When I taught yoga in person, I taught at places that did not have props. I feel it is perfectly fine to not use props while doing Hatha Yoga, in fact, I think sometimes it is better not to have them, but sometimes it is nice to use them. Whether you use them or not could depend on what you want to get out of your practice or in our case we didn’t have them. What we used as a prop was a chair. There are a lot things that can be used as substitutes for yoga props. But wait, what is a yoga prop? There are several common yoga props and now-a-days with yoga being a multi-million dollar business there are hundreds of yoga props you can purchase. The ones I think of as “common” yoga props besides a yoga mat itself are yoga blankets, yoga blocks, a bolster, a strap, and an eye pillow. In this post I am doing to show you some ways you can use a yoga block.
One way you can think of the block is as something to “bring up the floor” and/or something to help support you. There are various types of yoga blocks and I am aware of two sizes, but there may be more. When you go shop for a set of yoga blocks (yes, you usually will want to have two) you will want to think about what you are going to use them for, this will help you decide the size and the material.
Once you decide on which ones to get you will notice that they have three “levels”; high, medium, and low. In some of the photos I am demonstrating two of the levels in one picture. You may also notice that my hand it not always in the correct position – if I were actually doing yoga – because I am using a remote to take pictures. And in some, yes, I cut off my head because it is about the blocks.
In a lunge, a triangle. and extended side angle you can see how it can be used to “bring up the floor”.
A block can be used to rest your head in a wide angle forward fold or a child’s pose.
A block can help with alignment of the hips in a pigeon by supporting the hip/butt of the bent leg from underneath or help with a stretch by support the hips in a bridge.
Blocks can be used (remember there are different levels) to help support knees in a bound angle. In this pose you can not only change the levels of the blocks but the placement . . . they can be closer to the hips to allow the knees to be higher, closer to the knees allowing for a more intense stretch in the inner thighs, or anywhere along the leg. A block can also support your knees in a supine twist. This helps when the knees can’t reach the floor and allows the shoulders to stay connected with the earth.
Blocks can help raise the shoulders in a Downward Facing Dog. They can also bring up the floor and sometimes be higher than your heels in a camel. Again . . . remember blocks have three different levels that can be used.
Some people like to sit on them to raise the hips in sukhasana or maybe even straddle a block for Thunderbolt (not pictured). And there is always something like a supported fish or shavasana.
There are many, many, many ways to use blocks, this is just a small sample, and with many of these a bolster can be substitute. If you don’t have blocks sometimes a pillow or a towel can be used. A small sturdy box might work too, it really depends on what pose it is being used for. With teaching classes online many people have the opportunity to use their own yoga props or things around the house.
I like to teach and practice the idea that yoga is not really done to get into a pose in a specific way, it is practiced to sense the body. The body may never get into the pose as it was supposedly “supposed” to be, but we can practice with intent and gain many benefits along the way.
Do you use yoga blocks in your practice?
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