Hello yogis,
I hope this e-mail finds you in good spirits and health. I feel like now is a really good time to talk about developing and maintaining a home practice. It’s hard and it’s messy, but once you find your groove, it can be oh so rewarding.
Studio practice v. home practice
Transferring from a studio practice to a home practice is incredibly difficult. You get a very specific energy from practicing in a studio that you simply cannot achieve at home. However, this is the same with a home practice. There are a lot of amazing benefits of a home practice that you could never achieve within the walls of a studio. A lot of times, we put the same feeling and expectation of our studio practice onto our home practice and that simply cannot be. For a lack of a better example; it’s kind of going to Universal Studios and expecting to see Mickey Mouse everywhere. Though Universal Studios + Disney World revolve around the same concept, they are both completely different experiences. Same goes for yoga.
Do you remember the first time you walked into a yoga studio to take your first yoga class? You may have had a general idea of what to expect, but you didn’t really know what you were going to experience and feel, right? Home practice needs to be looked as a completely separate and different experience. You work different parts of your inner self. Rather than approaching your mat at home with a set expectation, allow yourself to step on to it as if you are stepping onto it for the first time. Notice how your mindset changes the moment instantly and allow that theme to carry through your practice.
Set a routine for your practice
One thing that a studio offers us is a set time and location to practice. There’s ritual to it, right? You get ready, get in your car, drive to the studio, check in, put your mat down, grab water and set your space for your practice. Try doing this at home as well to get in your sacred yoga space. I suggest having a set time everyday that you move, no matter what. For me, it’s first thing in the morning when I wake up which falls in with the Ayurvedic clock. I wake up, wash my face and eyes with cold water, feed my animals, take my vitamins, make warm lemon water and head to my mat. Every single day. Even if I know there’s a class I want to take later with a teacher, I still go through a couple of Sun A’s and Sun B’s.
Set a time in your day that you can commit 20-60 minutes for your physical asana and find ways to make that time sacred for you. Is there a specific beverage you look forward to every day? Make that before or after your practice. Sage your space with Palo Santo. Intentionally get dressed to practice. Find small things that bring you joy and infuse your practice time with that magic those things bring. And come to your mat every day. Even if you just sit in childs pose for 15 minutes and breathe intentionally, you will leave your sacred space feeling changed. And the habit will build. This brings me to my next point,
Don’t beat yourself up over your practice.
We are currently living through a wild and unprecedented time, y’all. I can’t stress that enough. It’s okay to move slower than usual. It’s okay to stop 3 Sun A’s in and just melt into some yin postures. Wherever you are is exactly where you are supposed to be. My teacher Bryan Kest says, “You have never seen a healthy relationship respond positively to force and aggression, please don’t lay that trip on yourself”. Don’t fill your time and mind with “shoulds”. Notice what is. And sit with it. Without judgment, without reaction. Notice the tension in your body. Notice where things are heavy. Sad. Sluggish. Meet it with breath, love, compassion. Remember always, the physical asana is just the means to connect us deeper to whats going on inside. So when your physical body is trying to tell you something, listen. Heal. Let go.
Above anything, do what feels good.
Lean into the sensations and emotions you are feeling. Maybe even close your eyes. What do they look like? What do they sound like? How would the move and dance like? Express that through your moving meditation, right? Put music on that makes you happy. That makes you feel something. Music that will take you places. And trust yourself, right? We are all far more capable than we give ourselves credit for. There are so many amazing offerings now via various online platforms but y’all don’t you dare forget for a moment that you are your best teacher.
Your body knows how to breathe. Your body knows how to move. Start simple with that breath body connection, the simple inhales that lift your heart up and the exhales that take you deeper into a sensation. Then throw in some Sun A’s, move into B then see what happens from there. As long as you are breathing and moving with intention, as long as you are constantly moving towards warmer, you are practicing correctly.
Holding space in virtual classes
I do think there is a lot of value in attending a virtual class. It’s nice to have someone hold sacred space for you. To guide you and support you. My advice is to find the classes where you constantly don’t have to look at the screen. Yoga is about getting out of the thinking mind and into the feeling body. Also, maybe take this time to discover different types of yoga. Personally, I’ve been doing a lot more yin, meditation, ashtanga and yoga nidra. Slower paced classes that allow me to really feel where I am in the moment because honestly, my emotions and energy are changing daily.
Questions?
If you have questions about building a home practice, online classes, or if you want to dive deeper and schedule a virtual private yoga session, please feel free to reach out.
At the moment, I am offering 1 hour private sessions for $70 (usually $100). Like all of my teaching, I go for a more holistic approach and we’ll look at all aspects of your life and see how this practice can help achieve your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual goals. We’ll have a short consultation before our time begins so I can work on a plan that suits your needs and goals personally. Our session won’t end after an hour, you’ll leave with asanas, meditations, and other things to incorporate into your practice after our time together. These sessions may be especially good if you want some guidance on what to do in a home practice but yoga videos aren’t working out for you.
This week in Yoga
I am teaching my regularly scheduled Friday class at 4:30CST. Third time was the charm and I have finally figured out the magical trick to audio and making sure my internet doesn’t crash (hopefully it stays that way). It’s a suggested donation of $7 and if you sign up by Thursday you get a fun bonus playlist. Venmo @ashleyedanford.
Current Yoga Festival is officially in week two with some really amazing offerings. This week we’ve added Yoga Nidra, Slow Flow, and breathwork classes. Be sure to check out all the details over at @currentyoga on Instagram.
For Current Yoga Fest, I am doing a LIMITED EDITION Wednesday morning class at 8AM CST. This one is all donation based and you do not need to pre-register. Just follow the link in @currentyoga Instagram profile and it will take you to the virtual classroom. If it does well, maybe I’ll add it as a weekly offering. ;)
I have also been pondering workshop series classes. Would y’all be into a weekly class centered around any of these topics: Ashtanga, Awakening to your life’s purpose + Vinyasa flow, ?? what are you guys wanting to dive into? I’ll see if I can make it happen.
thank you
Thank you so much for your support during these times. You are all in my meditations every morning. Please know I am always here for you. Reach out when you need to. You are always supported. Always.
Metta, Karuna, Mudita, Upekkah,
Ashley
Did you get some valuable information from this? If so, send it along to one other person you know may be struggling with practicing at home. Or maybe somebody who just needs a REAAAAAL good flow on Wednesday and Friday. Because you know I’ll be coming correct (technology gods, willing). Keep the flow going, pass Current on.