Returning to Yoga- 5 tips

I love yoga.

I love the way I feel when I do yoga.

I stand taller... my brain is more focused... I eat well... I sleep well... I have the endurance that I need.

Now I have a confession to make.

I haven't done any yoga in over six months.

and I can feel it.

I've been practicing yoga off and on for about eight years now. It is something that has always had varying degrees of importance in my life.

But it was almost always in my life.

Six months ago, I just stopped doing yoga.

I can make excuses, we let our membership to the gym end, I could not find a class nearby, I got to busy with work, the girls, life...

The truth is, I just stopped making time for myself to do yoga.

But here we are, starting a new year, and in 2015, I am making time for myself to take care of myself.


Here are my tips for returning to the mat...

1. Find a quiet time, quiet place and close the door. It is almost impossible to practice yoga with children interrupting you, dogs trying to give you kisses, husbands asking you questions. For me, I am practicing yoga after the kids go to bed, in the bedroom, with the dog and husband in another room.

2. Go to your favorite yoga flow. There are so many different types of yoga, and different instructors that you can practice at home with. When I am feeling sporty I like Tara Stiles, when I feel like challenging myself I like Shiva Rae. When I feel like doing a basic quiet hatha flow, I often use this one from youtube.

3. Do not expect yourself to be at the same point as you when you started your break. When you practice yoga routinely, your body, mind and heart open more and more, but taking a break creates an opportunity for all that was opened, to start closing. Be gentle your first time back. Don't forget that if you push too hard, you may need a break again.

4. Have fun and laugh at yourself. This is building on tip three. Relax into everything, have the ability to look at what you are doing, smile and enjoy the moment. Did you fall out of tree pose? Just laugh it off and try again.

5. Breathe. Breathing is everything in yoga.


I hope these tips helped you with your practice.

They helped me with mine...

Namaste