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| Almost-spring blossoms at my parents' home last spring |
I have really come to appreciate having a strong personal practice at home. Being pregnant, I am often too tired to get in my car and go to class, my pregnancy nausea often rearranges my priorities, and it seems like there is only so much I can do in one day. I have appreciated being able to roll out my mat in my basement apartment and still enjoy some yoga when otherwise I wouldn't. There are a lot of limitations to a home practice but here are some things I've learned that have greatly improved my experience:
- Probably the obvious one is to use a yoga mat! Although before I bought my husband a mat we would just do yoga on the carpet and it was absolutely great. The nice thing about having a mat is that it helps you stay within a defined area so you don't end up traveling around during your practice. Other than that, a carpeted surface is suitable. My mat sits rolled up near the kitchen table until I bring it out to practice. I like to think of my mat as a blank slate every time I begin :)
- I realize this may be impossible for some people, but I prefer yoga when I'm home alone! I'm free to Om, bend, pause, adjust, and meditate in my own space without distraction. This can't always be helped and I have definitely done yoga while watching my husband play video games, but I'm glad I have some alone time to practice, too.
- Set your mat up somewhere that is not visually distracting. When I first started practicing I was facing the kitchen area of my apartment where I could see the clock, a pile of dishes, a coat draped over a chair, a pile of mail to be sorted...it was not much of an escape! As the weather had gotten warmer I moved my mat over to a corner where I face the sun coming through the blinds and it has been so pleasant. I used to think that part of the room would not be suitable for yoga because I would feel like I was in time out, but maybe that's part of establishing a good home practice! I'm not saying you necessarily need to put yourself into a corner, but it might help. I would also recommend making sure you have enough room to raise arms, twist sideways and extend legs before starting your practice because it really stinks to have to re-situate yourself later.
- Find a balance between what needs to be done before yoga and what can be done after. I am notorious at trying to accomplish a certain number of tasks before doing yoga, and before I know it I've run out of time and need to move on with the day! There are things that need to be done before-- a light breakfast, make the bed and tidy up a bit-- but I can guarantee that load of clean laundry that has been waiting to be folded for two days can wait another hour. I'll be able to fold it with more grace and awareness after having done yoga, right?
- Your outfit just needs to do the job. I once heard someone say that running is all about the outfit. I don't believe that at all but regardless of how set you are on impressing people, you've still got to look semi-presentable when walking into a yoga class. At home I have learned the art of pajama yoga. Depending on what I'm doing I will maybe change into something that gives me a better range of motion, but I have had some pretty amazing restorative sessions in sweat pants! Don't get caught up in needing to change your clothes or you might find yourself folding laundry. It sucks you in!
- The majority of the yoga I practice at home is restorative, and I am a huge fan of props during this type of practice. Flat and round bolsters and blankies are my dear friends. I haven't invested in these props yet but I have found that a firm throw pillow from a nearby chair and a rolled up or folded fleece blanket do a pretty good job at helping me feel supported. My basement is also cold so I have found it extra nice to drape it over my legs when I begin or end in a seated pose. I am also guilty of falling asleep in savasana nestled underneath it. Namaste!
- Create a new environment with music. You may not have control over a lot of things in your living space when it comes to doing yoga there, but sound can instantly transport you away from the pile of dishes in the sink. I am still deciding what music I want to invest in and own, so I switch off from using the Yoga station on the Pandora radio app (you'll have to just ignore the ads, unfortunately) and searching 'yoga music' on YouTube and choosing songs for meditation or yoga practice that are calming and are set to beautiful photographs in case you look over at your phone. This will help you figure out what type of music you prefer before spending any money.
- This should go without saying, but turn your phone off or leave it in another room. You would never have it at your mat with you in a yoga studio! Even if I'm using it for music or video during my practice, I turn the ringer down and ignore anything that comes in. That might be hard at first but it's better to just not have to deal with the temptation. It's just going to distract you!
- Explore! Whether you are using your own creativity to practice or following a video, dive in and learn something new! Experiment with new sequences, hold something longer than you normally do, stray from your routine, and find inspiration from other sources to spice things up. The internet makes that really easy. Bodhi Yoga has some free trial videos as well as classes with a membership that are so helpful to use at home!
It may be slow starting but try some of these suggestions out and see where they take you. Good luck!
