This is a strange but true story, of a synergistic pattern that I only realized in hindsight.
The chosen colours of my yoga mats, have represented the chakra that was activated and reflected the stage of life I was/am in!?
My very first jade yoga mat, that I took to my first ever month long, intensive teacher training on the big island of Hawaii, was green – this is the colour of the 4th chakra, the heart chakra ‘Anahata’. Thoroughly appropriate, as I had just come to the vocation and community that resonated most deeply with my true heart’s intention. At the end of the training, I got everyone who took part to sign that mat…. It became a keep-sake, and I only pulled it out again some 14 years later, to occasionally teach from once I had moved back to the Hawaiian Islands to make my permanent home on Maui.
I then chose a blue mat to practice from, for a relatively short period of time. Blue is the colour of the 5th chakra or throat chakra ‘Vissudha’ – and it represents speaking your truth, and clear decision-making. This was just as I was starting to get some clarity around my path forward, and finding my authentic voice as a teacher.
It wasn’t long before I misplaced that mat & replaced it with a dark purple mat, the colour of the 6th chakra ‘Ajna’ which represents the brow or ‘third eye’ and represents intuition, imagination and self-reflection…. Fitting, as it was at this point in my life that I started ‘leaning in’ to my intuition. I had begun to palpably feel the pull of my body’s internal compass, and began to follow it – I began journeying to Tulum, Mexico (a lot) and did plenty of personally healing work there, as I was engaged in deep self-reflection.
I think it’s important to again point out that none of these decisions were conscious – I was just attracted to the colour at that time and bought the mats?
I spent about a year or two practicing and travelling with that dark purple mat, until I lost it at the airport on my way to lead a yoga-retreat in Tulum…… I replaced it with a much lighter purplish mat – violet, the colour of the 7th chakra ‘Sahasrara’, representing the top of the head/cerebral cortex. This 7th chakra is all about awareness and self-knowledge. I had this mat a loooong time, as I continued to search and do my work with different teachers and healers. Constantly on planes at this point, moving about Mexico, Arizona and began foraying back and forth to California. I was even using a violet suitcase, and wearing a violet pashmina scarf (as my travel blanket) …. Again, just feeling really attracted to the colour at the time, and feeling good about being all ‘matchy-matchy’ in my travel gear, as that violet mat was slung across my back every time I boarded a flight.
By the time I committed to making the ‘leap’ and moving my life to Los Angeles full-time, it was time for a new mat – I chose yellow. Yellow is the colour of the 3rd chakra, ‘manipura’ – it lives in the solar plexus, and is the chakra of ego, self-esteem and personal power. At this time, I was in fact, stepping into my own power, and letting go of deference to sources outside of myself. I had this mat and practiced on it for five years.
I recently landed on Maui, a complete surprise to me…. Newly married, new permanent home – with ties to the original founding of my vocation, I never expected it. It was a point in my life where I preferred to be settled in Los Angeles, but I was open to being led anywhere; Bali, Australia, anywhere really – I was open to the journey. During this period of transitional limbo, my mother said to me: ‘wouldn’t it be cool if you ended up in Hawaii, where it all began for you?’ I answered; ‘Ya sure, but I don’t see how that could happen, I have no work nor upcoming opportunities there?”. Six months later my fiancé invited me to semi-retire with him on Maui – (Mothers really do know everything;)
As I began settling into life on Maui, I realized that I needed a new mat, as my yellow one was well worn. I chose red. Red is the color of the first chakra ‘Mulahdara’, the root chakra. Mulahdara represents home, grounding, survival, and self -preservation. I was in fact, building a new home and grounding, and truly ‘nesting’ for the first time in my life – Accident? I think not. The goal of this chakra I am currently working through is stability, prosperity and trust. Are these coincidences? I don’t believe in coincidence, I believe that everything is divinely ordered, and I am just along for the ride.
Now what about the 2nd chakra, ‘Svadhisthana’… its colour is Orange and lives in our sacrum and relates to sexuality, relationships and creativity – well, I guess I’m not there yet? Or maybe my sacral chakra is already balanced? How long will l practice on this red mat? Could be a few months, could be a few years…. Depends on how long it takes me to process and progress, I suppose.
This story is strangely synergistic, but true – intriguing no?