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Overuse of props?

 
 

Elizabeth
Novice

Jun 21, 2001, 8:58 PM

Post #1 of 6 (148 views)
Overuse of props? Can't Post
Is it possible to overuse props? At a beginner's Iyengar yoga class yesterday (my first), all of the students used blankets to do the shoulder-stand. I have Yoga for Women and have read where it can be done with the help of a single blanket folded fourfold. But yesterday, everybody used 4 blankets folded fourfold, ie about 6 inches worth of blanket. I can do a shoulder stand just fine on a towel, but with all the blankets, not only was it nearly impossible for me to get into it, I also had a terrible fear of falling, and I found it very hard on the neck. Not only that, but every student used a strap to keep their arms together. Did this particular teacher overdo it, or is it the Iyengar way that everyone use props, and to this extent?

(On a side note, this teacher charges 6500pta -what's that $40 US?-per class. Is it just me or is that expensive?)

Bryan Alexander
Enthusiast

Jun 26, 2001, 6:35 PM

Post #2 of 6 (147 views)
Re: Overuse of props? [In reply to] Can't Post
I don't know that it's possible to overuse props, but I definitely think it's possible to use them incorrectly. Stacking so many blankets that it's not possible to balance in shoulder-stand would be an example.

But who would be willing to pass judgment on this teacher without having been there to observe the class?

I think that Iyengar's teaching is that most beginning students need to be well-supported with blankets in shoulder-stand. And using a strap is also very beneficial to the shoulders and spine.

You do not say whether you yourself are a beginning student or not. If you have done the pose for a long time in a certain way, then trying it a different way will often feel strange or awkward at first. That doesn't mean it's not beneficial. Explain to the teacher what experience you have had with this posture. Everyone is different.

Another thought I would offer is that Iyengar teaches shoulder-stand with the plan in mind that eventually the student holds that pose for quite a long time--as much as twenty minutes for more advanced students. It takes years of careful practice to be able to get there, and the alignment of the whole spine must be carefully attended to. Props really help.

About charging $40 per class: Prices in the southeastern U.S. where I live do not get anywhere near that. The highest I ever paid here was $14.

Snow Leopard
User

Jun 30, 2001, 8:33 PM

Post #3 of 6 (146 views)
Re: Overuse of props? [In reply to] Can't Post
Many students/teachers of yoga might overuse props and many might not use them sufficiently. It is truly determined by the individual need of the student in the moment. Often in a general class the instructions given to use certain props are there to accommodate the need of the many and not necessarily the few. Home practice is the time where one determines what is needed for proper actions of the asana and where one begins to realize that each practice, each class will be different. Yoga gives us all greater awareness and clarity and in that, make your decisions. My
suggestion in class is to try the teacher's suggestions, but if it just isn't right for you, to have the where with all to make an adjustment.

Hopefully $40 US was for a four to five hour workshop and not a one hour class.

Elizabeth
Novice

Jul 2, 2001, 5:16 PM

Post #4 of 6 (145 views)
Re: Overuse of props? [In reply to] Can't Post
Thank you both.

Regarding the price, I´ve done a better calculation, and it comes out more like $33US than $40 for each 1.5 hour, weekly class. (The instructor quoted the price and in the same breath proudly said "It´s the most expensive yoga class in town"). Too rich for my blood, so I´ve signed up with a different teacher in the fall.

Anonymous
Novice

Jul 21, 2001, 3:34 PM

Post #5 of 6 (144 views)
Re: Overuse of props? [In reply to] Can't Post
props are mostly suitable for the very beginner or the handicapped...otherwise the're pure attachements free yourself from all these blokcs, chairs, bolsters, belts and ...certificates!! and you'll find the real feeling of self-reliance...explortaion and ultimately freedom

anatomist
User

Jul 23, 2001, 6:09 AM

Post #6 of 6 (143 views)
Re: Overuse of props? [In reply to] Can't Post
My teacher has been doing Yoga for over 30 years including many extended stays in India with Iyengar himself. He often teases his beginning and advanced students for wanting to get rid of props before they are ready. He himself still uses them extensively in his own practice. He is neither a beginner nor handicapped. At age 62, he often plays full court basketball with men in their 20's. "no props" is talking nonsense.

 
 
 


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