The Mat

I have been adapting parts of Tian Gong Kuen and Lau Hohn Kuen as well as some other moves, and stretches to a Yoga Mat. Why? I realize that people like to do sequences of moves instead of say two hours of one move. Also there is a feeling of flying and openness that you can get from using a small space like a Yoga mat.
I my youth I thought mats were stupid. Why do you need a mat. In fact, my Sifu would yell at me if I did anything on a mat. Like, "If you can learn to roll or kick up on this hard concrete floor, you can do it on any surface." But I notice that there are plenty of people who use mats that can at least do these things. Where as I lost my short lived ability to do kick ups. I can still do other stuff, but there is a lot of showy stuff I can't do, And I'm not going to start training on hard floors.
Besides, I am no longer doing these exercises for performances. but just because they interest me.

Another thing I used to not like about the mat is that you had to carry it, and inevitably if you go into an uneven surface in the woods or move to hit trees, or do punching sprints, your mat is pretty useless. It just holds you back.

But ever since I started going to the Yoga classes at the library with Noah I realized  the mental importance of a mat. Dare I say it might be similar to how people who practice Islam using a prayer rug? Of course I am not religious about my mat, but I see how Noah really likes carrying HIS mat and then going and using HIS mat. It feels like there is some special importance to the mat.

Whereas before I thought of this as a crutch. Now that I teach children I see it as a learning tool, or coazxing mechanism to encourage practice.