Establish a home based yoga practice and reap the benefits
Is the yoga class on tonight or not? There is a big snow storm going on. Alice is really hoping that the class is still on!
Alice calls the studio and finds out the class has been canceled due to the snow storm. Now what is she going to do?
If Alice had established a home based practice she would be able to practice at home and not worry about the snow storm.
There are many other benefits that Alice will enjoy from her home based yoga practice. Let’s have a look at a few of those benefits now, starting with the freedom to schedule your practice.
It’s your time
You can practice right now. Anytime is the right time. You do not need to check out the schedule at the yoga studio to find out when your next class is. Never again will you have to miss a class because of and event that came up in your work or home life. You can schedule your yoga practice around your life. Now or later is the right time for your practice.
It’s your space
You are already there. You are living in your practice space. There is no need to get up and go to the yoga studio. You do not have to allow time for getting packed and driving to the studio.
You do not have to worry about the weather. Your class will not be canceled because of bad weather. You are already there.
You do not have to share your space with anyone else. You can take as much or as little space as you like for your practice.
It’s your practice
When you feel like a vigorous practice you can have one. If at another time you want a gentle mediative practice, no problem. The type of practice you have is entirely up to you. You are not dependent on your yoga teacher to provide the practice, you can pick the practice that you want for today.
It’s your solitude
When you practice at home there is no one around to distract or annoy you. No idle chatter from your neighbours. No strange smells. No one intruding into your space. The peace and quiet is there for you to enjoy.
If you want music while you practice, the choice of music is entirely up to you. If you want silence then you can have that too.
It’s free
When you practice at home, you do not pay anyone for the class.
There is no pressure to get out to the yoga studio because you bought a block of classes and you will lose them if you do not use them.
It’s your shower time
Now you will not wait until you get home to have that refreshing shower. You will be able to wash the sweat off right away. Your shower is only steps away from your practice space.
It is your shower and not a public shower at the yoga studio, if they should have one available.
But, I live in an apartment. Where am I going to find the space to practice yoga at home?
You do not need a whole lot of space to practice yoga. Find a place in your apartment where you can make a snow angel. If you can lay down and move your arms and legs back and forth on the floor you have enough space for a yoga practice.
The minimum space you need is about 6 feet by 6 feet. This is enough for you and your yoga mat.
You may find this minimum space a bit cramped. A more spacious arrangement is a space of about 10 feet by 10 feet. This will give you lots of room for you, your yoga mat, your props, your music and any thing else you want to have around when you are practicing yoga.
How will I know if I am doing my yoga poses correctly?
Your teacher can help you to prepare for a home based practice. Work with your teacher to find out which yoga poses you are doing correctly already and that you can do at home.
You and your yoga teacher can develop several class outlines for you to follow while you are practicing at home that include yoga poses that you are already know and perform without risk of injury to yourself.
Summary
Establishing a home based you practice has many perks.
- It’s your schedule
- It’s your space
- There are no crowds
- What to practice is your choice
- It’s free
- You can clean up right away
Alice will never have to cancel her home based classes because of a snow storm.
Next Steps
Developing a home practice is something that every new yogi is encouraged to do. Once Alice has become proficient in her yoga practice she can reap the many rewards of a home based practice.
The discipline of practicing at home really added confidence to my yoga. I still find that it really feels great to share energy with like minded people at the studio.