MOKSHA - Home practice

Starting one’s own yoga practice is a bit like starting one’s own blog: you begin with all these thoughts, but halfway through you have no idea where you are going.

Cultivating a self-taught yoga practice has been a pretend goal of mine since I started doing yoga. I say pretend goal because it should be a goal – it’s cheaper, you can do it from the comfort of your own home and you don’t have to worry about people seeing your boobs if your shirt flies up when you’re upside down.

Despite these obvious benefits, I have never really been moved to practice by myself. At first, I thought it was because I was kind of a slacker – that’s why I wouldn’t do all the poses, wouldn’t hold them for as long, would always opt to skip the vinyasa and just move into the next asana. But that’s only part of the reason.

It really has to do with energy and space.

There is a certain level of camaraderie with fellow yoga practitioners. Don’t get me wrong – yoga peeps are not a warm and friendly bunch. People will smile at you, say “hello” but ain’t no friends being made in yoga class. Even so, the presence of other people moving through the poses and focusing on their breath gives off an energy in the room. Everyone present can take from that energy and use it in their practice. When you first begin to do yoga, you may be too self-conscious to be aware of this, but once you are there for a while and can settle into the flow of class, you will begin to perceive a hint of gratitude flowing through each person. Gratitude for the space, the quiet time, the marvel that is your own body creating these movements.

There is also something special about the space itself. Entering a yoga studio is a bit like entering a church or a temple; there is a sacred feel to the space. You can put a treadmill in your second bedroom and run while your girlfriend is on the computer, but yoga cannot be practiced this way. It is important to not only have a quiet space, but one that takes you away from your world for a bit.

This week I attempted to replicate the energy and sacredness of a yoga class at home. While in supta baddha konasana, my dog came over and began licking my face, my brother’s alarm starting blaring and my dad yelled “hey, you want more coffee?”

You know, for now, I think I’m just gonna keep going to yoga class.