Home Practice Guide
How To Establish Your Home Yoga Practice
Assess Your Motivation
Ask if establishing a home practice is truly worth your time and energy.
Connect your practice to a core value that resonates deeply with you.
Create Your Foundation
Choose specific sequences that match your yoga tradition and goals.
Gather essential equipment: mat, props, journal, and reference materials.
Prepare Your Space
Designate a dedicated practice area that's solely for yoga.
Defend your space boundaries consistently to maintain its sanctity.
Build Consistency
Identify potential obstacles and create solutions for each one.
Commit to six months, schedule practice times, and track your progress.
Spotlight on Tadasana
Tadasana, Mountain Pose, is the base pose for all standing poses.
It is a wonderful pose to identify where we have habitual imbalances.
Learning balance in Tadasana brings balance in our life and enhances our confidence.
Yoga Practice for Women
Women have monthly and lifetime cycles that we must consider as we practice yoga.
Certain poses and pranayamas are contraindicated during menstruation, others are helpful; post-menstruation one can structure one’s practice to bring energy during the whole month; pregnancy has its own considerations; during peri-menopause one can tailor one’s practice to help one to feel good. Knowing how to practice yoga for women can help with all of these things.
Props for Your Home Practice
Blankets & Blocks
- 4 blankets (Mexican, wool, or "Pune" white cotton)
- 2 foam or cork blocks (4")
- 2 smaller foam blocks (3")
Bolsters & Eye Wrap
- 1 rectangular or round bolster
- 1 eye wrap (soft crepe bandage)
Chairs & Straps
- 2 backless folding chairs
- 1 regular length strap (6')
- 1 extra-long strap (9')
Ropes Wall (Optional)
We followed the San Diego Iyengar Yoga studio's template for construction guidance.
Materials available at Home Depot, Metals Depot, and Tools for Yoga.
In Iyengar yoga, props help the body learn actions within poses. Use them thoughtfully to deepen your practice.
Although you have to pay shipping from India, props from Yogikuti, a company run by Iyengar practitioners, are reasonably priced and high quality.
How to Choose a Yoga Mat
There are a million mats on the market and what one person likes, another person hates. You’re just have to try out some mats to find one that works for you. That said, here is what to look for in a yoga mat.
Thickness
Standard mats are 1/8 inch thick. Choose thicker (1/4 inch) for joint support or thinner for stability.
Material & Texture
While PVC can be durable, I prefer natural materials. Personally, I use a cork and rubber mat. I have also loved all rubber mats, but they have a strong smell at first.
Size & Portability
Standard length is 68 inches. Consider longer mats for taller practitioners or home-only practice. For home, you could also consider a round mat, or get two mats so you can place them in a "T" that allows you to be in any pose easily.
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"Stickiness"
When you start out, a little “stickiness” to the mat is helpful. As you advance, your muscles hold you and the stickiness becomes less important. You don’t want a mat that is ultra sticky, because you want to be able to move as needed.