Your Home
You wouldn't be alone in thinking a home practice can be a bit of a nightmare, especially if there are kids, pets and/or partners bustling through the house every couple of minutes. But practising from home can be a wonderful way to deepen your practice. Whether self led or following along online - creating a safe sanctuary in your own space can be the perfect way to deepen your yoga practice.
Many of us got used to online classes thanks to the pandemic, and the allure of an in person class may be appealing but more difficult to attend than you'd like. Juggling work, relationships, responsibilities and that elusive thriving social life can sometimes make prioritising 'me time' that much more frustrating. By setting aside an hour of our day, just for ourselves, and not having to worry about travel time, babysitters, or finding affordable lessons near you, you can dedicate the fullness of that time to your practice, not errands.
Here are some tips on how to create a distraction free yoga space at home.

In Nature
One of the very best consequences of a yoga practice is a deepening of our connection to the earth. Whether thats through grounding work and balancing our root chakra, or by honouring Ahimsa (non-violence). Perhaps meditation helps you connect to the present moment by connecting you to the sounds and smells of nature around you. By actively taking our yoga practice into nature we can honour and deepen this connection.
This can easily be done. From simply taking a quiet stroll in nature and observing the world around you, tapping into mindful meditation. To sitting in a woodland or next to a lake and practicing Pranayama. Perhaps we may even take our mat out into nature and enjoy an asana flow in the great outdoors, letting the sun warm you and the wind cool you.
Check out this free nature inspired flow for beginners!

A Yoga Studio
While practicing from home or out in a serene natural setting can do wonders for your practice, nothing quite compares to the sense of community and care that a good yoga studio can give you. Knowing you can settle into an hour or so of distraction free yoga with like-minded people can really hit the spot. Finding a good yoga teacher is invaluable - someone who will support your personal yoga journey without judgement or control. Someone who will gently guide and take the time to explore yoga with you in a safe and respectful way. Going to a studio is a wonderful way to practice and you may even get a new friend or two out of it!

A Park
While the idea of practicing yoga in a public park might be a big no no for some, it can be a lovely way to deepen and challenge your practice. Perhaps the idea of people observing you while you move through asana is distracting - the perfect opportunity to fine tune that inward gaze and focus solely on movement and breath. Alternatively you may come from a performance background and the idea of an audience creates an instinctive need to perform the asana rather than embody it - by placing ourselves in a situation where the ego is tested we can better understand where and how to focus our energy in our yoga practice. Perhaps the idea of an accidental audience leaves you non-plussed, a park can still be a fantastic place to practice yoga - seating you within accessible nature.

With a friend
This may not be a geographical place to practice yoga in but one of the heart. Practicing with a friend, partner or family member can add a whole new dynamic to your practice. Perhaps injecting some beautiful playfulness or quiet bonding. You can get adventurous with acroyoga or partner yoga - deepening your connection with your loved one as well as your practice. If you are both seasoned yogis there is something especially beautiful about observing and sharing in someone's personal practice and the many things to be learnt from it. If you're new to yoga, practicing with a friend is a great way to push past any nerves or anxiety as well as having a partner in curiosity.

At your desk
If you work at a desk all day or in an office you may have heard the higher ups banging on about desk yoga in a half hearted attempt to promote wellness in the workplace. While the corporate world has some room for improvement in terms of wellness - desk yoga isn't a bad idea. Taking 5 minutes to stretch your body and reconnect to the breath can be a welcome respite from the monotony of staring at a screen. Many already do so in an instinctive fashion, sitting tall and giving the back or neck a little massage or stretch sound familiar? By learning some chair yoga to bring in to the office it can save your back, neck and hips a world of pain.
Click here to get a taste by the wonderful Lauren Aimee

In bed
This might sound a bit weird, practicing yoga in a bed? Surely not. While a whole 60 minute sequence may not be the best thing to try, a few gentle stretches first thing in the morning and last thing at night sure are. If you know you tend to wake up with an achey lower back or stiff neck, trying a few targeted and gentle stretches before and after sleep can be just the thing to relieve some of that tension. More than that the way to position props in yoga may help you position the body for a better sleep and less discomfort when you wake (think pillow under the pelvis or knees).
Perhaps a 60 minute session actually sounds like heaven. Practicing super gentle restorative yoga in bed just before you sleep, with props; candles; and relaxing music galore might just give you some of the best rest of your life. Just be sure to pay close attention to alignment to prevent injury.

On holiday
Surely being on holiday gives me a free pass from my workout routine?! Yes absolutely it does, but this is where yoga comes in as a lifestyle - not a workout. Here in the west yoga is packaged as a super consumable trendy workout for fit and abled bodied people - where getting your leg behind your head and holding a handstand seems like the norm. Where if you want to be 'good' at yoga you must do drills, conditioning and approach it like a workout. Yoga as a lifestyle can be so much more relaxed. While on holiday you may get the urge to bust out some juicy asana or work on your handstands and thats fantastic. Equally taking time aside to meditate, check in with the body and mind, or do some breath-work is just as valuable. A holiday is all about rest, fun, and quality time - yoga as a lifestyle can bring about moments of santosha (contentment) and mindfulness. Appreciating the present moment.

By Laura Carey
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