Getting used to a daily routine that includes practicing yoga isn't always easy. That said, remember that even just ten minutes of yoga a day can improve your physical and mental condition. By setting aside some time each day to practice and varying your sessions according to your level, needs and goals, you will be able to integrate yoga into your daily routine.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Put Yoga on the Agenda
Step 1. Keep your equipment close at hand
If you want to practice yoga every day, you must have everything you need always ready to use, at home, in the gym or in the office. This way you will have no excuse to postpone the practice until the next day.
- You will need a yoga mat and, if you wish, some specific equipment, including a yoga belt, block, stand, pillow, or large blanket. Each of these accessories can help you improve and deepen your yoga practice, often making it even more comfortable.
- You can purchase a yoga mat and all necessary accessories at sporting goods stores or on the internet.
- For the practice of yoga it is not necessary to wear specific clothing, the important thing is to choose comfortable and not too tight clothes. Women can opt for leggings, tank top and sports bra. Men can wear a pair of gym shorts and a T-shirt.
Step 2. Decide where and how long you want to practice
While there isn't an ideal time to do yoga, many people like to practice at the same time every day. This is a good way to make sure you are running your daily session regularly.
- Some like to practice yoga as soon as they wake up. Doing so will guarantee you the energy you need to face the day, and any sudden commitments will not give you the opportunity to make excuses to avoid your daily session. Others prefer to practice in the evening, because they believe it helps them sleep better.
- Some yogis argue that sticking to a daily routine, practicing in the same place and time every day, is more beneficial. Body and mind will associate the time and place with the yoga session allowing you to feel more motivated. Pick a time of day when you know you won't be interrupted, disturbed, or distracted, such as early in the morning or late at night.
- You can practice yoga for as long as you want. Your session can last between a couple of repetitions of sun salutations and a full 90 minutes, the choice is yours. In order not to get tired, you can choose to practice every day for a different time.
Step 3. Each day, set aside some time for yourself
Set a time for your daily yoga practice. Make sure that all your electronic devices are turned off or silent, that no one comes to disturb you and that the other inhabitants of the house are absent or busy doing other things. Be clear in informing them of the importance of the moment you dedicate to yoga practice, and ask not to be interrupted except in an emergency.
- Yoga classes usually last 60-90 minutes, but you won't always have that much time available. Even though you can practice for just 10 minutes a day, you can still enjoy the multiple benefits of yoga.
- If you have young children, look for someone who can take care of them while you engage in yoga. Alternatively you can practice during their nap or invite them to join your sessions! Again, even just 10 minutes of daily yoga will allow you to benefit from its many positive effects.
Step 4. Find a comfortable environment in which to do yoga
You can practice at home or in a gym, led by a professional. In both cases it is important to identify a specific space where you can comfortably and easily dedicate yourself to your yoga session every day.
- To be able to remain properly focused during practice, make sure that the chosen environment is peaceful and quiet.
- If you don't want to practice alone at home, you can experiment with different classes, groups and gyms.
- Attend different classes, with different teachers, and make your choice based on your personal preferences. If you wish, you can also practice in more than one gym or with more than one instructor. Varying the lessons will help you develop your own practice and keep you from getting bored.
- If you prefer to practice at home, make sure you have enough space to move freely and a secluded place to withdraw from the outside world.
Step 5. Expect to make gradual progress
Practicing yoga daily will change your life in a very evident, but not immediate way; in some moments it may seem that you are not improving at all. Be patient, there will come a time when suddenly you will be able to notice the benefits brought by the daily practice and when you will be able to notice how it positively affects every aspect of your life.
If you had to skip a day every now and then, don't make a tragedy of it. It can happen, just pick up where you left off. The body has a very powerful memory, so allow it to recover easily without allowing the mind to influence it with its anxieties due to the missed practice
Part 2 of 2: Vary Your Daily Practice
Step 1. Be regular, not rigorous
It is better to practice yoga every day for a few minutes than to force yourself into long sessions at irregular intervals. Perform and perfect your favorite asanas before taking on more difficult positions. Remember that practicing simple asanas is always better than practicing none.
Take a positive mindset by not telling yourself that "you are not able" to perform certain positions. Of course you can, it will simply take some time. Regular practice and perfecting the basic asanas will allow you to perform the most difficult positions
Step 2. Have a balanced daily session
Developing valid "sequences", that is the set of asanas that make up the practice of yoga, is not an easy task, especially if you have decided to practice alone at home. To avoid getting bored and to get the maximum benefit from your yoga practice, develop different sequences each day, based on the formula on which most of the classes are based.
- Begin the practice with a short meditation and singing exercises to calm the mind and center thoughts.
- Just before starting your session, establish an intent for your practice.
- Warm up with some sun salutations, then move on to standing positions. Continue with the inversion, arching and twisting positions and finish with savasana, or corpse pose.
- The practice must always end with a final relaxation position.
- Combine sessions of different difficulty and duration.
Step 3. Incorporate different asanas
For your daily yoga practice to be effective it is not necessary to be able to perform all the existing positions. Incorporating and perfecting different positions, related to each category of asana, will help you develop sessions that are never boring.
- Start by dedicating yourself to the simpler asanas, and try to perform the more complex ones only when you feel you can master them without difficulty.
- Perform asanas belonging to each of the categories of positions and respect the following order: standing positions, inversions, backward and forward arching positions.
- If you wish, insert a twist position between a back arch and a forward arch, to rebalance and lengthen the spine.
- Hold each position for 3-5 breaths.
- Add standing postures, such as vrksasana (tree posture) or the series of warrior postures, known as virabhadrasana I, II and III. As you progress, you will be able to incorporate other standing postures, including uthita trikonasana (extended triangle posture) and parivrtta trikonasana (rotated triangle posture).
- Add inversion postures including mukha vrksasana (hand stand). Until you develop the strength to support yourself, you can use a wall for support. As your practice improves, add balance postures on the forearms and salamba sirsasana (head posture).
- Add back arching postures, including salabhasana (locust posture), bhujangasana (cobra posture) or setu bandha sarvangasana (bridge posture). Practice doing dhanurasana (bow posture) and urdhva dhanurasana (wheel posture).
- If you need to return the spine to a neutral state, twist between the backward and forward arches. Twists can be very deep, so start with simple variations, such as bharadvajasana (half lotus position or Bharadvaja twist) before experimenting with more complex ones, including ardha matsyendrasana (half-twist position of the fish lord).
- Add forward arching postures, such as paschimottanasana (seated forward bend), janu sirsasana (head-to-knee position) or tarasana (star posture) and hold each asana for 8-10 breaths, inhaling and exhaling at a balanced pace.
- Complete your session with closing postures, for example salamba sarvangasana (candle posture), matsyasana (fish posture), viparita karani (half body posture).
- Finish your practice in savasana (corpse pose) and enjoy the benefits received from your session.
Step 4. Edit the verses of your song
If you like to chant mantras before or after your yoga practice, match them with the purpose of the session or how you feel when you recite them. Each mantra has different vibrations and your goal is to find one that matches your intent.
- Repeating mantras can help you disconnect from the stress of the day and keep yourself focused on your goals.
- Some examples of powerful mantras include:
- "Om" or "aum" is the simplest and most powerful mantra you can choose to chant. This universal mantra creates powerful and positive vibrations in the lower abdomen. It is often combined with the mantra "Shanti", which in Sanskrit means "peace". You can intone and repeat "aum" as many times as you like.
- The maha mantra ("great mantra"), also called "Hare Krishna", can help you achieve salvation and peace of mind. Recite and repeat the entire mantra as many times as desired. The text is as follows: "Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare".
- "Lokah samastah sukhino bhavantu" is a mantra of cooperation and compassion and means: "May all living beings in the world be free and happy, and that the thoughts, words and actions of my life contribute in some way to happiness and freedom of all ". Repeat this mantra 3 or more times.
- "Om namah shivaya" is a Sanskrit mantra that reminds us that we ourselves are divine and urges us to trust ourselves and be compassionate. Its meaning is "I bow to Shiva, the supreme deity of transformation who represents the highest and truest self." Repeat the mantra 3 or more times.
Advice
- If you are a yoga beginner, dedicate yourself to reading those books specially written for those just starting out. Understanding the purpose and reasons for each individual position, breathing pattern and step is always very helpful and can be more challenging than just following orders.
- Consider keeping track of your yoga experience. Writing down your daily updates in a journal or wherever you want can help you stay motivated and give you data to analyze.
- If you are a beginner, taking a yoga class could be very challenging; often, in fact, simply being in the midst of other people who pursue the same goal as you can help you find the necessary motivation to move forward.
Warnings
- Learn to recognize your limitations.
- Before embarking on any yoga practice, talk to your doctor about it.
