How can a personalized home Yoga practice benefit you?

Yoga practiced with intention and consciousness is healing for our bodies and minds.

It's wonderful to go to Yoga classes. The energy of practicing with others can be invigorating. Hearing the people in the room breathe can be uplifting. Taking specific cues from a teacher can help you deepen your practice. And during a class, you may practice postures that you do not normally do at home or postures that you dislike. Let's admit it. We all have certain Yoga postures that challenge us. I know I do! Truth be told, when I practice at home, I tend to gravitate practicing the postures I like. At a class, I may be encouraged to try something new. That is certainly how we learn and grow. Those are some of the perks of practicing in a classroom setting. However, always taking classes can have a downside too. It can lead us away from what our own unique bodies and minds really need that day. We also may just be "listening" to what the instructor says, rather than really "feeling" the postures in our body and modifying as we need to. Then, we are on "auto-pilot" with our practice, and we get away from practicing with true intention and consciousness. In order for Yoga to be healing, we need to really tune in to what we need at that present moment.

Because we are all unique in our bodies and minds, we need different Yoga practices to help us find balance.

According to Ayurveda, we all are made of different proportions of the 5 elements: ether, air, fire, water and earth. These elements are found within our physical body and also our mind body. We all have a different mix of these elements within us. That is what makes us unique. We call these doshas, also known as vata, pitta and kapha. Some of us have more vata ,or ether and air within us. Some of us have more pitta, or fire and water within us. Some of us have more kapha, or water and earth. In order to find true balance and our optimal health, we need to keep these elements balanced within us. When Yoga is practiced properly, it is a tool we can use to bring us balance. When practiced improperly, it moves us away from our true nature and can cause imbalances.

Vata types need to ground their body and minds. They need to slow down. They need to cultivate peacefulness. They have tendencies towards doing too much, anxiety and scatteredness. What benefits a vata type is a slow-moving practice that focuses on grounding postures. Holding postures and taking 10-15 deep breaths is ideal. Specific breathing practices that calm the mind are also very effective in balancing vata, along with specific hand mudras.

Pitta types benefit from finding softness in their practice. They have the tendency to push themselves too hard, to be competitive and they can become agitated and irritable when pitta is in excess. It's ideal for them to practice in a room that is non-heated, as they already have the fire element within them. They also benefit from slower practices that have a balance between strength and ease and more cooling breathing practices to cool off their body and mind.

Kapha types beneift from more movement and a more vigorous practice that will move their stagnate energy. They tend to have slower digestion and can be lethargic and sedentary when Kapha is in excess. They do well in flow classes or classes that focus more on standing postures and movement, as they need to build some internal heat to stoke the fire element within them. They can do more heating breathwork as it is especially powerful for their digestion.

The key to a beneficial Yoga practice is to remember the concept that "like attracts like and opposites pacify".

So, what does that mean exactly? It means, from an Ayurvedic perspective, that we like things that cause us imbalances; we are drawn to those things that may not necessarily be the best for us. For example, vata types out of balance LIKE movement; they love fast paced Yoga. They dislike holding postures and can become agitated. Pitta types when imbalanced love hot yoga. They also like practices that are very challenging. Kapha types when imbalanced love to roll around on the floor and do yin classes or stretching classes that are mainly seated. I am not saying if you have vata in you, that you can't ever do a flow class, or a pitta type can never practice a challenging practice. It's all about being mindful. And if you are experiencing an excess in vata, pitta or kapha, you can use your Yoga practice to calm the dosha.

Cultivating a home Yoga practice is a great way to calm your mind and body, ground yourself and find balance in your day-to-day living.

While it's wonderful to pop into a Yoga class, it is also very beneficial to have a home Yoga practice. When you practice at home, you can really draw your awareness inward and can tap into what you need in that present moment. You may need a quiet, slow practice if you are feeling ungrounded. You may need a more energized practice if you are feeling stagnate and lower emotions. In Ayurveda, we use daily practices and routines to help us find balance and Yoga is key. It doesn't need to be an hour long practice each day. Even starting your day with 15-20 minutes of movement and breathing can be a wonderful way to connect with your SELF and set yourself up for a wonderful day ahead. Learning to be self-led is a part of really connecting with your whole, authentic, unique Self.

What if you are saying to yourself, I have no idea where to start with creating a home Yoga practice?

That's okay. I am here to support you. Through my specific Yoga and Ayurveda trainings and through my own personal experiences with Yoga, I can help you create a plan that is tailored to You! Your Whole Self: mind and body. We will discuss what your dosha is and then create practices that you can do in the comfort of your own home. You will learn about what postures will work best for your dosha; some postures are heating; some are cooling. Some postures aid with digestion, while others focus on grounding. Besides learning about postures to practice, you will learn specific breathing practices and hand mudras to use that can balance your dosha as well.

If you are desiring to learn more, reach out. You can schedule a free 15-minute discovery call to talk to me further about my offerings. You can also book a personalized Yoga session if you desire. The session will be done virtually or at my home office in the West Twin Cities metro. (Just a note, if you book a personalized Yoga session, some prior Yoga experience is very helpful.)

You deserve to feel well in your body and mind.

Namaste,

Stefanie Yeager, Owner, Brilliant Life Yoga and Wellness

www.brilliantlifemn.com

@brilliantlifemn