How to build a Home Yoga Practice
For many people, the practice of Yoga means going to a Yoga school once or twice a week, practicing how the Yoga teacher suggests, and then heading home to get on with the rest of our week. We feel refreshed for a few hours or a couple of days before we head back for our next class the following week.
But so much more can be gained from Yoga when we roll out our mat at home and give it a go! By consistently opening the body and mind through Yoga, you can build a deeper understanding of your physical body and also your mind. With our ever busy lives our nerves get frayed and our energy gets drained.
A good yoga practice followed by a Savasana will leave you feeling opened or elongated in the body and balanced in the mind.
Here are some tips to get started:
Ideally you would try to allocate a place in your home where you can leave your mat out and where you can retreat to. It is best if it is warm, inviting, and has some wall space.
If this is not possible consider clearing away some furniture so that you can set your mat and props up. My first teacher always said that she would never live in a house with a couch!!! Things like candles or incense are optional extras but they may help you to set the mood.
Start to build up some Yoga props. Having your own mat, blocks, belts are a good start but there are endless props that are interesting to use in your practice and can help you gain another perspective on the poses that you are working with.. Suzi Carson from Yoga Arts has a great selection of props.
While at your weekly class try to remember just a couple of poses that you feel you could benefit from and practice them at home for the week. When you practice these poses, questions will arise in your mind. You may be able to nut them out for yourself or feel free to ask your teacher when you are next at the school. (Jyoteeka, from Yoga on the Square offers great beginners and general classes and she loves to hear your questions!)
Try to finish your practice with a Savasana. The practice of the quiet relaxation at the end of your session is not just for this moment but has a cumulative effect. By practicing a short savasana day after day helps you develop a sense of stillness and allows the body to fully recuperate
Are you ready to up level your home practice?
We are now providing a monthly Home Practice Package for you.
Find out more information here
“Yoga allows you to achieve a sense of wholeness in your life, where you do not feel like you are constantly trying to fit the broken pieces together. Yoga allows you to find an inner peace that is not ruffled and riled by the endless stresses and struggles of life. Yoga allows you to find a new kind of freedom that you may not have known existed”
B K S Iyengar