Slowly, I began to realize that I could not go back and force things to be as they once were: those two years, which up until then had seemed an endless inferno, were now beginning to show me their true meaning.â â Paulo Coelho, The Zahir
Iyengar yoga is a type of Hatha yoga and was developed by B.K.S. Iyengar. Based on the eight limbs of yoga as described in Patanjaliâs Yoga Sutras, it emphasizes the precise physical alignment of the body within particular postures. Iyengar yoga is a disciplined system with carefully planned and timed sequences. Often, props, such as blocks and belts, are used to ensure students can practice the postures with correct alignment and safely develop their yoga practice over time.
Yoga nidra, a Sanskrit term meaning yogic sleep is a deep relaxation technique and a form of meditation. Also called psychic sleep, yoga nidra is a state between sleeping and waking. The body is completely relaxed and the practitioner turns the awareness inward by listening to a set of instructions; much like a guided meditation. Performing yoga nidra involves practicing pratyahara (withdrawal of the senses), which is the fifth limb of Ashtanga yoga.