There are more than a few yoga props available and some may be more self explanatory, like the yoga belt mentioned in the last post, than others that may need a little more explanation than 'giant pillow'.
The bolster:
Assists in bringing areas into the body and offers tight areas support.
Lower back pain - lying down on your back, how often has having your legs out flat caused discomfort in your lower back? Placing a bolster (or something similar) behind your knees is a quick fix to ease that discomfort.
Releasing muscles - laying over the bolster length wise and dragging your shoulders over the edge to the floor helps to release the trapezius muscles, lengthen the back of the neck and open the front of the chest by bringing the upper back (thoracic) into the body.
Raising the height of the floor/mat - we may dream of having the ultimate flexibility, but if you're compromising a different area of the body to get to where you think you should reach... you've lost the plot of the pose.
In adho mukha virasana (child's pose), as seen on the right, not everyone can get their head to the mat; placing height underneath the forehead not only gives you support but will also help to lengthen the sternum, bring the thoracic into the body and help the buttocks reach the heels. Win win.
There are so many ways to use a bolster, if you're curious on learning how to improve your yoga and access the different areas of your body?
Creating a healthier body can be overwhelming...
Taking one moment at a time to relieve an ache or pain can make a goal more achievable, and worth your time.
Wishing you great health, Tanya
Tanya is a certified Iyengar Yoga teacher based out of Abbotsford, BC Canada. She has been teaching since 2015.
Her greatest joy is being able to help discover movement.
