Ready to practice yoga at home? Woohoo! That’s the first step. And what a beautiful first step it is. I don’t know where I’d be without my home practice. It’s a date with myself that I don’t want to miss. Even a quick little 15 minutes on my mat, can really shift my mental state. Enough about me though!
Now that you’re ready to practice at home, here are some ideas to create a calming space in your own home.
1. Clear out enough space for your mat.
You don’t need tons of space. You don’t need a private dedicated room just for yoga. If you do, that’s fantastic. Invite me over. Seriously, I’ve never had a dedicated room. Right now, I practice in my office next to my desk. In my last two houses, it was at the foot of my bed. And on the boat, the hallway was the only place my mat fit. But I’ve made it work in all of these places and dozens of hotels. Yoga mats aren’t very big!
2. Make room for nature.
This can be a plant or natural light. I love to practice where I can see plants, whether they’re indoor houseplants or trees outside. Plants make me happy so live plants are nonnegotiable when I practice at home. I usually set my drishti (focal point) on one.
I think natural light is also important. Practicing during the day? It’s as easy as opening the blinds to let the sun shine in. For evening practices, I’ve found that turning off the overhead lights helps. Turn on a small lamp instead but we still need some nature. Candlelight or a salt lamp gives that beautiful natural glow that helps light up any home practice to make it feel sacred and special.
3. Make it private – at least while you’re practicing.
You don’t need a lot of space, but a quiet, peaceful area will make all the difference. Before you begin, let the people in your home know that you’re starting and would appreciate some quiet time. This might not prevent them from coming in to ask you something, but I’ve found it helps reduce the majority of the interruptions.
4. Tune in and tune out.
Another great way to find your quiet space is to wear wireless earbuds. Honestly, I’m not a huge fan of them EXCEPT for during yoga. Whether I’m taking a zoom class or a prerecorded class, it helps! I can hear the teacher better and I can’t hear the noise in my house as much. Win, win.
5. Keep it clean.
If our dedicated space is clean, we’re more likely to use it. I like the ritual of rolling out my mat to signal to my brain that it’s time for yoga. If the laundry basket is sitting there, I’m less likely to practice. It’s like it becomes the laundry basket’s space instead of mine. Therefore, tidy up the space even if you just put it all in another room while you practice. An uncluttered space gives you space to unclutter your mind.