Hello World!  Hope your world is treating you well today. I’m getting a late start as we had a power outage this morning (no computer) & then I

decided to edge my yard instead of walk since I couldn’t get my car out of the garage…Definitely needed Yoga meditation this morning as I wasn’t a happy camper. I was 5 minutes from leaving the house when the power went out.

So here I am now & I am going to share some info I found about yoga & exercise for both mind & body.  I like yoga as it helps me to relax at times when I need it, but it also stretches the body & gives me an overall feeling of well being.

Tips for Cultivating a Steady Home Yoga Practice

It’s that time of the year when the resolve behind those New Year’s

resolutions to eat better or exercise more begins to falter. The same goes for establishing a regular yoga or meditation practice at home: it starts with good intentions;  somewhere along the way, the initial verve is dulled by daily grind or by some other mysterious psychological resistance to following through, even if you know practicing at home can help you save the money & time that it takes to go to a public class. If you find yourself wavering a bit, here are a few tips to help you start a home yoga practice & keep it going.

1. Don’t pressure yourself:  Probably easy to say, but harder to do in our competitive society. Nevertheless, it’s key to allow yourself to have no expectations of what a “good” yoga practice feels like, & try to accept where you are daily;  physically, mentally, emotionally & energetically;  without judgment & independent of whether you’re able to make it to the mat or not that day. Ease the critical self talk. Even the practice of transforming self-judgment into self-acceptance can have enormous benefits.

2. Set an intention before your practice:  All right, so that may sound a bit like setting an expectation or goal, but there is a difference between an intention, versus expectations & goals. An intention focuses your awareness on cultivating a certain a way of being, writes Phillip Moffitt over at Yoga Journal:

Setting intention, according to Buddhist teachings, is different than goal making. It’s not oriented toward a future outcome. Instead, it is a path or practice that’s focused on how you’re “being” in the present moment. Your attention is on the ever-present “now”;  in the constantly changing flow of life. You set your intentions based on understanding what matters most to you & make a commitment to align your worldly actions with your inner values.

As you gain insight through meditation, reflection, & moral living, your ability to act from your intentions blossoms. It is called a practice because it’s an ever renewing process. You don’t just set your intentions & then forget about them; you live them every day.

Setting an intention that’s meaningful to you, whether it’s cultivating self love or gratitude, or releasing negativity:  will help you deepen your inner practice both on & off the mat.

3. Stick to a set sequence:  Series like the Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar) & Moon Salutation (Chandra Namaskar) are easy to follow, & great for building a foundation for a strong home practice. If you feel  uninspired to do a lengthy yoga posture practice, you can do 3 repetitions of either salutation series & call it a day.

In addition, one of the biggest advantages of styles or schools of yoga that have a predetermined series of postures to follow like Ashtanga, Bikram, Integral or Sivananda — is having a set series of movements means you can concentrate on observing if there’s any evolution in your practice. Plus, following a set sequence can also help you cultivate a deeper, meditative flow as you repeat the practice daily.

4. Try free online classes:  Alternatively, if you are someone who absolutely hates routine in any kind of practice, you can try  a class online via any number of yoga class websites that offer free trials for paid subscription services. There are thousands of free classes out there, in every style, application or demographic imaginable (yoga for hip issues, for diabetes, for people of color, wheelchair yoga, etc.), allowing you to steadily practice in the comfort & privacy of your own home.  (*This is how I like to exercise. I like a daily routine but I like to be alone when exercising.)

5. Habits form out of repetition & environmental cues:  From a

psychological point of view, habits are patterns of behaviors that are formed in response to cues or triggers found in one’s environment. So it might be helpful to formulate some kind of routine around your new practice: perhaps doing some postures when you come home after work, or before going to bed. Designating a quiet, peaceful place in your home as a practice space helps too. Turn off the phone & computer, if needed. Remember, it may take a few weeks to several months for a new habit to stick — so be patient but consistent.

6. Function, not form:  While there are some general guidelines for finding alignment & stability in each asana (posture), it’s important to remember that every body is different, so there’s no one way that a pose “should” look. Whether there’s a modification to your pose that helps you strain less or breathe better, & allowing a freer flow of interior energy, your body will know what feels good & right. This is one of the biggest advantages of a home practice: the ability to tailor your practice to you, modifying or holding poses as needed. No matter what, listen to your body & be kind to yourself as you go through your practice.

7. Meditate, do deep breathing & rest in savasana (corpse pose) after every

practice:  Spending time in some kind of restorative pose like savasana (where you lie down on your back with the arms alongside the body & palms facing up); or meditating & observing your breath & mindspace for a few minutes — is crucial.  Adding these tools helps you integrate the more subtle benefits of the practice, &  establishes a balance between ease & effort.

If you have time, you do an extended, guided deep relaxation (yoga

nidra) use a recording (find one on YouTube). Complete relaxation & cultivating mindfulness is key to releasing tension that gets stored in your body, mind & spirit. Ultimately, in whatever form it takes, yoga is a holistic practice that can help you let go whatever it is preventing you from seeing that we’re all connected — to our inner selves, to each other & to the universe as a whole.

And hey, if that beautiful home practice really doesn’t materialize? You can always repurpose that yoga mat & find something else that will stick — no pressure.

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This is good info. I started yoga by taking an inexpensive class from the

school district where I live & then I bought a book that show the postures. However, you choose to do Yoga, it is good for you & will make you feel good overall (mind, body, spirit) so give it a try…

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