In my new book, Yoga at Home: Gain Energy, Flexibility, and Serenity in 20-30 Minutes a Day, I identify one major limitation of a home practice-lack of feedback. You don't have an instructor observing your form and tapping your shoulder or your back to indicate that you need to straighten up or elongate your body. However, you can remedy this situation by using a mirror.
As another yoga practitioner and blogger has pointed out, practicing in front of a mirror can be most revealing. And, in my view, it can also be motivating and inspiring. Because my son and his friends usurped my usual yoga home "studio" this weekend during a sleepover, I practiced yoga in my daughter's room which has a large mirror. Practicing in front of that mirror made me most mindful of my posture. It also prompted me to dramatize and slow down my movements. That was powerful!
Using a mirror has limitations, though. The most significant one is that you can only observe poses that face forward such as the knee and thigh stretch, neck rolls, the lion, and breathing techniques. You cannot watch yourself effectively doing poses like the cobra or the bow because you may get a crick in your neck and get out of alignment by trying to twist your body to watch yourself.
But, despite the limitations, you can enhance your yoga practice by practicing on occasion in front of a mirror. Just try it and see if you like it!
Yours for doing yoga in front of a mirror to check out your form,
Laura Venecia Rodriguez
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