Bringing Your Yoga Practice Home

A home practice is the heart of Yoga. That being said, it took me years to get in the groove of practicing at home. It’s daunting, and, at least for me, I felt that if I couldn’t devote an hour, it wasn’t worth it. If this line of reasoning sounds familiar, please, learn from me and take this to heart: If you have 10 minutes, practice 10 minutes and bask in your 10 minute home practice. Even 10 minutes (heck, even 5 minutes) per day can be transformative!

When we come to Yoga or Meditation, we do so for a number of reasons. Knowing our reasons can help us stay the course with our practice. Some of the reasons that people choose to practice are:

– A healthier body
– To quiet the mind
– To be more present, mindful
– To strengthen the qualities that asanas embody
– To see (and transform) how we “do” life

No matter why we begin a practice, eventually, a steady practice leads us to perspective, a clear(er) mind, and a greater ability to respond instead of react.

______________________________

A home practice requires very little of us. An open mind, an empty stomach and bare feet are all that we really need. A sticky mat is helpful, but certainly not necessary (as proven by Lia). The most important thing is to know what is essential for YOU to be able to create a home practice. Do you need a video, or a podcast? Are books enough for you? Give yourself the gift of creating circumstances for success, and then, set reasonable time commitments for your practice.

Hint: I NEVER say to myself, “I am going to practice for an hour every day.” Honestly, I would never practice!! Typically I commit to 15 – 20 minutes of daily practice, and often, more time appears. It’s a recipe for success.

Here are some questions that can help you get started with a home practice:

Why do you practice? What are you seeking?

What do you feel you need to do at home to create practice time? (ie; “the house has to be spotless before I can practice.”) Is it really true? Or realistic?

Can you make (or find) 10 minutes per day for your practice?

If you don’t practice at home (and you want to), what stops you?

If you had 10 minutes per day set aside for practice, what would you fill it with? (ie; “3 asanas and 5 minutes of meditation”)