More on Practice...what I practice when I'm short on time

I've been asked recently what to practice at home when there just isn't time for everything. There is definitely not one answer to that question. What works for me on one day doesn't necessarily work the next....but here's a quick run-down on the most commn places that I break the primary series when I'm short on time or energy and just can't do it all.

If time is really short: 5 sun salutation A

A little bit more time: 5 A and 5 sun salutation B
...a side note...Pattabhi Jois once told David Williams that 5 A and 5 B should be considered the "daily minimum practice"

A little more time and energy: I add the fundamental standing poses (padangusthasana through parsvottanasana) on to the sun salutations and then do the closing sequence starting with backbends.

Another place I stop is after all the standing poses. I'll go to closing poses from there.

Lastly, I sometimes break off practice after navasana and go to the closing poses from there. It's another good stopping point for me if, for whatever reason, I'm not going all the way to the end.

No matter what I'm practicing, I always begin with sun saluations and end with rest.

This is just what has worked for me. Please chime in and share other ways that you make yoga practice fit within "real life"! :)

A Return to Home Practice

I'm back on my own for practice this week. The workshop is over and this week I will see how long I can hold onto the intensity of practices with a group and a teacher that I enjoyed last week. There are benefits of doing long stretches of home practice alone and of regular practice in a studio or shala with a teacher. I have had both experiences. There are days when I am wistful for the years that I spent practicing in a studio with a teacher. On the days when I was tired or my focus was wandering, the energy from the teacher and other students would keep me going.

On the other hand, I would not trade for anything the adventure of these last few years of home practice. I have really begun to experience the practice from the inside out. When there are no mirrors for your practice in the form of a teacher's suggestions and adjustments, then all you know is what you experience.

I have been fortunate to practice with my teacher for a few days a couple times each year since the shift to doing primarily home practice. These few days with my teacher are invaluable for establishing a base line of what is possible, establishing some feeling of where practice may be heading, and soaking up some great energy to keep practice going.

The practice itself has also been an invaluable teacher, however. Really looking to answer my own questions that come from practice, rather than looking to someone else for all the answers has brought another layer of depth to both practice and teaching. While I am overwhelmingly grateful for the times that I spend practicing with my teacher, I am also learning to embrace the days when the practice itself is the teacher.

Home Practice, Part B

The question that I hear most often after "How do I practice at home?" is "Where do I practice at home?". Practice is possible just about anywhere. A firm floor and space the size of a yoga mat are a good start. I've known many creative apartment dwellers who practice in living rooms, on balconies, and in kitchens. You can rearrange the furniture just about anywhere to make a yoga mat sized space. I've practiced in hallways, bedrooms, living rooms, kitchens, and bathrooms. Some of the spaces have been more conducive to practice than others. There's always the chance that when you start rearranging the furniture you'll suddenly feel compelled to vacuum instead of practice yoga! Experiment within your own space to find what works. One of my teachers tells a great story about practicing the entire primary series in a London airport when he was there on a long layover between flights. :) You really can practice just about anywhere!

Home Practice

The question I am asked more often by students than any other is "How do I practice at home?" The most honest answer is really that you have to find the answer to that question for yourself. The biggest mistake I make in my personal practice is trying to do too much. Somewhere between those two statements are the suggestions I give to help students make the transition from dropping in to a class to really developing a practice.

Here are some of the suggestions I give that have come out of my own practice. Please comment with tips of your own that might be helpful to all of us who do home practice!

#1 Start Small
It's easy to feel overwhelmed if you try to go from a class once a week to 6 days a week home practice. You may end up not doing any practice at all beacuse it just seems to daunting to get started. Try starting with the goal of doing a few sun salutation A and B three times a week. When you have a routine and are consistent, then add the first few standing poses and a short closing sequence. Build the home practice slowly over time.

#2 Practice with a friend
It's more fun and you will help to keep each other motivated.

#3 Stay connected with a teacher.
Drop into a class with a teacher when you can. If there are no classes in your area or you can't make the class due to other responsibilities, travel to a workshop once or twice a year. It helps to keep you motivated, challenged, and it's a good idea to have a teacher observe your practice from time to time.

These have been helpful for me as where I live now is several hours from the nearest Mysore class. It's amazing how grateful I am to practice with my teachers now that I only see them a couple times a year!