Setting Up Your Yoga Space
The Bottom Line
Yoga should never, EVER be painful! Keep your movements and breath within the limits of what feels OK to you. If something doesn't feel good, back off. Depending on the situation, this may involve moving less, trying another version of the pose, tuning into a more relaxed breathing rate, or even staying in a restful pose such as child's pose or corpse pose (savasana).
Do what feels right - and good - for you, and always stay in a range that feels safe for you. This practice is about becoming more deeply aware of your body and mind using breath-infused movement. It is about befriending and partnering with your body, not trying to dominate it. It's not "mind over matter." It's "tend and befriend."
Variations of Poses
Every pose has several variations, and there will always be a way to do a suggested pose that feels right for your body. In fact, that's your best way of assuring that you'll be safe. Tune into what feels good and what doesn't, know what your body's challenges are, (such as how previous injuries affect your range of motion), and stay curious and tuned in. During my classes, I give suggestions for variations in poses, so listen for those.
Sticky Mat
While you can do slow, mindful yoga without a mat, it is much safer to have a yoga mat (otherwise known as a "sticky mat" especially for standing poses. It provides a secure base for your feet and, as we do both standing and moving poses, it prevents your feet from slipping.
Please avoid a super-thick mat for the standing poses. While these are great for cushioning while we're on hands and knees or on the floor, they create some instability for standing poses. I suggest sticking to a mat that is in the range of 4.7mm-5mm. if your mat is a thick one, I suggest standing directly on the floor when we are doing standing poses. Make sure you feel secure in your stance so that your feet don't slip. It's good to be barefoot to reduce the risk of slipping.
Props
Props are wonderful ways to support your body! While you can do slow, mindful yoga with no props, these can help you optimize the experience for yourself:
Blanket or cushion. For seated poses such as Easy Pose (sitting cross-legged), it helps to sit on a folded blanket or a cushion so your hips are elevated. This can be better for the knees and also can ensure that you can keep your spine long and straight (with its natural curves). Experiment with what feels right for you. The nice thing about a blanket is that you can fold it to just the right height for your hips/knees to be comfortable.
This prop is also useful when we do twists on the floor, as it provides a support for your knees (or arms) if you need it.
A rolled up blanket also provides support under your knees during Savasana (corpse pose - for guided relaxation) if you choose, or even to drape over yourself for warmth during relaxation.
Chair and/or wall: It's always helpful - and safe - to have a chair (or table) or the wall within reach. If we are doing any poses that cause you to feel a little unstable, it should always be an option to hold onto a chair or the wall. While I discourage sitting in a chair to do a complete yoga practice if you are capable of standing*, it's nice to feel the security of a chair if you need it for standing poses.
*It is my belief that as long as we are ambulatory, we should be maintaining and building our capacity to keep our balance as we move and stand.
Blocks. It's helpful (though not required!) to have one or two yoga blocks nearby during practice. They can provide support under your knees in Easy Pose, or provide a landing place for your hands during forward bends as an alternative to bringing your hands all the way to the floor. They also provide a place to rest your forehead in Child's Pose!
Strap (could be an old necktie, belt, etc). A strap is sometimes nice if you want to feel a more supported or safe stretch, such as when we lengthen the backs of our legs. As of this writing, I haven't incorporated the use of straps into my classes, but it's nice to be aware of how they can help you.
See pictures below. Cat not required!
Yoga should never, EVER be painful! Keep your movements and breath within the limits of what feels OK to you. If something doesn't feel good, back off. Depending on the situation, this may involve moving less, trying another version of the pose, tuning into a more relaxed breathing rate, or even staying in a restful pose such as child's pose or corpse pose (savasana).
Do what feels right - and good - for you, and always stay in a range that feels safe for you. This practice is about becoming more deeply aware of your body and mind using breath-infused movement. It is about befriending and partnering with your body, not trying to dominate it. It's not "mind over matter." It's "tend and befriend."
Variations of Poses
Every pose has several variations, and there will always be a way to do a suggested pose that feels right for your body. In fact, that's your best way of assuring that you'll be safe. Tune into what feels good and what doesn't, know what your body's challenges are, (such as how previous injuries affect your range of motion), and stay curious and tuned in. During my classes, I give suggestions for variations in poses, so listen for those.
Sticky Mat
While you can do slow, mindful yoga without a mat, it is much safer to have a yoga mat (otherwise known as a "sticky mat" especially for standing poses. It provides a secure base for your feet and, as we do both standing and moving poses, it prevents your feet from slipping.
Please avoid a super-thick mat for the standing poses. While these are great for cushioning while we're on hands and knees or on the floor, they create some instability for standing poses. I suggest sticking to a mat that is in the range of 4.7mm-5mm. if your mat is a thick one, I suggest standing directly on the floor when we are doing standing poses. Make sure you feel secure in your stance so that your feet don't slip. It's good to be barefoot to reduce the risk of slipping.
Props
Props are wonderful ways to support your body! While you can do slow, mindful yoga with no props, these can help you optimize the experience for yourself:
Blanket or cushion. For seated poses such as Easy Pose (sitting cross-legged), it helps to sit on a folded blanket or a cushion so your hips are elevated. This can be better for the knees and also can ensure that you can keep your spine long and straight (with its natural curves). Experiment with what feels right for you. The nice thing about a blanket is that you can fold it to just the right height for your hips/knees to be comfortable.
This prop is also useful when we do twists on the floor, as it provides a support for your knees (or arms) if you need it.
A rolled up blanket also provides support under your knees during Savasana (corpse pose - for guided relaxation) if you choose, or even to drape over yourself for warmth during relaxation.
Chair and/or wall: It's always helpful - and safe - to have a chair (or table) or the wall within reach. If we are doing any poses that cause you to feel a little unstable, it should always be an option to hold onto a chair or the wall. While I discourage sitting in a chair to do a complete yoga practice if you are capable of standing*, it's nice to feel the security of a chair if you need it for standing poses.
*It is my belief that as long as we are ambulatory, we should be maintaining and building our capacity to keep our balance as we move and stand.
Blocks. It's helpful (though not required!) to have one or two yoga blocks nearby during practice. They can provide support under your knees in Easy Pose, or provide a landing place for your hands during forward bends as an alternative to bringing your hands all the way to the floor. They also provide a place to rest your forehead in Child's Pose!
Strap (could be an old necktie, belt, etc). A strap is sometimes nice if you want to feel a more supported or safe stretch, such as when we lengthen the backs of our legs. As of this writing, I haven't incorporated the use of straps into my classes, but it's nice to be aware of how they can help you.
See pictures below. Cat not required!
