How Much Should I Practice Yoga?
I remember my “real alarm clock” with those glowing bright red digital numbers. It buzzed that awful buzz back in 1996 before iPhones; it was 5:00 am. School lunches packed the night before, I rolled out of bed, still dark outside, with my yoga clothes waiting for me. I tiptoed into the chilly bathroom careful not to awaken the household. I brushed my teeth and put my hair on top of my head, ready for a sweaty practice. I was beyond excited and always easily motivated to get to my 6:00 am yoga class with my “sunrise” community.
It was a beautiful early morning drive every time; truly mystical. The silence was so palatable yet spiritual as it can be when the day begins. The evergreens still glistening with morning dew, the traffic was next to none, and an occasional soft, cream-colored sweet deer or two crossed my path as I drove to yoga.
This was a time in my life when 6 mornings a week in a vigorous yoga practice was appropriate for me and where I was in my yoga practice development. It was perfect because I could practice when everyone was asleep at home and return by 7:45 am to get the children off to school. At one point in time back then, I committed to 30 consecutive days of this rigorous ancient practice called Ashtanga Full Primary Series to quickly improve and move my practice forward. I was 36 years old.
My practice has shifted, changed, and evolved a lot throughout my 27-year journey so far. This has been my experience with myself and my students. If you practice regularly over many life cycles, this is how yoga typically works.
What does “regular practice” mean or look like? Well, there can be many factors. Bottom line, it’s your practice and it’s up to YOU. There are no SHOULD’S. There’s no one answer or one way. For today’s blog, we will be focusing on the physical practice of yoga.
Take your time
It takes time when you are new to yoga, just like anything new. There is no timetable and yoga can be a beautiful life-long practice. It is the perfect all-age all-people practice we can modify as needed and take into our senior years as well. Most students arrive through the physical practice of yoga; the postures. For many, at first, the student will just be rediscovering their hands, and feet and getting back into their entire body. We’ve all spent a lot of time in our heads and busy, busy, busy. Yoga is a journey from the outside to the inside of you; the gross to the subtle. This takes time; enjoy the journey of unwinding the ball of yarn called you.
2. What type of yoga should I practice?
Whatever you love. The student who loves their practice today will return tomorrow. No shoulds here. If you are looking for balance in your life and are scattered and stressed most of the time then a slow, cool, gentle, or restorative yoga practice is the best prescription for you. Visa Versa, if you are feeling slow, stagnant, or find your lifestyle is seated a lot then a more vigorous practice, warm practice could be just the gift. I love to see a practice that balances and nurtures the person instead of matching their personality. Are you 25 or 65 years old? Do you have limitations? Your yoga practice will look different too. When we are of different ages, of different health our needs are different. It’s all good.
3. What does practice look like?
Take this pressure off. Asana (physical) practice can look like 2 minutes, 20, 75, 90 minutes, or anything in between. It can be done on a yoga mat, a beach, a towel in a hotel room, or even in bed. It can be done at home, in a yoga studio, online, in a mall, at a conference, or on vacation; I’ve done them all! It could be a mixture of some strengthening postures, some nourishing or stretching postures, and doesn’t require expensive equipment or apparel.
4. How often do I practice?
You can practice 1x/week or 6 days a week. Once a day or 3 times a day. Listening to what you need is the most important thing. Yoga teaches us to love ourselves again and to listen to what we really need. Pushing ourselves to do our yoga or overdoing our practice is not practicing ahimsa: (Sanskrit: “noninjury”) in the Indian religions of Jainism, Hinduism, and Buddhism, the ethical principle of not causing harm to other living things. If you do other types of exercise maybe your yoga practice is once or twice a week. If only yoga, typically yogis like to practice 5 - 6 days a week to maintain and align their body/mind/and spirit regularly.
5. Savasana (end of practice)
This is very important. Think of your practice as doing surgery on yourself. You will feel “wide open” and light. Lying down and taking rest at the end for a minimum of 5 minutes allows the practice to integrate deeply into your being so you take it with you. It gives you time to come back into your body so you can step back into activity grounded. You want to take your yoga with you. This earth school can be challenging!
6. Rest days?
Absolutely. The body needs rest to repair, remember, integrate and rejuvenate from the practice. Besides, practicing every day will not speed up enlightenment but rest does.
7. Going to class; in person vs virtual
This has really changed over the past few years. We were all used to going to classes in person, in a studio perhaps, or community center. Now we are used to online classes more than ever and even have come to love the ease of staying home and rolling out our mat. They are both beneficial in their own ways.
The community of in-person classes is undeniably supportive. The teacher can connect with you personally as well and help you with more instructions. Group online classes are also great, however, it is more up to the student to take on the responsibility of their own safety as the teacher can’t easily see everyone as they are busy demonstrating or the screen doesn’t show all the students, etc. Online yoga privates actually work very well! It can be a very safe, intimate space.
Let’s be real though, yoga is usually expensive in the west and not in the budget for many. No matter your situation you can find free or donation-based yoga on the internet or perhaps at your community center, all that will accommodate your schedule and wallet. (I am very grateful and so thankful every day that I was able to afford yoga and had the freedom that allowed me to attend. I realize how fortunate I was.) I’m thrilled TODAY that I can offer my affordable $5 Virtual Fridays to help more people practice yoga too. This is my wish! The bottom line, find a good teacher in person or online you feel safe with and get healing and glowing.
8. Private instruction
In the beginning, yoga was always handed down from teacher to student; one on one. Personal yoga privates or group privates are a wonderful way to begin a yoga practice. Find a good teacher who will teach you safety and alignment from the get-go so you can enjoy a long and safe yoga career. Then you can take these universal skills into any class going forward. Privates are also good for helping with issues or questions within your practice. Anytime, further down your journey, privates are an excellent way to dive deeper and learn more refinements or whatever you seek!
9. Immersions/Workshops
Some of my favorite and the deepest study were done in immersions and workshops. Much more can be covered and learned with more time. I highly recommend these several times a year if you are looking to grow in your practice. Immersions and workshops can be from 1.5 hours up to 6 hours or even a whole weekend.
10. Going on a retreat
A yoga retreat is much like an immersion; even better! Some retreats can be a weekend but often 5, 7, or 10 days for example. What I love about a retreat is it gets you away from home, work, and routine. This is often the tipping point for attendees to really living their yoga. After a long time away and immersed you come back different. It gives you time, perspective, new experiences, and a lot of yoga practice to quickly change you.
11. Personal practice
This is a beautiful stage of development within your yoga practice. It’s when the student begins to really embody the yoga enough to explore by themselves on their yoga mat. To become their “own teacher.” That’s not to say you don’t take classes or study with teachers anymore but you are also able to lead yourself. This is a big turning point in one’s development and an important one. You are no longer doing yoga you are being yoga.
So here I am now, 2022, almost 62. Today my practice continues its ebb and flow as it always has. I love to get on my mat 5 days a week; sometimes for 20 minutes sometimes for 2 hours. It’s really just a touchpoint for me to come back “home” to myself each day and for whatever I need. If I’m not practicing yoga, my yoga can look like my meditation, my golf, teaching a yoga class, writing a blog, walking the dog, or on my bike. It’s all my practice.
If your goal is to practice yoga regularly to maintain and sustain its amazing benefits (another blog) then I feel it’s easier to practice regularly so you can keep it going. It’s much harder to get back on the mat when it’s sporadic. Love yourself so fiercely that you will gift yourself a regular practice just right for you! Then watch out, here you GLOW!
Thank you for joining me on this journey of Living Yoga. I’d love to hear your thoughts. Leave a comment below and tell me what your thoughts are on practicing your yoga today!
