1.    Get Educated
Have you ever been in a class and wondered what the benefits are of placing our body in these strange positions?  There are so many great yoga resources out there, you only need to get out your iphone, use our dear friend the ‘internet’, lie in the sunshine (with sunscreen on of course) to read a good yoga book or ask one of your yoga teachers.  We love it when you ask questions!
Take a look yoga anatomy, the affects that a pose has on each of the systems of the body.  Learn about the 8 limbs of yoga, different styles of yoga or yoga history.  There is just so much to learn and the information really is at our fingertips.  Having a deeper understanding of our practice can be transforming!
2.    Svadhyaya / Self Study or Self Inquiry
Once we’ve gained this knowledge it’s inevitable that we will want to explore and apply it to our practice.  We are no longer just reading about yoga in books or listening to our teacher in class but we begin to create our own experience of yoga.  We observe our body and our mind.  We know that when we alter our pose slightly that it changes everything else in the posture.  We notice when our mind is in ‘turbo mode’ and we know what we can do to move it into ‘stillness’.  This is an exciting element of our practice and we become childlike with an ongoing curious attitude!
3.    Take the NIKE approach and ‘Just do it’!
We can easily think up excuses not to practice but sometime we just need to get on in there and ‘just do it’!  We all know what an amazing feeling we experience when we come out of a yoga class.  Use this feeling as your motivation to get yourself on the mat!
4.    Buddy Up
Practice with a friend.  This can really help if you have a tendency to talk yourself out of things.  If you know your friend is going to a class then you know that you will go too!
5.    Change is as good as a Holiday
Try out some different classes to what you are used to.  Shake things up a bit!  Try some different teachers or styles of yoga and let them liven up your home practice.
6.    Set an Intention / Sankalpa
Don’t underestimate the power of your thought and intention.  It’s amazing to see from both a teachers and a student’s perspective how having an intention can just transform your practice.
7.    The Gratitude Attitude!
We are so fortunate that we have yoga classes to attend.  We are physically able to have a regular practice.   We have the willingness to ‘give it a go’ and we are self-caring enough to actually give ourselves the gift of yoga to use as a tool to come into the present moment.
8.    Get Back to your Roots!
Ever wondered how there came about to be so many different styles of yoga?  Go back in time and learn how yoga has evolved over the years.  There are so many resources to help you on your way.  Ask your teacher about the history of your linage and any good resources to recommend.
9.    ‘From Little things Big things Grow’!
Watch your practice unfold as you start small.  By continuing your regular practice what might start off as being completely out of your range may one day become achievable.  Watch your mind and your body change with time.
10.    Get Committed
This exercises self-discipline and you really will reap the benefits of a regular yoga practice. Make a commitment to your practice and stick with it!

Written by Erika Newberry

Erika teaches Hatha Yoga at Kundalini House on                                                              Monday at 12:15pm and Thursday at 7:45pm

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