"Nothing would be done at all if we waited until we could do it so well that no one could find fault with it."
--Cardinal Newman (From David Swensons's book, Ashtanga Yoga, The Practice Manual)
When starting a new yoga practice the most important thing is to begin! Do not worry about what to do or when or where. That part doesn't really matter and will continue to change anyway as you continue your practice. If you are just starting out a new yoga practice or a new home yoga practice, find a qualified teacher and go slowly. Start with just five minutes everyday. It is much better to practice for five minutes every day than for an hour just once or twice a week.
Some things that will help with establishing a regular personal practice:
- Create a space just for your practice that you find beautiful and inviting. Make the act of creating this space part of your practice. Even if that means that you don't do any yoga poses while you go through this process.
- Experiment with different times of day and see what is most appealing to you. There is no correct time to practice. Most likely this will change as your practice grows as well. Allow that.
- It does not matter what you are wearing. You do not need to put on specific yoga clothes, just be comfortable.
- When first starting out, choose a few poses that you enjoy doing and do them each time you practice. It is important that you look forward to the practice. If you don't, take that as a sign that something may need adjusting.
- Honor your breath. If you find that you are holding your breath or if your breath becomes rapid, back off. Work with your breath.
- Patanjali's sutra 2.47, "prayatna saithilyananta samapattibhyam" reminds us that in yoga, the force and effort expended in doing asanas should be the minimum.
- Be patient.
You may find there are times when you lose your motivation to practice, even after genuinely committing to a regular yoga practice. This is normal and it helps to try not to get discouraged. If it comes time for your daily practice, and you find that you don't want to practice, that is fine. Honor that feeling. It is often helpful to go to where you would normally practice and just sit there for a few minutes, you might even want to try a few stretches. You can reevaluate how you feel tomorrow.
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