The Big, Beautiful Yoga Towel
So, what’s the big deal about a yoga towel? A towel is a towel, right? No, not really. But, before we applaud the many rewards of a good yoga towel, let’s discuss a bit about Yoga, itself.
The Benefits of Yoga
Yoga practitioners find that habitual yoga practice awakens both mind and body! As you empty your mind to give your complete attention to each pose, you awaken your “inner body” awareness of the present moment. Your “outer body” profits as each pose nourishes, energizes, and revitalizes every cell, fiber, and tissue as a result of enhanced breathing, flexibility, strength and alignment. The goal of yoga practice is to create a union between the body, mind and spirit.
Patience is not only a virtue, it is the “key” to mastering a yoga pose, specially when combined with ample time and commitment. Do not expect perfect poses in the beginning. 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.
Choose a fresh, quiet space for your practice area, preferably with a bare floor and an accessible wall. Avoid distractions, such as cell phones, during your yoga practice. Ideally, 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 attempt 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 perfect for benefiting you in moving deeper into a pose, in performing a flawless pose, and in practicing in a sound way.
There are quite a few excellent reasons to consider using yoga props, not the least of which is that they help in relieving discomfort, even pain, during difficult yoga poses.
Occasionally we all “push” instead of “ease” into a yoga pose, and injury sometimes occurs. Yoga props can offer the support and extensions needed to do a pose correctly.
Doing yoga releases tension, and using props adis with stress relief by offering the support you require 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 accurately. Yoga props are fundamental in aiding appropriate alignment.
Yoga props help to enhance movement. When your joints move with ease, instead of “rubbing you the wrong way,” your yoga poses are more fluid. Certain props actually open space in the joints.
As we mentioned earlier, yoga practice is about unifying the mind, body and spirit through the nurturing of a deeper awareness and the augmentation of mindfulness. How can yoga props assist in this great goal? When you are able to simply focus your mind on doing your yoga poses correctly, rather than concerning yourself with 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 exactly 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 available, some made of microfibers, that wick away moisture (and sweat!) during and after a particularly energizing routine, and they dry in far less time 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. Though you may want to get more than one size towel, if you want to place a hygienic layer between you and your yoga mat, make sure to get at least one mat-size yoga towel.
Absorbency, however, is crucial, but your yoga towel offers even more. In addition to offering good health and hygiene, many yoga towels are made implicitly to prevent slipping while as you move into your yoga poses. There are several distinctive non-slip designs, like one with “silicone eco nubs” on one side, and another with clear rubber dots. Some 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!). Once you distribute your weight in a yoga posture, the gripping action starts, in this way keeping your hands or feet from slipping mid-stretch. 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 performing “hot” yoga, such as Bikram. Because most yoga towels are of super-absorbent fabrics, they out-perform a regular towel. The same size as a average yoga mat, the towel is somewhat fashionable and very effective.
Most yoga towels come in earth tone shades from tan to deep gray, green, and dusty purple.
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