September, the perfect time to practise yoga at home

Conscious TV

September 28, 2020

I just love going to yoga classes. Ever since I started practising, about a thousand years ago, I have been going to all kinds of lessons, trainings, workshops and retreats. I always learn something. And the experience of finding a good teacher is incomparable.

At first I just went to class, I didn't have a yoga practice at home. But as time went by, I started to need to do some asanas at home. It's not something that happens overnight, but little by little, you discover the beauty of practising alone, of making your mat a place to meet yourself.

It is true that when I started doing yoga on my own I used to need a lot of time and space in front of me for my practice. Now, however, a space the size of my mat at the foot of a hotel room is enough for my practice.

Yoga is a journey of self-knowledge and introspection: You don't need to open your mat next to ten other people in the trendy studio to practice.

All the space you need is your own body, and there is no better playlist than the sound of your breath.

September, with the start of a new school year, is a great time to set new goals and establish new habits.

So if you want to start this adventure of discovering yourself through your yoga practice at home, here are the five steps to get you started:

1. Commit to yourself

Yoga is a personal practice where the only important person is you. The first thing you need to do is to set yourself a reasonable and achievable timetable.

It is crucial that you plan your sessions: on Sunday evening, for example, take a little time to think about where you can place your yoga each day and how much time you can devote to it, and write it down in your diary.

Once you have done this, sign a contract with yourself, committing to the schedule you have set for yourself as if it were a doctor's appointment. No excuses.

2. Choose a suitable location

Start by finding a suitable place in your home. If you are lucky enough to have an extra room that you have little use for, perhaps you can use it as your yoga room at home. Get rid of everything that's left over in that space and keep only the things that are really useful or important. Make sure you reserve enough space for your mat and some props (such as blocks, a meditation cushion, etc.). You can set up a small altar with things that have meaning for you.

If not, choose a space in the house where your mat can fit and that can be isolated from the rest of the house with a door or something similar. It is important that it is a place that allows you some isolation and seclusion during your practice.

3. Turn it into a ritual

One piece of advice from experts when it comes to implementing a habit in our lives is to link it to other habits that we already have, that are deeply rooted in our routines. Habits that have to do with diet or hygiene can be useful, for example. So you can consider: I'm going to practice every day before meals, or after showering.

You can also link it to things you do every day out of obligation: I'm going to do my yoga before I go to pick up the kids from school.

4. Choose your classes and enjoy them when and where you want them.

Conscious Television gives you the opportunity to enjoy yoga, meditation and healthy diet classes from your mobile, tablet, Smart TV and computer. Hundreds of classes with all styles of yoga, adapted to all levels with which to grow in your personal practice. Enjoy your monthly subscription for only €9.99 or yearly for €69 and get an ecofriendly yoga mat.

My advice? If you are a beginner it is better if you choose video classes, which explain each movement in a detailed way like those of Conscious Television.

5. Enjoy yourself

The moment of your practice belongs to you alone. Not only can you, but you must put everything aside at that moment and dedicate yourself to enjoying the experience of your body in movement, of your slow, rhythmic breathing. Your mat has no room for your worries, or feelings of guilt as these belong to the future or the past. Yoga is always present, pure present.

If you enjoy every minute of your yoga session at home, it will become like a reward for you, and you will find it much easier to make it a habit.

These are just the first steps on a journey that is as long as it is rewarding, where the important thing is not the destination but the journey itself.

Noelia Insa, Insayoga.com, is a yoga teacher, mom, blogger and digital entrepreneur. She is a contributor to Conscious Television.