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yoga, acupuncture and pilates mats

How can using something as spiky as acupuncture mat help me unwind and relax?

the pain relief from the use of acupuncture mat is as a result of the body’s reaction production of its natural pain killers (endorphins) due to the pressure from the spikes. these are the same “feel good” chemicals released during exercising. endorphins give pain relief and a sense of physical well-being. oxytocin is also released during the use of the made and produces a feeling of relaxation and general feel good, allowing you wind down and find it easier to fall asleep. lie with your back on it for a few minutes every day or use it on your feet by standing on it or put your feet on it while sitting upright. so, use our acupuncture spike mat to help you relax and wind down after a long day.

Why do i need a personal yoga and pilates mat? why can’t i just use the one provided in the gym or the studio?

there are 2 major factors which advocate for the use of a personal mat versus a shared mat

Spiritual

the bhagavad-gita and many ancient hindu scriptures state that one should meditate and practice on a firm seat that is clean – here clean not only refers to not being soiled with dirt but also clean of unspiritual vibrations of others.  the thoughts and life force emanating from an individual saturates the objects he uses and their dwelling as well.  this is why spiritual or holy place holds a certain higher vibration than say a super market store. it is better to bring your own yoga accessories when attending class.  this is not to say that others are projecting bad energy and that you should avoid them,  however, they may releasing emotional blocks or doing spiritual work of their own that will be absorbed by the objects that surround them.  if you use these objects after them, you may pick up some of these vibrations and will have to use your energy to release them.  by using your own accessories, it will not only keep you from absorbing unspiritual vibrations and negative emotions left behind by others but it will allow you to increase the positive vibrations that you are building each time you meditate or practice yoga.

Scientific

would you use a shared gym towel? then why would you use a shared mat which is used all the time by sweating people to stretch, work out classes, and walk over amongst others? how many times do you actually see the gym mats being cleaned before every new class? shared mats are one of the most common places people are likely to pickup fungi and skin infections from at a gym. they have a stench from repeated absorption of sweat and act as a breeding ground for infections like staph infection which can spread on contact and are antibiotic resistant. these nasty infections are incredibly difficult to kill and can cause small red bumps and itching. athletes foot is another common problem that spreads due to use of common mats (think of sweating, smelly feet on the mat). the best way to avoid these infections is to bring your own exercise mat instead of using shared mats at the gym and studio even if you are just using it for stretching and cool down.

What features should i look for while buying yoga mats?

your yoga mat is an important investment, both from the point of view of your practices as well as for your health. your yoga mat needs to keep you stable in your poses; and it needs to be storable and portable, yet comfy and cushy. ideally, yoga mats should reflect the principles of yoga, so make sure that they have been made with health and safety considerations in mind. the best yoga mats are non toxic and eco-friendly as what’s the point of doing yoga with a view to become healthy in body and mind yet use a mat that is damaging the environment. some of the main features you look for when choosing a yoga mat are listed below:

  • comfortable!
  • light and easy to carry around
  • non-slip
  • environmentally safe
  • durable and easy to care for.

billy the bee stores a range of eco- friendly yoga mats that come out tops on above criteria. so get one now and enjoy your practice.

to know more about how these factors affect the performance of your yoga mat and therefore yours what factors impact the performance of a yoga or pilates mat?

key features that impact the performance of a yoga mat

thickness

the thickness of your mat has a lot to do with how comfortable it is — too thin, and your knee may get banged up during crescent lunge. the tradeoff is that thick mats can make it harder for you to feel a strong connection to the floor, making you more wobbly in tree pose, for example.

basic buying guide: consider how much room you have to stow your mat, how important portability is, and where your sweet spot is on comfort versus being able to feel a direct connection to the floor or sturdiness versus portability.

material

the material your mat is made of dictates its texture, stickiness, eco-friendliness and sponginess (how much it yields to pressure), and how it wears over time. most standard mats are made of pvc, otherwise known as vinyl. newer, more earth-friendly options include natural and recycled rubber, jute, and cotton.

basic buying guidelines: if you’re allergic to latex, avoid mats made of natural rubber. if you want to stick with the tried and true sticky mat without consequences to the environment, choose a mat made out of pvc. if you want a mat which is not only comfortable during practice but also eco-friendly, jute and cotton are the best. if you are used to practicing yoga on the pvc mat, it will take some time for you to get used to practicing your poses on jute and cotton mats. but practice makes one perfect

texture and stickiness

the texture of your mat dictates how much traction it provides. like stickiness, texture affects how much slipping and sliding you do. it provides physical barriers to sliding (whereas stickiness relies on suction) and because texture affects the way a mat feels, it’s also a component of overall comfort.

basic buying guidelines: if you’re looking for a mat that prevents slipping and you’d like to avoid pvc mats (the traditional sticky mats), look for a rubber, jute or cotton mat that has a raised, tactile pattern. the added grip the raised texture provides can help you stay put no matter how sweaty or vigorous your practice gets.

if smoothness and highest stickiness is a higher priority to you than the eco-friendly nature of the mat a pvc mat is the way to go. and if you relish stickiness but are curious about the newer, more earth-friendly options, experiment with a few before you decide “the one”. some eco-friendly mats may surprise you with how much traction they provide even though they don’t have the traditional “sticky” feel.

eco-friendliness

as yogis, we hold dear the tenet of ahimsa, or non-violence. that makes practicing on a mat that will ultimately end up clogging a landfill for decades to come troublesome. we cannot practice yoga to create a healthy balance between our mind and body, yet choose a mat that is harmful to the planet.

basic buying guide: if eco-friendliness is important to you, avoid mats made of pvc (the traditional sticky mat), which does not break down in landfills and is difficult and costly to recycle. rubber, jute and cotton mats, while available in a range of thicknesses, tend to be thicker and slicker than pvc mats. you can get a mat that’s eco-friendly, has a thickness that meets your needs for comfort and portability, and has a texture (such as a raised geometric pattern) that prevents slippage. 

price range

typically, a basic 1/8 inch thick, plain solid-color pvc sticky mat will be toward the low end of the price range. eco-friendly mats tend to be toward the high end of the price range.

billy the bee stores a range of eco- friendly yoga mats that satisfies even the most demanding criteria. so get one now and enjoy your practice.

How can using something as spiky as acupuncture mat help me unwind and relax?

the pain relief from the use of acupuncture mat is as a result of the body’s reaction production of its natural pain killers (endorphins) due to the pressure from the spikes. these are the same “feel good” chemicals released during exercising. endorphins give pain relief and a sense of physical well-being. oxytocin is also released during the use of the made and produces a feeling of relaxation and general feel good, allowing you wind down and find it easier to fall asleep. lie with your back on it for a few minutes every day or use it on your feet by standing on it or put your feet on it while sitting upright. so, use our acupuncture spike mat to help you relax and wind down after a long day.

Should i choose a mat made from natural materials or the synthetic sticky mat?

the users of sticky mat advocate it as it “supposedly” provides better stability and stickiness to the floor. however, if one looks at the subtle aspects of energy and connection, the use of natural materials, such as a cotton yoga rug or wool blanket, becomes far more important than the convenience of a cold, synthetic mat. if we look to the ancient texts on yoga, an understanding of why natural materials should be used in one’s yoga practice becomes clear.
looking to the bhagavad-gita, chapter vi, verse 11 states,
“?ucan de?e pratisth?pya sthiram ?sanam ?tmanah n?tyucchritam n?tinicam cail?jinaku?ottaram”
the yogi’s seat, in a clean place, should be firm (not wobbly), neither too high nor too low, and covered, first, with kusha grass, then with deer or tiger shin, then with a cloth.the use of kusha grass, was to protect the body against the dampness of the earth, however, today most people are practicing yoga and meditation inside where there is sufficient protection against dampness. so today this step may be avoided, however, the use of natural materials for the practice of asanas and meditation is still very important. think of your “foundation” and what it is build upon. the strong and earthly your foundation the stronger the results of your practice will be. in meditation, the importance of the animal skin or wool is to insulate the body against the pull of the earth currents. during meditation, the mind tries to withdraw the energy of his or her life force from the senses to the soul. if one uses natural materials, such as a wool blanket, sheep skin, or cotton mat, to insulate the body then the tug-of-war between the upward flow of the life force through the nerves and the downward pull of the earth currents is avoided. by using the appropriate material, one will gain a deeper awareness through their meditation and the practice of asanas. if one does not wish to use an animal skin, you should substitute it with a mat made of natural substances. the sticky mat provides no connection to the earth and interferes with the subtle energies that are being produced by the asanas being practiced. this is also true about the materials that one wears during yoga practice. wearing synthetic clothing blocks subtle energies and currents that are created during yoga practice, whereas natural materials, such as cotton or silk, aid in your practice by allowing the subtle energies to flow.

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