How to Practice Yoga Anywhere

1. Keep a flexible schedule

If every minute of every outing is planned, scheduled and booked, we’ll never have time to practice. The spaciousness of free time is what allows us to feel out what we need in the moment. Perhaps we just need to sit quietly for a minute or two. Or maybe we need to stretch out our backs because we’ve been standing all day. Whatever it is, an open schedule will permit the time to engage our practice wherever we are.

2. See the world as your prop

Just like a bear scratching his back against a tree, we, too, can lean into whatever the earth provides for us. Backbend over a log. Throw your foot up on a bench for a hamstring stretch. Use a bridge for your yoga mat. The possibilities are endless if we keep an open mind to what’s around us.

3. Take off your shoes

When we take off our shoes, it’s an automatic association with relaxation. Think about the vacation-like times we do this: at home with our feet up on the couch, when we lie down in bed, when we walk or relax on the beach, when we get a massage. Taking off our shoes is symbolic of meeting the world with openness and humility. It involves our senses, which help us slow down and be present.

4. Don’t worry about what other people think

Sure we might raise some eyebrows when we do asana in public, but we’re more than likely spreading inspiration. It’s a fantastic yoga practice to remain in our own meditative space while the world carries on around us. People are curious, of course they’ll watch. Just smile and keep on practicing!