8 Tips For A Successful Home Yoga Practice

As a practitioner of Ashtanga Yoga primarily, I love the self-led nature of a Mysore practice within a group environment. But, it is not possible for me at this time to practice in a shala setting consistently, so here are some tools that have helped me in my home practice of Ashtanga and Vinyasa Yoga.

Practicing the same poses every day repeatedly is a powerful way to keep consistent with your practice. This repetition offers you a clear vantage point from which to watch yourself grow and change. The nature and sequencing of Ashtanga Yoga offers this beautifully. You don’t have to think about what pose you want to do next, so instead you can focus on your breath, bandhas and drishti. This takes you into a deeper meditative and focused place, so that you will step off your mat feeling more present and peaceful.

Even if it’s just 15 minutes, make yourself a promise that you will do your 15 minutes. That’s your practice—just that—everything else is bonus time! Start small, this way you can stick with your commitment and feel positive about your practice rather than guilty if you don’t have a lot of time or energy that day.

Make a specific spot in your home that is specifically reserved for your practice. When you roll out your mat, you are in your own little yoga studio, so be there! Don’t roll it out and then walk away and get on Facebook (guilty – I’ve done that – it does not benefit your practice!). Creating a small altar or having a special picture, token or candle there to mark this as a sacred space for intentional practice will help you. When you practice, make practice your sole focus. Turn off the phone, music and computer. Honor your practice time as sacred and important. Make boundaries around yourself for your practice time. If you are in a house with other people, you will need to gracefully practice conscious communication with them in order to protect your uninterrupted practice time and space.

Always include time in your practice just to BE – to breathe and to be present with yourself. Perhaps picking a gentle pranayama practice will help you, or mantra meditation or japa. Finding stillness in your practice will make you feel very nourished and peaceful, and this will then make you want to practice with more consistency and devotion! Just three minutes of conscious deep breathing can work wonders! Practicing meditation will benefit your asana practice, because it will help you build your powers of concentration. The inverse is true as well; practicing asana, especially with an intense focus on controlling prana through drishti, bandhas and breath, will make you a better meditator.

Go upside down every day! Shoulder-stand, headstand and viparita karani are all fantastic practices. There are so many wonderful health benefits from inverting. Plus, it’s a great way to clear your head and get a new perspective on things. I always feel happier and better about life after a few minutes of hanging out upside down.

Occasionally, give yourself the treat of working with a great teacher. Go in for a few classes or a workshop. This will help bring attention to areas of your practice that need assistance, and it will also provide you with new inspiration and motivation for your daily home practice.

If you are feeling a little stuck all by yourself, look around for some help and a break in the routine. Learn from reading blogs and yoga websites, or even take an online yoga class if that’s what is most available to you.

So, maybe you don’t want to do the same sequence every day? That’s cool; sometimes I like to just “play,” Vinyasa style, on my mat. If that’s what you are going to do, make sure your practice is balanced with plenty of poses.