Bringing Your Practice Home

Many yogis don't practice at home because they simply don't know where to start. Here's how to create sequences that will keep you engaged, curious, and dedicated.

By Judith Hanson Lasater

There is disagreement in the yoga world as to whether Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog Pose) is an inversion. I prefer not to include it in this group; even though your head is lower than your heart (one technical definition of inversion) in Downward Dog, the inversion effect is muted by the fact that your legs are semi-vertical and by the fact that you cannot hold the pose very long compared to Headstand and Shoulderstand.

A fourth asana group consists of backbends, like Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose), Salabhasana (Locust Pose), and other basic spinal extension movements; this group also includes Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (Upward-Facing Dog Pose), Urdhva Dhanurasana (Upward-Facing Bow Pose), and more advanced poses like the Kapotasana (Pigeon Pose) variations.

Twists are exactly what the name says. They are usually done sitting, but some can be done lying down as well. Always remember that it is not a good idea to end your practice with a twist, as these poses are so one-sided in their effect on the spine. Instead, after twists practice at least one symmetrical forward bend, like Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend) or Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bend), before Savasana (Corpse Pose).

Forward bends along with various miscellaneous seated poses other than twists form the next group. All are done while sitting or reclining on the floor. While there are forward-bending movements done from standing, like Uttanasana and Prasarita Padottanasana (Wide-Legged Standing Forward Bend), I would group these with the standing poses.

I also group the other seated or floor poses in the forward-bending category, even though they are not actually forward bends. Such poses include the various meditation poses, including Padmasana (Lotus Pose); hip and groin openers, like Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle Pose), Hanumanasana (Pose Dedicated to the God Hanuman, aka Seated Splits), and Gomukhasana (Cow Face Pose); reclining poses such as Supta Padangusthasana (Reclining Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose) and Supta Virasana (Reclining Hero Pose); and a number of others.

Restorative poses are the final group. These include Savasana, the basic relaxation pose that should be done at the end of every session, as well as other supported relaxing poses like Supta Baddha Konasana (Supported Bound Angle Pose).

The Well-Rounded Practice

The foundation of a home practice is a basic, well-rounded pose sequence. Such a well-rounded sequence does not emphasize any particular area of your body. Instead, it attempts to move your spine in all directions and thus includes vertical stretching, inversion, forward bending, backbending, twisting, as well as relaxation. This basic sequence should also attempt to equally increase balance, strength, and flexibility.

A well-rounded foundational sequence should include at least one or two poses from each of the main groups. It's a good idea, especially when you're fairly new to creating your own sequences, to practice the pose groups in roughly the same order I listed them: standing poses first, then the arm balances, inversions, backbends, twists, and forward bends, ending with restorative poses. As you become more knowledgeable about the poses' effects and the relationships between poses, you can begin to create other, more varied sequences. However always be careful to end with a relaxation pose. The relaxation at the end of practice gives your body a chance to integrate all the new information, physiological as well as mental, that the previous poses have created. Such a period of rest and integration is especially important for us in the bustle of modern life. Fifteen or 20 minutes of lying at rest will reduce your stress levels and thus affect your health and well-being in many positive ways.

Page 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

See All Practice Articles »