Iyengar Yoga is a style of Hatha Yoga developed by B.K.S. Iyengar. B.K.S. Iyengar is seen by many to be yoga’s most proficient and knowledgeable practitioner—an inspiration to countless students and yoga practitioners around the globe. During close to eighty years of teaching, he developed an innovative and inspired method of yoga, which is taught under his name.
This method is not only one of the world’s most widely practiced methods of yoga; its principles are now incorporated into the teaching of yoga under many names and into many other forms of exercise, therapy, and movement. B.K.S. Iyengar passed away in the summer of 2014 at 95 years old. Until his last days, he continued to practice daily, teach and involve himself as much as he was able at his institute in Pune, India.
Mr. Iyengar was a pioneer in the therapeutic applications of yoga. His revolutionary use of yoga props and the intelligent selection and modification of the postures themselves enable students of all abilities to work to their greatest potential. It is perhaps his greatest achievement that B.K.S. Iyengar has made yoga accessible to and relevant for all.
To become an Iyengar-Certified Yoga Teacher, the training is extensive. In Canada, the process of becoming an Iyengar Yoga teacher is facilitated through the Iyengar Yoga Association of Canada but the directives come from B.K.S. Iyengar himself. The rigorous training for the Introductory Level II Certification takes 3 years and approximately 900-1000 hours of training. After achieving that level, teachers can continually train towards higher levels of certification. The Junior Intermediate levels each take an additional year of training, as well as direct study in India with the Iyengar family at the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute (RIMYI) in Pune, India
All Iyengar Yoga teachers are internationally certified through an assessment process that has been standardized across the globe. This has resulted in the consistent development of teaching standards and offers teachers continuous learning opportunity.
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