We talk so much about yoga trousers and the qualities the trousers need in order to perform yoga with freedom, however what about yoga tops?. For me it is again something that enables you to breathe fully into the abdomen and you don’ have to worry about tucking the top into your yoga trousers when you are in inversions. For women it is important that the yoga clothes are not too low cut so that you feel comfortable when coming into some of the asanas and not worrying about showing cleavage. I like to wear crop tops as they are not too low cut and enable you to breathe into the abdomen and you can wear a variety of yoga tops with them, without detracting from the practice.. Also yoga camisoles perform the same task and cover the abdomen.
When you are relaxing a thick fleece may be ideal or a top which keeps your muscles warm after your asana practice. I also like to live in yoga outside of class so I choose clothing which still resonates with yoga and enables me to still feel in the zone. Kaftans are great examples of clothing that still resonates in the yoga zone, basically whatever keeps you grounded and in the spiritual zone.
We always tend to use an oblong shaped mat but how about a circular yoga mat, which enables you to move into all asanas without having to move your mat. The Natural Mandala Full Circle Yoga Mat is perfect for fitness, pilates, dance or yoga practice. Mandala means circle in Sanskrit, the full 5ft circular mat allows for complete freedom of movement, promoting fluidity of posture and position, without the usual restrictions that an oblong mat creates. It is a perfect tool for yoga teachers who can now keep the mat in one position. One disadvantage is that the mats take up so much room, however if you have the space then this is a perfect mat. I think it is important that the yoga student or teacher also considers the environment and therefore any mats made from natural materials has to be a positive. Try jute, natural tree mats, flax or any mat which is biodegradable and eco friendly. Also think about the style of yoga you are peforming, do you need a mat which is more slippery for flow yoga perhaps or one which is sticky and holds you for some of the more static moves. There is so much choice out there so it is important you take your time when choosing a mat which will last you for years. Colour, shape and material are all important points
I am really pleased to see so many more men taking up yoga and there are also some amazing male teachers around too. I was asked the other day what men should wear for yoga and when Tribal Earth will start to design yoga clothes for men. So with this in mind, we would love to hear from you and of course your ideas as to what would make perfect yoga clothing for men.
For me yoga encompasses a complete workout for the body, mind and soul and it never ceases to amaze me how light and refreshed I feel when I have finished my yoga class. So what do I wear? Comfortable cotton or hemp yoga trousers with some give on the waist to enable me to breathe fully into the stomach. I love earthy and spiritual colours, so tend to opt for browns, dark blues, purples and white. We are all individuals though and have our own journeys in yoga, so please let us know what you prefer to wear to your yoga class.
The question is when will it be right to start making our yoga clothing in the UK again. I would love to make yoga clothes here in the UK but at what point does that become viable. With the rising cost of producing abroad there has to come a time when there is a breakeven point, and it becomes feasible to produce here again. Are you as the consumer happy to pay a higher price to support low carbon foot print and boost employment in the UK – or with inflation running so high is this not an option.
For companies like ‘Tribal Earth’ that are involved with manufacturing clothes it would definitely be an advantage to manufacture in Britain. I believe it enables us to be more flexible, more creative and actually train our own workforce in proper skills. The UK was always been known for its quality and creativity and I still believe this will go full circle and we will be proud of producing here again.
At the moment ‘Tribal Earth’ produce a few of its products in our own production environment and some in India. When choosing partners to work with we only work with fair trade, ensuring that the workforce is paid well and work is given to people who are really needy and where the employer has invested in the staff. So the ideal solution for Tribal Earth is to produce some yoga clothing and accessories here and continue to ensure that we choose to only work with ethical companies in India
So how do our fleece sleeves add anything to your yoga clothing wardrobe?. Well with winter just around the corner they add another layer. These fleece sleeves can be useful in keeping your arms and hands warm after a yoga workout. Adding any layer after a workout is a good idea so that muscles are kept warm. I love to wear these yoga accessories in my own personal meditation and relaxation sessions, in fact I find myself adding leggings, socks and big thick blankets. Even if you choose to not wear these in the yoga class, then there is definitely a place for them outside the class. These fleece sleeves which also double up as gloves with the elegant point reaching over the hand, keep you in the yoga zone outside of the class. Yoga is not just for the class, so anything which helps to remind you of the yoga way of living is a helpful tool. So for me the fleece sleeves are definitely part of my yoga clothes collection.
October is most certainly the month for yoga here in the UK, with the yoga show at the end of the month. Two years ago Tribal Earth made its debut and what fun that was. At that first show I thought there would be ample time to wander around and look at other stands, go and listen to a presentation or even try and take part in a yoga session or two. How wrong I was, the stand was busy from the moment the doors opened. Staying centred and calm were two yoga concepts that were hard to maintain, as enthusiastic yogis from all over the world descended on our stand. With an opportunity to feel and try the quality of our yoga clothes we were delighted at the positive feedback. Since that show we haven’t looked back with customers coming back time and time again to our online store.
So what’s new this year you may ask? Well we have added ‘natural purple’ to our yoga wrap trouser range and have introduced a good quality classic range of black trousers. This time I am so much better prepared, knowing that the show will once again be busy, three days of nonstop yoga, an event not to be missed if you can help it.
When thinking about what yoga clothing is best for your yoga practice, does colour really matter? I personally think it depends on the style of yoga or the focus for that yoga session, when colour can play an important role. Purple and white are so often associated with the spiritual realm and therefore either of these colours can be a perfect choice, especially if you are performing meditation in your practice. In deed it is traditional to wear white cotton (natural fibres) for Kundalini yoga. Greys and Blues are excellent for expressing yourself in yoga and can be helpful for the yoga teacher wishing to communicate their yoga more effectively. Green and Pink yoga clothes are often the perfect choice. Why do I say perfect? – These colours resonate with the heart chakra, which is a half way house between being grounded and in the spiritual zone. Different shades of natural green often show a symbiotic relationship with nature and help us to open that space in our yoga practice, helping us to build compassion with others and a deeper connection with nature. Black, Reds, Oranges and variations of yellow are more earth bound, often giving us that extra energy to activate the lower chakras. So for me colour is important when choosing your yoga clothes, however like most yogis perhaps intuition gravitates you to the right yoga clothing.
Last week in one of Tribal Earth’s yoga classes, we discussed the very important psoas muscle and tried to locate the muscle whilst warming up and performing asana. My students commented on how freeing it was to swing the hip back and forth and how by stretching into a lunge seemed to create more energy in the body. The psoas is lengthened whilst performing backbends and in positions such as the lunge, whilst shortened in forward bends and in sitting positions. As the psoas sits behind the abdomen it is important that it is stretched to stop pressure being exerted on the abdomen and making the belly protrude.
The psoas muscle is linked to emotional tension and therefore I can understand why the class found working the hip flexors and lengthening the psoas muscle so freeing. A flexible psoas may help to resolve lower back pain, sacroiliac pain, sciatica, knee problems and numerous other ailments. When we see supple yoga students who appear to move with ease from extension to flexion then this is probably a result of a flexible psoas muscle. A muscle which has a key role in maintaining the core, keeping hips square and strengthening foundations of our torso.
So at your next yoga class, see if you can get to know your psoas muscle more intimately
When you learn to go within, you become more in tune with energy or life force within the body. As you become more aware of your own energy, you can start to recognise how when you are stressed you block energy, it may be in the shoulders, neck, back or any part of the body. Surveying your body during deep relaxation or meditation will help you to identify where you hold the tension. Encouraging the free flow of energy helps you to heal yourself, unblocking the trapped energy and bringing about vitality. One of the exciting aspects of yoga is that you can start to find better health through understanding that when you block energy in the body it manifests itself over time as physical illness. So a combination of meditation, relaxation and breathing exercises are the key to tapping into wellness. As a yoga teacher I love some of the following exercises to help to encourage energy flow in the body. Colour meditations are a very useful tool, visualising the breath in the body is another interesting exploration and repeating mantras which work with healing vibration in the body can be helpful. Have fun.
We talk so much about yoga trousers and the qualities the trousers need in order to perform yoga with freedom, however what about yoga tops?. For me it is again something that enables you to breathe fully into the abdomen and you don’ have to worry about tucking the top into your yoga trousers when you are in inversions. For women it is important that the yoga clothes are not too low cut so that you feel comfortable when coming into some of the asanas and not worrying about showing cleavage. I like to wear crop tops as they are not too low cut and enable you to breathe into the abdomen and you can wear a variety of yoga tops with them, without detracting from the practice.. Also yoga camisoles perform the same task and cover the abdomen.
