How is your practice going?
The past few years have really shifted so much about the way we practice yoga. Between studio closures plus working remote schedules, many people have fallen away from yoga altogether. But the truth is that we need yoga now more than ever before! It is a perfect time to re-inspire your home practice.
I love practicing at home but also recognize how challenging it can be to find the same focus and inspiration that I get when taking class in a studio. I always hear from people “but a home practice is just not the same!” And I get it! But that’s ok, it’s not supposed to be. It can however be an incredible way to create rhythm and regularity when you can’t get to the studio plus have the freedom to adapt and move in a way that feels best for your body each day.
There are a few things we can do to make a home practice more enticing. Some are obvious (turn your phone off and minimize other distractions!) but here are 4 ways to support (and learn to love) your home yoga practice.
1) Create the vibe. Delight your senses and create the vibe at home by dimming the lights a little, burn your favorite incense, play music that inspires you. I love to light candles, play mantras, and diffuse a blend of lavender, citrus, and sandalwood oils to set the mood.
2) Feed your spirit. Before you jump into the poses, spend a few minutes reading a sacred text, poem or inspirational writing. This is a wonderful way to connect with your heart and mind and to find yogic inspiration for everyday living. Read a passage and allow it to inspire inquiry and reflection as you move through the asanas. A few I love include: the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, and The Radiance Sutras.
3) Mix it up! Do you always practice a strong flow? Are you more of a yin and restorative person? Changing up the pace and style of your practice can bring a lot of fresh insight and inspiration! One of the ways that I mix it up is by focusing each day on a different categories of poses (backbends, inversions etc). This brings diversity to my physical practice and keeps it fresh rather than moving on auto-pilot on the mat.
4) Rest and Reflect. For some reason it always feels so much harder to take a proper savasana at home! But this is where the real magic happens. I keep a journal near my mat and as soon as I come up from savasana I make a few notes about how I am feeling, any insights I had, anything I want to remember. This journal serves as a practice log and a reference for future inspiration I can draw from if needed.
I hope these ideas help your home practice become as rich and satisfying as any other class you take!
PS – Join me for my weekly Soulful Sunday zoom practice! Every Sunday at 9:30am PT we meet on the mat for an embodied practice of asana, mantra, mudra, meditation and community.
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