Creating a space for your home practice is essential to gaining the full emotional and spiritual benefits of the practice. Providing a quiet place to fully relax and focus on your practice is a distinct benefit of practicing at a yoga studio for many people.
Another benefit of creating a yoga room or dedicating a portion of a room to yoga is that you will be more likely to make time for your practice. If you are trying to commit to a regular practice, having a space set aside will help you stay motivated.
When you practice yoga at home, especially if you have kids, finding a quiet area to practice is a challenge. One way to solve this problem is to create a space just for your yoga practice.
The space you set aside can be anything from a quiet corner in a seldom used room, even if it is a bedroom or home office. If you have a larger home with a guest room or other empty room, you can create your own cozy little studio.
The location and size of the space are less important than finding a place that is outside the flow of traffic. For example, a bedroom is better than the living room, next to the front door. The most important thing is finding a place where you can retreat and find peace, even if for just 15 or 20 minutes.
In warmer climates or seasons of the year, you can create a space outdoors. If you have a covered patio, enclosed porch, covered deck or screen room, you may find that practicing outdoors brings a serenity that is difficult to find inside the house.
Once you have found your space, you will want to arrange it in a way that is conducive to your practice. Clear out the space of any clutter. If you are turning a spare bedroom into your yoga room, move out the boxes or other clutter that may be taking up too much of the space.
Natural light or low lighting is better than a brightly lit space. If you are practicing in the morning, the sunlight streaming in a window will provide plenty of light and a connection to nature. When practicing at night, dim lighting is best for creating a relaxing environment to practice yoga before bed.