"On the Mat" will mean, for the yoga challenge, any practice involving either the physical poses, or asana, or breathing practices (pranayama) even if a yoga mat is not required.
Sample template for a 20-minute practice:
5 minutes of seated, centering poses: sukasana, virasana, pose of the child, etc.
10 minutes of active practice: sun salutations, standing poses, backbends, twists, etc.
5 minutes of relaxation: legs-up-the-wall or savasana
Who, what, where, when, why: Just like a reporter, YOU get to answer these questions!
Who: of course the "who" is you, but who are you, really? Can you cultivate what yogis call the "witness consciousness" observing your thought patterns without judgement?
What to practice: I don't recommend you practice the same sequence or with same video/dvd for 40 days. It's boring! Plus, according to the scientists who are studying movement and the body, it's not really good for you. Get a yoga book, as most books have recommended sequences in them. Or ask me for suggestions!
Where: A clean, warm space where you will not be interrupted. Nice if you have the space in your house to dedicate to your practice.
When: Morning before breakfast is ideal if you tend to be short on discipline. Evening is good too. In the morning, the body is stiff, but the mind is fresh. In the evening, the body is more supple but your mind might be dull. For most practices, wait 2 hours after eating, or 3-4 after a large meal.
Why: Because this is when the real yoga begins! It's when you get to make the practice YOURS. Just as eating out in a restaurant doesn't help you understand how to cook. . .going to class isn't going to help you understand yoga, really. . .
How: If you Do go to class, you can start by practicing one pose you hated and one you loved from the last class.
Sample 40-day practices:
Daily practice 10 minutes of savasana
Dailing practice of a particular pranayama
Daily practice of one of several restorative poses
Daily practice of 10 minutes of several of these inverted poses: down dog, viparita karani, chair shoulderstand,
full arm balance, classic shoulderstand, halasana. After several months of a steady inversion practice you can begin to practice headstand.
Sample template for a 20-minute practice:
5 minutes of seated, centering poses: sukasana, virasana, pose of the child, etc.
10 minutes of active practice: sun salutations, standing poses, backbends, twists, etc.
5 minutes of relaxation: legs-up-the-wall or savasana
Who, what, where, when, why: Just like a reporter, YOU get to answer these questions!
Who: of course the "who" is you, but who are you, really? Can you cultivate what yogis call the "witness consciousness" observing your thought patterns without judgement?
What to practice: I don't recommend you practice the same sequence or with same video/dvd for 40 days. It's boring! Plus, according to the scientists who are studying movement and the body, it's not really good for you. Get a yoga book, as most books have recommended sequences in them. Or ask me for suggestions!
Where: A clean, warm space where you will not be interrupted. Nice if you have the space in your house to dedicate to your practice.
When: Morning before breakfast is ideal if you tend to be short on discipline. Evening is good too. In the morning, the body is stiff, but the mind is fresh. In the evening, the body is more supple but your mind might be dull. For most practices, wait 2 hours after eating, or 3-4 after a large meal.
Why: Because this is when the real yoga begins! It's when you get to make the practice YOURS. Just as eating out in a restaurant doesn't help you understand how to cook. . .going to class isn't going to help you understand yoga, really. . .
How: If you Do go to class, you can start by practicing one pose you hated and one you loved from the last class.
Sample 40-day practices:
Daily practice 10 minutes of savasana
Dailing practice of a particular pranayama
Daily practice of one of several restorative poses
Daily practice of 10 minutes of several of these inverted poses: down dog, viparita karani, chair shoulderstand,
full arm balance, classic shoulderstand, halasana. After several months of a steady inversion practice you can begin to practice headstand.