Why You Should Start a Home Yoga Practice

by Nina

Houses At Unterach On The Attersee by Gustav Klimt

I just loved our post yesterday Accepting Your Body by Anna Guest-Jelley! It even made me a bit teary, as I think body acceptance—and self acceptance in general—are so important for all of us. I thought the first question she recommended was especially powerful:  

1. What does my body need in this moment, and how can I meet that need with the resources I have on hand?  

This is the question I ask myself every single time I practice yoga at home. (I typically only take one class per week, maximum) That's how I use yoga to take care of myself physically, mentally, and emotionally. But these benefits only come for those who are willing to go out on a limb and start doing yoga by themselves and on their own. After all, the class you go to on a given day might be turn out to be exactly the wrong thing for you that day!

So, are you someone who always thinks about starting a home practice but never quite gets around to it? Or did you once have a regular practice but have fallen off the wagon? If so, I’d like to encourage you to start—or return—so you can begin reaping some of the benefits that Anna mentioned in her post. In his post Home Practice: The Best Way to Improve Your Health Dr. Timothy McCall says that practicing at home is the best way to improve your health. 

"If you are taking yoga classes but not practicing at home, you may be missing the best—and potentially most therapeutic—part of yoga. Your personal practice is where the deepest work happens, when you go inward and go at your own pace” 

And practicing at home will also allow you to use yoga to self regulate (see Self Regulation and Yoga), which means that you can learn to “monitor and manage your internal states.”

Have I inspired you to get started (or start again)? If you do embark on a new adventure of practicing at home, let me know how it goes! Here are some posts from our archives may help you with your new home practice.

Motivating Yourself to Practice  

Energizing Yourself  

Pet More Dowwnward-Facing Dogs
Got 20 Minutes?  

Decide Each Day What to Do

Sequencing and Ideas for What to Practice 

We have lots of sequences on the blog, but being able to get what you need from your practice means learning to modify existing practices or develop them on your own.  

Practice As Many As You Can 

Mixing It Up  

Customizing Your Practice 

Stuck in a Rut? 

Creatiing a Mini Yoga Practice

Sequencing: An Essential Skill for Home Practice 

Sequencing in the Style of Krishnamacharya, Part 1 

Sequencing in the Style of Krishnamacharya, Part 2 

Iyengar-Style Sequencing, Part 1  

Iyengar-Style Sequencing, Part 2 

6 Ways to Take Care of Yourself with Yoga 

Yoga for Real Life
 

Staying Safe  

How to Stay Safe While Practicing Yoga 

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9 Tips for Being a Good Yoga Student

by Nina

Teacher's Birthday by Norman Rockwell*

In my post When to Fire Your Yoga Teacher I wrote about the responsibility that a yoga teacher has (or should have) to respect his or her students. But like every relationship, the teacher-student relationship is one that goes both ways. All of us here at Yoga for Healthy Aging are both yoga teachers and yoga students. No matter how much or for how long we’ve taught, we also still take public classes from valued teachers we highly respect. So we have a pretty good idea of how to conduct ourselves on both sides of the equation. And, frankly, I’ve recently heard some disturbing stories about student behavior, including a student who seriously injured himself after ignoring his teacher’s warnings. So I decided it was time to write a little something about how to be a yoga student.

After giving it some thought (and talking with one of my teacher friends), I’ve come up with the following guidelines. This list has just been updated after my original post (see Eight tips for Being a Good Yoga Student). However, if you have more suggestions for guidelines you think I’ve overlooked, please comment on this post or send me an email, and maybe I’ll update once again!

1. Tell your teacher before class about any injuries, medical problems, or other issues that might affect your performance during class. See What Your Yoga Teacher Really Wants to Know for details about what kind of info your teacher needs to keep you safe.
2. Make an effort to show up on time to class. All your yoga classes are planned with appropriate warm-up or opening poses, and missing the beginning of class can affect your ability to do the rest of the sequence. Besides, it’s just good manners!
3. Pay attention to your teacher’s instructions. We all have wandering minds—the kids, the job, your date tonight, the phone call from your mom yesterday, dinner—ooh, yes—but concentrating as best as possible on being present in your class will not only help you stay safe (which is a priority for your teacher), but you’ll also learn more. In addition, staying present will make your yoga session more effective at reducing stress levels as you get a break from your everyday worries.
4. If your teacher asks you not to do something because he or she is concerned for your safety, don’t do it, even if you feel confident that it won’t be a problem for you. Just. Don’t. Do. It. Okay? Your teacher may be wrong, but he or she is trying to look out for everyone in the class.
5. If your teacher asks you to do something that you don’t usually do and don’t particularly want to do—use a particular prop, change your alignment, try a new pose, and so on—go ahead and try it, just this time. You might learn something new, and you can do whatever you want later in your home practice. The only exception to this is if you feel your teacher is asking something that will put you at risk for injury or other harm, or something that you are absolutely too frightened to try. In this case, briefly explain why you can’t do it, and ask for an alternative.
6. Rest if you need to (see Resting Between Poses). Stop if you are in pain (see When to Stop Practicing Yoga). Looking after yourself is a great favor to both your teacher and yourself.
7. Don’t flirt with your teacher, ask your teacher on a date, or make inappropriate personal remarks (you know what I mean). Good yoga teachers don’t have romantic relationships with their students, and overstepping the boundaries they are trying to maintain only makes them—and other people in the class—uncomfortable. (I hate to have to bring this up, but, really, I’ve heard some disconcerting things over the years....)
8. Also, respect your teacher's boundaries and limitations regarding time spent with you outside of class. Asking a simple question before or after class is appropriate and often welcomed, but you should not request free advice or guidance outside of the classroom, whether in person, by phone, or by email. Of course, many teachers give private lessons for a fee, so if you need or want personal attention and can afford it, consider that alternative.
9. After class, give your teacher occasional feedback about what you found helpful, what you found confusing, or what didn’t work for you (very politely, of course!). All of us teachers want to continue to learn and, hopefully, improve, and getting occasional feedback is very valuable. So don’t be shy!

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