Create an Enjoyable & Sustainable Self Practise

It wasn’t long after I started practising Yoga in studios that I felt the urge to explore the practise in the comfort of my own home. This was for a couple of reasons - firstly I was super keen to progress in my practise but simply couldn’t schedule more than a class or two into my week. Secondly, I was using my practise as a form of escape and antidote to my internal struggles at the time and a class once or twice a week simply wasn’t enough for me, I needed more!!

Coming to the mat however, no matter how experienced you are, can be overwhelming. You might have questions running through your head…

Where do I start?

Once I’ve started what postures do I follow with?

What if I put postures in the wrong order?

Does it matter how long I practise for?

If a home practise is something you’re keen to explore, and the questions above sound even slightly familiar then this post is for you!

I’d like to begin by making one very clear statement. 

YOUR SELF PRACTISE DOES NOT NEED TO LOOK LIKE THE LAST CLASS YOU WENT TO.

Your teacher has trained for an absolute minimum of 200hrs to understand the nuances of how to create an intelligent and purposeful class. They have studied energetics, anatomy and sequencing (amongst many other things) in depth to create the class you last attended so let’s take ALL the pressure off and re-frame self practise not as a carbon copy of a class, but as an opportunity to explore!!

Below is a rough idea of how to structure your practise, however this is only a guide. There is no right or wrong way to practise; simply the encouragement to be mindful to warm the body if you are exploring postures that need lots of strength or mobility - be safe!

Opening Postures

What is it that marks the beginning of practise? 

For me, stillness. A moment to arrive. To ground. To connect to your body, your breath and set your intention.

You might start lying down, in a seated position or in child’s pose, standing is great too! Once you’ve arrived take some time to consider what you’d like to focus on in your practise. This might a specific movement, a posture, or an intention. Give yourself a little time here to step away from the day and into the mindset of practise; focus, attention, compassion and curiosity.

Integration

Once you have arrived and understand what you’d like to explore in your practise you can begin to make some initial movements to warm, open and bring awareness to the larger muscle groups. This might include some supine twists, cat/cow to mobilise the spine, plank postures to awaken core and shoulders, gentle cobras and active locusts to engage back body, rag doll to mobilise hamstrings and lower back etc. There’s plenty to explore; just make sure you’re not asking too much of the body too soon.

Sun Salutations

These are a fabulous way to warm your body and create a connection between breath and movement. They can be gentle and softly warming, or pretty rigorous if you’re wanting some more challenge. 

For a gentle practise you might explore Sun Salutations that include lunges (Anjaneyasana) or ‘modified’ vinyasas (Ashtanga Namaskar/Knees-Chest-Chin to Cobra). For a more rigorous practise you might consider both Sun Salutations A & B, perhaps jumping back in your vinyasas and forward from your down dog.

Very traditionally practitioners complete 5 Sun A and 5 Sun B. This will take you approximately 20 minutes so be mindful of how much time you have set aside for your practise as a whole!

As a little tip, when executing your Sun Salutations try to ensure that each movement is married to the length of either your inhalation or exhalation. Spend 5 breaths in downward facing dog (to build heat), or child’s pose (to maintain a softer energy).

Standing & Balancing Postures

Once the body is warm, the blood is pumping and the prana is moving you’re ready for some standing postures. Standing postures are a fabulous way to build strength in the quads, hamstrings, glutes and core so act as extremely effective on their own, as well as ways to prep for more challenging postures a little later on (if you choose to explore that route).

As a stand alone sequence you might explore; High lunge, Warrior 2, Reverse Warrior, Triangle, Extended Side Angle.

You might also be exploring a particular movement; include revolved high lunge or revolved pyramid pose for a twisting practise or a goddess or wide legged forward fold for a hip strengthening practise. Perhaps you play with W3 or half moon for a balancing practise. The possibilities are endless!

Seated Postures

Seated postures generally mark a shift in the energy of the practise. I have always called these poses the ‘deep and meaningful’ because the nature of them means we can spend a little more time in each, settling down and settling into stillness. I would always suggest that your seated postures compliment what you have been exploring in the lead up.

If you’ve been exploring a hip opening practise you might use postures like Gomuhkasana (Cow Face) or Ardha Matsyendrasana (Half Lord of the Fishes) to ‘close’ the hips down i.e neutralise the effort.

If you’ve been focusing on balancing postures something like Eka Pada Raja Kapotasana (Pigeon Pose) to release the glutes or Ardha Supta Virasana (Half Reclining Hero Pose) to release the quads. 

Ultimately these postures are here to help counter the effort exerted in the lead up to sitting, but also to begin integrating whatever may have come up for you beyond the postures. Allow a good deal of time in each pose finding the balance between holding on and letting go.

Finishing Postures & Savasana

My personal opinion is that no practise is complete with a final wringing out of the body; close your practise with a couple of twists, legs in the air or shoulderstand before settling down into your savasana. 

It can be challenging to make your way to rest with out the guidance of your teacher but please, don’t allow this crucial bit of the practise to be sidelined when you’re on your own. 

Take a few moments to get really comfortable; take any support or warmth you desire and then adjust your body in any way you need to that you can commit to stillness. Allow a few conscious breaths to leave the body so that you regulate the nervous system and begin to transition to parasympathetic tone i.e repair and reset. Savasana is an opportunity to digest and assimilate everything your body has experienced during the practise so while it may take time for the mind to quiet, the body is receiving the benefits the moment you take rest!

My Final Tips and Take Away…

Take notes after class of a pose or transition you want to revisit at home - don’t be afraid to ask your teacher to remind you of a section of the class if needed.

The internet is a weird and wonderful place filled with both awesome and awful information - be mindful of taking anything as gospel & always ask your teacher if you need clarity on something.

Try not to over intellectualise any of it! Listen to how your body feels in the moment, trust and honour what it is sharing with you. 

Let exploration lead the way. You will wobble. You will fall. Things will go wrong. You’ll forget what you did on one side and add random things into the second. It won’t ever be perfect, that is why it’s called a practise. 

Enjoy!