Yoga is a Personal Practice
When we think of yoga, it is often the bendy, twisting poses that seem impossible. You need to be flexible or fit. You need to dedicate hours to your practice so that you can achieve the perfect pose. Many people, I think, assume yoga is not for them. But yoga is not about the perfect pose, it’s doesn’t require hours each week. It is a personal practice. You can approach it in a way that fits your body, your schedule, your life.
Yoga is a personal practice. It is personal–make it work for you. It is a practice–it will develop over time.
Yoga is a personal practice.
Your yoga practice can and should be adapted to fit your needs. Everyone’s physical body is unique. While the basic principles of anatomy are still present in every person, the nuances are different. In Yoga Teacher Training my anatomy instructor, the lovely Jamie Terry, would often remind us that if everyone in the room is doing the exact same pose with the exact same alignment, then only one person is doing the pose in the right way for their body. It is important, therefore, to pay attention to how each pose feels in your body. Notice if your body is giving you any cues. For most poses, aim for a middle range. Don’t push to the end of your range where there is pain or excessive discomfort. The instructor’s alignment cues are an invitation to explore the pose. If the alignment they offer isn’t working for your body at that moment, don’t feel like you need to cram your body into that shape. Instead, explore your range. What does work for your body? Can you shift or adapt the pose to make it work for you?
Your yoga practice is also able to adapt to your schedule and the needs of each season of life. Is it a busy season with a lot of personal or work commitments? Adapt your practice to a short 15 morning practice before any of the busyness starts. Are you in a season with littles–energy is low and on hand demands are frequent? Try a short restorative practice during naptime to help your nervous system recalibrate. Do you have a bit more time on the weekends? Add in a longer practice. There have been seasons of my life where I have looked ahead and scheduled which videos I wanted to do on which days. And there have been days when I wake up and choose that day depending on how I’m feeling.
For the past several years, yoga was part of my morning routine. I would wake up, brush my teeth, get some water, start my coffee, and then hop on my yoga mat. I’d follow up my yoga practice with either prayer or meditation and then a deeper reading or studying of Scripture. This is what worked for me for many years. This summer, my schedule is different as I start this business and am not locked into a 9-5 work schedule. Finding what rhythms work for my body, I have been experimenting when I can focus on work best and shifting the rest of my schedule around that. Yoga is often practiced in the morning but that is not mandated, do what works for you.
Another thing that makes it personal is what you bring with you to the mat. Your emotions, your mental chatter, your stress, your energy level. But, as Christians, we also have the privilege of bringing Jesus with us on our mat. This, too, will look different for everyone. Maybe you just take a moment at the beginning of class to surrender your practice and your day to Him. Maybe there is a Scripture verse or two you want to keep in mind throughout the practice. Go ahead and write it out on a notecard and set it at the corner of your mat so you can glance at it and meditate on it throughout your practice. Or maybe you add a breath prayer. As the teacher cues you to deepen your breath, add the words or phrase to each inhale and exhale. There are many ways we can bring Jesus and Scripture into our practice.
Yoga is a personal practice.
We have all seen those pics on Instagram or Pinterest that look amazing. Pretzel Girl has her leg twisted back and around while balancing with seeming ease on her forearms. This is not the intention of yoga.
Yoga is a practice. It is not about nailing the perfect pose. Rather, it is about developing deeper awareness. Be curious as you move through the sequence of poses. In each pose, notice how your body feels. Notice if there are any little adjustments you could make to create more space in your body, to feel more grounded, or to ease discomfort.
Don’t miss the opportunity to build internal awareness. It is a building, a deepening, an expanding practice. Start small and simply notice how your body feels. Then over time begin to expand that awareness to your thoughts, what patterns do you notice? Are you constantly coming to your practice with a manic monkey mind? Does yoga help this? Are there poses that cause critical self-talk? Are there poses that calm your whirlwind thoughts better than others? Adding another layer of awareness, notice your emotions. The body carries the emotions. Notice any physical sensations as you feel emotions. How does anger manifest in your body? How do fear and anxiety affect you physically? What does sadness or grief feel like? Pay attention, especially during hip and heart opening poses. Notice if anything changes physically and emotionally.
If we are simply pursuing the perfect pose, we lose the gift of the journey, the gift of practice.
Be your own teacher – practical thoughts about alignment and awareness.
Proper alignment requires awareness. Alignment cues are invitations, suggestions for exploration. You are in control. Pay attention to what feels right and safe in your own body. Awareness requires vulnerability; be patient with the process.
Some thoughts:
Choose your own adventure - “slow down & choose ease” or “push & challenge yourself.” Do this as you choose a yoga practice for the day but also as you move through the practice.
At the end of class, review: name your favorite pose, a “trigger” pose, and a “should do” pose
Remember, “your body tells your brain how you are doing,” so check-in with your body, not just your brain.
Notice your breath. Are you taking full expansive breaths?
Alignment tip: Knees & toes go in the same direction
Head alignment – chin parallel to the floor & ears over shoulders; try dropping your shoulders away from your ears – create more space.
Pelvis awareness = low back awareness; everything is connected. Learn to feel that connection.
Some reasons to use props:
Build strength
Balance
Relieve pressure
Provide support while active in a pose
Support for restfulness
As you practice, begin to ask yourself questions and be curious along the way:
Notice a place of pain/discomfort in your body. Then notice a place that feels neutral/good.
Notice what feels “safe” or “grounded” to you
Notice mental, emotional, spiritual energy in each pose (Can I sit in the hard? What makes it hard? Does the purpose of the pose serve me?)
Yoga is a personal practice. You can make it work for your life, your season, your body. If you’d like help getting started, I’d love to connect with you and help you troubleshoot what a yoga practice could look like for you.
*All of these practices are Yoga with Adrienne. She is beginner friendly, and tends to keep the spiritual aspects of yoga fairly neutral (approachable, not offensive for various “religious” backgrounds).
