The classic practice of yoga dates back thousands of years and produces many health benefits. Those who practice yoga report lower levels of stress, increased feelings of happiness and wellbeing, and many other health benefits. When yoga is practiced by bringing breath awareness & breath coordinated movements, it creates the mind-body connection and prepares one for meditation. The word yoga originates from the Sanskrit language, and means "to yoke together or to join". It brings the body and mind together through the medium of breath. Yoga is built on these three main elements: asanas (movements), pranayama (breathing) and (dhyana) meditation. Thus, when practiced regularly, yoga can become a powerful tool and a discipline for achieving physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.
Despite the numerous health benefits of yoga, many people (including me and many of my students!) have faced challenges in establishing their yoga routine: lack of time, lack of motivation, lack of focus, lack of accountability, interruptions in the house, and a lack of knowing where to start from or what to practice.
Over the years, I have been able to overcome the hindrances that initially stopped me from establishing a well rounded yoga routine. I started by going through the process of evaluating my daily living activities and habitual patterns, and eliminating habits that no longer served me. This created some open time in the day. Finally, with that open space I was able to create my home practice that has been sustainable to this day!
If these hurdles are familiar to you, and if you're considering starting a yoga practice, be true to yourself and start with something very small. Be consistent and commit only to those things which are within your reach. You may continue to do the same thing for days or weeks before you are ready to add more. Listen to your body's needs and practice accordingly. I encourage you to give these guidelines a try:
1. Creating a space for your practice
Choose a quiet space. The space could be as big as the size of your yoga mat. Avoid keeping your yoga mat in the closet or in the room where you hardly spend your time during the day. Things that are out of sight, remain out of mind. Keep the mat laid out away from any clutter and place it where it is visible & easily available to you. Keep yoga props like blankets, blocks or straps handy, so they are easily available to you when you need them.
2. Arriving to your mat
This is one of the most challenging steps. Keep the mat where you see it every now and then. Despite having laid out your mat, you may not still feel inclined to approach it- this is completely alright! Don't force yourself, and follow your volition. A day will come where seeing the mat may create a moment of inclination for you to go closer towards it.
Once that moment of inclination of coming closer arises within you, you have arrived! You have crossed a major hurdle of beginning your personal & spiritual journey. The moment of simply arriving at the mat may be all you achieve for a few days, but this marks the beginning of your journey of starting your home yoga practice.
3. Step on your mat
Once you have arrived at your mat, you may consciously step on your mat. Simply be there and notice the feelings and the sensations you experience as you step on the mat. Be in the moment and get connected with yourself. You may decide to do nothing. You may simply choose to keep your eyes closed for a moment. You may choose to either sit or lie down and practice taking a few conscious breaths.
Continue to arrive and step on your mat for a few days. In order to begin any new routine, it's absolutely okay to start with what is available to you in terms of time of the day as long as you show up. Practicing yoga in the morning is recommended & preferred, as it sets the tone for the day.
4. Start slowly
After stepping on the mat, be there for a few breaths. Notice what movements your body feels like bringing. Maybe do a stretch or practice one asana. If nothing else, simply practice Shavasana (corpse pose). If practicing in the morning is not possible, then practice at the end of the workday, before you eat your meal, or wait for 3 hours after your meal.
5. Minimum Daily Routine (MDR)
Once you get in the routine of arriving and stepping on the mat, follow your body's lead and begin to practice the asanas that are simple, ones that bring ease and comfort in your body. A commitment of 20-30 minutes is a great way to start your daily routine. It is important to incorporate all three elements of yoga - asanas, pranayama and meditation - in your MDR practice. Below these guidelines are some suggestions.
6. Most Valuable Practice (MVP)
When you do not have much time, instead of doing nothing and skipping the day, at the minimum do your most essential practice. Find out what pose (asana), or a small sequence of poses, works for you as your Most Valuable Pose/Practice (MVP). This MVP will keep you sustained and help you get going for the day. Below these guidelines are some suggestions.
7. Sustainability
Having a sustainable routine is very important. Make a commitment that is consistent, which you will be able to stick to and not end up striving too hard to achieve. Researchers have discovered that the regular practice of yoga produces many health benefits. Yoga is a renowned antidote to stress and promotes many health benefits including increased cardiovascular fitness, improved muscular strength, calming the nervous system, normalization of blood pressure and many more. To derive the most out of yoga it is highly recommended that you do your Minimum Daily Routine (MDR) practice every day!
Suggestions for your MDR & MVP: Breath Centric Mindful Movements
These are some examples of asanas, pranayama and meditation. Choose one or a few from this list to begin your home practice. Feel free to add some of your own and come up with your own sequences.
A. Practice a stand-alone short sequence, combination of poses, or a single pose: Repeat as needed:
Sun-Salutation
Mini Sun-Salutation
Joints and Glands movement
Dynamic Bridge pose for calming
Spinal Movement Sequence: Table top -> Cat -> Child -> Cat -> Downward Facing Dog
B. Pranayama:
Alternate Nostril breathing
Samvritti Pranayama (counting the length of your inhalation and length of your exhalation to make both an equal length). Option to add retention and suspension after each breath.
Humming Breath (Inhale through your nose and exhale, making a humming sound)
Breath of Joy (nose breathing encouraged while exhaling)
C. A few minutes of deep relaxation/Shavasana
D. Complete your practice with a Breath counting meditation. Adjust the counting as per your need:
Inhale count 1, Exhale count 1
Inhale count 1, Exhale count 2
Counting backward e.g. Inhale 40, Exhale 39, until you reach 1
Mindfulness meditation of breath awareness
These practices will help bring your awareness inward and help you focus and calm your mind. I hope these suggestions will help you start and sustain a yoga practice. Let me know about your experience- I would love to hear from you!
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