Tactile Yoga Mat!
Yoga gains popularity every day as a form of exercise and relaxation. If you are interested in learning yoga but think you may have difficulty with orientation, the Visually Impaired Yoga Mat (VIYM) may help. Created by Tracy Curly and endorsed by Cindy Rogers (see APH Feature: Yoga ), the mat comes with two instructional DVDs to help you practice at home between your community-based yoga classes.
I am in complete awe of Tracy & VIYM®. In working with VIYM during the past few months, I have learned so much about the perception on "the mat" of both sighted and VI students. For someone who is blind or visually impaired, beginning or continuing the practice of yoga, the VIYM is an invaluable tool. The tactile cues on the mat allow one to fully embrace & truly "feel" the yoga experience.
–Cindy Rogers, Yoga Instructor, Four Senses Yoga
Cindy Rogers teaches a yoga class using the VIYM.I love the VIYM yoga mat and DVD series. I am a beginning yoga student with low vision and cataracts and am very sensitive to light and glare, which makes practicing yoga at a traditional studio uncomfortable due to the overhead lighting. The verbal instructions in the DVD series are clear and easy to follow whether you have no vision or low vision; they enable me to move through the posture sequences with my eyes closed. As a beginner, it is so much more relaxing compared to struggling to see the instructor at the local gym. My newly retired Mom, who is fully sighted, loves the DVD too because the instructions regarding how to move through the posture sequence are very straightforward. She was self-conscious about taking a class but the skills she learned from the DVD gave her the confidence to sign up for a local class.
I also really love the VIYM yoga mat. The quality is so much better than the mat I purchased at a local sporting goods store and is much more comfortable. It is also holding up much better than my other mat which makes it worth the investment. The tactile markings, especially the foot stations and the raised line that runs through the center of the mat, have really helped me achieve the proper alignment and helped with balance.
–Mary, Yoga Student, Washington D.C.
To learn more about the VIYM and to watch VIYM demo videos of Tracy Curly performing yoga poses visit http://rousettus.com/
