This post is all about starting yoga at home.
No frills, no glam-ups, no adding more to your to-do list; yoga is a break from that, a peek behind the curtain of how you’re doing. This check-in does not require fancy yoga clothes or even a mat. Starting yoga at home can and is simple. Keep reading to learn exactly how.
I’ve been practicing yoga for 7 years and still, I favor a home practice over a studio group class. Here are a few reasons I chose to build and maintain a home yoga practice:
- being able to stay in my cozy clothes with messy hair
- no last-minute cancellation fee because I overslept or worked late
- more space and time to explore poses
- getting to choose the music (or deciding to practice in silence)
- having my coffee at the same time
When considering starting a yoga practice at home there are a few things it will require:
- A basic knowledge of how to practice – (I’ll be sure you’ll have one by the end of this blog)
- Comfy clothes
- A mat is not required but will help
- Device to flow along with if you chose
Starting yoga at home
I believe in finding your why. It supports intention and will help on those days when motivation is lacking.
So, why do you want to start yoga?
Keep it simple and be honest. Answering this will help you stick with the practice you’re starting. If you don’t know your why then why would you show up? Take a few moments to bullet point or mind dump your why.
Now that you feel more grounded in starting yoga at home take each day as it comes and trust me the hardest part of starting an at-home yoga practice is showing up. Discipline can be learned and will come easier with time. So let’s jump in!
I will share my experiences, and how I like to romanticize my yoga time. I hope this inspires you.
When to practice?
This will most certainly change day-day, week-week so give yourself time to learn whether you prefer morning practice, midday practice, or evening practice. If you are wondering when is the best time there are a few factors that go into that answer and I’ll gladly go into more detail in another post. For now, I would suggest either morning or evening.
Personally: I prefer morning practices. I have two dedicated days a week I wake up an hour earlier to roll out my matt and explore my breath, and body and listen to what’s going on inside. If for some reason I do not practice that morning I will that evening.
Lighting an incense or candle helps set the tone and helps me ground a lot easier.
Where to practice?
Most teachers and practitioners will say that you need a dedicated space or area you can go to. And I would agree. Having a dedicated yoga space for your journey will serve the majority. It will help deepen your practice, create a routine, and remind you to show up. But not everyone has space or enjoys switching things up. So, allow yourself some flexibility.
For the ones who may not have much space or need a more ‘mobile’ yoga corner; anywhere where you have space to spread your arms and move around works. I’ll always nudge you to an outdoor patio or any area with an open window.
Things a yoga space might have:
- Plants
- A mat
- A blanket for extra support in poses and savasana
- A journal
- Small table with personal items that inspire you
- Candles
- Here are some ways to be guided online:
How long to practice?
How long do you have? Do NOT feel pressure to complete an entire hour-long class. If you only have 10 – 15 minutes then allow yourself that. But try not to skip practice because you feel like you don’t have time. These days may look like you leaving the mat rolled up and you finding movement on the floor by the bed.
Personally, my practices are between 15 – 45 mins. On really yummy mornings I will flow an hour but those are rare. My goal in practice is to show up for myself, move out stagnant energy, and check in.
I prefer the morning and outside on my patio. If it’s one of those super hot or cold days I’ After I’ve completed my morning routine and made a cup of coffee I’ll roll out my mat out on the patio. Flowing in the morning while the sunrises. It’s one of my favorite moments if I’m being honest.
Now that we have covered the basics of when to practice, where to practice, and how long you can practice let us dive into how to practice!
How to Practice?
The basics are simple. Move and breathe. Please don’t roll your eyes and overlook this because it is truly that simple.
As for the poses and types of yoga? Well, there are as many ways to practice yoga as you can imagine.
Come back to your why. Why are you starting a practice? From this intention, anything you do will be correct.
With time and showing up you will start to understand what kind of yoga you prefer and will find teachers and communities that align. There’s Hatha Yoga, Ashtanga Yoga, Flow classes, Vinyasa Classes, Yin Yoga, Slow Flow, and more. most are self-explanatory but I’d suggest trying them all. And yes these are all classes you can do when starting yoga at home.
My teacher would say every other practice you have should be the opposite of what you think you want. So if I was craving a hard vinyasa flow that kicked my ass, she would say great take a slow flow and challenge yourself to be still and move with full breaths. We all need challenges and this one can be the most challenging.
This is a fun challenge you may want to try or not.
How you practice is how you practice. Trusting your body and listening to your breath is an advanced practice and where I would suggest you place your attention. I promise the shapes and names will come. When you are unsure what flow to do I say go with a vinyasa flow.
Here are a few practices to help you get started.
Takeaways:
Starting an at-home yoga practice is simple but not easy. Spend as much time as you need to set up a yoga space or spend no time at all and flow where you feel called that day. This journey is yours.
If you enjoyed this post you may enjoy this 5 Minute Morning Routine For Your Slow Life Moments.
