TIY sat down with the incredible Judes Yang, founder of Sahaja Yoga Mats. Judes has dedicated her business towards supporting others and has an inspiring business goal of lighting up 108 Million Lives! With every yoga mat Sahaja sells, they give a solar light to families who have no access to electricity in Mozambique. You can literally change someones life with just one purchase! Read on for what lights Judes up and how she came to launch this remarkable business.
Can you tell us a little bit about Sahaja Yoga Mats and how the concept came about?
It was my way to give back to others. I wanted to light up lives, like mine was when I experienced some of the darkest days and trauma of my life. I was given so much love and support and this is my way to forward that love and support on to others.
What did you take into consideration when designing the Sahaja Yoga Mat? As a yogi, what is most important for you in a mat?
I wanted a mat that encompassed the following features:
Won’t move around on the ground when I practice
A towel built in for when I sweat
Strong grip so that I feel sturdy
Enough cushioning for when I kneel
So I decided to make Sahaja Yoga Mats longer than the normal standard yoga mats, as well as thicker and wider. Our standard yoga mat is 1.83cm long - 10cm longer than the regular mats currently available, that are similar to ours. Our resident yoga mats are also 4.5mm thick, 1mm thicker than similar mats out there. Of course our travel mats are lightweight and thinner than our resident mat. We also have an extra wide range of yoga mats, which are 66cm wide. Our standard width is 61cm wide.
Your designs are beautiful, where does the inspiration come from?
All the designs are original artwork, you won’t find our designs on adobe market place or anywhere that you can find artwork etc. Each of our designs are created from the heart, through the inspiration of life, sacred texts and our experiences of living in the flow of life. See here to read more on our designs.
What sets Sahaja Yoga Mats apart?
Firstly, our mats are created by a yoga teacher and yogi, for others. We’re also a certified B corporation (read more)!
Our designs are all unique and original artwork that were specially created for Sahaja Yoga Mats, they are also all limited editions. The designs themselves are created with alignment cues in mind. You aren't told where you “should” place your feet or hands, the cues are organic, as every time you step into a warrior or are in downward dog, your hand and feet placement will be different. The unique and intelligent alignment designs are perfect for those who self practice on their own without a physical teacher there. So staying in the flow, you can look at the mat and the designs will guide you.
Everyone loves this aspect of our mats.So not only are the mats beautiful and give back, they are also functional with a purpose and a deeper meaning.
Are the mats easy to care for?
Super easy! You can wash it down with a hose, or even leave it in the rain to clean. Hang it in the shade to dry and it dries super quick. Our mats can even be thrown in the washing machine whenever they get too dirty, without soap and with cold water.
Where can people buy your mats?
Through our website or our stockist, such as This is Yoga :)
Do you sell any other accessories?
Yes we also have yoga straps, awesome eco cork blocks, tanks and we are working on adding to our range with towels, bags, bolsters and meditation cushions.
Is there anything else you would like to tell us more about?
We’re more than a yoga mat, we’re about community and lighting up people’s lives. We call everyone who owns a Sahaja Yoga Mat a light giver, as they get to physically give a solar light with each yoga mat sale. The process of giving lights up the life of the person receiving, literally, but also the giver’s life lights up from doing something good. It’s not about buying a yoga mat, it’s about contributing to the betterment of another person's life, we become agents of change and the only thing we had to do was buy a yoga mat.
How long have you been practicing yoga?
Since I was 23 and I have been teaching yoga since I was 26, I am 43 now.
What is your favourite pose(s)?
Poses? They’re all beautiful, unique and serve a purpose in their own way. I do prefer Kriyas and breathwork these days
Read more about Jude’s inspirational and heart touching story here .
To inquire about Sahaja Yoga Mats sold at This is Yoga, contact us at info@thisisyoga.com.au or (02) 8958 8710
Author: This is Yoga
