Selecting Yoga Clothes for Yoga Mama
The popular media has recently caught the scent of the growing importance of yoga within the blossoming lifestyle trends towards improving individual health and the wholeness of consciousness
http://organicclothing.blogs.com
The
popular media has recently caught the scent of the growing importance
of yoga within the blossoming lifestyle trends towards improving
individual health and the wholeness of consciousness. Some of these
articles have made a caricature of the yoga mama portraying only a tiny
tip of the iceberg while missing the enormous impact that this
lifestyle trend is creating within our society. But as they say, "All
publicity is good publicity" and we all welcome the recognition and
attention towards ways to improve our quality of life, health and
awareness.
The science, philosophy, practice and art of Yoga are vast. At its basis, Yoga is Union, union with the simplest form of awareness - Pure Consciousness. The many different branches and schools of Yoga all have the same goal: the complete integration and perfect functioning of body and mind. Because Yoga integrates and strengthens all aspects of our mind, body and awareness, the benefits from the practice of Yoga are wide and far reaching with improvements in cardiovascular efficiency, the respiratory system, muscular and structural flexibility and suppleness, greater emotional and mental balance, increased energy, reduced stress, increased mental clarity, and improved health.
The clothing that you wear when practicing Yoga should help you on the Path and not be a distraction. Your yoga clothing should allow you to move easily and freely in the different asana postures without strain or restriction. Keep these qualities in mind when selecting your yoga clothing:
- Comfortable. Yoga clothes should be
comfortable enough to allow free movement of various body parts in
almost all Yoga poses or positions. Some people prefer loose fitting
clothing that allows plenty of room to move and some prefer
close-fitting, stretchy clothing with a bit of lycra that won’t get in
the way of your movements. Either can work well and it is largely a
matter of choice. Make sure that your clothing also is suitable to
your level of modesty and that as you stretch and bend your clothing
doesn’t expose more of yourself than you feel comfortable with.
When choosing your yoga wear chose clothing made with pure organic cotton or hemp as these provide maximum comfort by allowing the body to breathe properly which is an essential for yoga apparel. Another important feature of Yoga clothes should be sweat absorbency to help keep you dry and comfortable. Besides being softer, the longer fibers of organic cotton have much greater moisture absorbency than chemically grown and processed conventional cotton. Hemp has the greatest absorbency of all the natural fibers and is a good choice for yoga and activewear clothing.
For
ladies, it is wise to invest in a good sport bra which can help
considerably with support and comfort. This will enhance and bring self
confidence during your yoga practice. Many sport bras are beautiful and
can be worn outside the yoga studio also. - Healthy. Our desire to improve our health through the practice of Yoga should be supported by wearing healthy, organic clothing. Conventionally grown cotton is the most chemically treated fiber and many of these chemicals are known or suspected carcinogens. The processing, dyeing and finishing of conventional cotton garments often use toxic chemicals to clean and bleach the fabrics, fasten the dyes, and "improve" the qualities of cotton. Be especially wary of any finishes for non-shrink, wrinkle-free and "easy care" garments. These easy care finishes typically are achieved only through the applications of harsh chemical finishes.
- Durable. The stretching, bending, and twisting of some yoga asanas can strain some seams and fabrics. Select well-constructed clothing with double seams and durable manufacturing. The longer fibers of organic cotton and hemp are naturally stronger, wear longer and are more comfortable.
- Life Sustaining. Practicing yoga will help us establish balance within ourselves and a balanced lifestyle in harmony with our environment. Part of this balanced lifestyle is acknowledging the right of all people to be paid a fair and just wage for their labors. When purchasing your yoga clothes look for clothing that has been manufactured in a Fair Trade, non-sweatshop environment.
We have noticed a strong upswing among people of all ages, backgrounds, interests, and abilities to realize the benefits from the simple and easy practice of yoga. To find yoga classes and instruction in your area, check your Yellow Pages under “Yoga Instruction”, do an Internet search using “yoga class”, or visit one of the yoga directory sites such as YogaFinder or Yoga Journal to locate classes in your locale.
Very, very few yoga mamas buy $700 strollers but all can enjoy the many benefits from the simple, peaceful and enjoyable practice of Yoga.
Enjoy.
MichaelLotusOrganics.com
