The Shala Yoga Rug - an ancient yogic practice aid reimagined for today

We all likely use a yoga mat to support and aid our practice, but the typical yoga mat we see today is a relatively new evolution to the yogic tradition. It’s generally attributed to Angela Farmer, a yoga teacher from London, who in 1982 created the first modern yoga mat by cutting carpet underlay into towel-sized pieces for her students in Germany.

Yoga has been practiced for many centuries with its roots in ancient India. For many years, practitioners practiced on bare earth or kusha grass, which helped strengthen the feeling of being grounded.

The foundations of this yogic practice were meditation and breathing exercises (pranayama). To provide added comfort when seated a “mat” was sometimes introduced, often made from cotton or woven cloth, and occasionally even animal skin, to help encourage mindfulness during practice.

It wasn’t until the 1930s that the precursor to the modern yoga mat that we know today began to be regularly used, as practitioners sought more comfort. These early mats were typically made from cotton and shaped in a rectangle, providing a modest barrier between the ground and the body.

In the 1960s, as yoga’s popularity continued its spread into the western world, the style of practice fundamentally changed with the introduction of more dynamic flows. Originating in India, the Yoga Rug (part of the Mysore style of Ashtanga yoga and often referred to as a “Mysore Rug”) became a key component of this practice. Yoga rugs absorbed sweat during practice, provided a dedicated and clean surface, offered cushioning on hard floors, and delivered traction for poses, especially when dampened by sweat.

Angela Farmer, seeking more grip for her students to enhance safety - especially for beginners - used carpet underlay to help reduce slipping during poses. This innovation did more than just provide grip, it mirrored ancient yogic practices where the guru would practice in the same location daily, treating that space as sacred. Similarly, the yoga mat created a personal, defined space for practice, helping practitioners focus, establishing a sense of ritual, and contributing to the modern image of yoga as a mat-based activity.

The mat became a symbol of personal practice and mindfulness, representing a “safe space” for physical and mental exploration. Over the years, yoga mats evolved rapidly, driven by a desire for improved durability, better grip, stability, comfort and personalisation.

Today, yoga mats come in a variety of materials and thicknesses, each designed to offer different levels of grip, stability, and comfort. With the exception of wafer-thin natural rubber travel mats, most mats provide varying degrees of cushioning to protect and support your joints.

While this cushioning is often necessary and welcome for many practitioners, some question whether it contradicts the long-term benefits of a modern yoga practice, namely, strengthening one’s core. The answer is not a simple yes or no; instead it’s likely that while mats do provide comfort, they may sometimes slow down the development of core strength rather than prevent it. 

Conversely, a yoga rug offers minimal cushioning and features a textured surface that provides sensory feedback. This texture encourages alignment refining and requires more engagement from the start, which can accelerate core development. However, this can also be seen as both a positive and a negative. For beginners just starting their yoga journey, using a modern mat - designed to offer more support - may help ease unnecessary struggles that could occur with a yoga rug.

While the modern yoga mat is predominant in yoga studios today, traditional yoga rugs continue to hold significant value, honouring the roots of the practice and providing unique benefits. Some practitioners even use them on top of a yoga mat for additional comfort and stability.

The following is a quick assessment of the key benefits of yoga rugs:

The Manduka Shala Yoga Rug pays homage to early yogic tradition and is hand-loomed by skilled artisan weavers, preserving centuries-old traditions. Made from upcycled cotton apparel scraps its beautiful craftsmanship and natural support will leave you feeling comforted and deeply connected. 

In Sanskrit, the word “shala” translates to “home” or “abode”. The Shala Yoga Rug is lovingly made to encourage dwelling in the moment.

It is so beautiful you will never want to hide it away!

For your yoga practice, in slower classes, such as yin or gentle flow, the softness of the cotton - an element that many modern yoga mats lack - makes holding long poses more comfortable.

For more dynamic practices, including Hot Yoga, as you sweat, the cotton absorbs the moisture to enhance your grip, helping your hands and feet stay in place for added stability.

Equally at home outdoors and indoors, it can be folded or rolled according to your packing needs So don't stop your practice just because you are travelling, you can pack it in your suitcase and carve out a space for self-care, anywhere, anytime!

Bring a deeper connection to yoga’s heritage to your practice with a Shala Yoga Rug