The Thinking Yogi
by Kerry Maiorca

March 2007 : Bringing Yoga Home

When I first began yoga, the time I spent at the studio was one of the favorite parts of my day. I loved shifting into the mode of class, allowing the teacher to guide me from one pose to the next. It felt nurturing and I appreciated her instruction in the poses. Plus I left class feeling calm, connected, and inspired to take better care of my body and mind.

This inspiration seemed to fade a few hours after class as the busyness of daily life set in. After a year of practice, I was frustrated with the split between the time I spent in yoga class and the rest of my day. I wanted to maintain that post-yoga-class feeling, but wasn’t sure how to do it. One day in class my teacher mentioned the benefits of home yoga practice. I was intrigued, but intimidated: what poses should I practice, how long should a session last, and how would I know I was doing it right?

When you begin practicing yoga, there’s so much to keep track of – how to align your body in triangle pose, how to breathe deeply and consciously – that being in a classroom setting and having a teacher’s guidance is essential. Anyone who’s tried learning yoga from a book or a DVD knows it can be difficult to tell whether you’re stretching and strengthening in a way that’s healthy for your body or whether you’re cranking yourself into poses that are going to make you hurt tomorrow.

Attending class is important no matter how long you’ve been practicing, but if your yoga experience is limited to the classroom with a teacher telling you what to do next, it can be difficult to make yoga your own.

Whereas in the classroom you must follow the flow of the class, at home you can linger in a pose that feels particularly good. Also, at home you don’t have the temptation of competing with other students to achieve a ‘better’ pose. Home practice allows you to check in with yourself, tune into what your body wants, and explore how yoga can benefit you beyond a physical level.

Home practice need not be anything extensive or fancy. You don’t need any particular props or special clothing (in fact, you can even practice in your pajamas). Some days you may decide to explore just one pose or to simply sit for a few minutes and breathe deeply, but the few minutes you spend mindfully practicing will be a wonderful chance for you to connect with your breath, slow down, and let go of the busyness of your day. You'll be surprised at the impact even a brief practice has on your day!

As your home practice grows, it’s essential to attend class periodically to check in with your teacher to assure that your poses are on the right track. This can help prevent injuries resulting from poor alignment. It’s a treat to experience the nurturing classroom environment, plus you’ll find you leave class with fresh ideas to incorporate at home.

Though you can have an enjoyable yoga practice if all you ever do is attend group classes, finding small ways to bring your practice home can be the first step in incorporating some of the benefits of yoga into your daily life. Let this be a fun process, rather than a chore, and see what your practice has in store for you when you move beyond the classroom and bring yoga home.