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So what do you need to know about Yoga Works; or is it Yoga Zone; or perhaps you've heard about ISHTA?

So do you know who's been involved in all these? Well let me tell you. He's an interesting character and has had an influence on the development of Western yoga since 1975 when he came to the United States.

His name is Alan Finger - yes you probably know him as host of the TV show Yoga Zone, if you haven't as yet come across his studios.

So who's this Alan Finger?

Well, he started yoga very young under the instruction of his father, Kavi Yogiraj Mani Finger, South Africa's most eminent yogi.

From the age of 15, Alan consciously dedicated his life to an in-depth study of all traditions of yoga his teachers included Parmahansa Yogananda, Krishnamacharya, and B. K. S. Iyengar to name some.

He included in his study an exploration of the exact blend of movements, postures, breathing and meditation which could enhance a human's potential to its fullest.

He and his father studied together intensively and created a modern practice which they called "ISHTA." ISHTA is an acronym for "the Integrated System of Hatha, Tantra and Ayurveda" and is taught today by Alan in his studios.

Yoga is still yoga, no matter what the style!

When Alan came to the United States in 1975, he founded "Yoga Works" in Los Angeles.

Later Yoga Zone came into existence in New York.

Not only that he created instructional videos under that name and co-authored Yoga Zone: An Introduction to Yoga and Yoga Zone: Yoga for Life.

Alan Finger is known for his depth of training and for his friendly and gentle teaching style. The success of his style of teaching can be seen in the success of his studios, be it Yoga Works, Yoga Zone or his inspirational Be Yoga studios.

One of the people who purchased his instructional videos had this to say:

"one of the best yoga instructors I've come across: I have four of Alan Finger's Yoga Zone for Beginners tapes. I cannot praise Alan Finger's instruction enough. Words do not do justice to the experience and expertise he puts into his tapes. His cuing is great, the sequencing of poses is without par, and he maintains the "yogic" qualities of a true mind/body/spirit practice without being over the top, new age or hokey. This man is a gift to at home yoga enthusiasts. One of the best instructors to be found. You can trust Alan Finger to give you a safe, rejuvenating, energizing, and calming yoga practice"

I don't want to drop names, but I was impressed when I discovered that he has had an influence on the lives of well known celebs such as Robin Williams, Barbra Streisand, Neil Diamond, Joni Mitchell, Diana Ross, and Kim Cattrall.

Be Yoga" is now! But can it be called "American Yoga"?

Be Yoga is an expansive institution. It runs five yoga studios in the New York area: midtown, downtown, and upper Westside Manhattan, Nassau and Westchester, as well as another studio in Tokyo, Japan.

So what are the characteristics of "American Yoga"?

This is hotly discussed in the yoga community as many names claim that they are instrumental in the development of "American Yoga". So how do American studios function under this term? It could be said that "Be Yoga" is a studio that encapsulates an ideology which could be called "American Yoga". It's part of a larger network founded by Alan Finder under the auspices of Yoga Works.

Did you know that this network of studios run over 1000 classes each week thereby imprinting their 'version' of yoga on eager followers.

Is this good or bad? ..... Well it's not for me to say .... as I believe a yoga practice is a 'personal' thing ... and each person should approach the different styles of yoga with an open mind, taking from that particular style what is needed by the person .... at that particular moment.

Just so you know, after Alan emigrated to the US in approximately 1975 he opened Yoga Works.

What you now know as Yoga Works is a family of some 15 studios dispersed through the Orange County area, Los Angeles and New York. Their aim is to increase there exposure through the United States by helping studio owners who are just starting out. These studios are run with the support structure of Yoga Works and you can be assured that the teachers have had exposure to the Yoga Works teacher training and ongoing education. Alan's ethos pervades through these studios!

So ... continuing on Alan's journey ... in 1992 he moved to New York and start the studio out of which Be Yoga would eventually evolve - namely Yoga Zone.

You've probably come across Yoga Zone ... as a concept it gained increasing popularity, through the TV show, the yoga videos, DVD's and books.

In 2001, Be Yoga evolved out of Yoga Zone. Both are still under the patronage of the Yoga Works family.

I must say I find his yoga videos and DVD's to be great.

He has such a relaxed style of teaching that I can follow them easily.

I never feel intimidated by a posture and through the guidance of Alan and his teachers, I'm willing to give it a go.

I even surprise myself sometimes at how I manage some of the yoga poses.

This quote is directly as it explains concisely what his philosophy is:

"In all of Alan Finger’s organizations he instills his own philosophy of yoga, a type of yoga he calls ISHTA,which he developed in collaboration with his father. The acronym stands for the “Integrated Science of Hatha, Tantra, and Ayurveda.” The Sanskrit word ishta refers to something that is one’s own, or developing a practice that meets individual needs.[2] ISHTA as an asana practice is described as “a modern, dynamic distillation of spiritual traditions blended into a form of yoga that’s joyful, accessible and vibrant.”[3] ISHTA draws on Ashtanga, Viniyoga, and Iyengar methods. Following in his father’s footsteps, Alan Finger has become a man of the world, traveling incessantly to give lectures on ISHTA philosophy and lead workshops in yoga studios."
This quote is taken directly from this site

http://www.barnard.columbia.edu/religion/hinduismhere/garro.html

So there you have a thumbnail sketch of Alan Finger's achievements since arriving in the US.

So what can you expect from a Be Yoga studio?

I think that the ethos of the Be Yoga studio is just that ... it can become whatever you need in that moment ... so it's really what you make of it!

I'm told that some just go there for the physical side of yoga ... others for a more mental and spiritual challenge arising out of the practice of the asansas which 'ordinary' exercise may fail to deliver. During the classes the teachers may adjust your position in a gentle and non judgmental fashion constantly stressing that your yoga practice is geared towards self evaluation. It is not competitive or demanding unlike some other classes.

So if this type of practice is for you, then I encourage you to experience the Alan Finger style of yoga.

Should you not be able to experience this style of yoga first hand, or not be sure that this less competitive style of yoga is for you then I suggest that you have a look at some of his videos and DVD's.

I'd also encourage you to consider his books.

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