Your Yoga “Space-Time Continuum”
You might be brand-new to yoga, or simply brand-new to practicing primarily from home. In both cases, you may be finding yourself trying to carve out time on your schedule for your yoga, and also creating out some space in your house in which to practice. In this post, we’re going to look at several ways you can create a nice physical space for your home-based yoga.
Why should I make a special space for yoga?
We try to move intentionally during our yoga practice. So why not make a space that is intentional, too?
First off, let my start by saying you certainly don’t need to create a special place for doing yoga. Any space that is large enough to spread out your mat or set up your chair will do. However, it can make the experience more meaningful and more fulfilling if you give it a little thought.
Our bedrooms should be places that are designed for rest, relaxation, and sound sleep. We want our kitchens to be set up for convenience, and of course we want our living rooms to be perfect for Netflix bingeing! And so your home yoga studio space should be designed for mindfulness
How to create your “home yoga studio”
You could go all-out and dedicate an entire room to yoga – hardwood floors, shelves for your mats, blocks, straps, and bolsters, maybe some relaxing artwork on the walls. Or you could simply clear out enough space for your mat or chair, and place a flower in front of you while you practice. Or – maybe something in between!
The basics
- Space: start by clearing some space for your practice. Make sure you have room to move your arms and legs freely without hitting anything, like a wall or bookshelf (or that nice glass statue that was a family heirloom up until you started doing yoga next to it). If you have a room dedicated for exercise or you simply take over another space, clear it out a bit.
- Tech: find a way to place your laptop )or whatever device you’re streaming with) in front of you in such a way that you can hear and see your teacher clearly. If you’re taking a private lesson or have 2-way communication with your instructor, maybe sure they can see you clearly, too.
- View: this one is important. What are you looking at when you practice? Wouldn’t it be nice to look out a window, or at a beautiful painting while you do yoga rather than a wall, a stack of bills or other cluttered space?
- Extras: you might consider a candle, a small statue or a framed photo “extra,” but we could also argue that these small things are necessary. A special plant or meaningful painting can make all the difference. It doesn’t need to be anything fancy – just something that is placed near you on purpose, with purpose.
You don’t need to hire an interior decorator to make you a home yoga studio, but it is nice when you can add a little bit of “flair” to inspire you, to keep you centered, and to help you enjoy your yoga practice even more.
What if I’m not able to dedicate much space for my yoga?
Again, you don’t need to get super-fancy with this…unless you want to! It’s like anything else – having friends over for dinner, hosting afternoon tea, decorating the rest of your house – you can put a little into it, or you can do a lot. The point is, to do something that makes it special for you.
Yoga studios take great care in creating a harmonious, relaxing and mindful experience for their students who come to practice. Your home studio should do the same, and it doesn’t take much to get there. Just be sure to make a space for yourself that you’ll want to come back to.