The purpose of the Iyengar yoga props
The purpose of the prop is to help the body better understand the actions of the asana rather than to make the posture easier. The use of a prop should not dilute the pose and the student should not become habituated to it. For example, the wall and bricks are used to teach standing poses such as Parivrtta Trikonasana, which is a difficult standing twist. The wall helps anchor the heel and enables action of the back leg while the brick facilitates the directionality of the pose forwards, and extends the torso away from the legs in turn creating space to rotate the trunk and extend the spine.
Once these actions have been learned, the prop must not be used and the posture should be practiced in the classical manner depicted in Light on Yoga — “my props became my guru and taught me how to use the body. I could sense that I did better with support to master the asana.”
4 Blocks
A yoga block or yoga brick is one of the most popular yoga props to use in a yoga class. Yoga blocks are most often used as an extension of one’s hands but are also used to support the back, head, and hips, and to deepen awareness of alignment.
2 Bricks
The bricks act like an extension to the long bones — you can use them beyond your feet to go further into forward bends, and they are most often used to provide extension for the trunk in standing poses such as Trikonasana, Parsvottanasana, Prasarita Padottanasana and Ardha Chandrasana.
Blanket
It can act as a cushioning medium for hands, knees, and other body parts during strenuous and tricky Yoga poses. To add height during sitting postures, these folded blankets can also be used. So it can help you to maintain appropriate spinal alignment for greater benefits.
Bolster
This prop assists you and provides strong support during deep hip opening poses. This stress-relieving yoga accessory is much needed to open up the chest area to enhance breathing during certain yoga poses. It enables you to maintain the correct posture and pose during specific complex asanas.
Chair
A classic prop for yoga practice. Used to aid rotation in seated twists, for support in backbends, in Viparita Karani, and many other asanas, these chairs are ideal for serious students.
Belt
With a yoga belt you minimize the chance of injury due to overstretching or over-rotation. It is a tool for more elongation and flexibility while maintaining the correct alignment in the posture. With a yoga belt you can deepen the stretch or stretch more and hold postures longer.
Where to buy?
You can order them on Amazon or buy them on Yogamatters website