4 Things Can Easily Do To Elevate Your Yoga Practice By Sheila Johnson

4 Things You Can Easily Do to Elevate Your Yoga Practice

For thousands of years, yoga has proven itself to be superior as a form of exercise in more ways than one. Not only does it have a plethora of science-backed benefits—such as reducing chronic pain, inflammation, and the risk of disease—it also has an impressive roster of unexpected ones, too.

Needless to say, yoga is awesome, and you’d do very well to make a regular practice part of your life. Luckily, you can elevate your yoga practice in ways that are as easy as they are non-disruptive to your normal routine. Here’s how.   

Set an intention.

Yoga starts with one thing, and that is intention, or “Sankalpa” in Hindu. This intention not only helps you power through a session and practice regularly, but more importantly, it equips you to live more mindfully. Essentially, it is Sankalpa that enables you to really live and breathe yoga, both on and off the mat.

While this is largely a mental exercise, there are tools that you can use to set a powerful intention and even help you stick to your goals. Mantras, or affirmations, are known to be helpful, as are keeping a journal or photo diary. These days, smartphone apps are also among the preferred ways to track yoga progress, so consider one like TrackYoga.

Find a good guru.

Your yoga guru—that is to say, your teacher—can contribute greatly in taking your practice to the next level. While a well-trained teacher like Serena at Serene Yoga is a must, finding the right one actually goes beyond qualifications. Of course, you want a teacher who is knowledgeable and makes classes enjoyable. You also have to take into consideration your impressions, their approachability, what you’re learning from them, etc. Ultimately, finding the right guru to guide you in your practice depends on how well they resonate and connect with you, so make sure not to settle.

On another note, choosing a yoga class is largely similar. Moreover, you also have to choose the right kind of yoga for you out of the many styles available, so try out different disciplines to find the right fit, as well as prepare yourself accordingly. 

Take time.

One possible obstacle that you might encounter in the process of elevating your practice is time. Indeed, it’s not rare for someone to get into yoga—then subsequently drop the ball because of a busy schedule. 

Well, know that yoga actually doesn’t demand too much of your time, surprisingly. While classes generally take an hour or so, you can opt for self-practice and spend a lot less time. In fact, it’s been said that all it takes is as little as seven minutes to see and feel improvements. So why not give yourself permission to devote seven minutes—or more—of your time each day to practice? You only have yourself to thank for it.

When you’re at home practicing what you’ve learned at your studio, free your house of negative energy by decluttering, deep cleaning, and letting in more light. Once you remove triggers that can cause anxiety and stress, you’ll be able to properly focus on your practice. 

Make your journey your own.

Finally, don’t lose sight of the fact that your yoga journey is a personal one. Everyone’s bodies are different, so you likely won’t have the same flexibility, endurance, and strength level as others. There’s no point, therefore, in comparing yourself to others. Yoga is not a competition, after all, but rather, a pilgrimage unto your true self, on a holistic level. So turn off the mind chatter and work on keeping to this mindset so you not only will elevate your practice, but also experience breakthroughs physically and mentally.

Suffice it to say, yoga will serve your self-improvement goals, as well as your life in its entirety. So take these tips to heart to level up your practice. A new and better you awaits.