I’ve been thinking lately about how to practice yoga at home safely. As many of us are doing yoga in our homes, I create a short guide on how to practice yoga at-home, making sure you’re practicing safely and know how to approach it.
I don’t know about you, but I love doing yoga at home. This is how I started doing yoga several years ago. I was in front of a YouTube channel trying to recover from depression.
It changed my life.
In the beginning, I thought it is wrong what I was doing, but I allowed myself to have the experience.
It served me well, and I will always be grateful for this experience.
Doing yoga at home may be accessible, but it requires discipline—the discipline of showing up.
Create a regular practice
First of all, look for your home areas to roll out a mat and have a bit of extra space (a foot or so) surrounding each side.
Creating a schedule in advance for yourself will help you stay clear on your goal. Start by setting how many times per week, you would like to practice and block that time in your schedule.
Tip: For example, try to do it first thing in the morning and then start working. Or the other way around when you finish your day. It is going to be easier to stay on track if you connect two of your daily activities or more.
I’m a big fan of a small start, step-by-step process. If you’re at the beginning of your yoga journey, this is the only way to set yourself up for success.
Stay safe; prevent injury.
To stay safe and avoid injury, I have to say that your practice’s most critical part is listening to the instructor’s cues. If there is something you don’t understand or don’t know how to do, take a break, look at the instructor, listen to what is saying, and then do it.
Sometimes the screen you’re looking at maybe is in a position that doesn’t give you access to see it. So, take a break, look, and then do the pose. Pay attention to the areas like knees, hips, spine, and neck. These are the areas that need to be protected the most.
Another important aspect is to understand where you’re in your practice and allow yourself to be there. It’s essential to find the edge and play there, but your body is innately intelligent and will tell you when to step back.
Get the accessories.
Well, maybe you’ve heard me before telling that you don’t need accessories to be able to practice. You can get creative and use books instead of yoga blocks, pillows instead of a bolster, a scarf, or a towel instead of a strap.
Also, yoga props can be useful tools that help you feel supported during your flow, stay in poses longer, stretch more deeply, and avoid injury.
Read also: 3 Must-Have Products for Doing Yoga At Home.
Always relax with savasana.
I know that doing at-home means that you can skip savasana to go for your to-do list. It is essential to let your body relax in savasana. This is the moment when your mind integrates what the body experienced during the yoga practice.
Look as savasana as the time in your practice just to be – to breathe and to be present with yourself.
Need a boost of motivation to get on your mat every day?
Some days will be more challenging than others. In those days, show up for a 30-min yoga class. You’ll advance in your practice even it is a short class and not a 60 to 90 min class. You can go on another day for a more extended class if you feel the need.
One of the most beautiful aspects of yoga is that you don’t need any fancy equipment or a designated place to practice. You can even practice in you pajamas (talking from experience here).
Yoga is accessible.
The practice meets you where you are – as long as you are willing to approach it.
Warmly,
Alexandra
P.S. You’ll find free yoga practices with me on YouTube if you’re ready to practice.
Let’s get social! You can find me on Instagram and Facebook. Tag me and let me know how your practice is going.
