Mats!

Namaste! Today I wanted to post my recommendations for yoga mats. As a teacher, I get lots of questions from students about mats. So, to my dear students & friends: here ya go!

I spent YEARS looking for just the right mat for my practice. I can't tell you the number of mats I bought & slid around on. And most yoga mats (the sticky kind) are made of PVC. On those mats, they would flatten when my hands/feet where on them so much, it was like not even having a mat. Oh my poor hips in Dhanurasana!

After lots of different mats, I finally found my favorites. And, I gave away the mats I didn't like.

Here are my top two:

1) Harmony Yoga Mats by Jade Yoga. Find out more about them here:http://www.jadeyoga.com/store/home.php

My take: This mat holds a special place in my heart. It was the first one I can say worked! The first one I didn't slip on. I put my hands down, and they stay there! This is the one I use when I teach. I use it when I teach simple because it's not as heavy as the Manduka mat below. Although, after much use, it's started to show some wear. I still don't care, I love this mat...and will buy others in the future. I like it because I don't slide, and it's rubber...so it has more cushion than my old mats. It feels better because it doesn't "give" as much.
Costs: Around $50 retail

2) The Manduka mat, aka theTaj Mahal of yoga mats here: http://www.amazon.com/Manduka-71-Inch-Yoga-Mat-Black/dp/B0000DZFXZ

My take: This mat is great! It's the one I recently purchased after hearing from MANY yoga teachers that this was THE mat to have. It's heavy though; it weighs almost 7 pounds!! Because of the weight, this one stays home on my floor for home practice. I don't slide, it's SUPER thick, and it's supposed to last forever. And from the ones I've seen, I believe it will. Downside: you pay extra for the Taj Mahal of yoga mats. This one costs almost $80. But, if you consider all the mats I've bought, I'm more than paid for it in awful mats!

So, check them out & see what you think. The Harmony mat is now available in 3 thicknesses. :o) BOTH of these are better for the environment than the PVC mats. Since they last longer, they are less likely to end up in landfills. But yes, both of these are more expensive than the PVC mats. You pay for quality.

If you decide you want a Harmony mat, I am set up to purchase these wholesale. If I can get an minimun order of 4 mats, I can get them cheaper than the retail price listed above. All these prices are before shipping costs, of course. Email me if interested!

These 2 mats are the only mats that get the Yoga with Marianne stamp of approval currently. You can use PVC mats...some are better than others, but if you want a good mat, and you plan to stick with yoga and want your hands to stick in Downward Facing Dog, then go ahead & invest a little more.

Your wrists, hips and knees will thank you!

Happy Yogaing!