During this time of social distancing, most of us are staying home most of the time, including when we practice yoga. Here are a few tips for how to create a home yoga space that will keep you returning to your mat on a regular basis, which is more important now than ever!
1) Carve out a space in your house to unroll your mat.
This can be anywhere you have space, but make sure you can stretch your arms and legs out in all directions, if possible. It is also great to have a clear piece of wall space nearby to assist with balance and provide support for various poses.
2) Gather your props.
In professional yoga studios you will often find props to help make complex poses more accessible to all body types, or to support you in restorative poses. On my resources page, you will find links to buy my favorite versions of these props. However, there are many substitutes to be found lying around the house that you can use instead. Gather some of them and keep them near your yoga mat. Here is a video describing the common household items you can substitute for conventional yoga props:
3) Acknowledge that it might not be the same as practicing in a studio, and that’s ok.
Many people say that they don’t know how to practice yoga on their own, and that’s fine; I have a hard time with that, too! Luckily, I’m here, and you can practice yoga with me on my YouTube channel every week.
Challenges of Practicing at Home
Another common complaint I hear from students is that they don’t get as much out of practicing at home as they do when they go to the studio. This is totally understandable! There are many distractions at home, and often we can’t dedicate the same amount of time on any given day that we might spend at a studio. Here are some positives you may discover when practicing at home: : Are you practicing yoga more often, even if for less time? Are other family members or pets joining you for your yoga practice? Are you trying new things? Are you really listening to what your body needs, instead of what everyone else in the room is doing? And even if none of these things are happening, and you still don’t like practicing at home, remember that your body is grateful to you; you are doing an amazing thing for your health by getting up and stretching and moving with the flow of your breath.
I hope to see you on the mat soon!
