My baby sister calls me ‘grasshoppie’, because I cannot sit at one place. I’ve always been a wanderer – the gypsy kinds – forever on the look out for reasons to get out of house – whether it is to buy a loaf of bread or a sprig of fresh coriander. I love to wrap a heap of clothes in an old saree and head to the laundry every week only because it sits next to my favourite café that sits next to one of the popular bookstores in town. Jump to conclusion – you can only imagine how bereaved I was once the lockdown was announced.

Before the world closed its doors, the highlight of my week was the bi-weekly trip to my yoga class. No matter how tired I was with the day-long teaching, how loudly the clouds thundered or how merciless the sun beat us down, I’d never miss class. And so my heart broke a little when ‘learning from the comfort of our homes’ became the new normal.

Even though I wasn’t exactly convinced about the idea, I started teaching a zoom class with precisely two students. How was I supposed to help them twist their navel skin, pull their hips, push their shoulders, roll their buttocks and sink my fingers into their sweaty skull with verbal instructions? And how were my teachers supposed to do the same to me? But not learning how to ‘zoom’ would mean not seeing my students at all, and missing out on the yoga treasure trove that so many accomplished teachers had to offer to me, and to so many others.

However, I must confess that if there’s thing I’m grateful for in the recent past, it is ‘Zoom Yoga’. My at-home practice has made me realise that yoga doesn’t necessarily have to be practiced in open-deck studios, paradisaical islands or idyllic seaside towns. The progress I’ve made in this one year is phenomenal, and I owe it to the divinity within me. You see, the birth of self-discovery needs just two things – calming vibes and a yoga mat.

Your mat never leaves your side
There’s a reason why most yoga practitioners refuse to part with their first yoga mat. Over years, we’ve bathed these tapestries in green juice, cracker crumbs, sweat, and tears. They’ve be clawed by cats and frayed at places. And yet, we will neither give them away nor share them with anyone, because they have soaked up our invaluable energies. Our mats are a witness to our face plants in crow pose as well as our ferocious post-menstrual Warriors. They have seen us trip, tumble and triumph.

It won’t judge you
Your mat will peer at you from the corner of a room gathering dust with inexhaustible patience, while you continue to slump on the couch and binge on Netflix, nachos and Nutella. And when you finally decide brush the cobwebs, roll it out and lie down, it’ll provide you what you need the most – sanctity, support and strength.

Melt into your mat, not the arms of a lover
We live in a world where nothing lasts forever – not even love. And the only person you can really depend on is yourself.  You’ll never have to beg your mat for attention. You could be wearing primordial pants you bought at an H&M sale, a kundalini playsuit, leggings made from bamboo fabric; you could be smelling like lilacs or stinking to high heaven – it’ll embrace you with open arms for a child’s pose, help you grow roots in the tree pose and rejuvenate your spine in a twist.

It’ll wick away your tears
Have you experienced this intense gush of emotions during an intense backbending class? That one moment in a Cobra or a Camel when you drop all resistance and find new freedom in the body? You don’t know what to do with, so you cry. A whimper paving way for an uncontrollable bawl. Like a devoted grandmama, your mat will soothe you, salvage you. And your inner child will hop into its lap, without the fear of being manipulated.

It’s your furry friend’s happy place, too
They say that pets will always be attracted to good energies, so if your cat or your dog is seeking solace on the mat, it means that they think of it as a secure place. Your mat holds your sweat and struggle, your victories and your vibrations. It isn’t just a prop – it is a manifestation of your soul.

Nourish your mat with energy, and it will keep you rejuvenated through the day and make your practice worthwhile, irrespective of a serene setting. It’ll keep you grounded, and yet make you rise higher along your spiritual path.