|Stacey Steed
Starting a Home Yoga Practice
You’re seeing the benefits of yoga, and contemplating a home yoga practice. You roll out your mat on the living room floor, and then you think ”where do I begin?”If you’re trying to recall the sequences from your favorite instructor, and your mind is going blank –that is okay. Every seasoned yogi probably remembers the challenge of starting their at home practice.
Here is the secret…when instructors finish yoga teacher training, the facilitators don’t sprinkle the new teachers with magical yoga dust. Facilitators teach vinyasa krama –aka intelligent sequencing.
Yes, your teacher is following an organized sequence to keep you safe and maintain a flow. The intelligence of the routine is why you most likely feel peaceful, balanced, and aligned at the end of your studio practice.
You can follow this sequence at home, too. It looks like this…
Centering: Find a comfortable seat. Breathe. Set an intention.
Warm-up: Remember those middle school gym class stretches? Do some of those.
Create some heat: Sun Salutations! Don’t know those? Move through downward facing dog, plank, and child’s pose several times.
Standing poses: You know these! Keep transitioning between Warrior 1, Warrior 2, and Triangle pose (or any other standing poses that you remember).
Transition to the floor: Maybe just move into a deep squat?
Get your feet above your heart: Literally, just rest your legs up a wall.
Backbends: Bridge pose is an easy place to start.
Twist: Any type of twist will do. Inhales to the chest. Exhales to the navel.
Forward fold: Any shape that draws your chest towards your thighs should count.
Savasana: Lay down. Close your eyes. Rest.
Pranayama: Come back to a comfortable seat. Breathe. Reflect on your intention.
Start building your at home practice through this intelligent sequence, and remember it’s just yoga practice. Give yourself permission to feel challenged at building a sequence for yourself at home.
You’ve already started your yoga journey at the studio, and now you can keep it going at home!