Have you ever had that feeling in class that the teacher isn't quite teaching to you? Or that the poses seem easy or somehow routine? If that is the case the problem may not be the teacher or the poses. The problem or issue may just be that you are not being challenged enough or are being allowed to engage in the practice in a somewhat perfunctory fashion. If this is the case then it may be time to start a home yoga practice. Its time to take what you know and have experienced in the studio and practice at home or in the park (a personal favorite of mine). Maybe you've already considered it but haven't quite gotten around to it. Maybe you don't know exactly how or where to begin. Here are ten tips that have helped me develop my home practice.
10 Tips for beginning a home
practice
1.
Set aside a time
and place to practice and (if possible) use it only for practice. Make sure
your phone, alarm clocks, and computer are off (or set to silent/sleep). Some
people may like to play some music and that is fine but I would urge you to not
play anything while starting out. Limit
your external stimuli and your mind will naturally turn inward.
2.
The use of a
mirror may be beneficial when starting out.
Over time, though, it may just keep you from progressing. Rather,
use your senses as you would a mirror. Drawing them inward and deeper
than the reflection in the mirror, you will learn how poses FEEL rather than
how they merely look.
3.
Keep your yoga
gear (mat, strap, block(s), bolster) in plain sight and in the space/area you
practice in. Doing this serves as a reminder to practice and will call out to
you if you're being lazy.
4.
Create a set of
habits or actions that you perform before or after your practice. This gives
your brain a cue and will help you initiate your practice and have other
activities associated with your practice.
5.
When starting
out....keep your practice simple and a little playful. My yoga teacher always reminds his students
to keep a "beginner's/child's mind" while practicing.' In the mind of
the beginner there are many options. A child is explorative, not overly self
conscious, and almost always playful. Be the same way while beginning your home
practice. Always remember that this is YOUR practice, YOUR space, and YOUR
time. You know that pose that you've wanted to try but were too fearful or
embarrassed to attempt? With a home practice you get to fall, slap the floor
with your body, let out emotions, etc. until you can finally get it. When you
do finally get it you can let out a loud victory yell or simply move to the
next pose.
6.
It may be useful
to divide your practice time between something you can do every practice and
something that is new for you. For example, you can open with some Surya
Namaskaras I&II followed by standing forward folds moving towards seated
poses (practiced Vinyasa/Ashtanga style). After working through a predetermined
set of poses you then move on to more "experimental" poses perhaps
like Sirsasana (Head stand) or Adho Mukha Vrksasana (Hand stand). This way you
can drill in the basics, while acquiring new skills. Practice what you know and what your body
likes. There is no reason why your home
practice should be a struggle. Explore
with deeper variations of the poses you know well.
7.
As with studio
classes, remember to set an intention for your practice. Even if it is only for
fun it is important to acknowledge why you are practicing. In any/every yoga
practice the poses are WHAT you are doing, but the intention is
there to remind you why.
8.
Also, finish each asana practice with
savasana/corpse pose. It's a simple pose
but with a deceptive amount of complexity to master. For the whole time that you've practiced
you've built up steam in your body, accessed deep layers of tissue and applied
the power of your breathing to those deeper layers. Corpse pose is there to
seal in that heat and give rest to the body. It
is very easy to get into the pose but the hard part is staying with the
stillness and not allowing your mind to distract you. I always tell myself and
students that the work is done and it is time to rest. Disengage the body.
Disengage the mind. Rest.
9.
Development of a home practice will ween you
off dependence on a studio or teacher. When you are able to take control of
your practice then you become accountable to yourself alone. If questions
arise, write them down and ask a trusted teacher or consult a book like Light
On Yoga. Remember, classes are for
learning. When you feel like you have learned all you can from a teacher then
the time may be right to move on to another or challenge yourself by becoming
your own teacher.
10. After savasana the stillness you feel might allow for
some meditation. Sit in a comfortable
seated posture like Padmasana (Lotus pose) with an erect spine and your chin
slightly tucked toward your chest. Lengthen your breathing slowly. Imagine you
are pouring water from one cup into another. In the same way, your breath fills
your lungs on the inhale and empties the lungs on the exhale. Let the sound of
your breathing take you deeper into a place of serenity. Your mind may begin to
interject with stray thoughts. That is okay. Take what your mind is showing
you, recognize it for what is and leave it aside. Doing this might take up the
time you've allotted to meditate but over time it will become easier to stay in
that place of stillness. After your
meditation is over you may want to do another savasana (Corpse pose). If not,
then get up slowly and quietly.
