Which is the best yoga mat?

Yoga mats: there are blue ones, and pink ones, and ones made of PVC, rubber, or cork. With so many choices how can anyone choose?

What is your practice and what do you want to get out of it?

Personally, my practice is something that I think is Yoga with some weird stretching, sometimes dancing, but most of the time it's whatever will make my day start on a positive note. Because of all the playful stuff I do, I need a grippy mat, I don't like it when I slip and hit my face on the ground, but that's just me.

What are things that are getting in the way of having a more easeful practice?

Your yoga mat should support you and have your back (literally).

5 REASONS WHY YOUR CHOICE OF MAT MATTERS

1. COMFORT: let's be honest, there is nothing like a good comfortable Savasana when life is crumbling around us.

2. SAFETY: take care of your body, it's the only one you have. To take your practice higher, you must feel safe and supported by your mat. Your knees being in pain from compression with the ground will not be conducive to staying aware and connected, or walking for the remainder of the day.

3. UNIQUE TO YOU: you want a mat that makes all of your senses happy or at least not angry: sight, smell, hearing, taste, and touch. Does it smell like lavender, new car, or is it void of smell and which would you prefer? If you like the smell of a new car and you buy a mat that smells like flowers, I'm sure of your disappointment, and I doubt you will be happy after your morning practice.

4. ENVIRONMENTAL: the average $14-$47 PVC yoga mat is three pounds. The Amazon Marketplace alone is selling more than 6000 a day. That's 18,000 pounds of compressed raw plastic a day and 558,000 pounds of plastic each month, just on yoga mats. I don't know about you, but I prefer mine recycled. There are many options for recycled mats in the market (try Kiss The Sky, I hear they're the best yoga mats).

5. BECAUSE IT'S YOU: I hope you always feel exceptional. You are important, needed, and unique. There are many challenges in our daily lives, and we need tools that help us survive. The best tools for each of us must be custom to our specific needs.

And with this, I leave you today: Is your current yoga mat the best for you?

I’d love to hear from you. Which insight or aha was most impactful to you? Leave your comments below and share your own questions and concerns with us.