My partner, a natural health practitioner, came home one day from a trade show excited about a product she had seen at the show. Upon inquiry she told me about a “bed of nails” a what?? I asked. Yep, a Shakti Bed of Nails and what’s more, it’s great she said.
I could not quite believe what I was hearing so I asked her to tell me about it. It so happened that around the corner from the stand she was working there was a guy selling this mat that were covered with discs and the discs had spikes coming off them. My partner inquired about the product and the guy replied a bed of nails, or acupressure mat. After watching person after person try and then buy a Shakti Mat my partner decided to have a go; she said it was “Sooo Goood”. At this point I must have looked incredulous and she said “I know it’s hard to believe – you just need to try it for yourself.
So the next day we were off to the trade show and went to look for this guy. At first he was not there so we wandered around until he finally turned up. On looking at the mat myself I had my doubts but I trust my partner so I decided to have a go. I took my shirt off and gingerly lay down on the mat. Immediately I started to get tingles all around my back and other parts of my body – which I did not expect. After a few minutes I started to feel relaxed and the tingles faded away – it wasn’t bad after all. After 5 minutes I decided to get off and let other people try. To my surprise it was after getting off that I realised just how much better I was feeling – lighter and more alert.
After talking to the guy on the stand we found that people experiences vary depending on their stress levels and current state of health. We were both so impressed with the mat that we bought one for home and which my partner has used consistently ever since. We have had some great results using the mat and she found that it not only helped with relaxation and stress management but also with recovery from an old shoulder injury.
Here is some info from the Shakti Mat site:
So what is the Acupressure Shakti Mat?
The Shakti Mat is a modern user friendly “bed of nails” of Swedish design that has fantastic, scientifically proven, results on pain, tension and stress relief. The 6000 points of acupressure on the Shakti Mat makes it an very efficient tool in resolving tension and administering deep relaxation.
The Shakti Mat combines the ancient healing practice of acupressure with modern technology to create a uniquely special experience one that helps you stimulate your body’s natural healing powers so you feel more relaxed and more vibrant. And it does all of this for about the cost of a single professional massage.
The Shakti Mat is fast becoming today’s latest acupressure phenomenon. Start using it soon to help you relieve neck and back pain, reduce stress, improve sleep and increase your energy levels.
People suffering from back pain, neck pain, stress, sciatica, insomnia, digestive problems, poor circulation, fatigue, cellulite and other disorders have benefited from using the Shakti Mat.
How was the Shakti Mat Created?
Om Mokshananda, the creator of the Shakti Mat, is quoted as saying:
I had tried acupuncture and acupressure in the past and realised that this was the principle the old Bed of Nails was based on. Yogis had used the Bed of Nails for thousands of years with excellent results; physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. These Indian seers had created a bed to free themselves from suffering (tension) and to reach deep inner peace.
In many cultures across the globe treatments with nails or the bed of nails have been performed, from acupuncture in China to the Sámi custom of lying on juniper branches. No-one knows with certainty how far back the bed of nails has been used to heal and increase consciousness in humans, but I estimate at least a couple of thousand years
How does Acupressure Shakti Mat work?
From a physical viewpoint the acupressure points stimulate the release of endorphins (a family of neuropeptides concentrated in the pituitary gland and hypothalamus involved with pain relief, the body’s response to stress and determining mood; membrane receptors for endorphins are found in large quantities in pain pathways of the nervous system) and a range of other calming hormones. It also increases the blood and lymph circulation which has a detoxifying, stimulating and healing effect. The release of endorphins triggers a self-healing mechanism in the body and also blocks pain. The result is a sense of deep relaxation and well-being, even high levels of happiness.
How to use the Shakti Mat?
Place your Shakti Mat on a bed or other soft surface. A neck pillow or a rolled-up towel should be placed underneath your Shakti Mat to support your neck. Lie in a comfortable position so that your skin rests in contact with the points. Relax and breathe deeply. If your skin is very sensitive, you may want to start out with a thin cloth between yourself and the mat.
This will, however, lessen the effect of the treatment. Initially, 10-15 minutes on the mat may be enough, but you can gradually increase your sessions to 20-40 minutes. It is not harmful to spend more time on the mat or even to fall asleep on the mat. Use it whenever you have time and feel the urge – preferably every day, if possible!
We been using the Acupressure Shakti Mat for months and really I there is no doubt that this was a great buy. Not only do we both use it but our kids take turns every now and then. In fact it is getting to the point that we are both considering to get another mat for the family. We use it for both pain management and relaxation and can’t talk highly enough.
Give it a try and see for yourself – you might surprise yourself.’
Update
The New York Times European Edition wrote an interesting article on the Shakti Mat.
