Hello, I'm Nico, Yoga and Meditation teacher. In the following video tutorials I am going to show you how to get the most out of your ShaktiMat and integrate it into your daily life. First you have to think about where you want to place your ShaktiMat, do you want to put the mat on the bed or sofa, do you want to put it on the floor
or maybe even on top of your yoga mat. The surface of the bed or sofa will be a bit more moldable, softer, so that might be a bit more comfortable at first. If you still want a bigger challenge, you can place the mat directly on the floor. Second, think about how you want to use your ShaktiMat, do you want to put a cloth between you and the mat or do you want to wear a thin t-shirt
, because it can sting quite a bit at first.
However, you will get the most benefit from your ShaktiMat training if you lie on the mat with your skin uncovered. Everyone has different levels of sensitivity, so see what works for you and experience it for yourself. Sit with your buttocks just below the end of the mat, if you want you can place the soles of your feet on the floor and place the hands a little further, behind your hips.
As you slowly roll down onto the mat, inhale slowly and deeply. You can keep the arms at the side of the body. The mat should end just below your head as you are supposed to tackle the neck area. Acupressure is good for the muscles, not so much for the bones. Look up, look straight at the ceiling, and once your entire back is on the floor, you can place your feet on the mat while bending your knees, if you haven't already. Take slow, deep breaths. As you may have noticed, bending your knees provides a little more grounding in your lower back, an area that many people struggle with these days. From this point on, squeeze your buttocks lightly and see how that feels, because that way you put a little more pressure on your lower back. You can change positions as many times as necessary until you find a position that works for you, where you feel
you can stay there for a few more minutes.
You can also try increasing the distance between your feet and bending your knees inwards. Once you're a little more used to the ShaktiMat, try this: Lift your feet off the floor and hug your knees toward your chest. You feel how that also puts more pressure on your lower back, making the feeling more intense. Try to lie down for about 20 minutes if you can, if that's too intense, you can also put your feet back on the floor. A little hint: during the first few minutes it is quite normal to want to resist, it is a natural reaction. Because think about it, you're basically lying
on an acupressure bed, thousands of needles. But once you get over that first threshold, the pain subsides and it gets easier. You just have to keep it up.
And a really good way to approach the feeling of pain is to stay calm and focus on your breathing, because that's going to help you relax on the mat. To get off your ShaktiMat, put your feet back on the floor, if you haven't already done so, and press your hands and elbows
into the ground next to your mat. With a little momentum you can simply roll yourself up off the mat. You can also try rolling off the mat sideways, but try not to think too much about it.
Feel free to pause the video now and try it for yourself. Now think about how you felt during the experience. Did you feel the sensation of pain? If so, remember that's totally normal, especially if it's your first time trying acupressure. So what happens when you lie down on your mat. Within the first 40 seconds, blood is moved to the areas you target, which is why your skin may feel warm and even a little burned. After about three to four minutes you may experience a tingling sensation like needles sticking into you, this is completely normal and nothing to worry about. That feeling is caused by the improved blood circulation in these areas and it is also the reason why you can see little red dots on your skin after you roll off the mat.
After four to six minutes, the pain slowly subsides and the whole body begins to recover. After about six minutes, the worst part is almost over. The body relaxes more and more and the pain continues to decrease. Your goal should be to stay on the mat for about 20 minutes. Because that's when you get the most benefits. There is no time limit on how long you
can stay on your ShaktiMat. So even if you fall asleep, that's totally fine. To achieve the most benefits you should use the ShaktiMat regularly, preferably daily. Remember, it takes about 21 days to get into a new habit. So see how it goes and what positive effect the ShaktiMat has on your daily life. Thank you for choosing ShaktiMat and supporting charitable causes and ethical standards. If you want to know more about that subject click on the link below the video. And in the next video I will show you the best way to use the ShaktiMat for calves, feet and legs in general.