One of the big challenges for most beginners however, lies in the difficulty to rotate or position their bodies into the yoga poses required. For example, the bridge pose, which requires that the back be bent like a bridge over a stream or river, can be quite hard to achieve for the uninitiated. And the main reason for this is that the body is not accustomed to bending or being stressed in such a way and that creates a lot of discomfort for the new initiate.
This is where yoga props (or cushions, tools, equipment) come in. Yoga props provide the support for practitioners to perform the necessary poses without the discomfort (or with a lot less discomfort). Yoga bolsters is one of the props that has been gaining a lot of attention and is on the "must-have" list for many yoga enthusiasts today.
Yoga bolsters come in multiple shapes and sizes these days and sometimes are intermixed with yoga cushions, but the yoga bolsters that I am referring to in this article are primarily the larger cushions that can support the whole body - and not just the head or arms.
Primarily, yoga bolsters like these come in 2 forms - either rectangular or rounded. Each one of these variants has their own uses and it is not uncommon for yoga enthusiasts to have both in their "arsenal" of yoga props.
Rectangular yoga bolsters have flat tops and bottoms and are more stable. They act as good back support for lying down positions, providing comfort to the backbone and hips while the yoga practitioner perform poses that stresses the back. They could also be used in poses where the body is required to be folded forwards (i.e. chest to knee). In these instances, they act as a cushion for the chest, and for beginners who cannot fold as "deep" as they would like to, they provide support for the chest.
Rounded bolsters are similar to the normal bolsters that we use when we sleep but are larger and firmer. They are especially good as back support for poses that open the chest such as the Supported Back Bend (or Heart Opener) pose. Due to their rounded shape, the back can bend around the bolster and be supported all the way from the bottom to the top of the back.
In addition to providing support for difficult positions, the yoga bolster is also great for providing comfort in certain positions. For example, one of my favorite poses is the Child's Pose. A typical Child's Pose position without a bolster will just have the practitioner put herself in a kneeling position and props the chest forward to the ground with arms outstretched over the head. With a rounded yoga bolster, the bolster can be the centerpiece in this pose. Placed in between the knees, the practitioner can prop her chest forward onto the bolster. This is much more comfortable and more important than that, it provides a feeling of security, like a child is embracing her parent. This is best for calming the mind and resting the soul.
There is no doubt that the yoga bolster is a great addition to the practice and I believe strongly that its prominence will continue to increase and be adopted by many more yoga enthusiasts in time to come. I would be keeping my eye out for more shapes and sizes that could further enhance the practice but right now, its time for me to go back to my lovely lavender colored bolster.
