The very first yoga mat I ever purchased cost five dollars, came in a lovely shade of lavender, and was ultrathin. If you’ve never bought a yoga mat, I’d just like to say that ultrathin is not a product feature you want in a mat. I still have and love this mat. (Hey, you never forget your first one!) Despite its lack of cushion, I quickly learned that I could compensate with a trusty blanket under my knees during the kneeling poses.

The studio I was frequenting at the time had “professional” yoga mats for sale that had the thickness and support my body craved and came in a palette of gorgeous colors, but they cost over a hundred dollars. Yikes, there was no way I was going to shell out that much money. Even though my knees coveted those mats, my motto was that yoga should be affordable. I didn’t need hundred-dollar yoga pants or a hundred-dollar yoga mat to deepen my practice.

So, what the heck am I doing on a new mat that costs over a hundred dollars?

Well, I have learned an important lesson. Just as it is wise to invest money on the mattress for your bed (we spend one-third of our time there), it is wise to invest money on the best yoga mat you can find for added comfort and support of your body.

My downward dogs are now done on a Vernice Vita (VV) three-layered yoga mat and my wrists have never been happier. If you are familiar with memory foam, this mat is made with that material. And before you get all hung up thinking that there is no way you can be stable on a cushy mat, I’m here to tell you that I’ve never felt more stable and grounded on a yoga mat.

The bottom layer of the mat is a skid-proof EVA material that stabilizes your mat and prevents it from slipping and sliding on studio floors.

The middle layer has one-half inch of cushy memory foam that not only supports you, but provides a super-comfortable practice. This yummy layer relieves pressure points and pain in your knees, elbows, ankles, and hip bones in yoga postures and even your head during inversions.

The top layer is textured neoprene that is water-resistant, so it helps to stabilize your hands and feet when you are in poses like downward dog.

Rachel Ennis, a yogini from Manhattan Beach, California, came up with the idea for this mat when she found that her yoga practice was not progressing due to pain she experienced during some yoga postures. She bought a piece of memory foam and laid it on top of her traditional yoga mat and immediately noticed a huge difference. The relief this brought amazed her, and she eventually knew she had to share the benefits with others. She got a patent and has worked hard to develop an ethically manufactured product (PVC-free, 25 percent natural rubber, recycled packaging).

Thanks to Rachel, I’ve been test-driving my very own VV yoga mat for the past few weeks in both gentle Hatha and hot power classes and love the way it feels under my feet and my hands. No issues with slip-sliding away (although I still recommend using a NamaSTAY Yoga Towel on top for those really hot sweaty classes), and I feel as if I can hold poses longer.

If you are a fan of savasana, then I can tell you that doing savasana will never be the same now that I have experienced it on my ultra-comfy Vernice Vita mat. It is truly the definition of yogalicious!

I recently went to a three-day yoga workshop, where we spent a lot of the day sitting on the floor. While everyone was grabbing blankets and bolsters to sit on, I was totally comfy on my cushy VV. If you are in yoga-teacher training or spend a lot of time sitting on your yoga mat, I highly recommend a VV.

The VV yoga mat is also highly recommended for pregnant yoga students and is perfect for meditation and restorative yoga.

The mat is thicker when you roll it up, so you may want to pick up one of their over the shoulder mat straps so it is easier to carry, but I’m sure other yoga-mat straps would work as well. Be aware that when you take a VV mat into a class, it will attract attention. People get very curious when they see me unroll my mat, and I always let them touch it so they can feel the comfort.

My only complaint is that the mat does have a strong scent when you first remove it from the packaging. I’ve already noticed that this scent has diminished, and you can air out the mat by laying it outside just as long as you avoid direct heat or sunlight.

So, what is up with the name of this mat? Well, Vernice Vita (pronounced ver nee chey veeta) means to “paint life” in Italian and is a positive approach to how much more you can add to the world and the people around you when you’re at one with your own mind, body, and spirit. My Italian soul loves that, and my knees do too!

Give your body the comfort and support it deserves and purchase your very own Vernice Vita yoga mat from The Daily Downward Dog and save $10 on each mat.  Just click the Buy Now button below, and you can order and pay securely through PayPal or your credit card. Or you can order direct from vernicevita.com and use offer code MARIA10 and you’ll still get the $10 savings!

 

 


The Kind Mat



The pricing for shipping and handling that is applied in the PayPal transaction is only for standard shipping within the United States. If you would like to order a Vernice Vita Mat and you live outside the United States or need expedited shipping, please contact me and I’ll provide a quote to handle your order.