Yoga & Meditation Products

If you look at the appendix of Light on Yoga, you’ll see that going upside down is central to BKS Iyengar’s system of asana practice. In many of the listings where Iyengar “prescribes” specific poses to help alleviate conditions of imbalance, Sirsasana (Headstand) and Sarvangasana (Shoulderstand) are the first poses listed. The preponderance of evidence suggests that inverting our bodies is helpful to combatting the negative effects of gravity over time. Because our bodies are 60 percent fluid, in particular, our fluid systems become more efficient when they’re not pooling in our lower extremities. This includes the venous blood, lymph and...

Whenever I ask my students to go get a yoga bolster, the happiness in the room is palpable. They know that yoga bolsters mean they’re going to get to lie down. And knowing my prop shelves are stacked with Hugger Mugger bolsters makes me happy. Hugger Mugger yoga bolsters make me happy because I know I can trust them to support students of all body types. I know that these bolsters won’t bend or collapse when we slant them on blocks. This is not the case with other brands. I sometimes teach workshops and teacher trainings at other studios. While...

Looking to see the world from a new perspective? Going upside-down is one way to shift your point of view—literally. Inverted yoga poses can shift your perspective, and possibly cultivate fertile creative ground in the body/mind. In addition to their many physical benefits, inversions are said to allow us to see with new eyes. When we turn upside down, the world looks different. The world hasn’t fundamentally changed of course; it is our relationship with it that has changed. This shift opens us to new perspectives. Translated literally as “good-for-all-of-you” pose, Salamba Sarvangasana (Shoulderstand) is one of the fundamental asanas...

Talasana (Palm Tree Pose) is a variant of Tadasana (Mountain Pose), the basic standing pose upon which all other poses are built, at least according to the Iyengar tradition. When I studied with Iyengar in 1989, I felt that if, after three weeks of intensive classes, I had an inkling of an understanding of Tadasana, I’d be more than happy. I feel it’s the key to understanding all the rest of the asanas. If you think of Tadasana as the trunk of the palm tree, like a swaying palm tree, Talasana can sway because of the tree’s deep roots and...

We could all use retreat time. When most of our days are filled with activities and responsibilities, taking a five-minute break—let alone a 20-minute one—can seem out of reach. Not to mention that it often seems a waste to “do nothing” We in the West tend to believe that the busier we are, the more value there is to our lives. Accomplishing things feels good. How we spend our days is important. But taking time to rest is equally important. Lizzie Lasater, daughter of Judith Hanson Lasater (author of Relax and Renew: Restful Yoga for Stressful Times), explains the importance...

Some of my students have been attending my classes since the early ’90s. Over the years, it’s been interesting for me to watch my students using more yoga props, rather than fewer. In the early years of their practice, some people looked at props as being “crutches” that were only necessary for less experienced students. Since then, my longtime students have gradually let go of the idea that “perfect” poses, fancy poses or poses that push our bodies past beyond healthy limits are the point of practice. My experienced students, many of whom are very flexible and fit from long-term...

People sometimes chuckle when I tell them that sitting meditation is physically rigorous. But it’s true. When you sit still and tune into your body for any length of time, you’re likely to become uncomfortable. And sitting for long periods in the same position will at some point start to make you antsy. Even in my hour-long meditation class, people sometimes experience physical difficulties. That’s when I work with them to find the best sitting position and the best support for each person’s individual structure. How comfortable you are when you’re practicing sitting meditation is largely determined by what you...

There was a time when yogis in America practiced on bare floors and bath towels. If you were lucky, your yoga class took place on a hardwood floor, one with a finish that had at least a modicum of friction. Reality was, most of us ended up sliding around on linoleum, wood, concrete or carpet. Standing poses and Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose) were an exercise in frustration. No matter how much we might have wanted to open our hearts, expand into the light, etc., we were always holding back, trying to keep from ending up in a...

People come in all shapes, sizes and levels of strength and flexibility. Because of this, BKS Iyengar invented yoga props to help everyone achieve comfort and steadiness in various poses. While some props, such as yoga blocks, have versatility built in—blocks have three usable dimensions—others, like our Standard Bolsters, may or may not fit everyone. That’s why Hugger Mugger developed Junior Bolsters. These bolsters were originally designed to create an alternative for adults with smaller bodies. But in the decade since they first came on the market, we’ve found lots of other uses for them, no matter what your body...

In the early 1990s, when I was just a few years into vipassana meditation practice, I sat a 10-day silent retreat. It was my fourth such retreat, so I knew that physical discomfort would visit from time to time, especially in the first few days. On every retreat up until that point, I’d experienced physical pain in my shoulders and back—a deep pain that was absent in my daily life. I knew my knees would tire, and I’d feel both sleepy and restless at times. But on this particular retreat, there was an inexplicable agitation I couldn’t place. I felt...