Practicing Yoga is a highly intimidate activity where one flows through the layers of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual in order to establish connection with the Inner Teacher and the Inner Self. By establishing a yoga practice at home, one can deeply enhance this connection by proceeding in one’s practice with bountiful choices – when and how long to practice; what yoga poses, breath work and style of meditation to perform.

I have discussed with many yoga participants the idea of home practices and a few common responses are: “I would not know what to do or how to put flows together” , “I prefer to be in a yoga studio with other people”, “I can not motivate myself to it at home”.

Practicing Yoga at a studio offers great benefits in that one can establish a foundation of knowledge. You can receive direct guidance and corrections. You can also enjoy a social environment of sharing energy and a common interest.

There are downsides to only practicing in yoga studios, though. As mentioned above, it is common for students to become attached to the guidance of their teachers and move into a passive state in their practice. They do not learn how to explore and find the practice within themselves and establish the capacity for self-motivation and expression. Having worked in the fitness industry prior to teaching Yoga, I noticed all too often other trainers pushing their clients to pure exhaustion. Since some of these people were friends, I would ask them about their exercise program and would often hear that they were unable to generate the same type of workout without their trainers, which resulted in dependency and/or inconsistency in their exercise programs.

I see this similar trend appearing in people’s yoga practice. Many yoga participants spend a wealth of time attending classes without the development of personal practice. Even after years of practice, they are still unsure of their form and alignment. Rather than mastering the skill of yoga, they choose to remain at the level of follower and become dependant on the guidance and motivation of others.

Another major downside to practicing only in yoga studios is the attachment to the social environment or social energy. When we practice in groups, there should be an equal circulation of sharing and receiving energy. But often, participants move into an unbalanced state of receiving more than giving. Sometimes the ego takes hold as one turns from practicing to ‘performing’ in order to show the ‘progression’ and extent of one’s practice to others. It is very common for participants to also draw energy from their teacher in unnecessary excess.

One’s yoga practice is a reflection of what one’s overall lifestyle and daily intentions will be. If the practice is ego driven, the ego is trained to be more firmly set in later actions and behaviors.

With a home practice, the solitude encourages external distractions and influences to dissolve leaving a more harmonious engagement of connection and self-discovery. If one has uncertainty in the capacity of their practice, there are vast amounts of resources to guide one in this solitude: DVDs, books, online programs etc. Trusting oneself is also important – trust in the Inner Teacher and your guidance systems. Find the postures that provide the greatest nourishment in healing and renewing. Recognize the difference between generating holistic progression and moving into fatigue or pain. In group practices, one can readily flow with the ego and ignore the inner guidance systems, thus moving into undesirable levels of fatigue and discomfort – all for the sake of ‘doing what the group is doing’.

By practicing at home, in solitude, the growth of the Inner Teacher becomes a profound tool to access when one returns to the yoga studio. An ideal yoga practice combines a home practice with on-going attendance to classes. Depending on the level of experience, time constraints, and budget, the amount of attendance in a studio will vary from person to person. Ultimately, it is the quality and intention brought into the studio practice from the home practice that matters.

Take the time to slowly grow into a regular practice at home. Embrace the knowledge you have acquired from your teachers and other resources. Apply the principles and techniques that readily suit your body, energy, and intentions. Create a space that is special, inviting, and supports your time of solitude. Create a space that flows with positive energy and fosters a harmonious state of connection. Through these intimidate practices, your time in future studio classes will have more depth and quality. Through these home practices, you will enjoy great freedom and a more readily sustainable and consistent yoga practice.

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