It is common to see people who practice yoga with rolled-up synthetic mats before or after the session. However, most kundalini yogis have taken it quite a notch higher by using sheepskin as their preferred yoga mat type.
Well, so what is Kundalini yoga? Kundalini refers to a meditative, spiritual type of yoga that has recently gained popularity. It entails sitting on your yoga mat and meditating between 5-minute repetitive poses with closed eyes. Other activities include chanting mantras and breathing exercises.
But why do kundalini yogis use sheepskin mats instead of synthetic yoga mats? Let us find out.
Why Do Kundalini Yogis Use Sheepskin?
Below is a detailed look into why Kundalini yogis use sheepskin during their practices.
1. Acts As An Insulation
Yogis highly regard sheepskin as they believe it protects their aura energy from the earth’s electromagnetic fields. Therefore, allowing them to enjoy easy meditation.
2. Soft And Comfortable
Taking your sitting posture through the kundalini sessions, what better comfort will you feel than when using a soft, lush sheepskin mat?
The luxurious mat will cushion you against any pressure points for a truly profound experience. Moreover, its soft texture gives yogis a tremendously soothing experience.
3. Heightens The Meditation Effect
Yogis also hold on to the fact that using a sheepskin mat heightens their level of consciousness while in meditation. They do so by connecting their energy with that of the sacred animal, the sheep. Therefore, using the sheepskin deepens their meditation levels.
4. Viewed As A Sacred Space
A sheepskin mat is regarded as a sacred space in which one experiences a deeper connection between self and the universe than when using human-made yoga mats.
In addition, yogis believe the prayers, reverence, and meditations done on it bless the sheep by freeing its soul to higher dimensions.
As a result, the wool skin used to make this yoga mat should be sourced from a mature sheep that recently died due to old age. The said sheep shouldn’t have been raised for the sole purpose of wool shredding.
Also, the wool is sourced directly from approved farms that have passed the animal welfare certification standards, but most importantly, they ethically obtain wool.
5. It’s An Ancient Tradition
Around 1968, Yogi Bhujan introduced Kundalini yoga to the western world, especially the United States and Canada. He reiterated the importance of using a sheepskin yoga mat to enhance one’s meditation level.
Furthermore, he held that it deepens one’s meditation and believed that the prayers offered while using the mat help the sheep’s soul reach high levels of spiritual evolution.
Nonetheless, Yogi Bhajan did not restrict yogis from using the sheepskin during kundalini but left it as a personal decision. However, based on his counsel, many yogis use the luxurious sheepskin mat for kundalini.
Additionally, ancient yogis, the likes of Shavi, used animal skin. Some animal skins they used included tiger skin and deer skin.
6. It Is Breathable
Sheepskin features a lot of tiny air pockets that enhance its breathability nature. Therefore, the sheepskin mat can whisk away any sweat from your body as you practice and meditate during the kundalini yoga session.
7. Perfect Exercise Mat
All sheepskin feature wool crimps or the waviness of wool, although the levels of crimps differ from one sheep breed to the other. But why does it matter?
Well, wool crimps can bounce back, thus, supporting your body movements as you practice kundalini. Fine wool especially has higher wavy lines, unlike long wools hence higher levels of bounce, and the opposite is true.
So, finding a sheepskin yoga mat made from fine wool will make a huge difference.
READ ALSO: What To Do With Raw Wool? (7 Best Uses You Didn’t Know!)
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Why Do Kundalini Yogis Wear White?
Kundalini yogis put on white garments made from organic fabrics, that is, cotton or linen, which is one of the most striking things you will notice about them.
So why do they dress up in white?
1. As A Way of Purifying One’s Aura
As we know, white reflects color and light. So, yogis believe that by putting on a white color, you will reflect external negative energy while protecting the purity of your aura.
In turn, your large, protected aura expands your spheres by projecting positive energy while attracting prosperity.
2. Helps You Achieve Deeper Self-Awareness
The main aim of practicing kundalini yoga is to experience self-consciousness and have a more profound intuition. Consequently, you will experience a flow of divine kundalini energy.
That’s why putting on a plain reflective color is paramount to setting your mood and keeping you focused. You’ll also be connected to higher consciousness as you introspect and internalize yourself deeply.
In addition, since wool is white, it radiates within your inner self, aiding your meditation.
3. To Connect with Others on Higher Levels
Putting on white clothes allows people to interact with you without distraction but in more focused interactions hence better connections.
Additionally, when you wear white as a community, you reflect external distractions while building up higher spiritual energy. As a result, you enjoy some level of shared commitment and focus.
4. Keeps You Relaxed and Comfortable
Kundalini yoga entails breathing exercises, mantra chanting, and practicing kriyas. These yoga activities aimed at raising full mental and physical awareness can take a toll on your body, leading to body heat and sweat.
Putting on a white cloth reflects the heat away from your body, thus keeping you cool, which is particularly important during the meditation stage.
Why Do Kundalini Yogis Use Sheepskin Yet They Are Vegetarians?
There’s a lot of controversy surrounding the yogis’ veganism and the use of sheepskin yoga mats simultaneously.
Well, yogis view sheepskin as a by-product of ethically bred sheep but not for the wool industry. They are also specific about the sheep they obtain the wool from. For instance, they should have died recently from a natural cause and been bred by farms certified and approved by animal welfare.
Also, yogis who use sheepskin are encouraged to offer thanksgiving prayers for the sacred sheep as a form of animal blessing whenever they practice kundalini yogis.
What Are The Benefits Of Kundalini Yoga?
Kundalini yoga comes with tons of benefits. Some of them include:
- It encourages peace and self-acceptance.
- It elevates your IQ level and creativity.
- Kundalini yoga helps you achieve total self-awareness.
- Unlocks your full potential helping you live a more fulfilling life.
- It encourages empathy and compassion towards others.
- Kundalini suppresses your stress levels and body tensions significantly.
Conclusion
Now we know the main reasons why kundalini yogis use sheepskin. They have placed sentimental value on the sheepskin mat as a sacred space. It’s also soft and comfortable, heightens meditation levels, and also acts as an insulation protecting your energy from the earth’s magnetic energy.
Many people practicing even the usual yoga are now turning away from synthetic yoga mats and embracing the sheepskin yoga mat due to its many benefits.
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