Missing My Mat

A few weeks ago, I packed up all my belongings (except one suitcase) and moved across the country. As I was packing, I did a lot of groaning and grumbling. "Why on earth do I have so much stuff!? I don't even use most of this stuff!" Well, now that I'm back in California and living out of that one suitcase I left behind, I am beginning to understand why I own so much stuff.

I miss my things. I miss my husband and my cat (not my "things," but still). I miss my dishes and my sheets, my desk. And, yes, the couch I was so willing to abandon just to lighten our load. But one of the things things I miss most is my Jade Harmony yoga mat.

I have a mat here, but I'll be honest—it sucks. I was my first yoga mat, and I bought it in my college's book store when I was 18 years old because it was on the required list for my first yoga class. Sure, I get a little nostalgic when I unroll it for a quick practice, but it's thin and slippery and it just won't do.

In my years practicing yoga, I've had a lot of yoga mats. I think it's the same for most yoga students. You start with a crappy mat because you don't know anything about what you want. Then, you start to understand the poses and the kind of practice you like so you upgrade and get something a little better. And you'll keep doing it until you find the one that's best for you. You fall in love, and go steady, then it just doesn't feel right to use any other mat.

Well, if you're not in a committed relationship with a mat, let me save you some trouble. In my mind, there are only two kinds of yoga mats that are worthy of a commitment: Jade and Manduka. Don't bother with the rest. They'll just clutter your closet, deplete your bank account, and be something else to move someday.

What mat do you use? How did you know it was your match?