The Best Yoga Props and How to Use Them

Yoga is a beautiful journey, and it’s unique for everyone. Whether you’re just beginning your yoga practice or you’ve been on the mat for years, yoga props can make a world of difference. At Maa Shakti Yog Bali, we believe in enhancing your practice with the right tools, allowing you to grow, explore, and find deeper connection in each pose. In this post, we’ll walk you through some of the best yoga props and share tips on how to use them effectively.

1. Yoga Mat: Your Practice Foundation

Why It’s Important:
Your yoga mat is the very foundation of your practice. It offers a stable, non-slip surface that’s essential for your safety and comfort.

How to Use It:

• Grip and Stability: Lay your mat on a flat surface to prevent slipping. The grip of your mat is key to maintaining balance in poses like Downward Dog or Warrior II.

• Alignment Guide: Use the edges of your mat to help you align your body correctly. This can be especially helpful in poses where hand and foot placement is crucial.

2. Yoga Blocks: Support and Elevation

Why They’re Important:
Yoga blocks are incredibly versatile and can help you in many ways. They’re great for maintaining proper alignment, offering support, and bringing the ground closer when you need it.

How to Use Them:

• Ease into Forward Folds: If your hands don’t quite reach the floor in Forward Fold (Uttanasana), place a block under each hand to bridge the gap.

• Deepen Backbends Safely: In Bridge Pose (Setu Bandhasana), place a block under your sacrum to deepen the pose without putting strain on your lower back.

• Stabilize Balance: In Half Moon Pose (Ardha Chandrasana), a block under your lower hand can help you find stability and ease.

3. Yoga Strap: Extend and Align

Why It’s Important:
A yoga strap is a simple yet powerful tool that helps improve flexibility and ensures proper alignment, especially when you’re working on your reach.

How to Use It:

• Enhance Stretches: In poses like Seated Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana), loop the strap around your feet and gently pull yourself forward for a deeper stretch.

• Assist in Binds: If your hands don’t meet behind your back in poses like Cow Face Pose (Gomukhasana), a strap can bridge the gap.

• Open Shoulders: Hold the strap with both hands, pulling it gently apart while lifting your arms overhead. This is great for opening up your shoulders.

4. Yoga Bolster: Comfort and Relaxation

Why It’s Important:
A yoga bolster is perfect for restorative and yin yoga practices. It supports your body, allowing you to fully relax into poses and open up with ease.

How to Use It:

• Rest in Savasana: Place the bolster under your knees during Savasana (Corpse Pose) for added comfort and support.

• Chest Openers: In Supported Fish Pose (Matsyasana), lie back on the bolster to open up your chest and heart space.

• Gentle Forward Folds: Use the bolster under your torso in Seated Forward Bend (Paschimottanasana) for a soft, supported stretch.

5. Yoga Blanket: Versatility and Comfort

Why It’s Important:
A yoga blanket is a multi-purpose prop that adds warmth, cushioning, and support wherever you need it.

How to Use It:

• Extra Padding: Fold the blanket and place it under your knees in poses like Child’s Pose (Balasana) to make them more comfortable.

• Support for Seated Poses: Sitting on a folded blanket in Sukhasana (Easy Pose) elevates your hips, which helps maintain better spinal alignment.

• Stay Warm in Savasana: Cover yourself with a blanket during Savasana to keep warm and enhance your relaxation.

6. Yoga Wheel: Stretch and Strengthen

Why It’s Important:
The yoga wheel is a relatively new prop that’s gaining popularity for its ability to enhance backbends, stretches, and balance.

How to Use It:

• Deepen Backbends: Roll back over the wheel in poses like Wheel Pose (Chakrasana) to safely deepen your stretch and improve flexibility.

• Challenge Your Core: Use the wheel during core exercises by placing your hands on it in Plank Pose (Phalakasana) for an added challenge.

• Balance Practice: Standing on the wheel adds an element of instability to balance poses, which helps strengthen your core and improve focus.

7. Meditation Cushion (Zafu): Mindful Comfort

Why It’s Important:
A meditation cushion, or Zafu, is a must-have for anyone who practices seated meditation. It promotes proper posture, reducing discomfort and helping you stay present.

How to Use It:

• Support Your Meditation: Sit on the cushion to elevate your hips, allowing your knees to rest comfortably on the ground. This position helps you maintain a straight spine, reducing strain on your lower back.

• Enhance Breathing Exercises: Use the Zafu to support your posture during pranayama (breath control) practices, allowing for deeper and more focused breathing.

Conclusion

At Maa Shakti Yog Bali, we encourage the use of yoga props to deepen your practice, no matter where you are on your yoga journey. Props aren’t just for beginners—they’re valuable tools that can help you explore new dimensions of your practice, ensuring safety, alignment, and mindfulness.

Whether you’re joining us in Bali for one of our Yoga Alliance USA-registered teacher training courses or practicing at home, these props can bring new depth to your practice. Embrace them as extensions of your body and experience the profound benefits they offer.

Join Us at Maa Shakti Yog Bali

Ready to transform your yoga practice? At Maa Shakti Yog Bali, we offer comprehensive yoga teacher training programs in the heart of Bali. Whether you’re looking to deepen your personal practice or become a certified yoga instructor, our courses in Hatha, Vinyasa, and Yin Yoga will equip you with the knowledge and skills you need.

Namaste.
The Maa Shakti Yog Bali Team