Practice (noun)- something that is usually or done, often as a habit, tradition, or custom.
When I first began practicing yoga over 15 years ago, I had the luxury of time. It was no problem for me to fit in an hour or two of Asana practice every day. I could supplement with in person classes as well. This was on top of a very active professional life as a music teacher and musician.
My time is more limited these days. Some days I’m lucky if I get to finish my morning coffee let alone fit in an hour of yoga. I know I’m not alone in this. Many of us are juggling work, relationships, families, and other goals. Oh- and ALL of us are going through a global pandemic. How can we add another thing to our to do list when our lists are already packed?
In my experience, the most important thing to remember when building a home yoga practice is that consistency is important, perfection is not. Consistency may be different for each person. Some people may choose to practice each day, others may choose once or twice a week.
So you’ve carved out some time for a consistent yoga practice, but life gets in the way. You have to work late, or your four year old comes barging in the room to show you her favorite stuffed unicorn. How do you respond? In yoga we talk about the need for a balance of sthira and sukha, or steadiness and ease. Be realistic about what you can do, and adjust as needed. If you don’t have time in your day for a full hour, try 20 minutes. If 20 minutes is too much, pick a single pose and just do that one. If you can’t physically get down on the floor, do some deep breathing, or a forward fold in your chair.
An empowered home yoga practice is just that- a practice. We train ourselves to use the tools that yoga has to offer by using them regularly whether that means a full asana practice in the morning or small mindfulness breaks through the day. How will you bring consistency into your home yoga practice?
True Rhythm Yoga 