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Dr. Marco Paret Universite Europeenne
Hello, I'm Suzanne Deason.
I've been a student and teacher of yoga for many years now, based on the system of Master
Yogi, BKS Iyengar.
One of the major contributions of Mr. Iyengar has been to introduce props into the practice
of yoga.
Props are designed to help people, no matter what their level of fitness or flexibility,
enjoy the full benefit of yoga practice.
Yoga is a timeless system of self-care.
Yoga poses are designed to focus awareness of both the body and the mind to promote good
health and vitality.
Yoga props help to create proper alignment and support the body, so that both the body
and the mind are not distracted with tension.
Props allow you to completely surrender to the pose and allow the power of yoga to fully
work for you.
The body has a miraculous ability to heal itself.
All we need to do is give it the proper environment in which to do so, which includes the correct
use of props.
Today I'm going to introduce you to three different yoga props, and then later I'll
demonstrate how they can be used in some basic yoga poses.
The first and most fundamental prop I'd like to talk about is the basic non-slip yoga
mat.
If you're practicing on a hard surface, this mat will provide a nice layer of cushioning,
as well as a good temperature barrier from the floor.
Its non-slip surface will also help make sure your feet and hands stay firmly in place and
help you keep your correct position.
I know that many of you will be practicing at home on carpet, which provides good cushioning.
Nevertheless, I always recommend the use of a mat to ensure the maximum instability for
your hands and feet and insulation from the cold floor.
In teaching yoga, I've found that the strap is invaluable to help students compensate
for tight hips, hamstrings, and shoulders.
Using the strap will add length to your poses and thus help fine-tune the alignment of your
spine and help open your chest for breathing.
To properly support some poses, I recommend that you use the strap buckled together.
Simply buckle the strap and pull it tight.
Adjust the length of the strap until you feel comfortable.
The bricks and blocks can also help compensate for tight hips and hamstrings, especially
in standing poses.
The height of the bricks effectively builds the floor up, so those who cannot bend all
the way down to place their hand on the floor can still maintain correct alignment and support
themselves properly.
This support helps add stability to your poses, which will give you the confidence to fully
relax into the position.
Bricks also provide support for your torso, which keeps the spine in line.
Elevating the upper torso allows for the natural deep breathing that is crucial to yoga practice.
And now I'd like to show you how the basic non-slip yoga mat can help support your practice.
This is my friend and yoga student, Veronica, and she's going to show you mountain pose.
Standing in mountain pose, Veronica will jump to a wide stance.
As she jumps, the non-slip mat supports her feet so that she doesn't slide.
All of the standing poses are wide stance positions.
As she turns her feet and spreads the toes, she takes warrior pose.
All of the standing poses begin with the ability to connect your feet to the floor.
Inhale and come up.
The yoga strap is very effective in helping assist with tight hips and hamstrings and
shoulders.
Let's show first a one-legged seated forward bend without the strap.
So as she comes forward, you can see that her back is rounded, actually weakening the
lower area of her back.
Taking a look at the foot, you'll see that the foot is sickled.
This is very common with tight hamstrings.
When the foot is sickled, it takes the foot, the ankle, and the leg out of alignment.
So even though this leg looks like it's stretching, nothing much is happening.
To correct this, we'll use the strap, placing the strap over the ball of the toe and extending
out through the inner heel, push through the inner heel a little more, there you go.
And you notice as she does that, that brings the foot, the ankle, and the knee into alignment.
This means that the back of the leg is lengthening evenly.
The resistance created between the foot and the arms brings the torso into play.
She's now recruited the muscles of her torso to support her spine, so that this is a healthy
aligned posture.
Her hamstrings are lengthened evenly, her spine is nicely supported, her shoulders are
at least away from her ears.
The strap is also effective for opening the shoulders.
Taking the strap about the width of your shoulders and then placing it over the palms, extending
up through the arms.
As she extends the arms upward, she presses the back of the hand into the strap, creating
extension through the inner border of the shoulder, keeping the rib cage inside.
Let's exhale and bring it down.
Taking the hands behind the back, straightening the arms and taking the strap up, this opens
and expands the chest and opens the front of the shoulder.
When stability is required in a pose, such as reclining cobbler's pose, the strap goes
over the pelvis and over the feet and making sure that the buckle is not on the skin.
Another very important issue is to have the strap placed beneath the pelvic rim, so it's
never in the lumbar area.
When she's exhaling and taking the elbows back, the strap appears to just be holding
her feet in place, but actually what we're doing is we're creating traction by pulling
the pelvis in one direction and allowing the spine to extend in the other.
This is very supportive for the lower back.
The bricks are very helpful, again, for hamstrings and hips, particularly in standing poses.
Let's take triangle pose without the use of the strap.
Bring the feet and take the arms up into triangle pose.
You can see, with tight hips and hamstrings, her spine is slightly C-shaped, slightly rounded.
Her forward knee is slightly bent, so she's got some misalignment through the torso and
through the lower leg.
Just inhale and come up, and we'll place this block on the outside of the leg, taking the
arms up once again and coming down to triangle pose onto the fingertips, stay up on the fingertips.
There you go.
Now she's able to straighten the leg, really extend through the spine.
She has better alignment through her spinal column.
Remember that we're always looking for alignment.
We can't align our bodies unless we practice in alignment.
Inhale and come up.
We can also use the blocks for extension poses, such as upper-facing dog.
Let's try first without the block.
You can see that she has difficulty lifting the thighs.
The low back is very compressed, and the shoulders are slightly pulled up around the ears.
Let's come up.
Now we'll elevate her hands with the use of the bricks.
By elevating, she's able to extend the legs, and you can see that the arch in the back
is a lot more even.
She's reaching down through the arms, the shoulder blades are coming away from the ears,
and this is a much healthier position for the spine.
Come on up.
The blocks are also effective in downward-facing dog for helping to open the shoulder joint.
Let's show downward-facing dog without the blocks.
So the shoulder area is tight, the hamstring area is tight, the back is slightly rounded.
The hamstrings are tight, so she's really having to lift high up on her toes.
And let's see now, downward-facing dog with the blocks, pushing back.
So she's able to get more extension through the shoulders, more length through the spine,
drawing the legs up and back, and the heels downward into the floor.
Much more complete flow of energy through this pose.
Cross-legged forward bends.
We can use the blocks to support the forehead as she comes forward.
You can use as much support as you like.
And this is a restful pose, which gently opens the inner thighs.
Use whatever props are necessary, modify.
Always looking for comfort and ease in your pose.
Now that I've shown you the correct way to use props, I'd like to give you the experience
of using them in a sequenced yoga practice.
Place your mat on a smooth, even surface.
Buckle your strap and make the loop about the width of your shoulders.
Place your forearms inside the loop.
Extend the arms and press out into the strap.
Feel the extension of the inner arms.
Reach into the legs.
Lift through the rib cage.
Release the shoulder blades down the back.
Soften the neck and face.
Breathe.
Exhale.
Bend the elbows.
Release the arms and the strap.
Come to hands and knees.
Place your bricks evenly on your mat.
Place your hands on the bricks.
You may choose to put your bricks against a wall to ensure that they don't slip.
Turn your toes under.
Press your arms.
Press your neck.
You may keep your knees bent for several seconds while breathing and extending the shoulders.
Broaden the shoulder blades.
Think of making your body an upside-down V. Breathe evenly.
Slowly move the tops of your thighs back.
Release the heels downward.
Exhale.
Bend the knees and come down.
Rest in Child's Pose.
Inhale.
Come up.
Place the bricks on the back edge of your mat.
Step your feet wide for Triangle Pose.
Bring your right leg out from the top of the thigh.
Left foot in.
Inhale.
Arms up.
Exhale.
Move the pelvis to the left.
Lengthen the spine over the right leg.
Place your hand on the brick in the highest position.
Extend the left arm.
The purpose of the brick is to help you correctly align your pose so that energy and breath
flow through the body.
Keep the head comfortably aligned with the spine.
Inhale.
Come up.
Turn your left leg out from the top of the thigh.
Right foot in.
Inhale.
Arms up.
Exhale.
Lengthen your spine to the left.
Feel the extension of the back leg.
Keep it strong.
Extend the arms.
The brick will help you approach the tight areas of your body respectfully and comfortably.
As you become more comfortable with the alignment of the pose, you may choose to lower the brick.
Inhale.
Come up.
Turn your feet to the right.
Inhale.
Arms up.
Exhale.
Bend the right knee over the little toe side of the foot.
Keep the back leg strong.
Release the shoulder blades down the back.
Broaden the chest.
From the right hip, lengthen the spine over the right thigh.
Place your right hand on the brick.
The use of the brick in this pose will help those with tight inner thighs and hips.
Extend the left arm.
Breathe.
Widen the back body.
Open the chest.
Inhale.
Come up.
Exhale.
Turn your feet to the left.
Inhale.
Arms up.
Exhale.
Bend your left knee.
Keep the knee over the little toe side of the foot.
Extend the spine over the left thigh.
Place the left hand on the brick.
Hold your pose from the strength of your legs.
Extend the right arm.
Keep the back leg strong, the toes spread.
Inhale.
Come up with the brick.
Turn both feet forward.
Lengthen the spine.
Exhale.
Release forward.
Place the brick in its highest position.
Use the brick to support the weight of the torso and allow the hamstrings and inner thighs
to lengthen comfortably.
Extend evenly on your feet.
Spread your toes.
As you become more comfortable in the pose, lower the brick.
Inhale.
Come up.
Step the feet together.
Come to a seated position.
Pull the sit bones back to sit upright on the pelvis.
Use your right knee.
Release it to the right for single leg forward bend.
Release the buckle of the strap.
Place the strap over your foot.
Hold the strap with both hands.
Press the foot into the strap.
Gently lift the chest.
Release the shoulder blades down.
Broaden the chest.
Breathe into the chest.
Never force the lower back into a stressful position.
Inhale.
Come up.
Extend the right leg.
Bend your left knee.
Release it to the left.
Place the strap over your foot.
Press the ball of the foot into the strap.
Spread the toes.
Pressing your foot into the strap will help to lengthen and tone the calf and leg muscles.
Lifting the chest will help strengthen the back muscles and extend the spine.
Keep the head comfortably in line with the spine.
Inhale.
Come up.
Bend both legs.
Buckle the strap and slide it over your head.
Position the strap around your feet and pull the strap snug but not tight.
Place the buckle so that it's not in contact with your skin.
Place the strap beneath the pelvic rim, never on your lumbar spine.
Lower yourself to your back.
Release into reclining cobbler's pose.
Relax.
Release your inner thighs.
Breathe.
This is a restorative position and should feel comfortable.
If you're uncomfortable, use a bolster or blankets to support the spine, head, and outer
thighs.
To learn more about how to use restorative yoga props, refer to Living Arts Companion
video, How to Use Props for Restorative Yoga.
In my own practice, I've found that props really help make my poses more powerful and
useful.
Sometimes I'll use all of them.
Sometimes I might only need to use one or two.
Remember, the genuine benefit of yoga is to focus both your body and mind, and as you've
seen here today, these props can really help provide you with the support and precise alignment
necessary to do so.
As Mr. Iyengar says, as long as you do not live totally in the body, you do not live
totally in the self.
I hope this program will help you on the path to renewed health, energy, and peace.
God bless you and have a wonderful rest of your day.
God bless you.