One thing is for certain. No matter where you currently are on your teacher journey path, you need a space to practice. Making time to be on your mat for your personal practice is one of the most important things you can do for yourself and for your students. Not only is it still super important to continue your own practice for all of the same physical, emotional, and spiritual reasons you know and love about yoga, but this space is where you will feel how your students will feel while you guide them through your sequence. You need to physically move your own body first to know not only how it feels to you but how it might potentially feel in other bodies. What are the cues you might need to provide to modify the asana (posture)? How did it feel to transition from one asana to the next? What do you need to say, based on how you moved your own body to get the student from that asana to the next? You get the picture. You need your own dedicated space for your yoga practice. Already have one? Consider the points below and you might decide to make changes to improve your space.
Carve out a private space free from distractions
No matter what size home you live in, this can be accomplished. Even if you live alone and practice in your living room, consider this: what do you see when you get on your mat? Bills? Laundry? Traffic and passersby? Take a few minutes to begin your personal practice and take notice. Where does your mind go? Are there things in your line of sight or within listening distance that can pull your attention away from focusing on your practice? Either remove those things from your space or move your space to another location.
Start with a good foundation
What type of flooring is under your mat? You’ve been to many yoga studios and it’s no coincidence that probably ninety-nine percent of them have hardwood floors. Why? It’s not just for ascetics – although it’s visually my favorite. Hardwood is warm, easy to clean and a good level, firm surface on which to practice any posture. Ever tried practicing outside on an unlevel surface such as a sandy beach, a lumpy grass field or back yard? Or anything that’s NOT a level hard floor? Hats off to those folks who have no problem with this! You might find that a carpeted and padded surface feels equally unbalanced under your mat. For this reason, hardwood is my choice of flooring for a practice space. Not to mention it is more forgiving than say tile – if your land in an unexpected way while practicing crow pose! And what’s directly above the flooring? Your mat! The second and extremely important building block for your foundation! I highly recommend investing in a professional yoga mat such as a Manduka Pro (Lifetime Warranty) or Jade (sustainbly made in the US) yoga mat.
Ventilation
Create a space where you can breathe! Sounds simple enough but consider this: breath control (pranayama) is one of the most important aspects of yoga. It is the fourth Limb of Yoga in Patanjali’s 8 limbed yogic path. And for good reason. Pranayama goes hand in hand with the physical asanas of the practice. Prana (life force) is moved consciously through the body via the breath and allows us to bring a sense of calm to our practice by activating the parasympathetic nervous system. In other words, it brings us to the rest and digest state and becomes a vehicle for concentration.
We could have an entire post on Pranayama- and will at some point – but for now here is what I’m suggesting: check the sunlight factor. Sure we all love natural light but too much sun without the ability to regulate it could become a problem. Does the room heat up too much from the sun at some point during the day? Can you close curtains or blinds to regulate the sun? Is there a ceiling fan or quiet room fan that can be turned on if the room gets too warm? In cooler climates the opposite applies. Is there a way to provide the warmth you need in winter and regulate the heat should that particular room become too warm? All of these factors can affect your breath. Pranayama patterns change during your practice, so you’ll need to be able to regulate the temperature if need be.
Size Matters
Obviously you need enough room to safely move on your mat and a little beyond. Is there enough space to accommodate your props? If not, consider using these Spacesaver storage bags for surplus blankets. They’ll be sure to free up some much needed space! In addition to your mat, at some point you’ll be using a bolster, blocks, strap, a blanket or two – maybe a meditation pillow. There are many types of props out there and all of these should easily fit into your space, ideally be able to be stored in your space, and be handy to reach for during your practice. What else should be in your space? Not much. Keep it as minimal as possible with only what you need. On that note, I should mention that you don’t want a huge space either. This could be a distraction as well, possibly leaving you feeling alone and like you need to fill the space with more stuff. Hopefully, that is not a problem for most folks. See below for additional ideas on what can be helpful to have in your practice space.
Acoustics!
I’m kidding, right? Not really. You’ll want to plan your playlist for each class (another future post!) and practice along with it. How does it feel flowing through your practice? Do you need to make adjustments? In order to do this you’ll need to listen to music. My point being, does your practice space accommodate a speaker? Is the room Wi-Fi accessible (unless you have your playlist downloaded on your phone)? Can you adjust the volume of the music to the level needed to effectively accomplish your goals without disturbing or interfering with what someone else in your home is doing? All things worth considering.
Decorate (and make the most of what you have)
No matter what space you ultimately end up using, keep reading for tips on making the practice space your own. To reiterate what I said above and strongly believe – keep it simple. Don’t clutter your space with unnecessary items that will end up just being more distractions and creating stress. Your space should make you feel good! Go for calm, peaceful, centered, zen … you might consider including a small Buddha or Ganesha statue to create an altar – similar to what you might see in a yoga studio. No matter how you feel about the spirituality aspect of yoga, having these to focus on definitely helps to cultivate a spirit of all things yogi and bring you to the present moment.
Candles (use the small battery operated tea lights for safety) also add to the ambiance of the room. If using wax candles (fire hazard – use extreme caution!) go for the unscented candles. This is what is recommended for classes as well. Scented candles can offend some students and take their focus off of their practice. If using scents, use essential oils! On a side note: always tell students what oil(s) you’re using and always ask students at the start of class, if they prefer not to smell the aroma of the oils (some people really are sensitive to this).
Create a shelving unit for the items suggested below
Speaking of Essential Oils, you’ll need a place for these as well. Essential Oils have been used for thousands of years and are frequently used to enhance yoga practices. If you’re not using them now, you will probably want to explore and incorporate them into your practice at some point. Different essential oils have different attributes (think calming vs. invigorating) so you will need to experiment yourself with how they will fit into your practice. Keep them nearby to use in your personal practice and for planning the classes you’re teaching.
Books are a must! You’ll have all of the textbooks required for your teacher training to start (Bhagavad Gita, The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, Key Muscles of Yoga, your training manual, etc.) And the books will just multiply from there. We are ALL students of yoga and quest for more knowledge. You’ll definitely want these nearby to reference while planning your classes. So, create a few shelves in your space if possible specifically for your reference books. You won’t be sorry.
Consider adding a few plants to the mix! House plants such as succulents, ivy, and others are aesthetically pleasing and offer the added bonus of adding oxygen to the air you breath. Cute pots or macrame plant hangers can enhance the decor even more.
Work with what you have
At the end of the day you have to work with what you have available to you. These are suggestions based on my experience and honestly some of my wish list. Not everyone can have a private space. If you are one of these people, stake your claim on a spot in your home where you can safely and mindfully practice yoga and plan your classes. Surround yourself with what makes you feel good and what allows you to come into the present moment. After all Yoga is “the restraint of the modifications of the mind-stuff” And, “if the restraint of the mental modification is achieved, one has reached the goal of yoga.” (1:2,The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, Sri Swami Satchidananda).
