Starting, Or Returning To, a Regular Yoga Practice

by Nora Hill, Inner Fire Yoga Teacher

“To perform repeatedly, or to do customarily or habitually.” This is how the Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the term practice.

We could easily apply the word practice to the simple things we do every day: brushing our teeth, making our morning coffee, checking our text messages an infinite number of times per hour – the list is endless. And there is no twinge of dread, fear, perhaps a silent groan attached to these quotidian, almost unconscious practices. But if we expand into the territory of committing to a regular exercise or yoga practice, that’s where things become sticky.

To make things personal, and to assure you I am no stranger to typical human foibles. I must admit, I have struggled with maintaining a regular yoga practice. Funnily enough, it has been since we’ve returned in-person to Inner Fire Yoga after the Covid-related shutdown that I have found this more challenging.

For years prior to the pandemic, I could not have imagined ever practicing less than five times per week. Yoga was my safe haven, my lifeboat, my slice of predictable sanity. Even when the pandemic settled into our psyche as a ‘new normal,’ I cheerfully logged into the virtual classes and flowed away, and really enjoyed teaching virtually as well. So while my practice was different, it still qualified as a true practice. Even during my first pregnancy, things didn’t change (well they did, but that is a completely different blog post.)

And then, the best thing happened, my wife and I welcomed our baby girl Aylish into our lives and hearts. Our world tipped on its axis and our hearts grew to gargantuan proportions we could never have imagined. And my yoga practice dwindled down to stolen snippets of breath between breastfeeding and loads of laundry.

As Inner Fire Yoga’s doors opened in late Spring 2021, I fanned the flames of my slightly guilt-ridden recommitment to my practice and began to return to a once-a-week, heated practice, with a checkered participation in the virtual platform, as well. With a move to Middleton later that summer and an amazingly supportive wife, I thought I could no longer find a reason not to return to a vigorous yoga practice.

But remember those human foibles? I soon found plenty to fill the space (only an eight-minute drive) between our door and Inner Fire Yoga’s. The never-ending to-do lists. The ‘inconvenience’ to our family’s schedule. I won’t bore you with my Pandora’s box of justifications.

But I know better. I know I am a more patient, empathetic, creative, and joyful human being when I allow myself to commit to a regular yoga practice. Period.

Researchers have discovered that a predictable, neurological pattern forms the backbone of every habit. The first step is a cue that tells your brain to kick into automatic mode and prompts a behavior. The second step is routine, where the behavior is continued. The final step is a reward, which allows your brain to determine if a particular habit loop is worth remembering.

Habits can have immediate or delayed rewards. Habits with immediate rewards are easier to pick up and condition, whereas those with delayed rewards are more challenging to commit to and sustain. Think about the ease with which you check your iPhone versus considering a four-class weekly yoga challenge.

Repeated behaviors morph into habits as they become physiologically etched into our neural pathways.

In my experience, I feel that to be a good yoga teacher, I must dedicate time for my own practice. This allows me to keep my slate clean and to find inspiration and energy to share with my students, family, and friends.

More importantly, practicing at a studio, away from the blessed distractions of housework and little feet (and big ones, too) is simply a more transformative experience than a pleasant, but different, at-home practice. Taking in-person classes allows me the right (though it still feels a luxury) to relinquish responsibilities and expectations. To flow, breathe, and nurture some much-needed introspection and thus solutions to many of my human cares.

I realized I am not likely the only yogi to have fallen out of my regular yoga routine, so here are a few things I’ve realized that helped me return to my mat. I hope they resonate with you, and help you fall in love (for the first or umpteenth time) with a regular yoga practice.

Let go of your grip. Release expectations for yourself and your practice.

Adjusting from my previous, carefree schedule, I now feel victorious when I attend two to three classes per week. The balance between allowing (not reaching) for well-being and physical self-flagellation can seem quite narrow if you allow yourself to become sucked into the vortex of past and present comparisons.

As soon as I pried my fingers loose of what once was and let myself accept my present as a gift, I found I enjoyed not only the classes much more, but also my overall life. If you have taken a long hiatus from your yoga practice, you may fear you will not be as strong or flexible as you once were. Or, if yoga is a new pursuit, you may be fearful of how you may appear in a class (and oh my, those mirrors). It takes time to find your strength and stamina, so self-compassion and patience are key.

Allow yourself a healthy dose of grace both on and off your mat and you will allow your transformation to occur. Let go of any expectations of what your body should look like, where you ‘should be’ at any point in time, and instead focus on enjoying the body and breath you have, moment by moment (no two are ever the same.)

Ask for support.

With a toddler at home, and another little person’s ETA around Christmas, I simply must ask for help to support my commitment to my yoga practice. I hate asking for help. It makes me feel incapable and weak, so I get it. But, as humbling as it may be to begin, it is incredibly freeing to rid yourself of your superhero cape and make yourself a priority.

Ask your partner to pick the kids up, your work colleague to take that last meeting, or a neighbor to let the dog out. You will receive the benefit of your sustained yoga practice, and they will receive the extra serotonin boost of doing you a favor.

Acknowledge the benefit of a jaunt to the studio.

For some people, practicing at home works beautifully. They have a dedicated yoga space and can maintain their focus while they are on their mat. During the pandemic, and certainly pre-kiddos, this was a reasonable option for me, and the focus element wasn’t too shabby. I certainly enjoy my daughter hopping aboard for a piggyback ride while I’m settling into a child’s pose, or giving me a belly-flop hug as I attempt a savasana. But the type of transcendence I hope to cultivate is not attainable at home. Though there are those moments, when surrounded by loved ones, I’d say they rival the very best savasana.

Having the Inner Fire Yoga space, heat, and community (not necessarily in order of importance) is key to my own personal yoga practice. I thoroughly enjoy being uplifted by my fellow yogis’ energy, the guidance from other teachers, the delightful heat, and being in a quiet and relaxing place away from the distractions at my house.

Set a schedule.

I do pride myself on a nightly fifteen-minute Yin practice, which I have found immensely beneficial to my mental health and sleep. On a lucky day, I’ll even try to sneak in a few chill poses before the morning bustle begins. But having a thorough review of your schedule and finding times where you can really commit to a class, and then honoring that commitment, is crucial to starting or picking up your practice. Start small. Try one class a week for a month and then add in as you can. Sustainability is the goal, not a quick ramp-up and burn-out (consider how long we really honor our New Year’s resolutions).

Acknowledge that perfection is elusive, relative, and frankly doesn’t exist.

Any stories you tell yourself that are counter to this statement are simply false. You are perfect and whole, just as you are, wherever you are (physically, mentally, spiritually.)

Come as you are.

Take what you need, leave what you don’t (thank you Ally, for that delightful permission, for which I will be ever grateful).

Be prepared to surprise yourself. You are stronger than you know, in so many ways.

Relish fleeting moments and the mile markers along your journey.

Spending more concerted time with yourself, getting off the Ferris wheel of your monkey mind, opens you up to new experiences and to opportunities for appreciation.

Your relationship with yourself is one of the most intimate and rewarding relationships you will ever experience. And in order to truly connect to others, I believe one must be connected to oneself. Become more interested in what makes you tick and brings you joy and you will, in turn, find yourself doing the same for others.

Free yourself from a specific goal or destination.

Enjoy cultivating new experiences and possibilities, breath by breath. On and off your mat.

But please, allow the divide to blur.

All thanks to this rediscovered commitment to yourself.

And in turn, those who benefit from your light and love.

I hope you find my thoughts useful as you release any obstacles in your path to your yoga mat. Proceed with an open and curious heart. Let your adventures to and on your yoga mat expand your awareness and truly enrich your human experience.