OM at home

Practicing at home - mission impossible? It doesn't have to be if you dedicate a little effort to creating some OM at home. I'm lucky enough to have an entire room to dedicate to my yoga practice - but it wasn't always this way, and that didn't stop me from doing yoga. My biggest wish for the women who attend my retreats is to be able to take practice inspiration home with them, but we don't always have the time or money to give to yoga classes. So how to be more consistent? Online yoga classes have made that a lot easier - but if you can't feel inspired in your practice space, it could be a deal breaker for yoga at home. 

With hopes to inspire your own at-home sanctuary, I'm sharing the must-haves for my yoga space:

Altar. Create meaning and celebrate what matters most to you here. I've slowly added items as they've spoken to me: A picture of my FIL, who passed away last year, on our trip to Stonehenge. Ganesh x2 - one figurine of the remover of obstacles was given to my daughter when we lived in London, by someone at our fave Indian restaurant. Prayer flags from Nepal, brought on last year's Cowgirls vs. Cancer retreat, by a cancer kickin' cowgirl who leads treks. Special gifts from my retreaters. It's my reminder of things that have touched my life, so practicing by it feels perfect.  

Soft lighting. I adore my color lamp; I can choose different colors depending on my mood. When I didn't have a yoga room, I always seemed to put my mat down in open areas of hardwood floor where there was sunlight. Candles add a soft glow to almost anywhere, and are easy and luxurious additions to any temporary at-home yoga space.

Color & decor. This is the one place in the house that was decorated entirely according to my whims: the ceiling is a deep rich pink (after all, you spend a lot of time looking up in yoga). I also have a wall decal of my favorite Sanskrit blessing, Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu: May all beings everywhere be happy and free. 

Practice partner. I used to want this to be time just for me, which meant any being that I am a caretaker for couldn't be present (child, dog, husband). But now I enjoy having Lili with me; she is the epitome of a dignified dog and an old soul. She walks into my yoga room with grace and a knowledge that she belongs there. Her big, calming presence grounds me. I'm working on teaching her to do down dog on demand. While I'm still protective of "my" yoga time, I have more patience for family members who occasionally come by...especially when my 9 year old sits quietly and watches. Others at home doesn't have to mean you can't practice - be open to their energy instead of viewing it as an intrusion and you might be surprised how much yoga happens. 

Special touches. Lastly, my favorite things in my yoga space represent my philosophy: add a little Yeehaw to your Namaste. An OM made of horseshoes and, hOMe in Montana. Find something unique that symbolizes what yoga means to you, to make whatever space you have at home to practice in truly yours. The more time you spend there, the better home practice will be. 

Happy home practice. 
Get more fun ideas here: Create Your Own Yoga Sanctuary.