I bought a wrist mala from YogaBasics Japa Mala Beads. Twenty-seven beads on an elastic cord. I see the mala beads as a constant reminder that I can take my practice with me through out the day. The slight pressure on my wrist or the beads between my fingers and thumb can be evocative of the healing and strength that I develop on the mat, just as I often feel the same reaction to certain songs or kirtans that often serve as the background music to my practice.
My daughter gave me a full mala for Christmas, two years ago, which I keep hanging near my monitor at home. It's a bit bulky to carry around and I can't put it around my neck while at work. The wrist mala is more inconspicuous and more meaningful to me than wearing one of those colored plastic wristbands that symbolize various causes, like yellow for Lance Armstrong's campaign for cancer research.
YogaBasics Japa Mala Beads has a wide selection of full and wrist malas, as well as bags and boxes to store them. Diverse materials range from gemstones to hand-carved bone to wood.
Labels: hardware, life style, meditation
For the past six months, I have gone back and forth about buying a new yoga mat. I even returned one because it did not suit me. After looking at several brands and styles, I decided to get the Mandruka eKO because it comes in a larger size (26" x 71" x 5mm versus the more traditional 24" x 68") and I need the extra width, thanks to a correction made to me by Jordan Bloom. The mat is environmentally safe (natural rubber). Of course, at something like 7 pounds, it cannot be considered a travel mat -- in fact, most people would not think twice about picking it up and taking it to class. It's not going to fit into my current mat bag. It's literally laying a foundation for my practice. I really like the sticky touch of the dry surface, but it gets slick when wet.
I also picked up a large eQua towel. With eco-friendly mats, you can no longer dump them into the washer and put them through a cleaning cycle because that starts the bio-degrading process. They have to be cleaned by hand with cider vinegar and water or a specially formulated cleaner. I concluded that it's best to have a washable layer between me and my mat that will absorb the sweat and grim. Now, I just have to get used to doing my practice with the equivalent of a sheet under my soles. It's really hard in Warrior I and II because my feet start slipping out from under me. But I soon discovered that I needed the towel once I started sweating hard and dripping on the mat. Without a towel, my hands were slipping out from under me in Upward Bow or Wheel(Urdhva Dhanurasana).
Labels: hardware
I bought two videos produced and distributed by Pranamaya: Anatomy of Yoga with Paul Grilley and Insight Yoga with Sarah Powers. I took advantage of a 10% discount when you buy more than one video at a time. These DVDs are more expensive than most demo and instructional videos because they have a huge amount of material in. Both DVD have nearly four hours each of lectures and practice material, plus other instructional aids.
Why these two DVDs? I wanted to explore yang style of yoga with a strong fusion of Buddhadharma. The idea of slowing down the pace of my practice appeals to me. I want to understand the physical limits that the body imposes on yoga practice. I also needed to learn visually, as opposed to my normal use of reading.
Pranamaya has very high production values and seems to pick instructors and themes that dig deep into yoga practice. They don't produce DVDs for beginners. Gary Kraftsow, who heads the American Yoga Institute, has just released two DVDs on viniyoga therapy for back problems. Andrey Lappa has multiple releases that record his unique vision of yoga practice. Dharma Mittra, the NYC-based teacher who gained renown for a 908-pose chart, has two DVDs.
Labels: hardware, meditation, practice, videos
This article may help me decide what mat I should select after having wiffed on my first choice last month. Eco-friendly mats are tricky because they're new on the market and it's hard to know how they feel to the touch. Several that I've seen have a tendency to roll up at the ends. New York Times For Some Things, It’s O.K. to Be Sticky (Yoga Mats):
Some manufacturers are beginning to use natural and earth-friendly fibers and plastics instead. The resulting mats are not only biodegradable and free of hazardous chemicals, but their makers also say they provide more traction.
Labels: hardware
I purchased a new microfiber yoga mat from Drishti a few weeks ago. As I used it over the past few weeks, I became increasingly dissatisfied with it. It actually has a slick surface. From reading the product description, the stickiness is supposed to increase with sweat, but I didn't notice a difference. I guess I just don't sweat enough; it must work for Bikram or Ashtanga classes. I found my feet slipping further apart in Warrior I and II poses, and Wheel was impossible for me to even attempt, which was a major bummer because Wheel is one of my favorite poses.
On returning to the website to return the mat, I found that Drishti has a no-return policy for mats. I can fully understand why they have this policy. Who wants to buy a "refurbished" mat that has been sweated and stepped on. But I wrote a message making the case that the microfiber mat is a bit different from the standard sticky mat because you can't determine if it's suitable for the your practice until it's been used, until it's been sweated on. What's more, this is a premium ($65) mat; I could buy two or three mats for the price I paid for this one.
To Drishti's credit, they accepted my argument and allowed me to return the mat. Jennifer Rawlings, the owner, wrote back "You shouldn't be stuck with a $65 mat that doesn't work for you!" I can get a refund or request items in exchange. I dropped it into the mail last night. I will be placing another order with them tonight.
Kudos to Drishti for coming through. They are an outfit that definite tries to live their yoga. I would not hesitate in buying from them in the future, and I recommend the store to anyone else.
