Yoga props

Good morning...i hope you are well and enjoying your xmas time....

Thank you for sharing my journey ....this is just a little bit of information about props and my feelings on them...( i hope you find it informative )

Props

Should I use props in yoga?

What are props?

Props are items that can help with alignment and getting into a posture safely ( where otherwise you may not be able to…  either through mobility/illness/injury/issues etc)

They can come in the form of blocks bricks straps blankets bolster

( even a chair could be seen as a prop..a folding one would be a good choice if you are on the move! )

Props don’t always have to be purchased from shops/gyms etc…. a phone directory or book can quite easily double up as a block at home and most belts, especially the canvas ones, are perfect as straps…..

The short answer is YES

of course it is OK to use props.

It is fair to say that a lot of people see props as a sign of a beginner ( not everyone likes to let on that they have not done yoga for very long ) or that they are not very good at it…. or even as a failure.

( I must admit I was one such person, the idea that the instructor would offer me props ( when I 1st started doing yoga ) would have been mortifying……)

people wrongly think that if you use props that you are not a 'proper yogi'

But when you  realise that BKS Iyengar encouraged the use of props ( especially after he had a motorbike accident for his own personal recovery journey)  He even eventually became known primarily for his emphasis on using props….. it gives you a whole new take on the use of props.

Its probably fair to say that a lot of yoga classes do not introduce props or instruct how to use them and it is left to the individual to use them if they choose to.

Over time ( thankfully ) I have come to realise that it is Ok and even good to use props if you want to or feel it will enhance your practice…. because it is your practice…your journey…

Props can and do help the individual to get into postures safely and with proper alignment ( where otherwise said postures may not be accesible )  It allows you to experience the pose and its benefits.

So even if your hamstrings are short/tight or shoulders/hips are tight, for example, you can still experience the poses. 

Props help to make yoga accessible to beginners/those with injuries/those with physical limitations and other issues.

And that is always a good thing..

( more about props, and HOW to use them to follow )

3 weeks? that cant be right

Hi there.... I cant believe it has been 3 weeks since my last blog

reason.... for the love of my yoga ( or not at the moment 😣 )

Why do I do this to myself?
Everything was going fine, I was not working, I was doing 6 classes a week, yoga and body balance, and going to the gym!!! yes I was feeling damn good.
No stresses ( well hardly any, obviously still got my husband, 5 children and 8 grandchildren...but hey, thats norm...right? )
But could I be content?   No!
I had to find something extra to do!
I could do more classes?
I could do more retail therapy ( theres only so much you can do ! )
I could do more girly lunches?
OR........ I could train to be a yoga instructor!!!!!!!!  Mmmmmm 
So how lucky was I, when I found out that one of the instructors from my local leisure centre was just enrolling on such a course 😃 and would I like to join her?
( I hadnt thought of doing it quite that soon!!! )
So the suggestion was no sooner said and I had enrolled.
 ( Yes its fair to say I have seriously lost the plot)
So its been several weeks and the stress is killing me ( yes I know ..I thought yoga was supposed to relieve stress too )
I knew it was going to be tough but really, I had no idea what I was letting myself in for.
1st practical weekend was so intense, Asanas, breathing exercises, teaching...
And the assignments, well they are something else.
By the end of the 2nd day I was numb, I seriously could not take any more information in.
Uttanasana     I couldnt even remember where my knees where!!!!!

Yep all I wanted was sleep  zzzzzzzzz

But as we all know.....stress levels do not equal a good nights sleep.....or good digestion or anything else that good !

When I am awake all I am thinking of is yoga yoga yoga and I am praying for sleep...and when I am asleep I am dreaming about it and wide awake after an hour or so ... full of energy NOT!!!!

Hence...why I am wide awake at 3am blogging.....

Wish me luck on my journey

(I am definitely gonna need it ! )

yoga journal...

woke early....mind working overtime 
yesterday was a heavy day ( stress wise ) and I think my brain was still there!
(trying to get my 1st assignment in...before my hols
trying to sort out apprenticeship applications for my 16 year old..
sorting holiday arrangements out for forth coming holiday...clothes, toiletries, taxi to airport, making provisions for family members!!! ( 3 days time !)
getting a card and gift for mine and hubbies anniversary..2moro!! ( even though he WILL forget )
not forgetting all the usual day to day things that have to be done...)

And breathe.....

I noticed my body was still there too as I got out of bed....back and joints were noticably stiff....i think they were stressed too!!! holding on to all those memories from yesterday

Unbelievable how stress can affect the body as well as the mind...my body takes on a whole new shape/posture when I am stressed... shoulders and ears noticably connected 😉 spine slumped into my hips!!! and the pain in the base of the skull must be due to my head wanting to disappear in between my clavicle and scapula!!!  ( no wander I'm aching 😉 )

Need to address this with a few nice in breaths/out breaths...stretching my arms above my head and taking a nice full body stretch...getting my neck and head back to normal position! rolling my shoulders back and forth and getting them away from my ears...

Positivity starts to return as I remember I have a yoga class in a couple of hours...( not just any class, but my favorite one of the week)

As the morning went on ..its fair to say that a few negative thoughts crept..

(my cousin rang to say she wouldnt be able to make the class as she had to much to do for our hols!)

(yes I've got loads to do too?  I could do a quick session at home and crack on with my jobs!!)

so easy to let negative thought stop us doing things....that little voice in the head

But I'm glad to say...I went and as usual it was amazing/inspiring/exhilarating/

The instructor was full of her usual energy...puts me in the mind of a perfect sun salutation..

and I instantly remembered why she had inspired me to want to be an instructor and to hopefully pass on to others, what she gives to me 💓

Why did I even consider not coming?    

we started with a deep breaths in and out, calming us and getting us ready for the class.

we did some shaking nxt!! knees bent slightly and shaking our booties, and then doing small jumps on the spot and hugging ourselves/slapping our backs....sounds a bit odd..but it served to wake up our bodies and create energy and warmth, and a little bit of humour, ( when you spotted yeself in the mirror )  breaking down any awkwardness in the class....again I asked myself

'why would I want to do chores instead of this?' I love my yoga

Nicely warm now....we continue into adho mukha svanasana..with an opportunity to pedal our heels to release our calf/hamstrings,( i still struggle with getting my heels to the floor, but it is a working progress )  bending from side to side, with bended knees, feeling a good stretch in each side of the body....thoughts of yesterday melting away as I push myself into the twists, releasing the stiffness from my shoulders
next was sun salutations, again stretching getting rid of stiffness, enjoying breathing into the forward folds and backbends releasing any remaining tension....allowing me to focus and feel my mind becoming calm.
next came the twisted asanas....starting with intense pose,  twisted chair pose, massaging the internal muscles... I have been trying to improve this as I felt my flexibility was not very good, although I do think it is improving, our instructor encourages us to twist as fully as possible...onto twisted lunges..feeling very stretched!! more to come..onto twisted triangle...I always feel my alignment is not good in this pose.even with the help of the block.(which could be why its not one of my favorite poses ) the instructor came round and helped us with alignment..but I do find breathing in this pose quite tough. 
is at this stage I get a few negative thought pop into my mind, struggling a bit now..need to learn to focus more....more than half way through the class and its tough going
opportunity to rest a little and to relax into the pose...into a belly twist...i like this pose more, and we are encouraged to try the variations, one leg extended etc
we end with shoulder stand moving into plough...I love the roll motion into plough....releasing the back 
we settled into Balasana Baby pose ..phew opportunity to relax into this lovly pose..lenghtening and stretching the spine, shoulders and even the legs, instructor encouraging us to sit right back on our heels and reach gently forward....focusing on our breathing, calming down our breath /minds.
and onto relaxation.......