The "Eight Limbs of Yoga", from The Yoga Sutras text, are tenets that are meant to lead the practitioner to wisdom, inner-peace and enlightenment. Each of the limbs has its own meaning and interpretation. For those who are seeking a path to inner peace; some (and perhaps all) of these limbs might be helpful for your journey and I'll be discussing each limb, individually, starting with the first limb.

Yama
Yama means abstinence; refraining from certain behaviors. There are 5 tenets which fall under yama:

Ahimsa means non-violence and can be interpreted as not causing pain or injury to yourself or others.

Satyam means truthfulness or leading an honest life.

Asteyam means non-stealing, and can be interpreted as not taking that which doesn't belong to you or that isn't given freely.

Brahmacharya means abstinence and can be interpreted as practicing all things in moderation; being in control of your senses.

Aparigraha means non-greed; not taking more of anything than you truly need.

shanti

Cleaning your yoga mat might not be something that you think about very much, especially if you always use your own personal mat, as opposed to a mat provided by a facility where you may practice. Most mats can be placed in the washing machine (follow the cleaning instructions for your mat.) You can also purchase mat sprays and mat wipes for convenient use.

You might also think about creating your own, all-natural, mat cleaner. Here is a simple recipe that I use as a mat cleaning spray:

2 cups of hot water
2 tablespoons of white vinegar
2 teaspoons of Borox cleaner
6 drops of your favorite essential oil (Lavender, Patchouli, Eucalyptus)

Mix all ingredients together until fully dissolved and place in a spray bottle or storage container. Spray and wipe your mat and be sure that the mat is dry before using. Use oil sparingly, you don't want your mat to be slippery.

You might think about the process of cleaning your mat as an extension of your yoga practice; a clean, aromatic mat helps to contribute to a healthy body and mind.

shanti.