First, I have a confession to make: I am very late to the yoga party and am still a complete beginner. My downward dog is more like a wobbly giraffe, I shake all over when planking, and I often sit out any poses that remotely involve taking my bodyweight onto my arms!
However, what I can say is that doing yoga at home with Yogaia has completely revolutionalised my life. In the time I’ve been practising yoga at home, I’ve come up with lots of ways to make it more enjoyable.
Home Is Where My Yoga Mat Is
The reason I am so delighted to have discovered yoga at home is that I absolutely hated the idea of a studio class. Being in a big room with lots of other people who were probably better, fitter and less wobbly than me, really didn’t appeal. I know that in reality other people would possibly not be in the least bit bothered about me or my performance. But I couldn’t help feeling like a big studio atmosphere was just not conducive to switching off and shutting out the rest of the world. After all, yoga is a really personal experience, so why not do it at home, the place where you should feel the most comfortable?
So that’s what I did, and I haven’t regretted the decision to subscribe to Yogaia. Apart from the fact that I don’t have to plan when I watch a video or join a live class too far in advance and can just throw my yoga mat on the floor no matter whether I’ve got make-up on or not, the other thing I love about it is that I’m completely in control of the surroundings of my own session. The great thing about doing yoga at home is that you don’t need much space (i.e. the size of your yoga mat!) and yet you can be transported away from all the stresses of life.
Here are the 5 things I like do to make my little home yoga corner more inspiring when I’m practicing Yogaia at home:
1) I use an essential oils diffuser
My Epione Diffuser is literally my best friend when practising yoga. After all, the whole principle of yoga is centred around breathing, so why not make sure that the air you’re inhaling smells lovely and contains lots of goodness? If I’m practising in the morning, I’ll generally use a stimulating blend to boost my energy, whereas when doing Yin Yoga at night, I’ll choose a more relaxing blend including lavender.
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2) I use a mood lamp
What’s great about practising yoga at home is that you can be in complete control of the lighting. Light has a far bigger impact on our mood and mental wellbeing than a lot of people give it credit for. It’s known, for example, that a bright blue light will prevent your body from producing melatonin (a hormone required for sleep). Essentially, the light fools your body into thinking it’s daytime. So blue bright light is great if you’re looking to be energised by a morning yoga routine, but not so great in the evening before bed, when you’re much better to turn your mood light to a more natural sunset colour.
3) I use a Himalayan salt lamp in my yoga room
If you’re not familiar with the benefits of Himalayan salt on the atmosphere in your home, I’ll try give a brief and non-sciencey summary. Essentially, when it warms up, a Himalayan salt lamp gives off negative ions into the air. Negative ions neutralise positive ions that are associated with aggravating issues like depression, anxiety and fatigue, as well as breathing conditions like asthma. Positive ions tend to be far more prevalent in our homes than outside because electronics in our homes like vacuum cleaners, microwaves, computers etc. emit them. By leaving a Himalayan salt lamp on for long periods in the room where I do yoga, I feel as though the air is healthier.
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4) I use Amazon Alexa to create the mood with music
In the same way that you can be totally in control of the lighting, I also like the fact that practising yoga at home also allows you to play your own choice of music, as well as the volume! You still want to be able to hear the teacher obviously, but I find that some light music in the background really helps me to relax and get into the session. I personally use my Amazon Alexa to play a special playlist, but a phone with your own playlist would be just as good!
BLOG: 20 Inspiring Songs for your Yoga Playlist
5) I use an iPhone (or iPad) stand to stream sessions
This is something I discovered by accident really, but would definitely recommend it! I was originally using my laptop for streaming the videos. However, I found that for some of the moves, I was facing the wrong way to see the instructor. As a beginner, you really need to be able to see the instructor because you don’t want to be practising the poses wrong! Having my iPhone on a little stand means that I can still see the video well, but it is light and easy enough to move quickly if the pose means that I’m facing the other way. Actually, this is another reason why I prefer yoga via video streaming as opposed to a physical class… I mean, you can’t exactly lift your yoga instructor up and turn them around when you’re facing in the other direction now can you?!
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If you haven’t done so already, I hope this blog post has given you some inspiration to sign up for Yogaia and try yoga at home. And if you’re already doing so, I hope it’s given you a few ideas to make your surrounding home environment even more of a yoga haven!
Written by Amy Lauder, Founder of Zenhance Your Home, an organisation that wants everyone to have a happier, more relaxed home life.
