Nervous System 351(cid:85) Mind & Emotions 359(cid:85) Women’s Health 378(cid:85) Men’s Health 397 (cid:85) Chapter 8 - Iyengar Yoga Course 406 Guide to your Yoga Practice 408 20-Week Yoga Course 410 (cid:85) ANATOMY GUIDE 424 GLOSSARY 426 LISTOF ASANAS 427 INDEX 428 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 432 USEFUL ADDRESSES 432 5 0U0S4_-50_0I5D_0C7o0n t e5nts.indd 5 87/1/147/0/077 1 40::2242::4155 PAMM 0U0S6_-60_0I7D_0F7o0re w 6ord.indd 6 87/1/240/0/077 1 60::0262::3157 PAMM Foreword by Yogacharya B.K.S. Iyengar Yoga is for everyone. You need not be an expert or at the peak of physical fitness to practice the asanas described in this book. The strain of modern life can lead to physical pain and illness, as we neglect our bodies in the race for material success. The stress of modern life can also lead to mental suffering: feelings of inadequacy, isolation, or powerlessness. Yoga helps to integrate the mental and the physical plane, bringing about a sense of inner and outer balance, or what I term alignment. True alignment means that the inner mind reaches every cell and fiber of the body. During seventy-three years of teaching and practicing, I have observed that some students pay attention only to the physical aspect of yoga. Their practice is like a fast-flowing stream, tumbling and falling, which lacks depth and direction. By attending to the mental and spiritual side, a sincere student of yoga becomes like a smoothly flowing river which helps to irrigate and fertilize the land around it. Just as one cannot dip into the same river twice, so each and every asana refreshes your life force with new energy. My effort in this book has been to focus on techniques, so that even the beginner will have a thorough understanding of how to practice asanas in order to obtain the maximum benefit. By using a few simple props, students with different capabilities can gradually build up strength, confidence, and flexibility without the threat of strain or injury. The yoga techniques described and illustrated in this book can also help those with specific ailments. Regular practice builds up the body’s inner strength and natural resistance, helps to alleviate pain, and tackles the root, rather than the symptoms, of the problem. Across the world, there is now a growing awareness that alternative therapies are more conducive to health than conventional ones. It is my hope that this book will help all those who want to change their lives through yoga. May yoga’s blessing be on all of you. 0U0S6_-70_0I7D_0F7o0re w 7ord.indd 7 87/1/240/0/077 1 60::0262::4147 PAMM TSiiztlee:s I2y5e2n xg a3r0 Y1o (gBal e(IeDd50m70m)) 2 008 2174/10875/0672:3K05N3T1-600 000 207 0U0S8_-80_0I9D_0Iy7e0n g 8arLifeOpener 8 82/174/7/0/077 1 50::1222::1199 PAMM