So you have found your yoga space and you are ready to go, but you would like to invest in a new mat but unsure on what one to purchase and what else you might need and how you can be resourceful at home to save money.
Yoga props you can use:
Yoga mat. If there is one thing you would like to purchase I would recommend a yoga mat. You can purchase quite inexpensive mats from around £10 from Amazon, the trouble is many of the cheaper mats can make you loose your grip when in downward facing dog or transitioning between poses. A relatively cheap but good yoga mat is 'The yogamatters sticky mat' Over the years I have tried many yoga mats, from £10-£100 but my absolute favourite range of mats I have loved to use are the YogiBare mats they offer the right amount of grip and movement and offer a lovely amount of thickness. What is also wonderful about YogiBare mats is that they are eco friendly made from natural rubber and for every mat purchased they plant a tree in its place.
Having a blanket is a wonderful item to have, whether its to place underneath your knees when in a low levelled lunge or table top, to roll up and place underneath the backs of your knees when taking a seated forward fold or for bringing comfort to your body during Savasana (lying meditation)
Yoga blocks help in almost any posture to feel grounded, balanced, lengthened, or relaxed. If you don't have yoga bricks you can always use hard back books as a substitute. A great Yoga Block you can purchase is through SweatyBetty.
A bolster is a beautiful prop with so many benefits – it helps open the heart, can support the low back, aids in restorative postures, helps to go deeper into postures, or it can be use behind the knees during Savasana. Yogipod has a wonderful range of bolsters, though a good way to substitute a yoga bolster is the grab a couple of pillows and wrap a blanket around them.
Meditation pillow - not necessary but a great addition if meditation and pranayama exercises are part of your yoga practice. It helps to elevate your hips to allow your body to sit up right with ease, you can easily substitute a meditation pillow with a yoga brick or 2 yoga bricks and placing a blanket on top to make it softer to sit on. Again Yogipod has some wonderful meditation pillows.
A strap can make a lot of postures more accessible, it can be used like an extension of your arm. Even if you are flexible, it just makes everything feel juicier. Alternatively you can always use a scarf.
A yoga pillow can be a lovely addition during meditation when you are lying on your back as they offer a lovely therapeutic weighted release filled with linseed and lavender.