During the Corona phase, it became very popular to practice yoga at home. But this habit can always be beneficial, not only during a pandemic. When you practice at home, you can do a little session spontaneously when you feel like it or adapt your practice to exactly what feels good to you at the moment, play the music you would like to hear… while doing yoga in a group at a studio, with yummy assists, is a great thing, an individual yoga session can be awesome as well. Nevertheless, many people are having a hard time with it, as the usual circumstances are missing. If you are still on your way to becoming a “home yogi”, read these tips to make your start easier.

Your personal yoga studio

Find a place in your home that you can use as your very own studio. This place should be bright, friendly and not too busy. Of course, there should be enough space for your mat and some broad movements. Not many have the luxury of having a room entirely for yoga, but even if you’re not one of those lucky ones, you can create an inviting yoga space: open the windows to let some fresh air in, light some candles or incense sticks, put music on that calms you.

Your yoga props

Your own yoga mat is a staple, of course. Other stuff that is useful: a meditation cushion to sit comfortably upright, a strap and blocks to support asanas. You can also use substitutions for these items that you can find in every household. A sofa pillow or a folded blanket can be used as a meditation cushion while a belt or a folded cloth can turn into a makeshift yoga strap. Instead of blocks, you can use two books that are similar in size.

Your teacher

When you practice at a studio, you don’t really have a choice concerning the teacher. At home, however, you do have a choice: there are numerous YouTube videos with different topics and time spans that you can choose or combine. If you would like to do a live session, you can take a look at the websites of different studios or freelance yoga teachers. This way, you can bring the feeling of practicing with others to your home and also take sessions with teachers that would be too far away otherwise – even international teachers, which can be an enriching experience.

If you are an experienced yogi, you can also be your own teacher and create a session according to your needs and switch it up in the middle of it if you feel that something is not good or that you want more of something.

Your intention

Now you know what you need for your yoga practice at home. Before you get started, though, you should be clear about why you would like to establish a yoga routine in your home. When you know exactly why you are getting on your mat, it will be a lot easier to stay consistent.

One last advice for your everyday life

This one will not only be helpful for your individual yoga practice but also helpful in general: Learn to listen to your body, to sense what it needs. Strengthening? Relaxation? Stretching? Which parts of your body need attention? Listen closely to how you are feeling mentally or emotionally. Maybe it would feel great to practice some heart openers? Maybe rather some hip openers? Learn to refrain from judging your feelings as negative, like we tend to pretty often. Instead of saying “I’m way too stiff”, say “Today, my body needs some stretching”.

This habit is especially important when you’re planning your own sessions or practice intuitively. But it’s also important when choosing an online class. Therefore, listen to yourself after classes as well. Observe how you are feeling versus how you felt in the beginning of the class. If you had any needs, were they met?

Start right now and ask yourself: What can I do for my body and my mind in this exact moment? And maybe you will get right into a little yoga session at home. I wish you a lot of fun!