Live Well: Yoga-themed gifts
Here’s a gift guide for your favorite yogi. No, not me, but thanks for the kind thoughts! I’m talking that one yogi in your life who keeps trying to persuade you to go to class with her. Again, not me. (But I sure would love a homemade eye pillow!) (I kid! I kid!)
• First and foremost, a completely selfless and cheap gift requiring only your time and whatever class costs, is to accompany your yogi to class. Practicing yoga with a loved one can be highly enjoyable. Then you’ll know what she means when she talks about finding her deepest utkatasana ever.
• Gift card to studio — Your yogi probably has a favorite place to practice. Many yoga studios offer gift cards or you can pre-pay for a set number of classes.
• Private session — If she has favorite classes, she probably has a few teachers she really enjoys. Dig a little, find out their names and contact them through the studio or gym. Chances are good they’d be open to giving a private class or two.
• Online yoga subscription — Perhaps your yoga lover is on the shy side or prefers practicing on her own. Online yoga classes are inexpensive and just the thing to mix it up a bit. There are a bunch out there, so do a little research. Try myyogaonline.com, yogatoday.com or yogadownload.com.
• A mat or customizable mat — Everytime I wear holes in my mat and need a new one, I can’t wait to practice on it. It’s like falling in love all over again. If your yoga lover is a die-hard daily yoga practitioner, a quality mat could be the way to go. You can research eco-friendly ones from Jade or Manduka, or customize a mat just for her with online sites like yogamatic.com or cafepress.com that use your own images.
• Yoga Towel — Does your yogi practice in a heated yoga room? Does she practice Bikram-style hot yoga? That means sweat, and lots of it. A yoga mat can literally turn into a not-so-fun Slip ’N Slide. Many people use a long, absorbent towel made especially for yoga with teeny nubs on the bottom of it. You lay it down on the mat, it grips, the sweat is absorbed and everybody’s happy. Try Yogitoes Skidless Yoga Towel or Gaiam Thirsty Yoga Towel. Regular old extra large towels can also work.
• Props like blocks and straps — Give your yogi “props.” You can find eco-friendly bamboo blocks and straps online, at studios and in local sporting goods stores or Target and Walmart.
• Restorative yoga — I believe everybody can use a restorative yoga practice, one in which you use lots of soft, supportive bolsters, blankets and other props to fully support yourself. No muscles are working and you relax for long stretches at a time. How about a beautifully-colored bolster and a copy of “Relax and Renew,” a restorative yoga book by Judith Hanson Lasater.
• Yoga music — There is an endless supply of music for yoga practice. Some yogis enjoy soothing chants, others prefer to rock out. Just ask. Try these sites: newearthrecords.com or omstream.com.
• The aforementioned eye pillow — Eye pillows are a juicy addition to anybody’s practice. They’re rectangular and scented or unscented pillows that rest comfortably across your eyes as you lay in corpse pose (savasana) at the end of class. Their weight keeps the eyelids shut and the light out. You can even make one if you’re ambitious and talented with a needle, or try etsy.com and type in “eye pillow.”
• Stainless steel water bottle
• Yoga books — How about a copy of “Light on Yoga” by B.K.S. Iyengar, “Autobiography of a Yogi” by Paramahansa Yogananda, “Yoga and the Quest for the True Self” by Stephen Cope or “Living Your Yoga” by Judith Hanson Lasater, along with a box of tea or bottle of kombucha.
• Yoga mat wash — Some studios sell spray bottles of cleaner for those well-used mats. If you feel like channeling Martha Stewart, you can make your own. Mix white vinegar and water, or use a few essential oils, like tea tree, peppermint and lavender, mixed into distilled water.
• Subscription to a yoga magazine — Try Yoga Journal (yogajournal.com), Fit Yoga Magazine (fityoga.com) or Yoga International (himalayaninstitute.org/yi).
Jennifer Mulson teaches yoga at Corepower Yoga and Gold’s Gym in Colorado Springs. Read more Live Well columns and watch yoga videos at gazette.com.
