Practicing yoga online has opened plenty of doors for today’s yoga practitioners to access their practice.
Whether your local yoga studio has temporarily closed or you enjoy the convenience of practicing from home there are many reasons to turn to the web for online yoga classes. While doing yoga online has plenty of upsides, that doesn’t make mean it’s smooth sailing all the time. There are some challenges to getting on your mat at home so we wanted to give you our best tips on how to do yoga online with ease.
1. Limit your distractions
Phones. TV. Clocks. Whatever “it” is, it will keep you from feeling the bliss you deserve. So, what can you do? Look at your biggest distractions and see how you can limit them. If you’re constantly thinking about your phone, put it on airplane mode with the wifi off. If you have work papers on the table put them into a drawer where you can’t see them. Essentially, anything that has the potential to take you out of the moment gets put “on hold” while you’re practicing virtually.
2.) Schedule It
It’s easy to get caught up in other things and accidentally end up skipping your practice. If you find yourself saying, “where did the time go” putting yourself on a schedule is a great plan. Either putting it in your phone calendar or committing to a time around your current schedule will help you hold yourself accountable.
3.) Find the right option for you
It’s important to recognize that not all online yoga is made the same. Ask yourself what you want to get out of your yoga practice and look at what online yoga memberships that fit that mold. Does it include the energy that comes with live classes? Will it have teachers you connect with? Is there a variety of class styles that you’re looking for like hatha or yin? Once you’ve answered some of these questions you can figure out what will be the best fit for you.
4.) Set Appropriate Boundaries
Partner or roommate always walking in? Kids bothering you while you’ve got a class on the screen? Make sure you set boundaries with those you live with. Let them know you’re practicing yoga online and need that time to yourself. In addition, if you’re scared about turning off your phone, ask yourself “who could call?” then let that person know you’re taking some time for yourself. I promise, it will feel really good to not have responsbilities looming over your head.
5.) Embrace what you can’t control
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, learn to embrace what’s out of your hands. Even when you set boundaries and remove distractions there will still be things outside of your control like the sounds of construction outside or your furry friend barging into the room and onto your mat. Make sure to include a sense of humour and to recognize that these things we can’t control can actually be a powerful part of the practice. Besides, if we are always waiting for everything to be perfect, we’ll never find peace. Peace happens when we accept the beauty of the moment, in all its perfection and imperfection.
Are you ready to do an online yoga practice? Check out our online yoga membership and become part of the Yogacara Online Community! Explore heart-centered practices with your favourite local teachers. Click here to learn more!