I created a new space for my home yoga practice today. Coming from a die-hard in-studio student, it’s been a pretty big deal for me to be practicing at home. But a variety of things have come together to render me interested in creating some time and space for practice at home. Truth be told, part of the challenge has been getting the motivation to go out in the dark at night and practice in the studio. So, I’ve decided to give home practice a try; at least for now, a few days per week.

Prior to tonight, I was practicing by the front door. It was the only logical place to roll out a mat. But I moved a few things around and found a good space in a new spot for my mat. As I rolled the mat out in the area that used to be home for my dog’s resting place ( a pretty, flowered soft rug) she looked at me rather concerned and confused as to why I was taking over “her” spot. But she loves yoga so after a few sun salutations, she settled into a new spot by the front door on the rug that’s in the entry way. Dogs are so adaptable. It’s something we can all learn from our furry friends.

So, I popped a CD into my computer, which was conveniently on my desk, next to my mat and off I went. I had a small heater by the mat and a few extra layers on, but as I tried out my new spot, I really felt like it could work. I christened it with a one hour practice, complete with the dog excitedly milling about during backbends (she loves that part!).

So, I’ll try this for a few weeks and see how it feels. If this cold, dark weather has you down, look around your space and see if you can create a place for a home yoga practice. It will bring excellent energy into your home!

Be well.