So, what’s all the fuss about a yoga towel? A towel is a towel, right? No, not really. But, before we praise the many bonuses of a good yoga towel, let’s talk a little about Yoga, itself.
What Yoga Practice Can Do for You
Yoga assists you in awakening your inner body and enlivening your outer body! Yoga practice involves unburdening your mind and becoming completely aware of each pose. This augments inner awareness. Proper 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.
Patience is not only a virtue, it is the “key” to mastering a yoga pose, particularly 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 perfectly, 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 clean, peaceful space for your yoga practice, with a bare floor, if you can, and a clear wall. Remove any distractions from your yoga environment. 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 try 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 aid you in moving deeper into a pose, in performing an impeccable pose, and in practicing in a wholesome way.
There are a lot good reasons to give consideration to using yoga props, not the least of which is that they assist in relieving discomfort, even pain, during difficult yoga poses.
Until you’ve achieved core structural strength, yoga props can help you to avoid injuring yourself.
Doing yoga releases tension, and using props assists with stress relief by giving the support needed for you to relax (but not be lazy) in your practice.
Another dynamic of using yoga props is that they help you to maintain proper alignment and, as we all know, alignment is crucial to getting the most benefits from a pose.
Ease and flexibility of movement are important benefits to using yoga props. 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 concerned with unifying the mind, body and spirit through the expansion of a deeper awareness and the evolution 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 flawlessly, rather than worrying about transitory limitations, you will go deeper into that balance of mind, body, and spirit.
The Big, Beautiful Yoga Towel
A yoga towel does more than you might think! Naturally, when you think of a towel, you think about absorbency, especially all you hot yoga (think Bikram) enthusiasts. There are quite a few super-absorbent yoga towels available, 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. Most are made with organic dyes and can easily be washed and dried safely. A mat-size yoga towel puts a hygienic layer between you and your yoga mat.
Absorbency, however, is crucial, but your yoga towel offers even more. Many yoga towels are created especially to prevent slipping while you practice your yoga poses. There are a few unique 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. Yoga towels are crucial for a steadier, more stable practice.
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 participating in “hot” yoga, such as Bikram. Because most yoga towels are of super-absorbent materials, they out-perform a regular towel. The same size as a standard 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.