5 Myths about Home Yoga Practice (that might keep you from starting one)
(photo by Tim Samuel on pexels)
My personal yoga practice started in 2006 when I was in yoga teacher training. I was assigned 10 hours of personal study a month that counted towards my certification. I’d practiced along with videos at home; but never on my own. It was intimidating to get started. But after eight months of showing up, I’d built a habit that’s still going strong almost 20 years later.
I value my practice so much so I’m always excited when folks want to start their own. Unfortunately, what I usually hear is something like: “I want to do yoga outside of class, but I could never do that.” They talk themselves out of it before they even get started. That means they’re missing out on the many benefits they could be receiving from doing evenlittle bit of extra yoga.
Digging deeper I’ve discovered that most folks have a story about how they should do yoga when they’re on their own. And most of the time, that story is what’s keeping them from their practice.
Here are 5 myths people tell themselves about home yoga practice - and how to reframe them so they work for you.
Myth # 1 - You have to do it at home
Somewhere along the line personal practice got branded as ‘home practice’. It’s probably meant as a distinction between yoga with a teacher in a group class and yoga on your own. The problem with that branding is that some folks take it literally and think they have to cloister themselves in a corner of their home anytime they want to practice.
If you’re an introverted homebody like me, staying home is great. But if you’re extroverted or need some momentum from other people to get started this is a death notice for your practice. It’s even more challenging if you’re in the middle of a move, or if your home is chaotic. Doing yoga there may not be a good fit!
REFRAME: It’s my personal practice
A personal practice is personal. It doesn’t have to be isolated. I know people who do their personal practice in the stretching area of the gym. They just like being near other people. I know others who do their personal practice alongside friends. A personal practice is all yours, but it’s not tied to your home. It’s mobile. You can take on vacation and it’s always with you - even if your home is in flux at the moment.
Myth # 2 - You have to do it everyday
Thank you Instagram for the pressure-filled hashtags #yogaeveveryday and #yogaeverydamnday. There’s an image out there that you always have to be doing yoga. That if you’re not doing it every single day then you’re probably not doing it right. Not to mention, the tendency to think that more is always better. It’s really easy to fall into the trap of thinking you have to do your personal practice every single day or it really isn’t giving you anything. Sometimes folks think if they can’t do it every day or every few days then it doesn’t really count as a personal practice. Then they quit doing the sporadic practice that over time might organize into something more consistent.
REFRAME: I can practice when it works for me
There are no rules when it comes to having a personal practice. Have the time and energy to practice every day? Cool, go for it. Have the inclination on slow Sunday mornings? Great drink in and enjoy. Have the time about once a month when the stars align? Awesome. Savor that practice. The pleasure of a personal practice is that you can do it whenever you want to. It shifts to fit your life, you don’t have to rearrange your entire life to meet it.
The truth is, yes, consistency is great. Consistency is going to lay the groundwork for your practice to support your life on an ongoing basis. But that doesn’t mean you have to over-stress yourself to get there. A commitment to one day a week on your own will take you further than one week of every single day then never doing it again.
Also, some encouragement for those who can only sneak practice in once in a while - it’s totally ok. That one practice is feeding your heart and soul so much! If you love it and you want to build more time for it in the future, then these single sessions are the starting place. Let it unfold over time and you’ll get there.
Myth # 3 - You have to do it for at least an hour
Group classes are often an hour, or 75-minutes. So a lot of folks assume that they need to practice for an hour for it to be worth it. They think that if they can’t set aside a significant amount of time, then they’ve failed. I have to admit, I tend to fall into this category. If I’m going to practice I want to give myself the time to warm-up, be in the practice and cool down. Honestly I can’t always give a whole hour to my yoga - and again, unfortunately that means I skip it. Once again, missing out on the goodness that comes from breathing and moving.
REFRAME : My practice can be short
One of my teachers says something like: “The 10 minutes of yoga that you do is better than the hour that you don’t do” She’s pointing to how sweet it is just to breathe and move for a few minutes. How amazing would it be to take a mini-yoga break in the middle of a busy workday? Or to put your legs up the wall for 5 minutes before you cook dinner for grumpy teenagers? Micro-practices are like buffers in your day. They reconnect you with your body, mind, and heart. They help you step back into your center. Depending on what you choose to do you might come away with more energy or feel grounded afterwards. Plus they’re restorative for those times when you’re tired. That means when you have time for a longer practice - you’ll have the energy for it too.
Myth # 4 - You have to challenge yourself as much as your teacher does
If you’re thinking of yoga as a workout this one’s particularly tricky. Folks think they have to be sweating buckets or pushing the edge of their practices when they practice on their own. Pushing so hard all the time could lead to burning out on yoga all together. Or it could lead to building up your ego. It also tends to bypass the subtle listening that grows when you follow your own inner guidance in your yoga practice. Instead of refining becoming more sensitive to your wholeness you become a wrecking ball on your mat.
REFRAME: I can listen to my body while I practice
It’s completely ok to have an ultra-chill personal practice. It’s completely ok to have your practice be mostly laying around on the floor or turning your head while you breath. (check out my Instagram to see me doing plenty of these practices)
A less challenging physical practice can open the door to more sensitivity to yourself. It allows you to listen inwards and refine what you’re doing based on how your body is responding.
True, some days you may have a lot of energy and inspiration to play at your edge. But it’s also normal not to have as much inspiration when you’re on your own. The great thing about a personal practice vs. a group class is that your practice can lead you anywhere it wants to take you. Listening to your body opens up whole new experiences of yoga that your group class can’t because the teacher has to attend to so many people all at once.
Myth # 5 - You have to know what you’re doing
This is the biggest reason folks give for not getting started. They think they should have an entire sequence figured out. And most times they don’t think they can remember anything when they’re not with the teacher. They also don’t trust their own experience and are worried that they’ll do it wrong. Then they worry that they’ll hurt themselves. Or that they’ll leave something out that will be somehow harmful.
REFRAME: I can just see what happens
How nice could it be to land on your mat and then have the space to explore, be creative, and follow your inner impulses? You don’t have to have a plan before you start. In fact, it’s pretty freeing not to if you’re the type of person who lives by a plan. A personal yoga practice is definitely a place for experimentation and exploration.
Getting started may feel like the hardest part. But if you’re committed to doing the practice and you’re on your mat, you’ll be surprised at how easy it is to start. Think of one pose or one warm-up that your teacher usually gives. Let it be a beginning, and go from there. You’ll be surprised at the poses that come to mind once you start moving and breathing.
Finally, you can put your fears down because it’s pretty unlikely that you’re gonna hurt yourself - especially if you’re listening and not pushing. And, if you finish your practice and then feel like something was missing, that’s great information for what you might do the next time.
Just Start
You never have to practice on your own. You can have an incredible experience of yoga that can be a lifelong support without ever guiding yourself. But if any of these stories have kept you from starting a personal practice - it’s time to reframe them. Because honestly, sometimes changing a story changes EVERYTHING!
Your personal yoga practice can be one of the most rewarding and supportive things to include in your self-care bundle. It will carry you all the days of your life. I say, go for it!