A Journey to Clarity With Yoga at Home
Written by Ellie Smith, Yoga Instructor
Ellie Smith is an experienced yoga and breathwork teacher with a background in academia, teaching communication and cultural studies. She is the founder of Ellie Smith Yoga Ltd, a platform for new and returning professionals to learn how to apply practices from yoga to improve their public speaking presence.
Picture this. The last slivers of warm sun flirt playfully with the silky white curtains as they flutter gracefully in the dusk breeze. The giant ficus bows along in cheeky encouragement of this fleeting romance.
A sturdy yet soft-around-the-edges sofa is a temporary home to an array of notebooks and scattered journal articles. Somewhere from the other room, echoes of a quietly simmering stew glide across the air. Behind the sofa lays a vibrant orange yoga mat, reassuring and unassuming. It's both your yoga studio and your yoga teacher.
You step barefoot onto the mat. You take a quick look around the room, admiring the warmth of colour the sunset brings, and the way it glimmers in the fresh watery rings on the coffee table.
Yes, a little bit of clutter and disorganization lives here. It's a busy time of life, the kind of busy that only copious amounts of tea can mitigate. Yes, those rings can wait half an hour. Those papers will be stacked and labeled later. The stew will be tended to.
Right now, the universe is throwing a light show that has earned a few sun salutations. Right now, it's time to be present. To be here, now.
You exhale everything out fully. Inhale, raise your arms up. Exhale, deep forward fold, big bend in the knees.
Finding your zen space at home
Dedicating a corner of my living room as my yoga space was a game-changer. Having house plants and a sticky mat in this quiet place behind the sofa meant I could step into a world of calmness and clarity with ease. This wasn't just about stretching weirdly on a yoga mat; it was about creating a sanctuary free from the distractions of daily life and social media. It was a little cave-like corner away from all the noise.
This little space encouraged me to follow online classes at my own pace, focusing deeply on breath practices and simple pose practices. Such an environment fosters a regular yoga practice, turning it from a to-do list item into a cherished part of my daily routine. One where the sunsets can join in rather than be a little-acknowledged backdrop to the hustle and bustle of everything else.
Key takeaways:
Finding a dedicated yoga space at home enhances focus and supports the establishment of a regular yoga practice.
Essential yoga gear, including mats, blocks, and straps, aids in developing a varied and engaging routine.
Online resources and personal dedication can drive the transformation of yoga from an activity into a lifestyle, promoting both mental and physical well-being.
Essential gear for your yoga journey
Embarking on an at-home yoga practice begins with gathering the right gear. This is what is often touted as meaning:
A yoga mat, non-negotiable, offers a sticky surface that will keep poses secure and balanced.
Yoga blocks provide support and deepen stretches for both beginners and advanced practitioners alike.
Straps assist in extending reach and maintaining alignment in poses that challenge flexibility.
Each piece of equipment plays a vital role in the journey, ensuring that every session in the living room is as effective as a class in a local studio.
But.
All of this comes at a hefty price.
The commodification of yoga is no joke. The Yoga "Industry" is set to reach 200 billion USD by 2030. A large portion of that is from apparel and equipment.
However, for those of us just starting out, we can substitute a lot of what we need, saving a lot of cash in the process. That, in turn, allows us to buy sustainable equipment when we are ready:
Big, robust, hardback books can be substituted for blocks. And when you're ready, opt for cork blocks
A low-pile carpet or hard floor with a towel for padding will temporarily replace your future non-toxic, non-slip yoga mat. It might even permanently replace it. That’s fine.
A belt or long scarf is a perfect replacement for an organic cotton yoga strap.
Clothes that are breathable and you can easily move around in replace the expensive (and often unsustainable) popular brands that glamourize a certain body shape. Pajamas are my go-to.
Crafting your yoga routine
The best way for me to stay committed to my at-home yoga practice involved crafting a routine that resonated with me personally.
Setting realistic goals from the outset was crucial. I aimed not for perfection but for a consistent, 3xweekly practice, even if it meant starting with just a few sun salutations or a quick child’s pose during a break. This approach helped me to gradually expand my routine, incorporating new poses and different styles of yoga over time. Including a variety of styles, like Hatha for slow and mindful movement or Vinyasa for a more dynamic flow, kept each session engaging and allowed me to explore the full spectrum of yoga's benefits.
Incorporating props (like the replacement props listed above) was a game-changer. These tools assisted me in accessing poses I previously found challenging and enhanced my overall practice, making the experience deeply personal and uniquely mine.
Incorporating yoga into your daily life
Finding time for at-home workouts, like yoga, requires creativity. Many believe the hardest part is starting; yet, once regular home practice begins, benefits quickly follow. I learned this firsthand. A daily yoga practice wasn't on my to-do list initially. Over recent years, however, incorporating even short sequences has fit smoothly into my routine. A great way involves tying yoga to daily activities. After waking, a simple sun salutation prepares you for the day ahead. This method leverages moments already in your daily routine to incorporate child's pose or a few deep breaths, enhancing both body awareness and calmness.
Another tip I found useful is setting specific goals. Deciding to practice yoga for even ten minutes daily before breakfast proved more achievable than ambitious, time-consuming goals. Regularity, not duration, cultivates a transformative yoga journey. Understandably, life happens, and some days are busier than others. On such days, practicing restorative poses or breath practice before bed can still keep you connected to your practice, ensuring yoga remains a consistent, calming presence in your life.
Expanding your practice with online resources
Online resources have evolved as a beacon for deepening yoga practices from the comfort of our own homes. Platforms offering a plethora of online classes and YouTube channels guided by seasoned yoga teachers present an opportunity to explore different styles and new poses, ranging from the tranquility of Hatha Yoga to the vigorous sequences in Vinyasa. The great news is these sessions can cater to every fitness level, whether you're unfolding your yoga mat for the first time or looking to challenge your practice with more advanced yoga poses.
Selecting the right online class involves finding a teacher whose style resonates with your personal journey. Look for trial periods or free trials to experience their teachings before committing. Consider your daily routine and how a regular home practice can seamlessly integrate into your life. Online teachers, with their diverse backgrounds, can also introduce you to Pranayama techniques and meditation practices, expanding your knowledge and deepening your practice beyond the physical poses.
Your next steps
If you're interested in cultivating a sustainable, busy-person-friendly, beginner-friendly home yoga practice without even touching the bank, let alone breaking it, then I have the thing for you. My Free Yoga Starter Kit comes with 4 instructional videos, including:
Setting up your practice space
Some fundamental (though not always easy) yoga poses and their modifications
A short practice that you could do every day for the rest of your life if you wished
A guide on how to breathe to get the most out of your pose practice.
It also comes with email support and a few other bonus surprises along the way to make sure you really get the most out of the kit. This kit was designed to get you set up for a sustainable practice, and the beauty of it is that it might be all you need. (Though, knowing yoga and how it works its magic, I'm sure your yoga curiosity will increase whether you want it to or not).
Click here to get the Yoga Starter Kit for free, and I'll see you on the mat (behind the sofa, in the light of the sunset).
Read more from Ellie Smith
Ellie Smith, Yoga Instructor
Ellie Smith is a yoga and breathwork teacher based in rural Japan. Her background is in tertiary education with a focus on communication and cultural studies. She now blends these two professions in her business, teaching clients how to get started with yoga, how to stick with it, and how to apply its principles and techniques off the mat to reduce public speaking anxiety and improve their public speaking presence.
