There are many reasons why the yoga mat has become the most precious rectangular piece for every yoga practitioner. Therefore, it should go without saying that it makes a whole lot of difference whether the user is absolutely in love with their om piece of paradise. Below we will go over some of the main reasons why it is important to own the right type of mat and how it can influence the whole yoga experience.
Breathe in. Breathe out. But something seems to be out of tune. There simply isn’t enough space around you (how can someone be so ignorant and invade your space while you are trying to get the basics of astral projection? – This is the last thing you want to experience during a yoga class and believe it or not, yoga mats can really help claim your own territory. They will also prevent you from invading someone else’s personal space. However, this is not the reason why yoga mats were invented in the first place. They are not merely carpet-like boundaries between you and other bodies.
The purpose of these soft, yet strong meditation and exercise islands is support, above all. Support and relaxation and closely linked together, so if your knees, elbows, ankles and feet do not enjoy a comfortable surface underneath, chances are that you will get distracted by all that irritation. Regardless of whether you are doing stretching exercises, or you are meditating, the purpose of the yoga mat is to prevent unnecessary contact with any kind of surface. Plus, they allow you to choose the type of material that is most suitable for you – just do a quick research for the most comfortable yoga mats Australia offers as to get you started off on the right foot.
You might think to yourself: But isn’t yoga also about achieving re-connection with nature, so why should I use a mat if I am outdoors? Well, if you do decide to do yoga in nature without a mat, it will soon prove to be almost an impossible project, especially for a beginner. Until the mind gets used to rejecting the passing thoughts (the only process that leads to proper meditation after a full set of stretching exercises) every single thing will bother you: for starters, just think of bugs. Itchy skin is one of the top issues that arise and yoga teachers constantly repeat that yogis should ignore the urge to scratch themselves since they distract others and also sabotage the success of their own mediation.
It is true that yogis of old did not use any helping tools and some teachers are not in favor of mats that within their structure, contain damaging chemicals, however, as of late, more and more yoga mats are manufactured only with natural materials such as organic cotton or hemp.
Beyond their practical purpose, yoga mats are also a unique piece of equipment – it is the very precious lifestyle statement of yogis, therefore it should come as no surprise why you’ll be able to find hundreds of different styles of yoga mats Australia wide.