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 Iyengar  Yoga  has  become  synonymous  with  prop  yoga;  however,  there  are  times  when  props  are  being   overused.  BKS  Iyengar  has  been  known  to  exclaim,  "I  wish  I  never  invented  props!"  because  he  sees   them  often  misused.  As  a  young  practitioner  and  teacher,  BKS  Iyengar  was  into  more  of  a  vinyasa  style   of  Yoga,  yet  it  was  his  evolution  as  both  a  teacher  and  student  that  he  realized  the  need  for  props.    He   began  by  using  his  own  body  to  shape  a  student's  pose to bring  life  and  energy  to  the  asana.  He  has   been  known  to  use  his  hands,  legs,  feet,  knees  and  even  his  head  to  adjust  his  students'  poses.    As  his   classes  grew  from  one-­-on-­-one  sessions  to  dozens  of  participants,  he  could  no  longer  get  around  to  every   student,  hence  the  use  of  things  like  wood  blocks,  chairs  and  belts.    Adjustments  are  also  a  hallmark  of   Iyengar  Yoga  classes,  as  physical  adjustments  are  sometimes  much  more  effective  than  verbal  ones  to   get  the  understanding  into  the  cells  of  the  body.   On  the  one  hand,  props  have  made  the  asanas  available  to  those  who  are  not  entirely  flexible  or  strong   and  especially  helpful  to  those  with  more  serious  injuries  or  recovering  from  illness.    On  the  other  hand, props  are  unnecessary  for  our  vibrant  youth  population  who  should  be  encouraged  to  explore   movement  and  mobility  without  the  fuss  of  props.    For  the  young  people,  dynamic  action,  fun  and  flow   take  precedence  over  exacting  alignment.    Likewise,  beginners  should  be  allowed  the  freedom  of   discovery  without  the  burden  of  too  many  props.    As  they  progress  beyond  the  beginning  levels,  more   refinement  of  the  actions  in  poses  will  be  demanded  and  props  are  very  useful  for  that  purpose.   Props  can  open  up  closed  areas  and  penetrate  the  dark  and  dull  areas.  They  can  help  to  develop   elasticity  and  freedom  in  the  musculoskeletal  body.  If  you  are  looking  to  correct  deformities  in  the  body,   the  legs  for  example,  belts  and  blocks  can  provide  the  resistance  to  align  the  bones.    The  use  of  props  is   not  only  helpful  for  physical  ailments;  they  can  be  used  to  encourage  certain  mental  states,  such  as   alertness  or  calmness.  

 A  prop  should  not  become  a  permanent  crutch.    What  I  have  seen  in  my  years  of  teaching  is  that   students  become  very  attached  to  their  props,  so  much  so  that  they  do  not  realize  when  they  have   outgrown  their  use.    The  mindset  becomes  rigid  and  the  possibility  of  progress  is  slim.    Time  to  time,  try   the  poses  without  the  props  to  see  what  has  changed;  be  open  to  change.  See  what  the  prop  is  or  is  not   bringing  to  your  practice.    Some  people  use  the  lack  of  equipment  as  an  excuse  not  to  practice  at  home.     For  example,  "I  don't  have  four  foam  blocks  so  I  can't  practice  shoulder  stand  at  home".    Get  creative   and  find  things  around  the  house  that  serves  the  purpose.    Use  the  kind  of  innovation  that  Mr.  Iyengar   has  used  to  develop  your  practice.  This  way  also,  you  can  "travel  light"  and  maintain  your  practice  while   you  are  away  from  home.   The  funny  thing  is  that  while  some  people  are  attached  to  their  props,  others  are  very  resistant  to  using   them  when  they  would  clearly  be  helpful  in  preventing  injury.    For  example,  maybe  you  have  very  tight   hamstrings  and  the  seated  forward  bends  strain  the  lower  back  muscles  and  compromise  the  spine.   Folded  blankets  under  the  buttocks  will  change  the  angle  of  the  legs  to  the  spine  and  give  the   mechanical  advantage  needed  to  extend  the  spine  forward  out  from  the  pelvis.    Or  perhaps  there  is  a   knee  problem.    That  knee  should  be  protected  from  further  harm  with  the  use  of  props.    If  it  is  a  chronic   problem,  indeed  the  prop  maybe  be  used  for  an  indefinite  period  to  keep  the  knee  healthy.    If  a  knee   problem  is  due  to  a  structural  defect  of  the  legs,  consistent  work  in  realigning  the  legs  with  the  use  of   props  will  have  a  health  sustaining  effect.    When  you  are  practicing  at  home  and  take  a  prop,  ask   yourself,  "Why"?    Is  it  just  to  be  comfortable,  or  do  you  need  that  prop  for  a  specific  purpose?    In  class,   take  note  of  when  using  a  particular  prop  has  given  a  marked,  beneficial  effect.    Ask  your  teacher  to  help   you  when  you  have  an  injury  and  note  what  props  they  have  used  and  how has it  relieved  pain  or  created    a   desired  opening  in  the  body  or  a  quieting  of  the  mind.     

       

The  following  is  a  quote  from  Gateless  Gate  Magazine  in  which  Mr.  Iyengar  explains  one  instance  of  his   use  of  props:   "In  the  early  days  I  used  to  teach  using  my  body.  I  was  going  house  to  house  teaching,  then  when  the   institution  came,  I  thought  how  to  get  each  individual  to  practise  in  a  group.  I  started  experimenting,   people  with  paralysis  and  strokes  were  coming.  Suppose  it  happens  to  me...  Then  on  my  60th  birthday,  I   had  two  scooter  accidents  simultaneously.  One  hit  from  one  side,  and  one  from  the  other.  Yoga  is   equanimity,  so  my  pain  was  also  equal  to  me.  I  could  not  even  lift  my  hand.  It  took  me  15-­-20  years  to  get   my  spine  back  straight.  So  that  is  the  tenacity  that  the  art  gave  me,  that  I  should  not  become  a  victim.  I   lost  all  movements,  I  was  a  raw  beginner,  then  again  I  built  up,  I  said  I  will  not  cut  my  hair,  people  should   not  recognize  me,  that  I  am  Iyengar,  such  a  desperate  state  had  come.  I  said  I  will  only  go  back  to  my   original  haircut  if  I  get  the  entire  control  back,  and  it  took  me  25  years  to  get  it  back.  At  that  time  I  tried   props  because  I  could  not  take  the  load  on  my  hands,  I  could  not  take  the  load  on  my  spine.  Then  I   started  creating.  I  said  suppose  I  lose  my  hand,  what  have  I  to  do?  Suppose  I  lose  my  leg,  what  have  I  to   do?  So  like  that  I  built  up  props,  and  then  I  started  practicing.  Now  I  don't  use  them.  I  prepared  props  in   such  a  way,  that  no  person  can  do  wrong  posture.  Even  today,  the  most  difficult  pose,  kapyan  pose,  I  can   teach  even  the  beginners  on  the  props,  because  they  can  do  with  confidence.  So  confidence  and  will   power  is  built  up  by  these  props."