Acupuncture from India
In India, acupressure has been used for centuries. And you have probably heard of the nail bed or the nail mat as well. The ancient method applied in India and Eastern medicine can now also be used at home. With your own modern nail mat. Really. We tried the Shakti Mat, a modern form of the acupressure mat made of fabric and plastic ‘spikes’. This is what we thought of it.
First of all, why would you voluntarily lie on such a painful mat?
All those traditions are all nice and well. But just because they did it in the past doesn’t mean we all have to start doing it now. Because why was the nail mat invented, and what was (and is!) it used for? Here’s the thing: in India, the nail bed was traditionally used to purify the mind and to go beyond the concept of pain. Nowadays, the mat is mainly used for the acupressure points that stimulate the nerve endings and blood circulation of the body, which can provide soothing and healing relief in your body. It can also increase the body’s production of endorphins and oxytocin (happiness and cuddle hormone) in response to the uncomfortable feeling of the spikes. The mat forces you to completely relax, allowing you to enter a certain meditative state.
Why do people use the Shakti Mat?
– For back, neck, and shoulder pain
– Muscle pain
– Stress
– Difficulty falling asleep or sleep problems
– Tension headaches
– For more energy
– Faster recovery after sports
And how does it work?
You can lie on the mat with, for example, a towel around your body or with your bare skin. There are different positions you can assume. For instance, you can sit on a chair and place your feet on the mat, moving them slowly. But you can also lay the mat on the floor or on your bed and lie on it with your back or stomach. Additionally, there are plenty of yoga poses you can practice on the mat. Initially, it might be quite painful, but soon the pain should give way to a warm, tingling, and relaxed feeling.
Sounds quite interesting, doesn’t it? But anyone who thought that the modern version, the Shakti Mat, would be almost painless is mistaken. The spikes are actually quite sharp. Everyone has a different pain threshold and is built differently, so everyone will experience the mat slightly differently. That’s why we set up a mini-test panel consisting of Tessa, Merel, and Gabriëlle.
Our verdict?
Tessa uses the mat for her stomach and back and places it on her mattress: ‘Pain? Where? As soon as I lie on the mat, I enter deep relaxation. Important to note: as soon as I grab my phone or a book and start to ‘do’ something, it hurts. This only works if you really know how to relax completely. I also really take the time for it, put on some calm music, and light some candles. I even sometimes fall asleep on the mat and wake up half an hour later.’
For Merel, it took a while before the mat went home: ‘It looked so painful that I wasn’t really eager to bring that mat home. Initially, I’m a bit startled by the kind of pain and the subsequent glowing feeling. But after a few minutes, I find it very relaxing and want to stay on it for sleeping! And after several times on my back, I couldn’t wait to lay my whole body on the mat. It’s so relaxing!’
And Gabriëlle? She found it mainly very painful at first. ‘The first time I used the mat, I laid it on the floor (like a yoga mat) and lay down on it. And it was anything but relaxing or pleasant. It was quite painful, and I really couldn’t last ten minutes. After several attempts, I put the mat on my bed, and it was much more pleasant. I start with a few minutes (first with a shirt, then without a shirt), and gradually it starts to feel more and more comfortable. If I suddenly have an allergic reaction to something I’ve eaten (in short: a lot of impulses and stress reactions in my body), I sit on the mat and don’t want to get off. Someone also told me that the mat helps her a lot with severe eczema. The tip from Tessa, to really make a moment of it, is a very good one. Candles, calm music, and really taking the time for the mat instead of just lying down for ten minutes between other things helps a lot. You really have to surrender to it, but once you can, it is blissful. Really, so nice! You are really forced to relax, something we can use from time to time in our Western world.’
Honestly made
Extra nice to know: the Shakti Mat is handmade in the Gratitude Factory in Varanasi, India. Here, only women work under proper working conditions, including free meals and free medical care for them and their families. Get your Shakti Mat via our shop.