I roll out my yoga mat every day because I like the ritual of it.

It makes it special. This simple yoga mat ritual makes my practice a little more sacred.

I don’t leave my yoga mat out. I know a lot of people who do and love it. The most common reason I hear for doing it is that they are more likely to practice if their mat is already out. Unfortunately, that doesn’t work for me.

Seeing my mat ready for practice doesn’t motivate me to get on it. If that works for you, I think that’s fantastic! That’s just not how my brain works.

Seeing my mat ready for practice when I know I don’t have the time for it, makes me feel guilty. There’s no room for guilt in my practice because that’s one of my triggers. Yoga makes me feel better mentally.

Still, I don’t think that’s why I put my mat away after every practice.

I don’t have a yoga room in my home. That could be the reason. But probably not.

I’ve tried leaving it out. It didn’t go well. It got walked on. It was neglected. It became unseen. It was like it was part of the furniture or a rug.

I practice yoga to feel better. A dirty yoga mat does not help me feel better.

I’m not a minimalist but I have been accused of it. 😊 I like rugless floors and empty countertops. I like to get books from the library so I can glean their knowledge and then return them. Even though “stuff” is in my last name, I’m not a huge fan of “stuff.” Maybe that’s part of why I don’t leave out my yoga mat. I don’t know.

But one thing I know is that I enjoy the ritual of rolling out my mat.

It reminds me of being at a studio. It signals my brain that it’s time for yoga. It makes my home practice feel more sacred. It makes it special. Some days I need the sound of it hitting the floor. Some days I need the practice of slowly spreading it across my floor. No matter how I roll it out, I use that time to prepare myself mentally.

It’s like my mat is saying, “okay, now you can begin.” It’s the at-home ritual I need to give myself permission to be there.

With that being said, I also like slowly rolling up my mat at the end of practice.

I usually roll it up slowly as a way to carry my yoga practice with me off the mat and into the world. I think it helps. It’s my way of savoring my practice until the very end. A way of sealing in the shifts that happened in my mind and body during my at-home yoga class.

And then?

I carry my mat (and props) back to a closet where they have their own dedicated space. Yep. I don’t even keep my mat in the same room where I practice. I like that ritual too. Plus, I like having two places in my house dedicated to yoga. The storage space and the practice space.

Give it a try.

Make a ritual (or a sacred practice) out of getting out and putting away your yoga mat. When you unroll your mat say, “I give myself permission to be fully here.” As you roll it up say, “I’m worth this and so much more.”

Let me know what you think.

To get a reminder every time I publish an article, sign up for the weekly email below. You’ll also get free access to one of my favorite meditations.