I originally bought the Shakti mat based on a friend’s recommendation—she and her husband have been using it religiously every night for over two years. She spoke so highly of how amazing she felt after each use that I decided to give it a try myself.

On the first night, my husband used it with his shirt on. I was too nervous about the potential pain, so I skipped it. But he told me he really enjoyed it, so the next day I decided to give it a go—and went all in, directly on bare skin.

Lying down on it for the first time felt strange. I wasn’t sure if I liked the sensation or not, but after a few minutes, it turned into pure bliss—literally! Now, I look forward to it every evening. It helps me unwind after a long day, and instead of pain, I feel a deep sense of relaxation.

The only part I still do not enjoy is peeling myself off the mat at the end. However, I’ve found that rolling to the side instead of trying to sit up makes it much easier.

And the feeling afterwards? Even better. I absolutely love it and cannot recommend it highly enough!

From my experience, after the discomfort of the spikes subsides I find myself in a default state of meditation, enhancing my existing meditation practices.

It really does offer a break from the stresses of the day, the burdens of worries. It brings you back to your body when you've been completely occupied with your mind. What I learned from using my mat is that a tool that facilitates a momentary shift in your mental state can be the leverage you need to overcome a situation that's been bothering you -- to come back refreshed and reset. Even better if you use it before bed to carry that refreshed state into the next day.

I can see this thing having a compounding effect on my life.

Not gonna lie, the first day or two situating myself on the mat took some getting used to ,and 2 weeks in, getting off the mat can still be a bit “pinchy”, but oh the in between is amazing! Within a few minutes I am so relaxed and my body feels like it’s floating on air. I often fall asleep and am jolted awake by the timer I set, lol. Plus I’ve found that sense of calm lasts throughout the day and because my mind is calm I actually sleep through the night. I was skeptical but the Shakti mat has been a total game changer for me.

As someone who can be hyperactive, I find it difficult to sit still or meditate. The shakti mat has helped me focus on relaxing and clearing my mind for extended periods of time. I also find that I'm often ready for bed or a nap afterwards and I fall asleep quickly. Starting with a level 2 was the right choice for me, however, I find the bony corner of my shoulder blades have difficulty settling in completely. Part of me wishes the spiky palettes could be individually removed in certain problem spots and that the mat was larger to include more surface area, but besides that, it's a great tool for relaxing. The Shala app is also useful for guided use although the person narrating often jolts me out of my zen state with her voice.