Have you noticed pictures of Yogis of olden times meditating on animal skins, like deer or tiger?  Paramahansa Yogananda told his followers to meditate sitting on a wool blanket. The reason is that it insulates you from the the downward pull of subtle earth currents.  You seldom hear about this being mentioned in modern day yoga classes. I wonder if rubber yoga mats have the same effect as an animal skin?   

I’ve also read that if you are celibate you can meditate on a tiger skin, because you have conquered your lower nature. Otherwise you would use a deer skin which helps keep the ants and snakes off (if your in the forest) and keeps you warmer in cold weather .

In Hinduism, Lord Shiva is often depicted wearing a tiger skin and sitting on one. Symbolically this means that he is the beyond all powers and controls all powers.

In kundalini yoga, Yogi Bhajan also recommends a sheepskin for meditating. He says it insulate the yogi from the magnetic pull of the earth.

All of the above animal should have transitioned of natural causes.  I myself will meditate on a wool blanket.

 I love these paintings. They date back to between 1811 to 1868. Maybe 200 years from now people will look at my yoga paintings with my cats and think you are supposed to practice yoga with cats . Haha