Developing a personal practice

[rydra_wong]

If you're developing your own yoga routine (as well as or instead of working from DVDs/podcasts/books), how do you go about it?

Do you do the same thing every day, or vary it? How do you decide what to include, and how to order it? Do you try to practice at the same time every day?

I've been stumbling my way through this as my morning practice develops, but I'd be fascinated to know how other people approach it and what works for you.

Comments

[zats_clear]

I try to do whatever it is that my mind and body seem to need at the time. Sometimes, it is a series of nerve soothing asanas that stretch out the large muscles in my legs and hips, others it is a series that will increase my back flexibility, and occasionally, it is an energy burning round to let off some positive excess qi. I have not really mastered the idea of doing yoga when the head of steam I have worked up is a more negative kind! I just cannot seem to simmer myself down to do it :)

[rydra_wong]

For me, first thing in the morning I have no clue what my mind and body need, and also I'm not quite awake enough to deal with decision-making. *g* So it helps me to have a fairly fixed routine, especially when it comes to the warm-up bits.

Then I can "feel my way" into where my body is at today and vary the sequence a bit as I go along, going deeper into some things or backing off and swapping out some poses for others. But I don't have the kind of intuitive awareness to start off going "Yes, I need X" right away.

Do you have particular series of asanas that you use for different purposes, or are you composing it from scratch each time?

[zats_clear]

I really only have a set routine for my morning sun salutations but even that will be added to if the need arises. Otherwise, I just flow thru whatever works, no planning, just moving from one thing to the next

[willful_zephyr]

I've mostly been going from memory of classes that I've liked. I've written it down, and extended it. "How to build a routine?" is the question that has made me interested in taking the teacher classes.

I have a friend who is just finishing up her certification, and the theory behind building a routine is a big part of the training.

Hmmm, wonder if I can borrow her notes?

[rydra_wong]

Hmmm, wonder if I can borrow her notes?

That'd be fascinating. At the moment, my theory extends to "start with sun salutations, finish with a reclining pose*, try to balance poses with counter-poses, get a bit of everything" and that's it.

{*I have tedious anxiety/rumination issues with savasana unless I'm properly worn out, which I'm not by my morning routine. So I substitute a reclining pose instead.}

[willful_zephyr]

I don't do savasana, either. I'm very kapha, so pulling back down is not a problem. I had a teacher tell me that savasana is to balance out the practice; but, if you've got a balanced practice, it'll get in the way.

So, I just do a seated meditation.

[muck_a_luck]

I'm lazy and prefer to be told what to do so I can just concentrate on breathing rather than thinking about what to do next, BUT that weekend I was travelling and designed my own routine for those mornings was one of the most satisfying experiences I've had with yoga. In fact, your post made me think about trying it again just for funsies. I have a mental index of my favorite snippets from all my DVDs - the Twisting Kriya from Trance Dance, the seated movement meditation from Lunar Flow, Dancing Warrior IV, the vinyasa on one leg, a kriya from Down Dog to Up Dog, Mandala Namaskar, Table, with variations - plus I like to have a little of everything in my practice (like you said), especially including some nice deep foward bends and Shoulder Stand. So. I organized them in the right order, from warm-up, to standing postures, to backbends, to inversions to forward bends and supine twists. THEN I picked music of appropriate lengths and tempo to accomodate the various segments. It was SO FUN, and I got all my favorite yoga sequences all customized together. Well - all that I could fit into about 70 minutes.

Anyway, that was how I did it, the one time I really *did* it. I admit to massive plagarism, but it was a really wonderful experience. Yes. Thinking it is time to invest more effort into that.

[rydra_wong]

It was SO FUN, and I got all my favorite yoga sequences all customized together. Well - all that I could fit into about 70 minutes.

Oh, that sounds delicious.

[erika]

I'm still struggling with the basic poses, so I can't imagine doing a routine by myself and without a DVD, but I'm excited to see what wisdom develops in the comments. Thank you for posting this!

In case it helps to have an example

[rydra_wong]

I'm still struggling with the basic poses

Hey, if you can do a simple sun salutation, that's already a routine in itself. :)

(And if you can't do a sun salutation yet, I do recommend learning it, with whatever modifications you need at this stage in your progress -- it's nice to get a sense of how poses can flow and link together into a sequence. Plus it can either be a mini-routine in itself, or a warm-up for anything else you want to do.)

Re: In case it helps to have an example

[willful_zephyr]

Even half-salutation can be the heart of a good routine.

[rydra_wong]

Er, the "In case it helps to have an example" reply title was because I was thinking of including a rough outline of my current routine as an example and then decided it would be tl;dr or show-offy.

So I cut it out, then forgot to edit the title. *facepalms*