The Three S's: How Iyengar Yoga Addresses Stress, Strain, and Speed

"We cannot eliminate stress and tension from our lives. That is not the point. Life is of itself stressful." — B.K.S. Iyengar

This might be the most liberating thing you'll read today. While everyone else is promising to eliminate stress from your life, Iyengar told the truth: stress isn't going anywhere. But here's the good news—you can completely change how it affects you.

The Reality Check We All Need

Iyengar saw what was coming decades ago: "We throw ourselves from one endeavor to another, believing that speed and movement is all there is in life." We've created a world where being busy feels productive, where multitasking feels necessary, and where slowing down feels impossible.

But here's what most people miss: "Walking, eating, reading—everything is stress. There is nothing in this world free from stress until death." Even when you're sleeping, you're moving around because of stress. The question isn't how to avoid it—it's how to work with it intelligently.

Not All Stress is Created Equal

This is where Iyengar's wisdom gets really practical. He taught that "Positive stress is a measured response to Nature's challenges. It is constructive and does not harm the nerves. But when it is destructive, it is negative stress, which is indeed harmful."

Consider the difference: the focused intensity of completing a meaningful project versus the scattered anxiety of trying to manage an impossible workload. The challenge of learning something new versus the chronic worry about things outside your control.

The main culprits of harmful stress? "Anger, fear, speed, greed, unhealthy ambition, and competition." These create the kind of stress that accumulates in our systems, leading to what we now understand as chronic stress-related health issues.

The Secret of Real Change

Here's Iyengar's most beautiful teaching about how transformation actually works:

"When it rains heavily, the water does not necessarily penetrate the earth. If the surface is dry and hard, the rain water floods the surface and runs off. But if it rains gradually for many days continuously, and the ground is moist, then the water seeps deep into the earth, which is good for cultivation and for life."

This changes everything about how we approach our wellbeing. Sustainable change happens gradually, consistently, with patience—not through intense workshops or dramatic lifestyle overhauls that we can't maintain.

"We must moisten our muscles and nerves through the expansion and extension of the various asana. In this way, the stress that saturates the brain is diffused throughout the rest of the body." Your yoga practice literally redistributes stress so it strengthens rather than overwhelms your system.

Your Body's Innate Intelligence

"The human body is the finest machine. Millions of cells are produced every second and die out just as swiftly. The cells have their own intelligence."

Your body possesses remarkable adaptive capacity—the ability to heal, balance, and recalibrate when given the right conditions. Every time you practice yoga, you're supporting this inherent intelligence, creating the space for your system to do what it does best: find equilibrium.

The Power of Conscious Breathing

"While doing the various types of pranayama the whole body is irrigated with energy. The nerves are soothed, the brain is calmed, and the hardness and rigidity of the lungs are loosened."

This isn't abstract philosophy—it's practical neuroscience. When you engage in conscious breathing, you're activating your parasympathetic nervous system, directly influencing your body's stress response. You can access this tool anywhere: before important meetings, during difficult conversations, or in moments of overwhelm.

A Simple Stress Assessment

Want to gauge your current stress levels? Iyengar offered this practical observation: "The eyes are so close to the brain that their tension and jitteriness reflects how ragged the nerves have become through overload."

Notice the quality around your eyes right now. Are they tense and constricted, or soft and receptive? This simple awareness can become a valuable daily check-in with your nervous system state.

The Real Goal

"Keeping the brain in a receptive state is the art that yoga teaches."

This means cultivating the ability to remain open and responsive rather than reactive and defensive. It's about developing the capacity to pause between stimulus and response—whether that's a challenging email, a demanding schedule, or unexpected life changes.

"You are one with yourself and that is in and of itself a meditative state." This isn't about achieving perfection or never experiencing stress. It's about developing a stable inner reference point that remains steady regardless of external circumstances.

Your Practice as Training Ground

Every time you practice asana/postures, you're training for real-world resilience. The concentration required to hold a challenging pose, the patience needed to work with resistance, the breath awareness that keeps you present—these skills transfer directly to your professional and personal life.

"This quest for inner peace and contentment through yoga is the solution to the accumulation of stress that we experience in our lives."

Not a quick fix or magic cure, but a practical, time-tested approach to developing genuine equanimity and sustainable wellbeing.

The three S's—stress, strain, and speed—are constants in our modern world. But your relationship with them can be completely transformed through consistent, intelligent practice.

Ready to explore these principles in your own practice? This week's classes focus on working skillfully with stress, strain, and speed, offering practical tools for building resilience both on and off the mat. New to IYS? Learn more here.

Obstacles and Their Accompaniments: Sutras I.30–I.32

In our sutra study group this month, we explored two closely linked aphorisms: Yoga Sutra I.31 and I.32.

The Obstacles and Their Signs

In I.30, Patañjali lists nine obstacles (antarāyas) that cloud and distract the mind: disease, apathy, doubt, carelessness, laziness, over-indulgence, illusion, lack of perseverance, and instability.

Iyengar explains:

“These nine obstacles are the enemies of the aspirant. If they are not conquered, they become impediments to the pursuit of yoga. They appear not only in the beginning but also at every stage of yogic practice.”
(Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patañjali, I.30)

In I.31, Patañjali names their gross signs: sorrow, despair, tremors in the body, and uneven breathing.
Iyengar writes:

“When the mind is distracted, the body loses its rhythm. The breath becomes labored, the limbs tremble, and mental energy wanes into melancholy.”
(I.31 commentary)

A Practical Response

The sutras are not abstract—they point us toward practice. In I.32, Patañjali prescribes the remedy:

tat-pratiṣedhārtham ekatattvābhyāsaḥ — “To counteract these disturbances, one must steadily practice focusing on a single principle.”

Iyengar emphasizes this as abhyāsa, dedicated practice in asana, pranayama, and meditation:

“Constant and dedicated practice is the only means to conquer the obstacles and their accompaniments.”
(I.32 commentary)

Asana as Exploration

Asana practice can become a way to explore the sutras.
The disturbances we notice—shakiness, heaviness, or breathlessness—are not just physical sensations. They are opportunities to trace the link between body, breath, and mind, and to recognize when obstacles are active in us. Each pose becomes a laboratory: can I refine my breath, steady my awareness, and turn effort into intelligent action?

Looking Ahead

Next month, our study group will continue with Sutra I.33, which shifts from obstacles toward cultivating qualities of the heart: friendliness, compassion, joy, and equanimity. All are welcome to join us.

We truly are seekers together, learning not only from the text and from B.K.S. Iyengar’s guidance, but also from the living laboratory of our practice.

The Science Behind Body-Mind Unity

The Science of Body–Mind Unity: How Yoga Nurtures Your Whole Self

How does yoga influence both body and mind? Modern research is beginning to explain something yoga practitioners have experienced for generations: when you move your body with awareness, your mental state shifts. And when you bring focused attention to your mind, your body responds in kind.

Where Ancient Wisdom Meets Modern Understanding

Yoga has long emphasized that body and mind are not separate. What happens in one affects the other. We see this in every class at Iyengar Yoga Source:

• A student arrives distracted and tense. After a sequence of well planned postures and steady breathing, they leave calmer, clearer.

• Another student comes in low on energy. Through backbends and standing poses, they discover a feeling of vitality and confidence.

Today, science is helping explain why these shifts happen.

The Posture–Mood Connection

Research in psychology and neuroscience supports what yogis have observed: posture shapes how we feel. Expansive poses—like backbends or standing tall with an open chest—are linked with greater confidence and reduced feelings of stress.

Even simple alignment practices, like standing in Tadasana (Mountain Pose) with your chest lifted and shoulders open, can bring subtle changes to focus, presence, and emotional state.

Embodied Cognition: Thinking With the Whole Body

Modern science confirms that our minds don’t live only in our brains. The field of embodied cognition shows that movement, gesture, and posture all influence thought and mood. Forward bends, twists, and grounding poses activate pathways that support calm, reflection, and focus.

The Nervous System: A Bridge Between Body and Mind

Yoga works deeply with the autonomic nervous system. Through alignment, breath, and mindful movement, we activate the parasympathetic “rest-and-digest” response.

Gentle inversions and restorative poses, like Viparita Karani (Legs Up the Wall), may stimulate the vagus nerve, connecting the brain to the heart, lungs, and digestive system. The result? Lower heart rate, improved circulation, and a felt sense of ease.

Breath, Brain, and Focus

Pranayama—the art of conscious breathing—has measurable effects on the brain. Slow, rhythmic breathing (about 5–6 breaths per minute) supports heart rate variability, which is linked to better focus and emotional regulation.

Holding challenging poses mindfully strengthens attention and self-awareness networks in the brain. Over time, this cultivates resilience both on and off the mat.

Fascia: Your Body’s Communication Network

Fascia, the connective tissue that surrounds muscles and organs, is rich with sensory receptors. When you practice with precision in Iyengar Yoga, you’re not only aligning bones and muscles—you’re engaging this living network. Students often notice that a small adjustment in a pose can bring a surprising sense of mental clarity.

Yoga and Stress Relief

Studies show that consistent yoga practice reduces stress markers and supports healthy inflammation levels. Alignment-based yoga encourages the body to relax, the mind to balance, and the whole system to reset.

What Science Means for Your Practice

Every moment on the mat is a chance to explore the connection between body and mind:

• Alignment matters: Small shifts support awareness and self-regulation.

• Breath matters: Conscious breathing steadies the nervous system.

• Challenge matters: Demanding poses build focus and resilience.

• Rest matters: Savasana allows integration, creating lasting calm.

Your Body–Mind Laboratory

Think of your yoga mat as a laboratory. Each practice is an experiment in noticing:

• How does your mood shift when you open your chest in a backbend?

• How do your thoughts change when you bend forward and turn inward?

• How does breath affect balance, focus, or releasing tension?

You don’t need to know all the science to benefit. Simply showing up and practicing with awareness is enough for your body–mind system to do what it knows best: heal, grow, and transform.

At Iyengar Yoga Source, our certified teachers guide you in practices that honor both tradition and modern understanding. Join us, and experience for yourself the profound unity of body and mind.

Beyond the Physical: How Iyengar Yoga Works on Every Level

Is Iyengar Yoga Physical or Mental?

It’s one of the most common questions we hear from beginners at Iyengar Yoga Source:

“Is what we’re doing in class physical exercise, or something more?”

Students often arrive thinking yoga is simply about stretching and strengthening. Yet they leave wondering how a “physical” practice could shift their mental state, ease stress, or even change their outlook on life.

This question touches the very heart of what makes Iyengar Yoga unique. While other forms of exercise focus primarily on the body, and meditation practices focus on the mind, Iyengar Yoga doesn’t separate these interconnected aspects of being. To understand why, let’s look deeper.

Why This Question Matters

When people dismiss Iyengar Yoga as “just physical,” it reveals a misunderstanding about embodied practice.

Can you really define where the body ends and the mind begins?

Think about your own experience:

• How your posture lifts when you receive good news

• How your breathing changes when you feel anxious

• How certain poses can completely shift your mood

These aren’t coincidences. They’re evidence of the inseparable relationship between body and mind.

How Do the Body and Mind Communicate?

Modern science now confirms what yogis have known for centuries: body and mind are in constant conversation.

Mind → Body

• Stress creates physical tension

• Anxiety changes breathing patterns

• Depression affects posture

• Joy literally lifts your energy

Body → Mind

• Better posture improves confidence

• Deep breathing calms anxiety

• Physical strength builds mental resilience

• Balanced poses sharpen focus

This is why a student with illness might suddenly stand tall upon hearing good news, while a strong person may collapse under grief. Body and mind are not separate compartments—they’re two expressions of the same system.

The Iyengar Method

What makes Iyengar Yoga distinctive is that it works skillfully with both dimensions at once.

Yes, we use props, alignment, and precise actions. But the purpose goes far beyond mechanics—these practices are gateways to awareness and transformation.

In our classes, you’ll notice:

• Precise alignment creates mental clarity and focus

• Props build confidence and reduce anxiety

• Challenging poses develop resilience and self-trust

• Restorative poses calm the nervous system and restore balance

This is why Iyengar Yoga is considered adhyatmik sastra—a spiritual science. We’re not just moving bodies through space. We’re working with the intelligence that animates and connects every part of who you are.

How Can You Apply This in Practice?

Here are three ways to bring body–mind awareness into your own practice:

• Notice the Two-Way Street
  Pay attention to how your mood affects your poses, and how your poses shift your mood. This awareness itself is transformative.

• Use Physical Actions to Access Mental States

  • Feeling scattered? Try standing poses for grounding.

  • Feeling low? Backbends bring energy and lift.

  • Feeling anxious? Forward bends calm and soothe.

• Approach Each Pose as a Gateway
  Instead of thinking, “I’m just stretching my hamstring,” recognize that you’re working with physical, energetic, and mental layers—all at once.

💡 Key insight from our teaching:
We’ve found that students who understand this integration progress faster, experience fewer injuries, and develop a more sustainable, lifelong practice. They’re not just doing poses—they’re developing a conversation between all aspects of their being.

Beyond Either/Or

So—is Iyengar Yoga physical or mental?

The answer is both, and neither, and something more. By working with the body, we are simultaneously working with the mind, the breath, the emotions, and even deeper layers of awareness.

That’s why Iyengar Yoga is at once:

• Physical – building strength, flexibility, coordination

• Mental – cultivating clarity, focus, balance

• Spiritual – connecting with deeper wisdom and peace

Ready to Experience the Integration?

Discover how Iyengar Yoga works with your whole being—not just your body, not just your mind, but the intelligent connection between them.

• New Students: Start with our Foundations classes to learn alignment and prop use.

• Experienced Practitioners: Deepen your study in our Intermediate and Advanced classes.

📍 1155 Westminster Street, Providence, RI | Serving our community since 2005

Final Reflection

So, is Iyengar Yoga physical or mental?

It’s a practice that honors the full spectrum of human experience—physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual—while skillfully weaving them together.

“The body is your temple. Keep it pure and clean for the soul to reside in.”
— B.K.S. Iyengar

Because yoga isn’t about stretching farther—it’s about living deeper.

Creating Space: Extension and Freedom in Asana Practice

“Always try to extend and expand the body. Extension and expansion bring space, and space brings freedom. Freedom is precision, and precision is divine.”
— B.K.S. Iyengar, Light on Life

Stretching vs. Extending

Many of us come to yoga believing it’s about stretching farther—touching our toes, reaching the floor, or going deeper into a pose. But B.K.S. Iyengar makes a crucial distinction: stretching is about striving toward a point, while extension begins at the center and radiates outward.

Try this right now:
Sit upright with your feet on the floor, hands resting on your thighs. Instead of “stretching tall,” imagine lengthening from deep in your chest and spine, then allow that energy to move outward—through the crown of your head, down into your seat, and through your arms into your fingertips. Notice how it feels: steadier, lighter, and more spacious. That’s extension.

Returning to the Core

When movement begins at the core, the body feels whole and connected. Overstretching happens when ego pushes us beyond that rootedness. True progress is subtler—staying centered while expanding freely.

Creating Space, Not Strain

Extension is not mechanical stretching. Done evenly, it creates room in the joints, eases the muscles, and allows the breath to flow. In Trikonasana (Triangle Pose), for example, simply reaching down may cause strain. But when you extend from the core—through the legs into the feet, and through the spine into the fingertips—the pose becomes grounded, open, and balanced.

You can try a small version now:
Stand and extend your arms wide. First, just “stretch” them by pulling out as far as you can. Feel the effort. Then reset. This time, imagine energy radiating from your chest into your arms and beyond your fingertips. Notice the difference—less strain, more steadiness.

Awareness in Every Fiber

Extension also trains awareness. When you extend from the center, even the fingertips, toes, and skin participate in the pose. The body feels integrated and intelligent, rather than stiff or mechanical.

A Simple Practice

Here’s a short way to explore extension on your own:

1. Stand in Mountain Pose (Tadasana). Feet hip-width apart, arms by your sides.

2. Find your center. Notice the lift of the chest, the length of the spine, and the grounding of the feet.

3. Extend outward. Let energy radiate:

   • down into your feet,

   • up through the crown of your head,

   • outward through your arms and fingertips.

4. Stay for 3–5 breaths. Feel how steadiness at the center allows expansion everywhere else.

Precision Without Strain

Iyengar reminds us that overstretching often comes from pride, and understretching from fear. The middle path—dynamic extension—creates both precision and freedom.

Each time we extend from the core, we aren’t just shaping the body. We’re practicing a way of moving that is steady, intelligent, and free.

Curious to experience this approach in person?
Our classes are designed to help you explore Iyengar yoga in a thoughtful, supportive environment—whether you’re just beginning or have years of practice behind you. If you’ve been reading along but haven’t joined us yet, we’d love to welcome you.

🧩 Planning with Purpose: Headstand, Backbends & the Arc of Practice

When you practice at home, it’s easy to fall into familiar patterns—reaching for the poses you know and moving through them on autopilot. Seasoned practitioners benefit from periodically refreshing how we plan a sequence—not just what we practice, but how we organize it.

This week, we’re looking at the relationship between inversions and backbends—and how to structure a practice that supports both steadiness and vitality.

Why Start with Headstand?

Practicing Śīrṣāsana (Headstand) at the beginning of a session helps to steady the senses and draw the mind inward. It establishes a tone of clarity and attention. When followed by backbends, the result is often a lift in mood, vitality in the chest, and renewed energy. This combination can be especially helpful when you feel dull, unmotivated, or unfocused.

Even if you’re not working with Headstand right now, you can substitute a supported inversion like Adho Mukha Śvānāsana (Downward Dog) with head support to establish that same inward focus.

Bringing Pacing and Variety into Practice

One way to bring depth into home practice is by adjusting not just the poses, but how they’re arranged.

Viṣama nyāsa refers to placing unrelated pose categories back-to-back—like moving from a twist to a backbend to a forward bend. This kind of contrast keeps the nervous system alert and the mind engaged.

Viloma, on the other hand, involves repeating a single pose several times throughout the session. That pose becomes a kind of thread that runs through the practice—something you revisit and refine as your body warms, your awareness shifts, and your breath deepens.

B.K.S. Iyengar describes this approach in Ārogya Yoga, noting that the pivotal āsana may be used three or four times in the sequence. For example, Viparīta Daṇḍāsana can be done at the start, middle, and end of the sequence (p. 297).

Here’s one way to work with the viloma method using Dwi Pada Viparīta Daṇḍāsana (on a chair) as your anchor:

1. Adho Mukha Śvānāsana (Downward Dog)
   Open the shoulders and lengthen the spine.

2. Dwi Pada Viparīta Daṇḍāsana– Round 1
   Legs bent, bolstered support, short stay. Focus on ease and quietness.

3. Uṣṭrāsana (Camel Pose)
   Build active extension and lift through the spine.

4. Viparīta Daṇḍāsana – Round 2
   Legs straight, reduced support. Stay a bit longer, explore breath and steady gaze.

5. Bhujaṅgāsana + Śalabhāsana (Cobra and Locust)
   Strengthen the back body.

6. Viparīta Daṇḍāsana – Round 3
   Your final stage, then gradually come out and observe.

7. Setu Bandha on a bolster
   Let the system settle.

8. Savasana or Viparīta Karaṇi
   Rest in the vibration from your practice

You can modify the number of rounds or level of support depending on your time and energy. The repeated pose gives the session a rhythm—it’s not just variety, but refinement.

Final Thought

Sequencing isn’t just about order—it’s about pacing, contrast, repetition, and reflection. The methods described here offer different tools to help your practice stay alive and purposeful.

Try pairing Śīrṣāsana with backbends this week, or use a viloma approach with a pose of your choice. The pose itself may not change—but your relationship to it will.

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Backbends and the Art of Preventing the Slump

“Although they are impressive in appearance and display-worthy, backward arching āsanas make the practitioner more introspective and less of an exhibitionist.”
— B.K.S. Iyengar, Ārogya Yoga

Backbends are often misunderstood. They might look dramatic from the outside—but their power lies in what they awaken inside. These poses help us recognize where we’ve become rigid or withdrawn, and they offer a pathway to openness, energy, and alertness.

Rather than pushing into shape or chasing flexibility, backbends can be practiced as a means of building steadiness and inner strength. They encourage a sense of lift, a spaciousness in the breath, and a clarity in the mind.

More Than Just Spine Work

Backbends activate the nervous system and help bring focus. They expand the chest, direct the breath forward, and open areas that tend to collapse—especially under stress. When done without adequate support or alignment, it’s easy to overwork the lower back and neck, bypassing the middle of the spine—the area that most needs awakening.

Breath is a helpful guide. If it’s held or restricted, the body will follow suit. That’s why we take care to build these poses thoughtfully: using bricks under the hands, support under the ribs, or small modifications that allow access without force.

Why Practice Backbends at All?

Because they help us see more clearly—physically and mentally. They lift us out of habitual postures and attitudes that settle in when we’re tired, overwhelmed, or just not paying attention.

The ancient text The Yoga Sūtras reminds us: “Future suffering is to be avoided.” That’s not just philosophy—it’s practical advice. When you notice yourself slouching or mentally shutting down, a backbend can be a way to gently shift course before those patterns deepen.

Even a simple pose like Locust can refresh the breath, lighten your mood, and reorient your day.

Try This: A Short Backbending Sequence at Home

1. Warm up

• Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog)

• Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend with concave spine)

• Supta Padangusthasana I & II (Reclining Leg Stretches)

2. Explore backbending actions

• Salabhasana (Locust Pose) – Start small; build gradually

• Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose) – Palms on the floor or on bricks

• Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (Upward-Facing Dog) – Add support under thighs or hands

3. Cool down

• Viparita Karani or a restorative Setu Bandha

• Savasana with a gentle lift under the upper back

Notice how your breath moves. How does your spine feel? Is your mind a little quieter?

A Practice in Clarity

Backbends aren’t just physical shapes—they’re an invitation to wake up. To lift out of habit, to breathe into space that’s been ignored, and to approach the day with more awareness. They don’t just open the spine—they help us meet the moment with courage.

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Looking for yoga in Providence?
Explore our classes at Iyengar Yoga Source and join us in the practice room. Whether you're new or returning, we’re here to support your path forward.

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📩 iyengaryogasource@gmail.com | (401) 354–9687

How Do We Know What We Know?

Exploring the Three Sources of Right Knowledge in Yoga

In the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, we’re invited to pause and reflect not just on what we think—but how we know something in the first place.

In Sutra I.7, Patanjali outlines three valid ways of gaining knowledge:

Pratyakṣa – Direct perception
Anumāna – Inference
Āgama – Testimony or reliable authority

These are referred to as the three kinds of pramāṇa—or ways of knowing that are considered trustworthy.

Let’s take a look at how each one plays out in everyday life—and on the mat.

1. Pratyakṣa: Seeing for Yourself

This is knowledge that comes from your own direct experience—what you see, feel, and sense.

In yoga, this might mean noticing how your shoulders feel after practicing Gomukhasana. Or realizing that your breath changes when you adjust the position of your head in a forward bend. It’s what you observe firsthand, without relying on anyone else’s interpretation.

The challenge? We don’t always see clearly. Our habits, assumptions, and emotional filters can distort perception. Which is where the other two forms of knowing come in.

2. Anumāna: Inference

Sometimes, you don’t see the fire—but you see the smoke and know something’s burning.

In class, maybe you see a student struggling to balance in Vrksasana and infer that the weight isn’t evenly distributed. Or you adjust your hand in Downward Dog and realize the shoulder tension eases—so you infer that placement matters.

This is reasoning. It fills in the gaps between what we sense directly and what we conclude based on patterns.

3. Āgama: Reliable Testimony

This is knowledge passed down from a trusted source—like a teacher, text, or tradition.

In Iyengar Yoga, that includes what we’ve learned from B.K.S. Iyengar, from our mentors, and from the long lineage of practitioners who’ve come before us. When someone with deep experience tells you, “Keep the head of the femur back,” you might not feel anything change right away—but you trust the instruction enough to keep exploring it.

It’s not blind faith. It’s informed trust.

The Yoga of Inquiry

Good practice weaves these three ways of knowing together. We listen to the teacher (āgama), test the idea through action (pratyakṣa), and notice what happens over time (anumāna).

Together, they give us a fuller picture—one that helps us navigate the complexity of the body, the mind, and life itself.

What Lies Beneath: Prashant Iyengar’s Wisdom on the True Nature of Asana

Iyengar Yoga is known for its clarity and precision, but that outer structure is only the beginning. Prashant Iyengar identified three interconnected dynamics that operate in every pose: the physical, the energetic, and the mental. By tuning into these layers, we begin to understand that the real power of asana lies beneath the surface.

In Yoga Rahasya, Prashant Iyengar outlined three ways to study and understand an asana—not as separate steps, but as simultaneous and interwoven processes.

Each of these dynamics offers a different lens for self-study, and together they reveal how the practice of asana can reach beyond the physical body.

Physiodynamics: Building the Framework

This is where the work begins: establishing the shape through the alignment of bones, joints, and muscles. In Trikonasana, this might involve rotating the thigh outward, extending the spine laterally, and stabilizing the back leg.

But Prashant emphasizes that it's not enough to simply mimic a form. The outer structure should be purposeful—set up to support the internal work that follows. As he puts it, when there is no real involvement or intention, we’re just holding a position.

Biodynamics: Observing the Flow

With the physical structure in place, we can begin to notice the inner activity of the pose: how the breath moves, how energy shifts, and where there may be constriction or release.

Prashant described this as “giving freedom” to the breath and energy—not forcing anything, but clearing a path through correct effort and attention. In Trikonasana, for example, you might notice how one side of the chest expands more than the other—or how the lift of the spine supports a smoother inhalation.

This layer is subtle. It requires patience and quiet attention. But it’s often here that the pose begins to feel alive.

Psychodynamics: The Mind Inside the Pose

The third layer is often the most difficult to name—and the easiest to overlook.

How is the mind affected by the pose? Does it quiet down, or does it become more active? Are you concentrated, or scattered? Involved, or going through the motions?

Prashant pointed out that our mental state is not separate from the pose. It influences how we enter, sustain, and exit the asana. A restless or disconnected mind will always shape the experience, whether we’re aware of it or not.

Through continued observation, we learn how to engage the will—not as force, but as attention that’s steady and sincere.

Practice Suggestions

Choose one pose—Trikonasana works well, but it could be any familiar standing or seated pose—and explore it through these three lenses:

First, physiodynamics: Is the pose structurally sound? Are the joints well-placed and the limbs alert without strain?

Then, biodynamics: What’s happening with your breath? Is there evenness or effort? Where do you feel energy moving—or getting caught?

Finally, psychodynamics: What’s your state of mind while holding the pose? Are you attentive or distracted? Does the pose help create clarity, or confusion?

And one last question:

What lingers after the pose?

Steadiness? Agitation? A shift in your perspective?

Why This Matters

Asanas aren’t just shapes to memorize. They’re tools for transformation—but only when we know what to look for. Geeta Iyengar’s insights remind us that asana is not something we do to the body. It’s a method of study—of the breath, the mind, and the self.

This approach doesn’t require new poses. It requires a new way of seeing.

This post is inspired by themes in Yoga Rahasya, where Prashant Iyengar discusses the multi-layered nature of asana practice in the Iyengar Yoga tradition.

When the Mind Wanders – Two Techniques from the Yoga Sutras

If you’ve ever found yourself halfway through a pose only to realize your mind is somewhere else entirely—planning dinner, revisiting a conversation, drifting into judgment—you’re not alone. This is part of the human experience. The practice isn’t about never being distracted. It’s about recognizing when you are, and learning how to return.

Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras offer more than lofty ideals—they offer practical techniques for working with the mind. Two of them are especially relevant when it comes to rising thought waves: one helps us redirect the mind in the moment, and the other helps prevent those thoughts from building in the first place.

1. Subduing the Thought as It Arises (Yoga Sutra II.11)

“These fluctuations are to be subdued through meditation.”
(dhyāna-heyāḥ tad-vṛttayaḥ)

Here, Patanjali is referring to the subtle mental patterns that take shape in our consciousness. When we sit, breathe, or hold a pose with attention, we begin to see them. The practice is not to fight or suppress them—but to notice their rise and gently guide the attention elsewhere.

This is what B.K.S. Iyengar called cultivating the witness consciousness—observing the mind without getting pulled along by it. You start to feel when a thought is forming, and in that moment, you can return to the breath, the body, the present.

That moment of return is the practice.

2. Preventing Disturbance Through Mantra (Yoga Sutra I.29)

“Through repetition [of Om] and reflection on its meaning, obstacles are removed and consciousness turns inward.”
(taj-japas tad-arthabhāvanam)

This is a technique for preparing the mind. Instead of waiting to get distracted, we anchor ourselves in something steady—like the repetition of Om.

Geeta Iyengar, daughter of B.K.S. Iyengar, emphasized the transformative power of the Om mantra. She viewed it not just as a sound, but as a bridge to inner peace and spiritual connection. Om, she said, is the sound of the inner self—a way to align with the universal rhythm and settle the mind into something deeper.

When practiced with quiet reflection, japa can shift the inner landscape. The thoughts don’t have as much fuel. The breath slows. A new kind of quiet becomes possible.

Neither of these techniques is about perfection. They're about attention. About noticing what the mind does—and remembering that we have the tools to come back.

Whether you pause in the moment (II.11), or set the tone with mantra (I.29), the effect is the same: greater steadiness, deeper clarity, and a more spacious relationship with thought.

That’s where practice begins to change us.

📖The Breath Knows What to Do: Pranayama in the Yoga Sutras

We don’t usually think about the breath unless something feels off. But in practice, we start to notice how much it reveals. The breath reflects what’s happening in the body, the mind, and the nervous system—sometimes more honestly than our thoughts can.

In the Yoga Sutra, Patanjali doesn’t introduce pranayama as a dramatic or advanced technique. Instead, he describes a shift in attention—one that begins when the body is steady and quiet.

II.49 – “Pranayama is the regulation of the breath; the control of inhalation and exhalation. It is to be practiced only after perfection in asana is attained.”
(Translation: B.K.S. Iyengar)

In our own practice, that doesn’t mean asana must be perfect. It means we’ve developed enough awareness and stability to start paying attention to the breath—without needing to adjust or perform.

II.50 – “The flow of inhalation and exhalation is regulated by location, time, and number, and becomes prolonged and subtle.”

This doesn’t happen all at once. As Chip Hartranft writes, the breath isn’t forced into a pattern—it’s observed. And through steady observation, it begins to change. We may notice moments of stillness between breaths or feel the exhalation begin to lengthen naturally.

II.51 – “The fourth type of pranayama transcends the external and internal forms of breathing.”

Iyengar and Hartranft both describe this as a space that isn’t created by effort—it becomes noticeable when the breath is steady and the senses are no longer agitated. That space—sometimes just a pause—can become a reference point for attention.

This approach is slow and respectful. It doesn’t require us to do anything dramatic. It asks us to listen.

🧘‍♀️ A Grounded Practice for Breath Observation

This short sequence helps prepare the body and senses for observing the breath. There’s no goal here. Just notice.

1. Savasana – 5–7 minutes
   Lie with support under the head, back, and knees. Let the breath move naturally.

2. Supported Setu Bandha Sarvangasana – 3–5 minutes
   Notice where the breath moves—chest, ribs, back. Watch, don’t adjust.

3. Return to Savasana – 5 minutes
   Now observe the exhalation. Is there more ease? Does anything shift without effort?

4. Optional: Try a few cycles of Ujjayi I¹ or Viloma I²
   Stay relaxed. If you feel yourself working too hard, return to simple observation.

Pranayama begins with attention—not with control. The breath already knows what to do. We’re just learning how to notice it.

Footnotes:

¹ Ujjayi I – Reclined breath observation. Inhale and exhale through the nose with a quiet sound in the throat. No holding of the breath. Focus is on smooth, even rhythm.
² Viloma I – Interrupted inhalation. Breathe in partway, pause, then continue. Repeat until the lungs feel full, followed by a steady exhalation. Builds sensitivity to how the breath fills different parts of the chest.

The Art of Alignment: Building a Practice That Supports You for Life

Why Alignment Matters (Way Beyond the Pose)

When students arrive at their first Iyengar Yoga class, the word “alignment” often comes up right away. But it’s not about striving for picture-perfect shapes or matching the person next to you. In Iyengar Yoga, alignment is about integrity—not just in the body, but in how we engage with practice as a whole.

Alignment becomes the way we learn to observe ourselves honestly, work with what’s present, and move with intelligence and care.

A Conversation Between Body and Awareness

Alignment is less about aesthetics and more about awareness. It’s how we learn to feel where we are in space, how our joints are supported, and how our breath responds to what we do. It helps us notice imbalance, explore options, and make thoughtful adjustments.

Clear, appropriate alignment:

• Protects the joints and supports sustainable movement

• Builds stability and access for more complex postures

• Distributes effort evenly so no part of the body overworks

• Brings attention to the present moment

Whether you’re standing in Tadasana or exploring a backbend, alignment brings coherence to the whole practice.

Precision That Leads to Freedom

In Iyengar Yoga, precision isn’t about perfection—it’s a way to access steadiness. When the feet are grounded, the spine is supported, and the breath begins to flow more freely, a shift occurs. There’s a sense of clarity. Of being at home in your body.

With that, the pose becomes a tool—not just for flexibility or strength, but for focus, balance, and insight.

Adaptable, Thoughtful, and Informed

Alignment also means recognizing that no two bodies are the same. Our teachers are trained to offer modifications, props, and hands-on guidance (when appropriate) to help you find what works for your structure. Whether you're working with stiffness, injury, scoliosis, or simply curiosity, the aim isn’t “perfect”—it’s progress that’s appropriate and informed.

A Practice That Builds Confidence

The more we understand alignment, the more we trust ourselves. Instead of moving on autopilot, we learn to observe, refine, and choose. This kind of awareness doesn’t end at the mat—it shapes how we move through our days, relate to others, and care for our bodies over time.

Curious? Come See What It’s All About

If you’ve ever felt unsure in a yoga pose—or sensed there was more to learn—Iyengar Yoga offers a clear and supportive path.
Join us in class and discover how alignment, when practiced with intelligence and care, can lead to freedom.