Hot Yoga and the Yoga Towel
Yoga Mad
So, what’s all the fuss about a yoga towel? A towel is a towel, right? No, not really. But, before we applaud the numerous bonuses of a good yoga towel, let’s engage in a little praise of Yoga, itself.
The Benefits of Yoga
Yoga practitioners have found that consistent yoga practice awakens both mind and body! Yoga practice involves emptying your mind and becoming fully aware of each pose. This improves inner awareness. Habitual yoga practice awakens, energizes, and strengthens the structure and flow of the body. The goal of yoga practice is to create a union between the body, mind and spirit.
You’ll need time and commitment, as well as a whole lot of patience, to master a yoga pose. A beginner should not be disappointed if they don’t do a pose perfectly on the first try. But, slowly over time, as you practice and try to perform each pose flawlessly, without pushing yourself too far physically or beating yourself up mentally, you will notice that you are developing flexibility, strength, and energy physically and feeling more peaceful and clear mentally.
Try to create a fresh, graceful space for your yoga practice, with a bare floor, if possible, and a clear wall. Avoid distractions, such as cell phones, during your yoga practice. For optimum function, you should not eat for at least 2 hours before practicing. If you find you need to eat, then try to eat something light, such as a piece of fruit, but no more than 1 hour before you start your yoga practice.
Always be mindful with your movements, and if you encounter pain or discomfort as you undertake a pose, pause or stop, and then try again.
Yoga props and yoga accessories, such as yoga mats, yoga bolsters, yoga straps, yoga blocks, yoga mat bags, and even yoga towels are made with the intention to help you in moving deeper into a pose, in performing a perfect pose, and in practicing in a healthful way.
Yoga prop benefits are numerous, but principally they help to avoid, or relieve, pain and discomfort that sometimes accompanies the more challenging yoga poses, especially in the beginning.
Until you’ve achieved core structural strength, yoga props can assist you in avoiding injury to yourself.
Doing yoga releases tension, and using props helps with stress relief by giving the support needed for you to relax (but not be lazy) in your practice.
The plumb line, that is, “head-over-heels” body alignment, is crucial in doing yoga poses correctly. Yoga props encourage appropriate alignment.
Ease and flexibility of movement are important benefits to using yoga props. Certain props create space in the joints and allow the body more fluid movement without causing stress on a particular joint.
As we mentioned earlier, yoga practice is about unifying the mind, body and spirit through the development of a deeper awareness and the development of mindfulness. How do yoga props assist in this great goal? When you are able to simply focus your attention on doing your yoga poses flawlessly, rather than worrying about transitory limitations, you will go deeper into that balance of mind, body, and spirit.
How to Use and Appreciate Your Yoga Towel
A yoga towel does just what you think it would, and more! Absorbency, no doubt, comes to mind, particularly if you’re into hot yoga, like Bikram. There are many super-absorbent yoga towels on the market, some made of microfibers, that wick away moisture (and sweat!) during and after an expressly energizing routine, and they dry much quicker than a cotton towel. They are manufactured with ease of washing and drying in mind, and most are made with organic dyes and other healthy ingredients. A mat-size yoga towel makes a hygienic layer between you and your yoga mat.
Absorbency, however, is crucial, but your yoga towel offers even more. In addition to offering good health and hygiene, many yoga towels are made specifically to prevent slipping while while you do your yoga poses. A few yoga towels have “silicone eco nubs” on one side, others have clear rubber dots, still others have a latex-free “gripping” agent. When placed face down, the nubs or dots, or a similar gripping agent, grip your yoga mat (or the floor if you’ve forgotten to buy a yoga mat and there isn’t one available!). The gripping action truly begins as you dispense your weight in a yoga posture. If you want a steadier, more stable practice, a yoga towel is essential.
A yoga towel works as a top layer for your yoga mat, as a yoga mat substitute if you’ve forgotten your mat, or as suggested above, while doing “hot” yoga, such as Bikram. Because most yoga towels are of super-absorbent materials, they out-perform a regular towel. A yoga towel that is the same size as your yoga mat is quite fashionable, as well as hygienic and healthy.
Most yoga towels come in earth tone shades from tan to deep gray, green, and dusty purple.
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