Tara Stiles’ Favorite Yoga Gear

Named the “Yoga Rebel” by the New York Times, Tara Stiles is an internationally recognized and influential yoga teacher based in New York City. She is the author of the book Slim Calm Sexy as well as the owner of Strala Yoga, a non-pretentious yet highly successful yoga studio in the big city. As a former model, Stiles uses her celebrity, yoga teaching talents and humble girl-next-door persona as a platform from which to launch yoga cross-training programs for athletes, as well as designating yoga as an accepted and necessary part of preventative health care. Her second book, Yoga Cures, which covers the health benefits of yoga for a wide array of modern-day ailments, will be out on the shelves in April of this year. Ms. Stiles also inspires many by her choice in yoga products and accessories. For example, she supports the environment by selecting green and sustainable items to use in her practice. Manduka mats top her list as the best yoga mats, as they are non-toxic and eco friendly. Her favorite mat, made with high standards and low environmental impact, is the Manduka eKO Lite. For her hot yoga sessions, Stiles prefers to use Manduka’s eQua HOT yoga towel above other similar products. In lieu of drinking out of potential health and earth damaging plastic water bottles, Stiles uses a Takeya glass water bottle wrapped a silicone sleeve for breakage protection. Surprisingly enough with access to the best spas in New York, she keeps her face looking toned and clear by using an affordable and all natural light moisturizer by Tata Harper called Hydrating Floral Essence. You might imagine this former model parading down 5th Avenue carrying shopping bags from Macy’s, Bloomindales or Saks Fifth Avenue, but her reputation as the “coolest yoga instructor ever” as brought to our attention by Vanity Fair, holds true when she is found using reusable grocery bags such as the BAGGU to transport her organic and all natural items. Manduka mats and Takeya water bottles also top our list of our favorite health and yoga inspired items. Among many other fabulous and well-made products, we featured the best of Manduka and Takeya in our holiday shopping guide and generous giveaway last December. In addition to her achievements in writing and business, Tara Stiles is also the personal yoga coach for the famed spiritual guide Deepak Chopra and was named “The new face of fitness” by aerobics guru Jane Fonda. With her non-traditional approach and relaxed style of teaching, Stiles inspires people to develop their own sense of intuition and self-awareness for optimal health, radiance and happiness. Also Read: Yoga Doesn’t Have to Wreck Your Body The Health Benefits of Yoga New Yoga Room at SFO Offers Reprieve from Travel Stress