Monday 24 September 2012

The Use of Props

Some schools of yoga use props when teaching the yoga poses.  Iyengar Yoga
is one of them.  The benefit is to allow beginners achieve proper alignment in
poses without risking injury.  If your hands do not reach the floor, use blocks
or a chair seat.  If your hands do not meet behind your back, use a yoga belt.
If you cannot grasp your toes, again use a belt.  You learn the proper position
of the poses and, gradually, as your body starts to open up, you can reduce or
eliminate the prop altogether.

There is a downside to props.  Sometimes we become too reliant on them and
stop working towards the goal of a classic pose.It is easy to choose comfort
over challenge.  If you are studying yoga as a form of physical exercise, you
stop receiving benefits when you stop challenging yourself.  Be brave and
persevere.  You may even find yourself trying poses you didn't think you
would even attempt.  I like to think of my yoga as a journey.  It may take me
20 years to get there but I hope to stay on my path.

Robin  Hood's Major Oak in Sherwood Forest

No comments:

Post a Comment