Use of Props, B.K.S. Iyengar

Q.: How did the idea of usage of props originate? What made you initially think that props would aid in the teaching of asanas?

​Guruju: Though I began yoga in 1934 as a novice in the art of teaching, it was in 1937, that I got a chance through an invitation to teach yoga for six months in Puna. It was a challenge as I was not only inexperienced but lacked the words to communicate or express myself. The responsibility of teaching was uppermost in my mind. Hence, I was preoccupied trying various ways to improve and perfect my own practice. I used to pick up stones and bricks lying on the roads and used them as 'supports' and 'weight bearers' to make progress in my mastery of āsanas. Though these stones and bricks were very rough they were helping me to some extent in getting the grip of the āsanas. For example take baddha konasana; where to place the stones and bricks exactly in this āsana, how to lessen the pricks and irritation, was a job. Often pieces from stone and bricks used to peel out, while I was keeping them and changing positions. By this way, realization came to me that it is possible to learn many āsanas with the help of 'supporters' - the word 'prop' came much later. I began to use whatever came handy like chairs, boxes, cots, cupboards, wooden pieces, rollers, grinding stones and so forth.

I learned from almost all household things including round drums to increase time in the āsanas. Often these gave me tremendous backaches. Planks were cutting into my back (while trying back bends), but I would persevere by changing the position of the plank and the brick or whatever I was using. 

After my marriage in 1943, I took full advantage of my wife, making her sit or stand on my back in forward bends, feet and arms for backbends and twists. I made her stand and I used her arms or feet as 'props', to see how much I can improve in my range of forward bends, twists and backbends. 

Methodic ways of using the props actually materialised after the institute came into existence. As people began to approach with their various problems and diseases, I realised the value of 'props'. Though the members were getting relief with my occasional help, they were not able to sustain the pose independently and their problems used to recur fast. They were unable to retain the key points of action or adjust when the muscles and fibers went slack. Their genuine problems remained unsolved though they were sincerely trying to perform on their own.

I realised that raw students or patients could not derive maximum advantage. I thought that through indirect practice, (a passive state to stay with support), I could ignite interest in them to stay longer in each pose with props and without pains at the time of learning. By staying longer, their circulation improved, their respiratory system functioned better. This made me think, work, develop and evolve ways and means to guide the suffering humanity to see the light of hope from despair.

I engaged a carpenter to draw the shape of poses as I was performing and gave my thoughts to make them. Then I would test by doing the āsanas on that unfinished material advising the carpenter to chop a bit here; to add there and so forth. Re-doing, re-shaping of each prop continued until the required final product was found out. Thus the birth of 'props' became a valuable gem of inspiration to do and stay longer and longer. The idea of rope Sirsāsana was the inspiration of ancient yogis who was said to perform Sirsāsana hanging down from the branches of trees. This gave me the idea of fixing the hooks to the roof and rope loops to the hooks. Thus the image of yogis performing Sirsāsana on treetops came to my mind.

For angina of the heart and cardiac problems the idea of Arjuna making the bed of arrows for Bhisma struck me to support the top thoracic dorsal region where the cardiac nerves originate. So I arranged the bricks like arrows, which could support the thoracic dorsal spinal vertebrae and muscles to protect the heart muscles to function with rhythm. Even Viparīta Dandāsana, one of the most difficult backbends, can be done by raw beginners with ease, without injury or harm. I had to break my head with the carpenter to prepare the design to perform this āsana. It is semi-circular at top, so that the back does not cut but the base is straight as the legs are taut and the feet get a foot hold.

Q.: When did you use props for teaching āsanas?

​​Guruju: When I started, I used articles available at home, which helped. Articles like chairs, hardcover books and even buckets with a blanket on top for back bendings. The props you see now, at the institute are highly sophisticated and refined compare to the crude methods, I was using in the beginning.