Health, Hygiene, and the Yoga Towel

So, what’s all the fuss about a yoga towel? A towel is a towel, right? No, not really. But, before we extol the diverse benefits of a good yoga towel, let’s talk a little about Yoga, itself.

The Benefits of Yoga

Yoga practitioners have discovered that regular yoga practice awakens both mind and body! Doing each pose perfectly requires your undivided attention, and such focus cultivates your mental awareness. Regular yoga practice fosters a healthy body through proper breathing for more oxygenation, greater flexibility for ease of motion, added muscle strength for confident movement, and perfect alignment for enhanced energy flow. 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 attempt to perform each pose correctly, 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 an uncluttered, serene space for your yoga practice, with a bare floor, preferably, and a clear wall. Avoid distractions, such as cell phones, during your yoga practice. For optimum function, 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 of how your body feels, and stop or pause if you feel any pain or discomfort while trying out a pose. 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 help you in moving deeper into a pose, in performing a flawless pose, and in practicing in a sound way.

There are a lot good reasons to think about using yoga props, not the least of which is that they help in relieving discomfort, even pain, during difficult yoga poses.

Yoga props also help to prevent injury when you are sometimes tempted to push too hard to “get it right.”

Relief from tension and relaxation benefits are an integral part of any yoga practice. Yoga props can give necessary support so you’re not tempted to “stress out” because you’re unable to do a certain pose.

The plumb line, that is, “head-over-heels” body alignment, is crucial in doing yoga poses correctly. Yoga props help you maintain appropriate alignment.

Ease and flexibility of movement are are another healthy part of the benefits to using yoga props. Certain props create space in the joints and let the body more fluid movement without causing stress on a particular joint.

And, finally, we’re back to one of the extraordinary benefits of yoga, i.e., the development of awareness and understanding. When you are free to focus on doing your yoga poses perfectly, rather than worrying about any limitations you might be experiencing, you are more capable to experience the deeper gifts of a regular yoga practice. Yoga props can assist in doing away with any limitations to your doing flawless yoga poses.

How to Use and Appreciate Your Yoga Towel

A yoga towel does exactly what you think it would, and more! Most often, when you think of a towel, you think about absorbency, expressly if you’re a hot yoga (think Bikram) enthusiasts. The capacity to wick away moisture (and sweat!) after a expressly energizing routine is important, and there are quite a few super-aborbent yoga towels composed of microfibers that do just that. Plus they dry faster than cotton towels. Most are colored with organic dyes and can easily be washed and dried safely. 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, be certain to get at least one mat-size yoga towel.

But, there’s more than one use for your yoga towel. In addition to promoting good health and hygiene, many yoga towels are made specifically to prevent slipping while as you move into your yoga poses. There are some 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!). The gripping action actually starts as you disperse your weight in a yoga posture. 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 when a mat isn’t available, or as suggested above, while performing “hot” yoga, such as Bikram. Because most yoga towels are of super-absorbent components, they are more utilitarian than a regular towel. A yoga towel that is the same size as your yoga mat is quite fashionable, as well as hygienic and healthy.

There are a variety of yoga towel colors available, but most come in earth tones.