#housewifeproblems : Stinky Yoga Mats

Does your downward dog stink? No like literally smell bad?

Maybe I can help.

How often do you clean your yoga mat? 

I used to try all sorts of methods to clean my mat.

I soaked it in the tub with lysol.

I scrubbed it with clorox wipes.

I've even sprayed it down with a hose and let it dry in the sun.

However, non of these methods ever really seemed to do the trick,

or my mat would be soaked for days.

So, I finally asked my perfectly holistic yoga instructor 

what she did to keep her mat clean and stank free.

And this is what she told me.....

Stinky Yoga Mat Spray:

You will need an empty spray bottle (preferably one with a finer mist), 

witch hazel, and tea tree oil.

If you want to jazz up your bottle you will also need some decorative tape and a sharpie.

Step 1:

If you are up-cycling a bottle your first step is going to be to clean it out 

with hot soapy water.

If you are going to make it pretty,

wrap that sucker in your favorite decorative tape.

I used packaging tape, but you could also use duct tape or even washi tape.

Step 2:

So I have to admit here that I didn't really use any measurements.

I filled my bottle half way with witch hazel...

Then I added about a tablespoon of tea tree oil.

Step 3:

Give that bottle a little swirl and shake and label it.

Spray the solution all over your mat and give it a really good wipe down.

I was shocked by how much came off of my mat, so I actually did it twice.

The beauty of it all....

My mat dried instantly!

So I am throwing this in my yoga back to use after every class from now on!

Enjoy!

Thankful Thursday....late again

So, I decided that Thankful Thursday was going to be a bit of a change this week.  Instead of my super insightful words of wisdom random ramblings about why we should show gratitude towards others, I am just going to give a great big opened armed thank you of my own....laced with a bit of levity.

For the past few months I have been dying to go to Thursday night yoga 

at my gym.  The instructor has substituted my normal friday morning class a few times and is always amazing.  Due to scheduling conflicts with bed time and the hubs work schedule,

I had never found the time to make it to that 8pm session.

Well this week was different.

When I asked the hubs if I could go, his answer was "of corse".

While the class I normally take is definitely difficult,

the Thursday night class was a whole new world.

The age demographic and amount of strength possessed by the other participants was 

a bit intimidating.  But I found myself challenged in a new way that I wasn't sure existed inside me.

I stretched further, breathed deeper, and was more focused than normal.

All of that yoga talk about radiating light and transferring energy all really made sense.

It was no longer just talk, I really felt all of those things.

I was able to hold poses that I didn't know were in my practice,

and also came across a few that I didn't know existed and have new goals to conquer.

In our final shavasana I really was at peace.

I am normally having an internal argument with the voices in my head telling them to shut up so I can have a still and peaceful mind. Ha.

When it was all said and done it was the best yoga class I have ever taken,

and I have the hubs to thank for that.

So darling, Thank you for always making my dreams come true.

To everyone else, sorry this was a day late...

I was too busy nursing my sore body back to life last night,

and 'thanking' my husband for being so awesome.

And a brief note on the above video.

Fog and Smog produced these hilarious music videos on YouTube.

You really should check them all out! 

Yoga Girl has been stuck in my head since the first time I saw it, 

and I can't help but hum that little tune when in my down dog.