Whether you’re in a Warrior 1, Downward Facing Dog, or Mountain Pose, your foundation anchors you to your breath. The diaphragm sits like a parachute, attached at the top to your sternum, at the bottom to your lower lumbar vertebrae. Those vertebrae are connected to your pelvis, your pelvis to your legs, and your legs to your feet.

The thigh bone’s connected to the-

Hip bone!

The hip bone’s connected to the-

Back bone!

Sing it with me!

Support and Comfort

The floor beneath your feet not only supports you, it also comforts you. Our bones are designed to stack on top of each other. In a standing position, you are able to connect with your core and feel the heat or tapas that supports you throughout the day. When we lay down, the surface beneath us comforts us so that we may feel the cooling energy of the moon throughout the night.

How does it feel to walk in the dirt? Earth beneath bare feet heals the soul. That healing can only take place when we ground down like a tree by water. The structure is the most important part of your practice. Without structure, you can’t sit tall and breathe deep. Without structure, you can’t stand up with your heart lifted in Mountain Pose. When you do have an appropriate framework beneath you, magic happens.

Rooted in Peace

Yoga Journal submits in a quote from this article, “From the core to the floor, we root down. This creates total body integration, or the movement of all parts. With total integration, we start to move with more ease and purpose. When you build a solid structure from the ground up, stress, imbalance, and rigidity melt away, and you begin to expand in new directions.”

The importance of creating a strong foundation on the mat translates to your life off the mat. Instead of being pulled in many different directions, you learn to stabilize yourself. Steady gaze, steady mind, and stable foundation act as a triangle of strength for your physical and mental health.

Contribute to Human Kind’s Progress

When you are stable, you set yourself up for greatness. If you have the right tools, you can create a launchpad for success. Just like healthy eating sets you up for healthy digestion and healthy physique, an environmentally friendly foundation will send a ripple of wellness throughout your body as you practice yoga.

You wouldn’t eat toxic chemicals, right? Then why would you practice yoga on them?

A friendly team of researchers have taken the time to evaluate yoga mats for dedicated yoga practitioners to act on. “We took note of the material used to make the mats and how much of an impact it had on the environment and health of the practitioner. We sent samples of each mat to the Ecology Center in Ann Arbor, MI to test for any toxicity.”

You know you are contributing to the progress of human kind when you choose one of the Best Yoga Mats of 2019. You can decide the foundation you’re going to create. Go through the list. Choose which mat will work best for your needs. Stabilize yourself with one of these mats so you can start your practice off on the right foot.

What more can you do?

Taking your practice off the mat, consider the impact your choices have on your life and in the lives of others. Once you establish a solid foundation, express your gratitude through acts of compassionate service. Make mindful decisions when going out to eat. Think of your digestive foundation and how it impacts your mental foundation. Keep the environment in mind when buying products for your home. Be kind. Be gentle. Be strong.

Namaste.