Guest guest Posted April 9, 2001 Report Share Posted April 9, 2001 I like iyengar yoga very much too - before turning to astanga, I used to practise iyengar for 3 years. Some time ago, I even decided to return to iyengar yoga & do it along with my astanga routine; but then, after 2 weeks, I started doing astanga pure & simple every day again - Monday to Friday 1 hour, Saturday & Sunday 2 hours, save on new & full moon. Somehow, I have found that doing the same postures in the same order every day helps focusing my mind: it's like a mantra you keep repeating yourself... I also agree with what astanga goddess Dena is quoted saying in Cara Jepsen's article, <a href=http://www.yogachicago.com/jul99/dena.shtml target=new>http://www.yogachicago.com/jul99/dena.shtml</a> : "If you take a piece of metal and rub it in the same place every day, it eventually will bend." How true.<br><br>As to why in iyengar yoga head stand is always done before shoulder stand, I guess a main reason is that iyengar isn't practised in a strict sequence as we do in astanga. And if you do head stand straight after shoulder stand, without any asanas in between acting as counterposes, like matsyasana & uttanapadasana, you may eventually end up breaking your neck. So that's why in iyengar yoga, head stand is always done first. In astanga it's the other way round: first shoulder stand, afterwards head stand. But then, in astanga you do have the counterposes in the finishing sequence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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