Guest guest Posted August 5, 2006 Report Share Posted August 5, 2006 Sat Nam, I'm looking for a mat that is like the Sheep Skin, but cruelty free. I just don't feel comfortablewith the idea practicing on animal skin, but I'd like something that feels similar in comfort and texture...All I've been able to find so far is an organic cotton mat and I'm not sure about purchasing it. Love, Light and Many Blessings, JP P.S. If you have any info to support the use of sheep skin in class or just an opinion about the use of it in class, I'd like to hear from you too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 6, 2006 Report Share Posted August 6, 2006 The point of using the sheepskin for meditation and yogais not to harvest it from a sheep for thos purposes. The unfortunate sheep is killed 99.9 per cent to harvest the meat for carnivores. The skin is a by-product. Using the sheepskin for yoga and meditation may actually advance the karmic cycle of that particular sheep since its skin is being used for a "spiritual" purpose. A cotton mat is ok but the sheepskin is a better insulator for handling the magnetic field of the earth while meditating. It is your choice. Keep up! KartaPurkh S Khalsa Your job is to deal with everything in life with affection, love and kindness. --Yogi Bhajan http://kartapurkhkhalsa.typepad.com/ http://kckundaliniyoga.com http://kartapurkh.smugmug.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 6, 2006 Report Share Posted August 6, 2006 Dear JP: I often hear comments from students or people not used to Kundalini Yoga. "How can you use a sheep skin? It's lamb skin! Oh! Even worse! How cruel!" Yes I hear you loud and clear. All I know is that the skin of a lamb is especially protective of our magnetic field and preserves its integrity. This is particularly important when we do Kundalini Yoga because of the power and intensity of the yoga we do. I heard of the case of a cancer patient who slept on a sheep skin. When he did not he felt exhausted. He may not have lived longer, but it was easier to live the ordeal at the end. I think of it what I think of the native American way. I thank the lamb. I hope to give back to the world in the way that he gives me daily. Blessings, Awtar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 6, 2006 Report Share Posted August 6, 2006 I too wrestled with the idea of using the skin of a once living animal for my practice. After some thought (and meditation) on it, I purchased 5 sheep skins, 4 for home practice and 1 for travel. It is my personal perspective, that I honor these animals by practicing yoga and meditation on them. I do not use the skins for casual purpose, but for spiritual expansion. I feel this is a benefit to all, and honors all life and death. These are very special skins to be a part of this process and I have this in mind when I do my practice. They are a part of my alter area and are much respected...so yes, much like Native American perspective, to honor the animal in this way, that the animals life and death cycle is contributing toward my spiritual work. The reason I eventually chose sheep skins over the other materials I was using, is the benefit to the electromagnetic field. When I do my practice now, I feel my energy is more contained and controled. I can feel subtle changes in my energy with more clarity now. It is possible that a shaved sheep woven mat might provide similar benefits of the wool. It will be a personal choice for you. Diana Bellucci, San Diego Make a Great Day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 6, 2006 Report Share Posted August 6, 2006 Hi JP, This is something that I’m wrestling with right now as well. My logical mind completely understands the benefit of protecting the magnetic field and that using the skin for spiritual purposes might prove beneficial in the karmic life cycle of the animal. I get this, but my heart mind is still wrestling with it. So I decided to approach this difficult dilemma the way I approach a difficult posture, by easing into it and not forcing myself to do what it isn’t ready to do. I may eventually use a sheep skin, but for the time being I’ve chosen to use an all natural mat made of jute and natural rubber. It’s non-toxic, friendly to the environment, and I bought it in a colorless natural colorâ€"as close to white as I could get. And it resolves the dilemma that my mind was wrestling over, at least for now. If you’re interested, the link is below. The company is in the UK, but it’s available from several US resellers such as Barefoot Yoga, Blue Canoe, and Green Yoga Association. http://www.ecoyoga.co.uk/ Blessings, Lori Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 7, 2006 Report Share Posted August 7, 2006 thank you so very much for sharing, I'm going to meditate about it and decide tomorrow....I'll keep you posted... Sat Nam & Sweet Dreams JP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 7, 2006 Report Share Posted August 7, 2006 Sat Naam, jis. During this discussion, I realized that I have no idea whether my sheepie is an actual skin or just the fleece. How do I tell? The underside does not look like some skins I have seen Bihar swamis or other Kundalini Yogis use. Her name is Amrita and I love her. Thanks! ranjit k. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 7, 2006 Report Share Posted August 7, 2006 Sat Nam Ranjit Kaur, I personally have never seen one with "just the fleece", I'm cuious about that one... the ones I have are like a soft suede underneath. I just LOVE that you named your mat, what a precious idea! I will have to come up with a names for mine (: thanks for the precious idea! (: in oneness Jiwan Shakti Kaur Tampa,FL > During this discussion, I realized that I have no > idea whether my > sheepie is an actual skin or just the fleece. How do > I tell? The > underside does not look like some skins I have seen > Bihar swamis or > other Kundalini Yogis use. Her name is Amrita and I > love her. > > Thanks! > ranjit k. > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 8, 2006 Report Share Posted August 8, 2006 Sat Nam, all ~ I must say that if a person is bothered by using a fleece, then my advice is: don't use the fleece! :-) I can't do Sun Salutations on them anyway. Love and Light, Avneesh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 9, 2006 Report Share Posted August 9, 2006 Sat Naam, The first definition of "asana" or "asan" is "seat" ~ the word refers to what the yoga was actually sitting on while meditating; his literal seat. As we know, "asana" also means the yogic posture, or position, or pose of the body, because these postures also are considered the bodily "seats" for meditation. What the yogi sits on ideally has a high vibration; is made of a material of high resonance. So, the more natural the better. The skins of certain animals have high, meditative vibrations, so they are sought after by yogis to sit on during practice. The following materials/asanas have been used by yogis since ancient times... I'm not entirely sure of the order, but the list goes more or less from lower to highest vibration: Earth/Ground Wood floor/Wooden bench Cotton blanket Wool blanket Sheepskin Deerskin Tigerskin ~ the Rishis who wrote the Vedas sat on tigerskins The sheepskin is the softest! Sat naam, ranjit k Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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