(Yoga arm and leg stretch shown above)
"Consistency is more important than intensity" - this is a core tenet of a creating a successful home yoga practice
Wow - we are already more than half-way through March 2017!
About a week ago, I remembered that now is the time when the crowds out yoga studios, gyms, and exercise clubs typically start to thin out. Unfortunately, for many people, the enthusiasm and motivation of making and sticking to New Year's resolutions has started to wane, if not dissipated altogether!
But, you don't have to let this happen. Just stick to a few simple, yet powerful principles and practices in approaching your gentle home yoga practice. I will present these a multi-part quiz in two or three posts over the next few weeks.
Complete part 1 of the following quiz to see if you are doing all you can to optimize and maintain a daily yoga practice at home for the rest of this year. If you answer no to any of the questions, make a commitment to change your answer to a yes. Answer these honestly!!!
Part 1 - Creating the time, attitude, and space for your practice
1. Do you have a set time of the day that your schedule for and commit to your yoga practice? ____ yes ____ no
Yoga is about enhancing your flexibility - in your mind, body, and spirit. And, so, I don't want you to be rigid or an automaton in scheduling your practice. Life's ups and downs happen and we can disruptions to our schedule every so often.. However, do schedule a time that generally works best for YOU - a time in which you are least likely to get interrupted or sidelined into some other activity. Only you know what best suits you. During the week, I always practice yoga in the morning before work - at 6 am. On weekends, I can vary the times because I have more flexibility. Consistency is the key!
2. Have you dedicated a specific space in your home to do your yoga practice, i.e., a mini yoga studio? ____ yes ____ no
Some of you may have huge homes and can dedicate an entire room to your yoga practice, creating an actual in-home studio - as does one of my work colleagues. The size of your home does not matter - you do not need an entire room - you just need to create a space in which you have enough room to stretch your entire body and hold your poses in a space that ideally is quiet, clutter free, and out of the way of other people with whom you live.
3. Do you remember to treat/view your yoga practice as a tremendous gift to you mind, body, and spirit? ____ yes ____ no
You don't want to do your yoga practice out of "obligation" or as a "have to" item on your checklist. Make it a "get to do" activity. Approach your 20-30 minutes of practice as a mini-vacation and treat to yourself. You gain maximum energy from your practice when you begin your practice with this attitude.
The above first 3 principles may seem obvious, perhaps simplistic. But, you would be surprised at how many people fail to follow them and reap the maximum rewards from a yoga practice.
Until next week,
Yours for maintaining your New Year's commitment to a daily home yoga practice throughout 2017!
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