If you love the holistic practice of yoga and are looking to take it to the next level, try incorporating new methods that breathe life into your routine. Repeating the same sessions with the same poses, and never pushing yourself with something new, can quickly kill your passion and lead to inconsistency.
Below we will discuss some tips you can incorporate into your yoga practice to keep you motivated and broaden your horizons.
Try New Sequences
Especially practicing at home, it’s easy to get stuck using the same sequences. Spice up your practice with new poses, and put together poses that target your intentions.
Whether you want a good sweat session, you wish to work on your mobility, you’d like to gain more creativity, or you’re looking for a more spiritual experience, the right sequence can help support your intention.
Do some research about the best poses to put together to create sequences that are right for you, take down some notes on your phone, and when you are ready to try something new, bring up the notes on your phone to easily follow along.
Increase How Many Times You Practice
A solid yoga practice consists of at least three to five sessions a week. At that rate, you have adequate time to rest, strengthen your body and clear your mind.
Try incorporating one extra session than normal into your routine, see how it goes, and then increase as your body and time allow.
If you can’t get to a class, or you need some new sequences to motivate you, try incorporating technology by using free classes or paid apps with one-on-one teaching.
Use (& Protect) Your Phone
One of the best ways to incorporate technology in your yoga practice is to download apps on your smartphone. That way, you have access to tons of tutorials, classes, playlists and other features from wherever you are.
It’s important to note, however, that if you keep your phone with you during hot yoga sessions, you need to make sure it stays protected. To keep water spills and sweat from ruining your phone, use a high-quality waterproof case.
LifeProof, for example, has several models that keep phones protected from moisture while also making it easy to access buttons, controls and ports.
Incorporate Yoga Tools & Equipment
Every yogi needs a good mat. If you’ve yet to do so, invest in a quality mat that has the right traction, comfort and thickness, inspires you when you see it, and will stand the test of time. Other equipment to consider adding to your collection includes:
- Blankets — These provide extra comfort during seated poses.
- Blocks — These help with alignment during poses that require you to reach for the floor, and they help if you are working on your flexibility or you have limited reach.
- Straps — These are particularly useful when you need to reach your feet but don’t have the flexibility yet or have limited movement.
- Bolsters — These are great for poses where you want more support and want to achieve a deeper stretch.
- Wheels — These enhance the stretch, create stability and improve flexibility.
Create A Special Place In Your Home
Your yoga practice can also be rejuvenated simply by a change of venue. Reserving a place in your home just for your yoga practice will make the area special and will put you in the right mindset whenever you’re ready to have a yoga session.
Start by creating the right lighting. Bright overhead lights will hurt your ability to center your thoughts and focus on the present; instead, opt for dimmable floor lamps, rope lights or candles.
You can find much more information on living a holistic lifestyle in these free magazines and on our YouTube channel.
Invigorate your sense of smell by adding in aromatherapy through diffusers, with your favorite scents that will enhance the sequence you’re using; peppermint is great for muscle recovery, and lavender is optimal for de-stressing.
Add ambiance to the space with a Bluetooth speaker for playing music and colorful and inspirational decor. Moreover, putting out plants and opening windows for natural sunlight can bring life to your sessions.
Maintaining the same exact yoga routine for too long will rob you of the joys of yoga. Expose yourself to new sequences, challenge yourself by practicing more, and use your phone to access helpful yoga apps from wherever you are.
Also, look into the variety of yoga equipment out there to see if some of it could aid your practice, and create your own yoga sanctuary at home. Finally, don’t hesitate to check out Global Healing Exchange’s YouTube channel and magazine for additional holistic living resources.
