How to set up a daily yoga routine.

You have thought about it before, but you never really got around to implementing anything. Or you have tried to be consistent but did not last very long. Here are some easy tips to set up a daily yoga routine that you can actually follow.

1. Have a body

Yoga is for everybody! You do not need to be fit or flexible. You just need to do it! There are so many styles of yoga, some slow and meditative, and others are more fitness focused. There are so many free yoga and meditation classes available on YouTube. Try to find style and class length that suits you and fits into your life.

2. Yoga is not just asana.

Yep, that’s right. The yoga poses are only a part of the whole practice. Technically yoga is meditation and the asanas are just one step to get there. Don’t feel guilty about if you do not practise asana every day, as yoga is so much more than the poses. Instead, you could do a pranayama (breathing technique), such as deep belly breathing. You could create a mantra to repeat to yourself every morning. You could find just five minutes of stillness each day to close your eyes and turn inward. You could practise mindfulness on a morning walk or run, paying attention to what is around you, the sensations in your body and the thoughts that come up. You could even practise a combination of these activities.

3. Practise what you need.

Perhaps some days you feel like a power yoga class and others you feel like just sitting in stillness. Both are great but will depend on what you need. Don’t ignore the messages that your body is telling you. Just because you did a strong Vinyasa class yesterday does not mean that it is right for you today. If you find that your mantra no longer serves you, you can change it or move onto something else. That being said, if you really want to build a strong yoga practice, you do need to show up each day. However, what that looks like will vary between different individuals on different days.

4. Start small but be consistent.

As previously mentioned, you do not have to do a 60-minute yoga class every day to be a good yogi. Do something that you can stick to. If it is too hard, you won’t do it. Even just a few minutes of deep breathing each day will make a world of difference to your overall well-being. At home, I usually practise asana for no more than 20 to 30 minutes. However, I have become much better at integrating many aspects of yoga into my everyday life and as a result I have become so much more calm and happier.

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