One of my private clients asked me the other day about creating a home practice – how do you do it, where do you begin? I was reminded of this Arthur Ashe quote that a colleague of mine shared in her class: 

Start where you are.
Use what you have.
Do what you can.
                                     - Arthur Ashe

Start where you are…

• Sit or lie down – on the floor, a rug, a chair, your bed. Wherever you are, whatever you have is just fine.
• Close your eyes and breathe.  Simply notice when you are breathing in and when you are breathing out.
• Check in to see what you need today. Ask:
• What is the state of my body?
• What is the state of my mind?
• What is the state of my heart?
• What is the state of my energy? 
• What do I need right now? To move? And if so, what would I like to move?  Or do I need to be still and to rest? Do I need a little bit of everything?

Start where you are…
Use the information you gathered from the above inquiries to guide you.  And then trust in your body to move in a way that it would like to.  It doesn’t have to look like a yoga class you’ve been to or taken.  It should reflect your needs in that moment. And the movements don’t have to be traditional yoga poses – let them be movements that feel nourishing to you.  That is the beauty of a personal practice and of private sessions – they are so completely tailored to fit your needs on any given day.

Use what you have…
Use what you have in terms of space, and time, and props.  With yoga, you really don’t need a ton of space – a hallway will do. I knew of a dancer who practiced pirouettes in her closet as that is where she had space.

As for props…every-day objects like chairs, books, pillows, and towels will do fine as yoga blocks, bolsters, and blankets.

And as for time – a little bit of mindful movement and breathing goes a long way.  If you have 5 minutes, set a timer and enjoy all of those 5 glorious minutes.

Do what you can…
Do you what you can do given all of the above to create a special time to be with yourself: to move mindfully and to rest and drop back into the present moment – more centered than you were when you started. Any movement is better than no movement.

Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.