6 Realistic Tips for a Home Yoga Practice 

Throughout the past 10 years, my own practice has been quiet consistent, although the way that I practice now has changed.

Here is an overview of my practice during the years.

During my first years, I was really motivated and I was practicing every day without fail. I was practicing sometimes even morning and afternoon and I was seeing so many results in my strength and mental wellbeing. Because it was all new, I was learning new moves all the time and discovering this amazing new culture. I found inspiration in my practice that I could translate into my classes. I was mostly focusing on the physical part of yoga. However, I soon realised that there is a whole other world apart from the asanas. As a result, I was learning and applying many concepts of ayurveda, seasonal living and spiritual rituals to my routine. Not only physically, but also mentally, I was growing. I went through a very intense and exhilirating time. It started feeling like I had come home to myself.

Around this time, I was building my yoga studio and was teaching many hours every day. At this time, I was practicing many hours on my mat and demonstrating in my classes. This, I realized was way too much for me physically and mentally.

Fast forward to the last few years, my approach to my practice and my work has completely shifted. I don't practice advanced asanas that much anymore and I focus more on the stretches, breathwork and energywork. I am a believer that slowing down and doing less can be as much or even more beneficial to my health. I am excited to help you build a home practice with these 6 tips.

1) FIND YOUR INTENTION

An intention is what drives you to come back to the mat over and over again. So you are simply finding the real reason why you want to practice yoga and be consistent. So if you're not clear on what you want, you might give up easily and let your mat get dusty in the back of your closet.

What does yoga bring you? How do you feel when you're practicing? Personnally, I practice because it helps me clear my mind and grounds me in the present moment. I am calmer and all my worries seem to disapear. The reason why I choose to practice daily is simply because I feel alive afterwards. I have found that the days when I don't practice are dull and my body is uncomfortable. You can keep on refining your intention step by step, but try to find a simple one first to get started. Know that your intention will change depending on your needs and life situations.

2) KEEP IT SHORT AND SIPLE

I think one of the biggest problems I have found to be consistent is time. The truth is that I always have time to squeeze in a practice pretty much whenever I want, but I get lazy if I know that I have to stay on my mat for hours, I tell myself: "Well, if I do a full hour now I will be able to have a great practice and I'll improve a lot." But I also think: "But... I'll do it later because now I have to do something else and if I squeeze an hour of yoga before, I won't get the rest done." And later becomes the next day, and the next, and the next....

Remember that it's better if you do 10 minutes a day everyday than 2 hours every week. A little goes a long way. In the beginning start with 10 minutes and then, if you feel like it, you can build it up to 20mins, 30mins or longer. Which is eventually going to help you notice results.

But here's the thing, our often busy lives can be quiet challenging to keep up a yoga routine. Taking 10-20mins everday will help you feel energised and centered for the rest of your day. But when strapped for time, just do a few sun salutations or some deep belly breaths. The most important is that you take some time daily to connect with yourself and that you feel happy with your routine.

3) STICK TO A ROUTINE

Set aside time for yourself daily. This is going to help you stay consistent with your practice. I believe whatever way you want to do it will work. What I would suggest is decide which part of your day you want to practice and make it part of your routine. Keep it consistent! If you're a person who prefers to practice in the morning then decide what time in the morning is better. Or maybe you're more comfortable with a later practice, just create space in your schedule for it. Again, there's no right answer. It's about finding what you enjoy doing.

4) FIND INSPIRATION

There are so many different styles of yoga and ways to get inspired.

One way is to go regularly to a yoga class. So you can take some elements that you liked from the class and implement it into your flow. And usually, what happens is that you will have more variation in your practice and will not get bored. I think for many people, it's all about finding variety and discovering new elements of yoga to keep the spark alive.

I didn't have many options for in-person classes because I was teaching at the same time than the classes that I wanted to attend. So I started looking on youtube for online classes. I remember I tried so many different styles and teachers. You can also try to find classes on youtube and just follow along. It is also for free which is very nice if you're on a tight budget. It's fun to try new styles and discover new approaches to the practice, I have learned a lot from it. If you're using youtube, make sure you always listen to your body before doing any poses. Remember not to do anything that doesn't feel right for you in the moment.

An other easy way is online yoga through a membership platform. I love to be part of a community and get access to high quality classes. I find it's an easy way to practice whenever I want and have access to longer, more complete classes.

5) TRY A NEW STYLE

As I mentioned, yoga has so many different styles. It wasn't until recently, that I started experimenting with different styles of yoga. I'm sure there are many styles that I haven't tried yet, but that's what I love about yoga: it's endless. And that's amazing! I'm sure that experimenting with the different yogas has helped me deepen my understanding of how my body works. But I believe that I will always keep my vinyasa style practice as my main style. What I've learned is: don't change what works for you, but you have to keep experimenting, trying and adjusting. I enjoy being a constant learner. So some days, I will change up my routine and do some restorative yoga instead of my usual vinyasa practice. And that's how I never get bored.

6) TAKE YOUR YOGA PRACTICE INTO YOUR LIFE

This is a tip that will come with time. 

Yoga is more than just a physical practice. Asana is actually a small part of yoga. So I encourage you to be curious and educate yourself. Take the yoga principles and implement them in your life. This is such a beautiful yet essential way to become a better yogi. The physical aspects are, of course, very important to keep your body healthy, but there is way more to life than the body. So use those principles to create the best version of yourself. Take a moment whenever you can and read spiritual books or listen to podcasts. Think before you act, ask yourself what is the most ethical way to react. The practice can go a very long way, just be curious.