Now don’t get excited yet! This is just a prototype and is not expected out in the commercial market any time soon.

I came across this article in the Yoga Journal and it seems to be making the rounds of yoga blogs as I have seen other bloggers with similar posts.

Let’s see what this gadget (designed by Hui-Zong Chen) with real tech candy has to offer:

* a metal tube, with stereo speakers at both ends, that can take in memory cards or play content from MP3 players (so you can listen to your favorite meditation music)

* mat made of an electronic paper screen (this allows you to play streaming video of yoga classes and “conference” with other yogi friends while doing a class with an instructor– all in virtual mode

Who knows? 2 decades from now, this may be an ordinary sight but now, in 2007, it sort of blows one’s mind that you can actually travel anywhere in the world and still stay in touch with your favorite yoga teacher and not miss any of your classes.

However, it makes me wonder where such types of technology will take the practice of yoga. The early yogis like Krisnamacharya, Pattabhi Jois and B.K.S. Iyengar lived simply and practised yoga without all sorts of fancy gadgets. At most, all they had was a simple cotton rug.

Isn’t that the primary essence of yoga? To clear one’s mind and life of clutter and live simply? So why the need for high tech gadgets? I am a techy momma and am comfortable around technology and gadgets but yoga is supposed to balance out this part of my life, not bring more technology into yoga!

Only time will tell what is to become of this prototype. Meanwhile, all I want to know is —

IS IT STICKY FOR DOWNWARD DOGS???? 🙂

What do you think?