How to create your own at-home yoga practice
Attending yoga classes is essential to learn the poses and understand the practice better. Once you feel capable of doing yoga unsupervised however, taking your practice out of the classroom and into your everyday life can take you to the next level.
You can pick and choose routines to suit your needs and you have the added bonus of creating your own space - sometimes being in a packed yoga class just isn't the best environment to foster calm and relaxation. The following tips should help you get started with at-home yoga:
Remember that you make the rules
The first thing to remember when it comes to at-home yoga practice is that you are in control. Sure, you can do a full 90-minute session every day if you want, but starting off with 20-30 minutes every other day is far more doable.
Choose your time
Again, with at-home practice you can fit yoga around your lifestyle. Do you love that post-yoga buzz first thing in the morning? Or do you prefer to stretch out after work before relaxing for the evening? Either way, schedule yourself a time to suit you.
Create a sacred space
Choose a room or spot in the house that you associate with relaxation and take a little time to make it special. If you can, decorate the room with calming colours and light a scented candle while you practice.
Ensure you have the right equipment
A yoga mat is key to practicing safely and you'll also find the act of unrolling your mat to practice a psychological trigger to relax. Make sure you have appropriate clothing and if you need to, keep your laptop/Smartphone close by to follow online tutorials.
Choose your poses wisely
The poses you practice at home should be ones you feel safe and secure doing. When you want to push yourself, ensure you've got the basics of the moves down in class before practicing the move at home. While it is important to challenge yourself with more difficult moves, it is more important to do so safely.
Find out more about the benefits of yoga on our yoga therapy page.
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