One of the questions I receive most often from students is, "What yoga can I do from home?" Without hesitation, my answer is always one of two things:
1) Do what you love. Practice what feels good. Whatever will get you to the mat, that's what you should do. When you climb out of bed in the morning and raise your arms overhead with a deep breath in, that counts! Add a stretch to the right and to the left, then bend over towards your toes (Uttanasana) and you have a yourself a mini yoga flow! Another option is to do Child's Pose, or Downward Facing Dog. After a long or especially tiring day, practice Savasana or do Legs-Up- the-Wall Pose. The restorative benefits of a short Savasana cannot be overstated.
2) Practice Sun Salutations. I like to begin with Sun Salutation A, about 5 rounds, before moving on to Surya Namaskara B for another 5 rounds. This forms the foundation of my practice each day. There are so many benefits to doing daily Sun Salutations:
This simple sequence of 8-12 postures offers it's very own self-contained yoga "workout."
You will warm-up your spine.
You lengthen and strengthen all of your muscles.
Sun Salutations take the major joints through their full range of motion.
They enhance cardiovascular stamina through deep breathing through the nose.
They encourage a meditative state of mind by synchronizing body and breath.
Once you memorize this short sequence of postures and begin to practice it regularly (every morning is ideal!), you'll find yourself craving the routine. Print off this PDF and use it as a cheat sheet until you know the sequence by heart!
Traditionally, yoga is practiced early in the day, before the hustle and bustle of the day begins, with the quietude and warmth of sunrise. When you spend time in the sacred practice of yoga, you join millions of people around the world, people of all nations and cultures and colours, in bowing to the spiritual essence that underlies this beautiful and magnificent life!
Join my Sun Salutation Challenge on Facebook for inspiration, motivation, and guidance!