Take your practice home!

Hi, I'm Ashley, and I have emotional-ocd. What does that even mean? It means that if I am not fed on time - you better watch out! It also means that I am constantly working on my internal emotions. Always working on patience, living in each moment, and just going with the flow when things don't turn out so blissfuly smooth! Some days are better than others, and on the bad days? I be sure to have a date with my mat before asking anyone to deal with my crazy! (Thanks to my husband for doing it so well =)

So - home pracice. This is definitely something I have learned to love the past couple of years! It has tested me, made me a lot more flexible, and less emtionally-ocd.

For me, it took a bit of time to get over these wonders of home practice - How do I relax? How do I tune out the world when I have growing kids/puppies/kitties/a loud neighbor etc? Well, here is some news that has been flashed before my eyes - it is possible! In fact, I now love my living room practice so much that I rarely take any studio classes! It's convenient, it's cheap, and you don't even need a secluded room (Although that is fabulous if you do!).

Here are my tips for taking your practice out of the studio and into your home:

1. Find Your Space

I have a small 3 bedroom home with no extra space, or secluded room for my yoga practice. My family practically lives in our main living area, but that is what I have to work with - so I make it work! Have you found your space? I always make sure my space is at least big enough to bust a Wild Thing =) This can be anywhere! Backyard, kitchen, living room? You can make it work, I promise you!

2. Bliss Out your Space

To bliss your space out, first make sure your space is clean. This will keep your mind from wandering down your to-do list during your practice. I like to clean up toys, shoes, and everything that finds it's way around my space in our front room. "Out of sight, out of mind". I also like to light a yummy candle - it really makes my space feel cozy. What calms you? A certain blanket, piece of art, or scent? Place that near your mat to help center yourself as you practice. It will help remind you that this is your time!

3. Find Your Time

This is a tough one if you have distractions at home. I am the queen of interrupted practices, but like I have said before - It has really helped me with my emotional flexibility! Some days I feel like my practice needs to be fun and light-hearted, even shared, so I practice while my kids are around! My 3 year old always ends up joining me with his headstands that he loves to practice, and my 1 year old is drawn to my mat. And usually that is ok! I love the crazy! Let yourself enjoy it too! Yoga is not always about being completely zen. Sometimes it's about finding that balance and acceptance of your crazy life =) That is ok!

It is also ok to realize that you need some "you" time to connect with yourself & just be without any distractions. On those days, assess your schedule. When will that time be today? The time window that will allow you to practice without distractions? Do your kids nap at a certain time? Is it a pretty day for your dog (who thinks he's your yogi partner) to be in the backyard? Maybe your time is early in the morning or late at night when your beautiful distractions are sleeping? Search for that time window each day you need to be with your mat one on one!

4. Find Your Flow

It can be hard to go at your practice without any instruction. If you find yourself having a hard time putting together your own sequence, do not fret! Here are some other options!

- Online Yoga Classes - yogaglo.com , yogatoday.com , myyogaonline.com - These are my favorite online yoga studios. They have amazing teachers, and are very affordable! You can try them for free, and you can cancel at any time! And, of course, there is always YouTube!

- Yoga Books - "Yogalosophy" by Mandy Ingber , "Womens Health Big Book of Yoga" by Kathryn Budig - These are my favorite books! They have sequences for you, and will help you deepen your practice!

- Yoga DVD's - It always helps having someone on the screen telling you where to go and how to breathe!

5. Dig Deep

I personally love to take an online yoga class, or put together a sequence of my own to warm my body for at least 45-60 minutes. It warms my muscles for the challenging poses, and it prepares my mind to be strong and balanced. To take it deeper, I find fun music (a mix of calm, a mix of crazy) and I put it on as I practice my challenging poses. Some days I am rocking my forearm stand, and some days I can barely kick up from my dolphin pose. But that is what your personal practice is all about - practicing! Keep practicing, keep digging deep, keep challenging yourself, and keep searching for what you love! Find Your Shine!

Bottom line, and what I really want the inspiration from this post to be: You can Find Your Shine at home. You can deepen your practice, push yourself to your limits, and become your best self in the comfort of your very own space. It is your space to be you, and to embrace your strengths and weaknesses. You've got this, yogi!

;)

xoxo

Ash

If you see my pictures on my Instagram, most of them are taken when I am having my "Me-Time" practice. Here are a few I have shared from my "Crazy-Time" practices =)