Your Own Yoga Mat
By Elle Garfield

Jean (not her real name) lost her husband suddenly when he died in a car crash only minutes from their home. With two small children and a mortgage to pay off, Jean needed to get back to working full time only two weeks after the funeral. Friends and family were in awe of how much calm and grace she displayed in the face of the grief and loss she felt on a daily basis. When asked how she was coping with the grief and the additional stress in her life she thought of her yoga/breath practice.

Every morning, in the quiet moments she had before her children woke up Jean would roll out her yoga mat and come into child’s pose where she would begin to sob until it was time to get ready for work. The safety she felt within the boundaries of the mat allowed her to be with those uncomfortable feelings so she could allow her grief, even if only for a short time daily. Eventually her practice shifted and changed allowing her to tap into an underlying stream of joy. Even when the circumstances of her life didn’t allow her feelings her yoga mat did.

A yoga mat is a rectangular piece of material that provides cushioning and traction ideal for the movement possible in practicing yoga postures. Symbolically, a yoga mat holds boundaries for a safe practice. It creates space for us to allow ourselves to make the time to take care of ourselves and give ourselves what we need in the moment. In order to enjoy the many benefits of a simple yoga/breath practice you don’t need anything but the willingness to start. However, having your own yoga mat reflects your commitment to a consistent practice. When you purchase a yoga mat you are in effect saying I want to continue to practice, to give myself this gift.

If you’re still on the fence about making the commitment to buy a yoga mat you’re not alone. Many people have scary ideas about what is required of them to practice yoga. They may have seen a picture of someone in a pose and thought, “my body won’t/can’t do that!” Or they may have an injury and are afraid they will get hurt again. What I have found with my yoga students and clients is that yoga is really for every body.

Yoga doesn’t require any special skills or even a flexible, fit body, although you will increase your flexibility, open your mind and become less judgmental. The top priority in yoga is compassionate presence and the ability to breathe. If you are reading this you are able to practice yoga. That doesn’t mean you will be able to do every pose or maybe even any poses. Poses are only one part of what yoga truly is.

Once you have made a decision to purchase a yoga mat, you should consider quality, comfort and cost. Your yoga mat should be of good quality so that it can last. Yoga is a life long practice and you are never too old to practice.

In order to feel safe and feel the full benefit of your practice you need to be comfortable. If you have issues with your knees especially, you may need a thicker mat for more cushion. Also if you are tall consider buying a longer than average mat. Every body is different, find a mat that fits you.

You may be more comfortable with a mat that is lightweight so that you can easily carry it to class or travel with it. Your mat should be sticky so that you don’t slip and can securely move from posture to posture.

Yoga mats generally are made from rubber, plant fibers or plastics. Consider what material you feel most comfortable with for you and the planet.

The cost of a good mat ranges from $25 to over $100. Yoga mats are easy to find. You can buy them at drugstores, sporting goods stores, yoga studios and online.

Our bodies house our emotions and our spirit. A consistent yoga/breath practice can help us take care of ourselves physically, emotionally and spiritually. When we step onto our yoga mat, we begin to create a home that is safe and accepting so we can let go of all the stress, tap into the joy and begin to thrive. It’s easy to find a quality, comfortable and affordable yoga mat. The hard part is making the commitment to practice consistently. Don’t be afraid to ask for help and get all the encouragement and support you need to follow through so you can begin enjoying the benefits.

Now you are ready to choose your yoga mat and feel good about your commitment to taking care of yourself, both body and soul, through a consistent yoga/breath practice.

Awareness Counseling is a private practice that specializes in helping adults and families struggling with anxiety and depression using traditional therapy and mind/body methods that are intentionally designed to bring your life into balance. The result is more joy, freedom and enthusiasm for life. The founder, Elle Garfield, ACSW uses an effective combination of methods including cognitive/ behavioral, experiential, mindfulness, bibliotherapy, and Life Force yoga to help clients gain freedom from fear.
For more information go to http://www.Awareness-counseling-mi.com or Call Elle Garfield at 248-961-4081 or email egilgallon@aol.com today.

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Meditation is the main goal of Hatha yoga positions. To achieve this, you need to relax and free your mind. Now, you might wonder how anybody can be relaxed in such a position. This is because yoga poses allow you to focus your energy in certain chakra points. If you are still having a hard time relaxing in each posture or asana, you can use a yoga mat for added comfort.

Before we continue with the topic, let us take a pause for some reminders from experts in yoga. Professional yoga practitioners always tell us not to take each position as simply an exercise to build up or strengthen body muscles. Exercise is only part of the yoga, its main goal is to achieve overall well being. Prior to the positions that you are going to do, do it on yoga mat for safety reasons.

Now going back to the yoga practice, on your yoga mat, do a little of bending and stretching to warm up your body and loosen up some joints. If you are doing yoga in a class, the instructor, or the guru, already prepared the yoga poses that you are going to do. However, if you are going to do yoga in your home, one recommendable position for you is the savasana or corpse pose.

Savasana is the type of position that involves just lying down on the yoga mat. You can do it in between other yoga poses to relax your whole body and mind. You can also use it to cool down after the exercise. The reason why is it’s recommended to people practicing yoga in their homes is because it is not complicated. It does not involve complex bending or twisting that without a proper guidance of a guru could cause some injuries.

Here are some of the commonly used yoga positions. The matsyana or the fish pose, which can relieve the body from tension. The dhanurasana, known as bow pose, which is a great stretching position. Setu bandhasana is for flexible persons and involves a lot of bending. Before trying out some of the yoga position, ensure that your yoga mat is clean from any liquids such as sweat. This is necessary in order for you to achieve the position you are aiming for.

After you are through with the yoga practice, always cool yourself down before beginning any other task. This is to put your muscles back in the relaxed state. As mentioned before, you can do the corpse pose on your yoga mat. This would return your heart rate at a normal level.

Over all, yoga poses are essential in the meditation process. If you are going to practice by yourself, always ensure your safety first. Do not do complex positions if you are not an expert or without the help of guru. Lastly, always use yoga mat to give you a grip of the supporting surface.

Robert has extensive knowledge on yoga mats, and also provides information on yoga dvds

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