I was teaching class recently and, after leading students through a strong standing sequence, I offered a few options such as Child’s Pose, Cat and Cow, and Down Dog. As I did so, I mentioned that their awareness of which option served them best, based on how they felt, was the genesis of their personal practice. One of my students laughed and commented that if I thought they were spending a full hour practicing on their mat at home, I was going to be disappointed.
It struck me that “personal practice” is a phrase many of us hear in yoga without knowing exactly what it means. Does it need to happen every day? Does regular class attendance count? Does it require a particular structure? Some yoga lineages provide clear expectations around what practices students should participate in outside of class and how often, such as in Ashtanga. Most, however, do not.
I think a lot of us imagine a personal yoga practice to be something long and complex that requires special knowledge or expertise. The problem with that is, in the midst of all your other life responsibilities, you might assume a personal practice is out of your reach. But anyone who feels better after yoga class and wants to experience some of that magic on their own can do so.
