I’ve practiced hot yoga (or Bikram yoga) all across the country: from north, south, east to the west. And there is one ritual that is unique to many East Coast and Mid-Atlantic studios – they hand students a very cold, lavender laced towel right before final savasana. Having accepted this towel numerous times, and now being back to a studio that does not share cold towels at the end of class, it’s my recommendation to politely refuse the towel! Here’s why:
It’s jarring
These towels are cold and your body (and your skin in particular) is hot. Grabbing the towel and placing it on your forehead will make your heart rate rise and you will feel a jolt go through your body. This moment in class should be a smooth and relaxed transition into savasana, not a jarring departure from the previous 90 minutes.
It will distract your mind and body
Simply the act of waiting for your towel is a mental distraction. The teacher transitions the class to savasana and during big classes it make take a while for them to reach you. That entire time, it’s easy to simply wait to relax into savasana until the teacher has handed you the cold towel. Your mind is uniquely clear at this moment in class, pretend that all you have to do is simply lay there and breathe.
Learning to cool your body naturally in savasana is the key to managing heat
Savasana is one of our best tools for learning how to regulate our temperature during class. When I first started practicing hot yoga I was SO HOT and I hated it. Deep down inside I knew that the heat was good for me, it was a physical and mental exorcism of sorts. I learned that your body temperature (slightly and temporarily) rises in final savasana. If and when you consistently learn how to cool your own body (not with a cold towel) in final savasana, you will transfer those lessons to your practice. Let your body learn how to cool itself and slowly but surely and that desire to jump up after class will dissipate.
“Fragranced” towels with lavender may be harmful to your health
Did you know that most fragrance ingredients are undisclosed, some are known allergens, and others use phthalates a class of hormone-disrupting chemicals? Essential oils are commonly touted as a safer option to synthetic fragrances, which is mostly the case. The problem however, is that many essential oils that are purchased at retailers like Whole Foods are not pure essential oils. They can be contaminated with synthetic ingredients or come from a generally murky supply chain. Essential oils to boot, even pure ones, aren’t necessarily safe just because they are natural. Several studies have found that lavender and tea tree oil in particular may have hormone-disrupting impacts.
Less is more
My “no extra” rule in yoga applies to this end of class ritual. Less is simply more. Let yourself be still, let your body enjoy a few moments of relaxation after a hard class. And just, breathe.
Savasana is one of the most important parts of class. You have worked every major ligament, organ and muscle group over the course of a 90 minute class. Taking care with how you absorb those benefits is very important not only for your body, but also for your mind. Enjoy the rare moment of clarity that comes in the final few minutes of class. Don’t clutter your brain with the anticipation of receiving your cold towel. Simply let yourself be.
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Thank you for this. This is, maybe, the second or third piece I’ve read suggesting skipping the cold towel at the end of class. I never thought about it, but you are absolutely right that I have become somewhat conditioned to not fully sink into final savasana until the cold towel arrives. I try to move to a different place in the room each class, so some days I’m first to get a towel; while other days I’m one of the last to receive a towel.
I think what stood out to more most in your piece was the encouragement, or reminder, to learn cool naturally. Merely walking out of the studio into the common area is enough of a jolt. I think lying in the heat for several minutes after class without a towel is manageable.
Interestingly, my wife and I practice in different studios during the week, because we work in different cities. Here studio in New York doesn’t hand out towels at the end of class. My regular studio in the Washington, DC area does. I ‘survive’ when I practice in NYC, so I need to make a conscious effort to decline the towel at my regular studio.
Give it a try and let me know what you think!
Interesting! Respectfully gonna disagree because it’s like a treat to me at the end :) I LOVE the cold towel! But thank you for the thoughtful insight