| Yoga has branched out into many categories based | | | | series of poses that are held for a longer duration, |
| on the different philosophies behind them. Some are | | | | whereas Anusara follows a flow of postures with |
| rapid paced and better suited for individuals looking for | | | | smooth transition between each change. This creates |
| a fast track program, while other are slow paced and | | | | a very fluid yoga session and relaxes the mind to |
| suit the needs of people doing yoga for meditational | | | | focus on the heart. |
| purposes only. Most are a combination of both, | | | | The Iyengar practice and Anusara follow the same |
| creating a well balanced mind and body workout for | | | | foundation about alignment, but because of the |
| the overall well being. | | | | different philosophical views, Anusara is more detail |
| Here we will compare the similarities and differences | | | | oriented towards the subtle body and the energetic |
| between two popular forms of yoga; Anusara and | | | | body which are called energy spirals and Iyengar is |
| Iyengar. They both have a lot of similarities, as the | | | | more inclined towards the technical orientation. |
| founder of Anusara; John Friend was initially a pupil of | | | | The word Anusara means to move with the flow of |
| the founder of Iyengar, B.K.S. Iyengar. John studied | | | | grace, so it leans towards opening each and every |
| under Guru Iyengar for a number of years and was a | | | | part of the soul and viewing it as something sacred or |
| certified Iyengar instructor in USA before introducing | | | | as a supreme consciousness. Unlike the Iyengar, |
| Anusara. After practicing Iyengar for a number of | | | | Anusara does not divide the body into two different |
| years, John Friend realized that his philosophies were | | | | systems; the spirit and body; instead the body is |
| not completely consistent with B.K.S. Iyengar's. So he | | | | disciplined to penetrate the spirit and view the whole |
| developed the Anusara with the basic structure of | | | | as something beautiful, worthy and divine. |
| both being similar to each other in terms of focusing | | | | So if someone has attended both Iyengar and |
| mainly on proper alignment. | | | | Anusara classes, they can easily point out the |
| Even though Iyengar is alignment oriented, it endorses | | | | similarities as well as the differences. People who are |
| strength building whereas Anusara is more fluid and | | | | more laid back prefer to follow the Anusara path |
| promotes heart opening poses. Anusara also differs | | | | whereas people who are more rigid in their lives tend |
| from Iyengar because of its use of Tantric teachings. | | | | to pursue the Iyengar method of alignment as it |
| These reflect the Hindu or Buddhist religious ideas to | | | | provides a certain set of rules for them. It is all entirely |
| improve the mind and body in a positive way. Another | | | | up to the student to choose between the two, and |
| difference is that Iyengar leads the yogi through a | | | | some end up following both alternately. |