black is the new clean & other manduka magic

despite the basic yoga principle, sauchat, for cleanliness, over time, loving your asana practice can lead to a soiled mat regardless of how clean your tootsies are or how often you clean (or don't clean) your mat.

so what's a yogi to do? [sigh]
simple, manduka your mat.

with more than 16 million americans stepping onto the mat these days, manduka is doing more than just scratching an itch, it is providing practical, affordable options while remaining eco-conscious & doing some worldly good while their at it, by staying true to its mat mantra: a better yoga mat could make a world of difference.

after taking the maduka eKO lite mat for a test-drive, the results are in:

• lavalicious - when the soles tend to get a little dingy - now it can be a secret only your mat will know about thanks to the ingenious 'lava' color option.
  
• no slip 'n' slide here - there are two different textures to the mat, both which prove to minimize slippage during a sweaty practice.
  
• cushion for pushin: the 1/8" is perfect for toting around town, while still providing just enough squishiness (yes, squishiness is a very technical term) to comfort knobby knees.
  
• lite is diet for mat - weighing in at just 3.5lbs, there's no reason to rent a stinky community mat again!
  
• the yoga runway - at 68" the eKO lite was certainly long enough for me at 5'2", but like with most other mats, taller yogis might need a little more room to walk their dog.
  

bottom line: manduka eKO lite is a quality mat made from non-amazon harvested, natural tree rubber that can lighten your load without lightening your wallet.

deal: fork over 42 big ones for an earth toned eKO lite mat.

spend $8.50 more and get:
option 1 - upgraded to an eKO lite for off the mat, into the world & a portion of the proceeds will be donated to off the mat, into the world, the organization inspiring yogis to gather their yoga badges earned on the mat and to put them to use in the real, less squishy, world.
OR
option 2 - a mat recycling kit, so you don't feel as guilty kicking your ex-mat to the curb.

poll of the month results - how often do you wash your yoga mat?

i seriously hope these stats are not reflective of personal bathing routines.

results:

• everyday 0%
• weekly 11%
• monthly 17%
• quarterly 28%
• annually 17%
• never (uh, wash? i didn't think i had to...) 28%

now, just go wash your mat.

glossies for less

amidst the many recent deaths in the glossy world, there are still some pretty pages you can flip through. so if you are still a closet tree killer who just loves to hold something tangible while reading, at least you can do it at with a time inc. employee discount.

maghound, the magazine lover's best friend.

enlighten up & get a free t in nyc

subsidize your movie-going experience with a yogacity nyc free t-shirt on on april 2 at 6:30 for a showing of ENLIGHTEN UP! at the ifc center.

tickets can be purchased the week of the show at http://www.ifccenter.com/. the first 50 peops to enter the theater will recieve yogacity nyc t-shirts - a worthy reason to make it for all of those pre-movie trailers....

dirty lil secret - confessions of a yogini

dear bendy yogi,

the cleaning of my yoga mat has been well overdue for a looooooong time (check out the pic if you don't believe me, you can probably make out a 'dirt angel' if you look). in the midst of my spring cleaning this past weekend i decided to add cleaning my yoga mat to my list of things to do [read: clean].

the directions on my kulae organic yoga mat cleaner suggested a few ways to clean my mat, depending on the level of dirtiness (e.g., daily cleaning, medium cleaning & deep cleaning & restoration).

i, obviously, opted for the deep cleaning & restoration option, which instructed me to:

• spray the mat directly with the solution.
• let it soak for 3 minutes.
  
• follow with a wet cloth & work it into a lather.
  
• rinse, wipe & air dry.
• repeat if necessary.
  
  

in my case the repeat was necessary, so i did all the aforementioned steps twice. it definitely cleaned up my mat, but i think this sucker will wear the badges of hours of down dog for life. all in all, i think it worked well (considering my filthy circumstances)! also, it now has a great citrus scent so at the very least my mat smells clean & fresh - despite some the permanent scars. in the future i'd love to be a "daily cleaner" - here's hoping!

-twisty twin

sound familiar?

show 'mat' some respect & commit to a cleanliness routine, after all it is a basic yoga sutra.

here are some options (now you have no excuse):

• a diy recipe - you'll need a spray bottle, water, & a few drops of the essential oil tea tree & lavender.
  
  

• dwell smartly on the go - not feeling crafty? get samatharoma yoga mat cleaner. it's all natural so you can use it to spritz your mat (& yourself) after a sweaty practice. it kills the nasties with essential oils of tea tree, lavender, pine, eucalyptus & geranium.
  
  
• the mat-er cleanse - cleansing is good for the body & the mat. when do you need more than just a spritz to wipe off the yoga wounds you inflicted on dear 'mat' try kulae organic yoga mat cleaner it's natural cleansing powers & citrus scent get you back to sauchat. hey, if twisty twin can do it, so can you!
  

now fess up & cast your vote: how often do you wash your yoga mat?

$500 of good vibes for one dear lil' fan

dear lil' devas & their 'good vibes policy,' may help you feel better about accumlulating more yoga stuff. this toronto-based company offers customizable, uber comfy bamboo & organic cotton yoga gear. one of it's most unique pieces is the multi-tasking blanket/wrap - yup, a blanket (amazing for svasana or snuggling) AND a long wrap skirt (great for covering up that yoga booty before/after practice) in one. this just screams yes for the traveling yogini in me!

dld is kind to the earth & community, makes beautiful things with them both.


deal: if that wasn't enough to make you a fan, now dear lil' devas is hosting a drawing for $500 (a credit for their conscious yoga life for a conscious lifestyle), simply become their fb fan by march 13th, 2009 & you'll be entered!

poll of the month results - what do you splurge on?

we're just going to keep this short & sweet. in these harder times we are facing, here is what you said you still splurge on:

• fitness/yoga 56%
• bath/beauty products 19%
• dining out 12%
• shoes 12%

glad to see everyone is staying in shape!