Yoga

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Beginning A Home Practice, Part 1: Preparation.

 

by Witold Fitz-Simon

 

 

         In this series of articles we are going to address how someone who is taking classes on a regular basis might begin a home yoga practice.  In this post we'll consider some basic practicalities.  First weÕll look at how to set up your space in the manner most conducive to practicing your yoga poses.  Then weÕll talk about your mental approach and motivating yourself to unroll your mat regularly and consistently.  After that weÕll begin to address the different ways to look at poses as a means of exploring the body and deepening the connections between body and awareness.

 

         LetÕs begin.

 

 

Setting Up Your Space

 

         For many of us space is at a premium in our homes, but if you are going to practice regularly, you are going to need to designate a space for your practice, if for no other reason than having all your yoga equipment readily at hand.  If you have to go around hunting down your various accoutrements every day, I can almost guarantee you that your practice will last maybe a week at best.  No matter which school of yoga you follow, the technologies of transformation provided by yoga are useless unless you do them regularly, even for just a few minutes each day.  Your yoga corner can be just that, nothing more than a corner, with the option to move the furniture around if necessary.  I live in a very small studio apartment in Manhattan, New York.  I have my personal mountain of props on a wheeled cart under the window in the corner behind the sofa.  There is just enough room for me to spread out and do Shavasana (Corpse Pose) on the mat and a bit of wall space to use as a prop.  ItÕs the one part of the room that I am meticulous about keeping neat and tidy (much to the amusement of my friends).  If IÕm being adventurous and I need to spread out, or if I have a friend over to practice, I can move the sofa out of the way for more room.  A whole room in which to do your yoga isnÕt necessary, though if you have the space, go for it.  A friend of mine has converted her spare bedroom into a beautiful yoga studio.  Here are some guidelines to think about:

 

„        Find an area in your home that is accessible and easy to keep tidy.

 

„        Your yoga area should be light and airy.

 

„        If you are near a window, make sure there is adequate blind coverage.  Aside from scaring the neighbors when youÕre doing your head stand, it is best not to practice in direct sunlight, especially if the sun is particularly strong.  As nice as the idea of practicing outside in the sun may be, the heat and sunlight can be dehydrating.  And you donÕt want to get sunburned.

 

„        Organize your props so that they are readily available and easily accessible.  There is nothing worse than getting into a pose and realizing you really need that block that is propping up a precarious stack of books halfway across the room.

 

„        Dress your yoga area in a way that is pleasing and conducive to an introspective frame of mind.  This will have a lot to do with your personal taste.  For some people pale colors are more restorative than bright colors.  Some people like to have plants around, or artwork or spiritual accessories.  I find strong colors to be most soothing.  I have one wall painted a vibrant orange and I tend to do my poses facing that wall, especially since the kitchen is along the opposite wall.  I love plants, but I have black thumbs, so for me the compassionate thing is to not have them around.  Luckily there is a woman across the way who keeps the most beautiful garden on her terrace, so I can look at that when I am practicing and be reminded of life and nature.  I have a tiny altar in one corner with one or two objects that set the tone.  The key is that your area should be non-distracting.  Anything that you have around you should bring you back to the reason you are there.  The idea is that, eventually, you become so focused on your inner state of being that you could be anywhere.  After twelve years of doing yoga, I find I can even practice at the gym with weights clanking and bad music blaring at me without being disturbed.

 

 

Attitude And Approach

 

         Having a welcoming corner calling out to you will make it that much easier to get started.  And thatÕs often all it really takes, I find.  ItÕs a lot less intimidating to focus your motivational energies on getting yourself to your mat and taking it from there.  Having the weight of obligation over your head (Ņoh I have to practice, have to do shoulder stand and head stand, have to do standing poses, have to get in at least half an hourÓ) is a recipe for resistance.  When I need to get kick started, all I think about is getting to the mat and how much better I always feel once IÕve done my practice for the day. 

 

„        Bear in mind that you are doing something good for yourself.

 

„        Practice with a friend to make it more enjoyable.

 

„        Use a journal to help motivate yourself.  Write down what poses youÕve done and any insights you might have about your practice that day.  IÕve kept a practice journal in one way or another for a number of years.  I rarely refer back to it, except sometimes to come up with ideas for teaching, but the act of writing down what I am going to do, or what I am doing while IÕm practicing, or what IÕve done after, somehow is very grounding.  The fact that I have this book sitting on my props that somehow represents what IÕve been working on is very comforting.  In some ways itÕs a little shallow and materialistic of me.  The true record of my practice is my own body, my mind and soul.  The external reminder does, however, help.

 

 

Time Of Day

 

         Consistency is always preferable.  If you can make a habit out of practicing at the same time every day, this will make it much easier.  However, that doesnÕt always work, and it is important to respect that.  Flexibility is key in mind and body.  I have gone through stages where I can get up at seven every morning and practice for a couple of hours.  This will go on for up to nine months at a time.  Then IÕll get up one day and be completely unable to practice in the morning.  For the following months I will have to steal time here and there throughout the day to practice.  Then, suddenly, I will find myself practicing regularly in the evenings for several months.  We go through many different kinds of physical, mental and emotional cycles in our lives, and, although it is important to be disciplined, it is just as important to be compassionate.  (Do bear in mind, however, that this is not a license to get nothing done.  Practice, practice, practice.)  Here are some points to consider:

 

„        Look realistically at your day.  Is there a consistent daily time you can devote to practicing regularly?  Before I started teaching and I was still working in an office, the only time I could guarantee I would be available was at 7am, before work.  Perhaps you have a similar situation at another time of day.  Right after work, perhaps, or at lunch.

 

„        If you do not have a consistent time, consider making dates with yourself to practice.  Because of my teaching schedule, no two days in the week are the same.  So I make appointments to practice Š Mondays at 5pm, Tuesdays at 10am, Wednesdays at 3pm.  IÕve even gone so far as to write them down in my date book.

 

„        Take into consideration the time of day.  We tend to be stiffer in the mornings than the evenings.  This means that a consistent gentler practice first thing in the morning can be as effective as a stronger practice later in the day.  I spent a month at the Yogaville Ashram in Virginia a few years ago.  We would be woken up at 5:30 every morning for two hours of meditation and practice.  At that hour of the morning I am barely able to touch my toes.  I generally find I am stiff and extremely lethargic until about 10am.  Not the traditional image of the early rising yogi on the mountain top, I know.  Even so, a simple practice at that hour of the morning was incredibly beneficial, giving me very real results by the end of the month.

 

„        Be sure to practice on an empty stomach.  Some people insist on not having eaten for up to four hours before practice, which is why practicing first thing in the morning is often a good idea.  If you need to eat, eat.  Be respectful of your bodyÕs needs.  Just bear in mind that all that food inside you requires energy to digest, and that it takes up space inside your body.  A heavy asana practice will take energy away from the digestive process, which will be further compromised by the manipulations to which you will be submitting your internal organs.

 

 

Breathing

 

         There are some styles where you are asked to perform very specific types of breathing synchronized to the poses and transitions between them.  As you practice the poses here, the breathing is important in that it should be as natural as possible.  Obviously, in some of the poses the trunk is restricted and it will not be possible to take a full breath in quite the same way as if you were simply standing or lying on the back.  Regardless of the pose it is important not to restrict the breath consciously.  Keep the throat unrestricted and allow the inhalations and exhalations to come as they will.  It is very easy to forget to breathe when you are exerting yourself.  If you allow this to happen you will bring hardness into the body and the natural flow of energy will be restricted.

 

 

Equipment

 

         Yoga props have become increasingly easy to obtain, even showing up in bookstores and supermarkets.  The internet is a further resource for any number of yoga accessories of varying degrees of usefulness.  Here are the basic props, all developed by BKS Iyengar.  Though essential for a balanced and supportive asana practice, household objects can often be found as adequate substitutes.  When Mr. Iyengar started in the 1930Õs he was using bricks and planks of wood to support him.  When you get skilled enough in the use of props, no solid object will be safe from your practical gaze.  Any table or piece of furniture can suddenly become a yoga prop.

 

         Mat Š Useful for two reasons: to provide cushioning underneath you when you are lying on the floor and to provide traction for your feet in standing poses.  Some mats now come with lines printed on them to help with the alignment of the body.  You could also draw the lines yourself with a permanent marker and a long piece of wood as a ruler.

 

         Block -  The block is perhaps the most versatile of yoga props, for under hands and feet, to act as spacers or supports for the trunk or head.  Books can often be used as substitutes.  Old phone books are particularly useful.  Tape them up with packing tape or gafferÕs tape to make them sturdier.

 

         Belt Š Another useful prop, especially if the backs of the legs are tight and you need to reach your feet in poses such as those where the legs are raised and in forward extensions.  A sturdy buckle will mean you can make a loop out of the belt to keep the various limbs together.

 

         Blanket Š Firm blankets are best.  It is important to fold blankets well, making clean edges and even surfaces.  Unevenness in the blanket underneath you will lead to unevenness in your body.

 

         Chair Š A sturdy metal folding chair with the back knocked out is the most ideal.  Such chairs come cheap if you want to do the work yourself.  As long as you are able to fit your legs comfortably through the back of the chair, however, you are in business.

 

         Bolster Š It is possible to fake a bolster by rolling up several blankets and tying them off with a belt.  A good, sturdy bolster filled with cotton batting, however, can provide a lot of support for restorative poses.

 

         Sandbag Š any form of weight can be useful, even free weights and ankle weights.

 

 

Why Props?

 

         Props are an essential part of a yoga practice.  Rather than an impediment, or even an admission of failure, props are there to help you achieve opening and balance in your poses.  What good is getting your hand to the floor in Utthita Trikonasana (Triangle Pose) if you strain the back of your leg, crunch into your neck and push into your lower back?  Doing a pose in this manner is worse than not doing it at all.  You will merely damage yourself, either in the moment or over a period of time, and you will certainly not be able to achieve any form of meditative insight in your poses.

 

         Here are some situations in which to use props to modify poses:

 

„        In standing poses, when you are unable to place your hand on the floor, put it on a block, or even a chair.

 

„        In any pose where you are unable to grab your foot where required, such as a forward extension, loop a belt around the foot and hold onto the ends of the belt.

 

„        In any pose where you need to stabilize the legs and prevent them from coming apart, such is in a backward extension to protect the lower back, bind the legs with a belt.

 

„        In any seated pose when you are unable to elongate up out of the pelvis and there is pressure on the lower back, sit up on folded blankets, a block, or even a bolster.

        

         Think of the props as extensions of your body.  Even better, think of them as your teachers.  You donÕt have to use every prop and do every variation.  I would encourage you to experiment and discover, to practice and play.  Eventually the props will become invisible to you.  They will be no more inconvenient than the air around you and the floor beneath you.  All you will be aware of is your inner state of being: physical, mental and spiritual all in one.

 

 

 

© 2006 Witold Fitz-Simon.

 

This article can be found online at http://www.yogaartandscience.com/pblog/pblog.html