Build your home yoga practice! 

Most of us have heard of the benefits of yoga, so we know it's good for our minds, our bodies and our general wellbeing.  But, I often find people saying, "I can only practice in a class, I need a teacher." Or "I try to practice what I've learnt in class, by myself, but my mind goes blank" it happens to most of us.

The thing is, we can't always make it to a class so the benefit of a home practice is that you can fit it in around your schedule.  It also gives you some discipline and of course, the more regularly you practice the more benefits you'll feel.

We’ll work from basics right the way through to creating your own yoga asana sequences, so with this series we’ll be able to guide you towards a home practice that is safe, good for you and more enjoyable, because you are confident that you are doing it right!

We're going to start with how to stand, sit and lie comfortably and correctly.

Following these steps will help you find you correct postural alignment in Tadasana.

· Stand, bringing your feet in line with your hip bones, parallel and facing forward.
· Engage all the muscles of the legs starting right the way from the insteps of the feet.
· Gently tilt the pelvis forward, reducing but not eradicating the curve in the lower back and this will automatically engage your abdominal muscles.
· Lengthen the spine, creating space between the hips and the ribs and then draw the shoulder blades down the back.
· The neck is long and there is a forward focus with the eyes.
· The arms are relaxed by your sides.

Tadasana done correctly (left) and here's how not to do it (right)!

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Posture - Mountain Pose or correct standing position       
Sanskrit name - Tadasana

Benefits

*Develops strength in the back and legs
*Helps to maintain good posture,
*Helps flat feet,
*Firms abdomen and buttocks.

Beginners Tip: Try and practice this type of postural alignment whenever you remember even when you are walking and standing outside of your yoga practice.

The most commonly used seated posture is Sukhasana or easy pose.

In this posture the spine must be long and straight. This posture is used usually in our pranayama (breath practices) and in our dharana (concentration) and dhyana (meditation) practices. The eyes will usually be closed and often this pose is useful for a moment of rest.

· Come to sitting with the legs straight in front of the body,
· Bend at the knees and cross the legs, placing the opposite foot under the opposite thigh.
· Place the hands on the knees in universal mudra with the index finger and the thumb together.
· Keep the head, neck and back straight and upright but without strain and relax the arms. Close the eyes.

Here's how we would prefer you NOT to sit.

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Posture - Easy Pose

Sanskrit name - Sukhasana

Benefits

*Facilitates mental and physical balance without strain.
*Helps to gently release tightness in the hips
*Stretches the knees and ankles *Strengthens the back.

Avoid if: You have knee injuries.       
Beginners Tip If you are finding it hard to sit with the legs crossed, use a cushion to gently tilt the pelvis forward and help give support to the back.

Beginners’s tip 

We use Savasana as a relaxation pose usually at the end of a class, at home it is also a useful posture to use to relax you just before bed.

· Come to lying on your back, adjust the hips and buttocks so that they feel comfortable on the floor.
· Bring the feet down towards the bottom corners of your mat and drop the toes out to the sides
· Lengthen the spine and draw the shoulders away from the ears
· Relax the arms by your sides about 30 degrees from the body with the palms facing up towards the ceiling
· Lengthen the neck by placing the back of the head firmly on the floor and close the eyes
· Relax all the muscles in the body from the feet up to the head, including the muscles of the face.
· Bring the mind to the breath and hold your focus there as much as possible for about 5 minutes.

Posture - Corpse Pose

Sanskrit name - Savasana

Benefits

*Calms the brain and relieves stress
*Reduces headache, fatigue and insomnia
* Lowers blood pressure
*Relaxes the body

Avoid if: You have back injuries do this pose with the knees bent and the feet on the floor.
You are pregnant – instead lie on your left side with cushions and bolsters to support the body       
Beginners Tip: It is often hard to release the tension in the hips in this pose, start by bringing the soles of the feet together with the knees bent and invite the muscles of the thighs to release and sink down towards the floor.

So let's start our practice with sitting for 5 minutes each day this week, and by reminding ourselves to stand tall and with correct posture, whenever we can. Good luck, stay focused and next time we’ll start with the first of our physical postures that you will need for your home practice.

In light and love.
Serena

For more info or  for classes please contact The Om Space on 112507515  or at 185/9 Havelock Road, Colombo 5 or visit www.theomspace.lk.

Serena is a yoga teacher and the founder of The OM Space . She is a passionate believer in yoga as a life enhancing practice and runs several classes in Colombo including the very popular Yoga for Children and Yoga for Pregnancy. Serena trained in the UK with the British Wheel of Yoga and is a UK Yoga Alliance registered Senior Teacher.

Photographs by Kushan Pathiraja