Saluting the Sun, Moon & Earth with every Om

photo by lululemon athletica

Saluting the Sun, Moon & Earth with every Om
By Kelly Wu

Namaste.

Before you begin warming up with your sun salutation, ever wonder how green is your yoga practice? For yoga can be green even on a personal level, you know, like wearing yoga gear that is eco-friendly, opting for eco yoga mats and eco yoga props…

This article will not dwell too deep into eco-friendly yoga gear, for that’s an entire article in itself. If you want to know more about some of the brands, click here.

For yoga mats, many of us simply make use of the common ones provided in studios (which unfortunately are more often made of PVC than not!). The good news is that using common mats actually saves resources. But for serious yogis who practice at home or those particular about hygiene, you will definitely buy your own. Here’s where you have a choice. There are greener alternatives to the typical PVC mats we use. You can go for a natural rubber mat or a plant fiber mat. Example is the jute mat, which is woven and biodegradable.

More sustainable alternatives for yoga props like blocks and bolsters are also available. They are typically made of bamboo or corks harvested from sustainable sources and are non-toxic and chemical free.

Elsewhere in the world, there are more ambitious projects going on, creating green yoga studios. In general, these studios follow the principles of typical eco-friendly buildings. They have better insulation, are more energy efficient and use recycled or renewable building material such as bamboo.

Beyond the material level, if you were to look deeper, yoga practice in itself connects you to the Earth. It enhances your awareness to your body and your surroundings. The air you breathe, the wind that touches your skin, the ground that supports you, saluting the sun or the moon… It’s all about you and your relationship with the Environment. So if you have the opportunity to bring your practice to the outdoors, be it just facing a reservoir or on a balcony looking up to the sky, I highly recommend it!

Nothing beats yoga practiced with awareness. Think about how the various poses that connect you to the Environment, the tree pose where you literally mimic a tree – standing rooted to the ground and reaching up tall. Or the Warrior One pose where you place your feet firmly on the ground as you reach for the sky. There are also many yoga poses inspired by animals. The downward facing dog, the fish pose, the cobra pose, and the locust pose etc. Or simply think about just watching the air coming in and out with each breath…. As one yoga teacher Shiva Rea puts it “Yoga came from the observation of nature…”

Om…. May you be well and happy.

Namaste.