Yoga at Home for Absolute Beginners!

Yoga at Home: The Compound Effect of a Daily Practice

  

Laura Venecia Rodriguez doing the Locust Pose.

I love what author and yogi Ina Marx (who before beginning yoga had left severely disabled by an accident) says about establishing an exercise regime whether it is yoga or anything else.  In her book, You Are in Charge, Ms. Marx asserts, "No sporadic, haphazard, part-time or quicke program has ever worked in the long run...The key to lifelog fitness is to establish a program that fits into your everyday schedule.  It must be uncomplicated, take a minimum of time and require no gadgets, special equipment, instructor or manipulator at your side.  It must be fun to do, and it must bring progressively evident results."

Ms. Marx describes the essence of my daily yoga regime.  It's simple and except for my mat and some comfortable clothes, I require nothing else- including no instructor. Next spring, yoga will have been a part of my lifestyle for FORTY-THREE years (almost as long as Donna Karan, the designer I spoke about a few posts back)!  

I believe that it has been this daily practice (i.e., at least 5-6 times a week) that has enabled me to still feel 25 virtually most of the time (barring unavoidable sleep disruptions or when I experience the very infrequent cold, sore back from sleeping on a bad hotel mattress or other life glitch) even though I am now over 35...45...and 55...

I have some friends who attend yoga classes once or twice a week but rarely practice at home or on their own.  And, yes, they gain some significant benefits from attending the class.  But, in my humble observation, it doesn't appear that they are benefitting as much as I.  I say this not to brag but to simply point out that daily practice appears to create what author and entrepreneur Darren Hardy calls the "compound effect" in his book of the same name.

Darren defines the Compound Effect this way: “It’s the principle of reaping huge rewards from a series of small, smart choices. Success is earned in the moment to moment decisions that in themselves make no visible difference whatsoever, but the accumulated compounding effect is profound.”

A person may seem to feel more of a short-term difference in his/her body after a 90 minute intense yoga class once or even twice a week. They may feel the infamous "burn" or sensation of "working out." However, I would argue that it's the person who like me practices only  20-30 minutes a day at home and may not recognize any earth-shattering results for several results, WILL reap tremendous, undeniable rewards over a longer time.  The "compound effect" of daily practice creates a healthy rhythym to your life.

Yours for experiencing more energy, vitality, and discovering your innermost potential through daily yoga at home!

Laura Venecia Rodriguez, the Beginner's At Home Yoga Coach

 

Yoga at Home: Meditation 101 Tips - Handling Your "Monkey Mind"

Beginning meditators may find it a major challenge, particularly during times of stress, to settle and calm down, and quiet their minds to benefit from meditation.  Their minds seem to veer off to where they do not wish to go, like wild mustangs racing off into an open field.  Trying to rein in the seeming "monkey mind" that goes into full speed during meditation can appear to be the bane of a newbie meditator, and even more experienced meditators from time to time.

I have heard many people say that yoga and meditation do not suit them because they operate on too high a tempo.  However, you may find that following a few simple guidelines can make the difference between totally giving up on meditation versus enjoying the serenity, clarity, and stress release that a simple meditation practice can offer. Here are two guidelines that I recommend for the new meditator:

Guideline # 1 - Start with just a few minutes at a time 

"Focus is a kind of mental muscle" says Sally Kempton, an internationally recognized teacher of meditation. I couldn't agree more!  And, just as you have to exercise regularly to build your physical muscles, you must practice flexing your mental muscle through regular practice as well.

Begin meditating by taking tiiny steps. Be realistic - don't go from zero meditation one day to diving into a 20 or 30 minute meditation practice the following morning.  It just won't work.  Build up to a time that you can easily carve out from your schedule and maintain.  

Years ago I read a couple of books wtih titles such as "The One Minute Meditator" and Three Minute Meditations.  Both books emphasized that we can gain enormous value from meditating a minute or two here and there throughout the day in one minute increments.  The  key point is establish the meditation habit by starting for just a minute or two to turn within and get quiet so you can hear your inner voice which can otherwise be difficult to achieve in the midst of daily activities.  Once you establish this habit, you can increase your time gradually over weeks and months to what best meets your needs.

Guideline # 2 - You don't have to do a sitting meditation

Not everyoe needs to sit down to meditation.  You CAN meditate while walking, running, swimming, or paddling.  The well-known successful internet entrepreneur Ali Brown one said that to date she cannot just sit still and meditate.  She gets into her meditation "groove" by paddle boarding in the ocean.  The paddling movements relax her and allow her to tap into her creativity and inner guidance.

The "different strokes for different folks" operates in meditation.  If you are moving whlie meditating, create a rythym with your movements - this will enable you to focus inward and to relax.

If you keep your meditation practice simple and tailored to you, you will be able to tame your "monkey mind" over time.

Yours for enjoying a personalized meditation practice,

Laura Venecia Rodriguez, the Beginners Home Yoga Practice

Beginners Yoga: Home Practice -for Introverts or Extroverts?

Last year I read an interesting blog post that speculated about the personality traits of people who prefer a home yoga practice.  Athletic yoga instructor Lucas Rockwood, who lives in Barcelona, Spain, claimed that home yoga practice tends to appeal more to introverts than extroverts.  In his words, "Extroverts usually have a real battle with practicing yoga on their own. Introverts will blow half a Saturday experimenting with new poses and stretching."  In my view he correctly says that "one way is not better than the other."  It's just that the "different strokes for different folks" principle holds true. 

I have numerous friends who tell me they could not possibly motivate themselves to practice at home.  I always thought that odd because for me, at least, it takes extra effort to get up and go out to a class rather than walk downstairs to my family room. 

Rockwood  wisely points out that if you know which works better for you, than you will enjoy your practice more.  I agree with that for the most part. However, biased as I am, I think that even extroverts who crave the camaraderie of a class, can gain substantial benefits from creating their own practice at home and taking extra time to tune in to their bodies, which can often be easier in a private space at home.

Yes, admittedly, I am an introvert.  But, I have chosen a home practice primarily for its convenience and the ability to do what I want, when I want, and how I want. Not because I didn't want to be around people. I'd like to hear from my readers - if you practice yoga at home, is it because you are an introvert?  If you prefer classes, is it because you are primarily an extrovert?  Pray tell!

Yours for practicing yoga whether at home or in class (but especially at home!),

 

Laura Venecia Rodriguez, the Beginners' Yoga at Home Coach

Hatha Yoga for Beginners: Easy Egg Roll Warm Up

 Easy Egg Roll Yoga Movement

The fun and easy yoga egg roll movements shown above and described below are presented in my book Yoga at Home:  Gain Energy, Flexibility, and Serenity in 20-30 Minutes a Day.  They are one of the most enjoyable and easy yoga warm-ups that I do.  Try them!

Egg Roll Warm-up

Type of Yoga pose:  Supine 

Body parts targeted:  Spine, shoulders, back, and thighs

How to do this pose:

1.    Lie on your back in a relaxed position, bring legs together and have your arms limp at your sides.

2.    Inhale and bring knees up to chest.

3.    Wrap your arms around your knees and raise head up and curl it firmly toward your knees.  Exhale. 

4.    Inhale and rock gently backward on your spine by tugging your knees a bit closer to your chest. 

5.    Exhale and push your knees up and away from your torso so your body can roll forward. 

6.    Rock and roll back and forth gently and slowly on your back for 3 to 5 times.  Maintain a smooth, deep breathing pattern of relaxed inhalations and exhalations as you rock back and forth. 

7.    After completing 3 to 5 egg rolls, slowly release your arms from your knees and straighten legs, and return to a supine position on your mat.   Inhale and exhale deeply. 

Key benefits of this pose:

1.    Effective warm-up before yoga session. 

2.    Helps work out the kink and stiffness in your body, especially in the back and legs. 

3.    It’s fun!  You feel like a kid doing this yoga technique- it lifts your spirit!

Special tips and Laura’s experience with this pose:

I begin my yoga session with this pose. It’s easy, fun, and awakens me.

Because this pose requires rocking back and forth gently on your spine, lie on a thick mat or carpet, never on a hard wood floor or stone surface!

Yours for warming up your body with yoga egg rolls,

Laura Venecia Rodriguez, the Beginners' Yoga at Home Coach

Yoga at Home: Yoga Lessons from Designer Donna Karan

Last week, I read a fascinating article about how yoga inspired the now famous fashion designer Donna Karan to launch her $400 million clothing empire.  Ms. Karan, now 64, has been practicing yoga just a few more years than I, more than 4 decades since age 18.  Because yoga was so important to her wellbeing, she decided to create sporty, stretchy outfits that women could "sleep in, do yoga in, and go out in."  A woman after my own heart!  Except that I am not a talented designer!

What I learned and love about Ms. Karan's philosophy is that she says, "People think yoga is about being able to put your leg behind your head (something that I, Laura, definitely cannot do!!!).  But, the highest form yoga is sitting still and just breathing."  So true!

Ms. Karan has experienced the wrenching loss of several loved ones in her life including a mentor who died of breast caner, friend and fellow designer Perry Ellis (who died of AIDS in 1996), and no doubt most difficult, the death of her husband from lung cancer in 2001. Yoga enabled her to cope with these deaths and it also motivated her to create the Urban Zen Foundation, a holistic hospital that provides a calming environment both for the ill and their loved ones while undergoing treatment for illness.

Ms. Karan has said that she no longer can just dress people on the outside, she must "dress them on the inside."  The Urban Zen Foundation was established to provide people with the calming care that was lacking in her husband's cancer treatment. It is like a sanctuary that helps both those who are ill and their loved ones to manage more effectively through treatment.

Ms. Karan exemplifies how a person can take their yoga practice off the mat into their daily life and make an enormous contribution to their fellow human beings.  She epitomizes the spirit of uniting the mind, body, and spirit to live life to the fullest by serving others.

We cannot all be fashion designers like Donna Karan, but I invite you to contemplate the ways in which you can take your gentle yoga practice off your mat and into your personal and professional lives.  Ask yourself questions such as, "How can I support this person or this cause in a gentle effective way?" or "How can I stretch and expand my creativity to be of greater service in my workplace or in my home?" When you do this, you will truly be living the yoga life!

Yours for taking your yoga practice from your mat and into serving others,

Laura Venecia Rodriguez, the Yoga at Home Coach

 

 

Yoga at Home: Is Your Yoga Practice Serving You?

Doing the Lion daily helps you stay light-hearted about your practice

Yesterday evening I attended a get-together at the home of a pastor of a church I have started attended.  I chatted with the pastor and learned that his wife had a negative experience at a local well-known yoga studio.  I was shocked to hear that in a particular class, the yoga instructor called his wife out in class, I guess in a critical tone, much to her chagrin.  I am always surprised to hear about "yoga" intructors who use drill sergeant-like tactics in their classes. Needless to say the pastor's wife felt so mortified and lost her zeal for that yoga class. 

Come on!  Yoga is all about r-e-l-a-x-i-n-g and not judging but staying peaceful and serene, in my not so humble opinion.  Not one yoga instructor should make a student feel embarrassed or "less than."  Plus, it can turn a person off to yoga altogether!

Once again I became convinced of the value of a home yoga practice. No instructors to potentially chew you out and make you lose your enthusiam for learning such a beneficial practice. As long as you have a dedicated space, some quiet time to yourself, detailed instructions from a book, audio, or video/DVD, and a yoga mat, you have the maximum opportunity to gain tremendous benefits from your practice.  

And, here are some questions to ask yourself periodically to determine if you are engaging in an effective home yoga practice.  I have adapted them from the foreword in my book, Yoga at Home:  Gain Energy, Flexibility, and Serenity in 20-30 Minutes a Day.  Do not answer these questions until you have been practicing yoga consistently for at least 60 to 90 days.

Your can answer these questions aloud or even better, pretend you're taking a graded quiz and spend a few minutes to answer each question with complete sincereity and truthfullness.

1.  Do you feel wonderful energized all day and almost every day?

2.  Do you manage stress well?  Do you feel relaxed and serene most of the time?

3.  Do you walk and move with grace and ease?  Do you sit and stand tall?

4.  Do you feel flexible and toned?

5.  Do you feel as energetic and youthful now as you did 10, 20, or 30 years ago?  Do you feel 25 whether you're 35, 45,55, or beyond.  Do you believe you look your personal best?

6.  Do you feel awake, alert, and attuned to all of life?

7. Here's the most important question - do you look forward to your practice and view it as something you "get to do" rather than "have to do?

If you anaswer no to one or more of these questions, you may need to double check how you are approaching your home practice.  Also, if you are doing gentle hatha yoga and experience extreme soreness or actually, any soreness at all, you are likely pushing yourself too hard.  Just say no to that!

I can speak only from my experience, but a consistent, gentle yoga practice should enable you to feel and look your personal best so that you truly enjoy energy, flexibility, and serenity in your 20-30 minute practice.

Yours for practicing yoga at home for maximum benefit,

Laura Venecia Rodriguez, the Beginners' Yoga at Home Coach