Doing yoga can make you feel wonderful and allow your body and mind to do things and go places you never thought they could. To achieve this, you don’t need much, other than your own good will. You can practice yoga at a studio, in a park, on a beach, but if none of these works for you, you can always practice at home, and here’s how.

Find the Most Comfortable Space

The space you choose should get enough light and be well ventilated. If there isn’t enough light, use some candles to make it more illuminated, while creating a serene atmosphere. Find a place that will make you feel calm, soothed and comfortable while offering enough space for you to move. This means that there shouldn’t be any furniture close to you while you practice, to avoid any injury. If there’s an empty piece of wall you can use as a prop, take advantage of that. And finally, decorate the space to create the sense of peacefulness necessary for practicing yoga.

Wear Appropriate Clothes

If you feel beautiful inside, you’ll be beautiful on the outside, too. This means you don’t need any jewelry or other decorative clothing that might get in the way of your practice. The clothes you wear should be comfortable and allow you to move any way you want. Breathable women’s exercise tights and loose-fitting tops are an excellent choice. There is a variety of yoga-appropriate clothes on the market, which means you can choose the best for yourself, and even order it online and have it delivered to your front door.

Get the Necessary Accessories

The main thing you need is a non-slip yoga mat. Other than that, you will need two blocks, a strap and two bolsters. You can buy these items, but you can also easily replace them with objects you have around the house. For example, you can use books instead of blocks or some pillows or blankets instead of bolsters. The point is that there are no excuses for you not to practice. You can always be creative and make-do with what you have at hand.

Prevent Injuries

If practicing yoga at home is your choice, then it’s your responsibility to keep yourself from getting hurt in any way. As mentioned above, keep the space where you practice clear of all obstacles, such as furniture, but also kids’ toys, or objects like flower pots. Preferably, do yoga on the hardwood floor, since soft surfaces or thick carpets can cause injury by throwing you off your balance. However, if all your floors are covered in carpets, you can use a life-board as a portable yoga floor, underneath your yoga mat. Another way you can hurt yourself is to do poses that are too difficult or advanced for you. Leave those for when you have somebody monitoring you, and stick to the poses that you’ve mastered and that you’re comfortable with. Also, always warm up before practice and never force yourself too hard. Listen to your body, nurture it and respect its limits.

Follow the Experts’ Advice

Practicing yoga at home doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to do it on your own. You can hire a yoga teacher to guide you, at least in the beginning. If that’s not something you’re willing to consider, there are great yoga books, flash cards and magazines that can help you learn what you need to know to exercise properly and safely. Another great source of yoga wisdom is the internet. There are many articles, photo guides and videos for you to learn from, as well as online yoga clubs, some of which film their classes and post them, or broadcast them live, allowing you to participate directly from your home and even choose the level of yoga you want to practice. Some master instructors have published DVDs, which is a great investment since they cover a huge range of yoga styles and levels.

Challenge Yourself, Bit-by-bit

Practicing yoga should consist of doing as much as you can without feeling discomfort, and then stretch a tiny bit more than the previous time, in order to enhance your flexibility. Listen to your own breath, and when it becomes uneven or shallow, it is a sign of overexertion. Push yourself just a little out of your comfort zone each time you practice to challenge yourself and keep it interesting and fun, but advance gradually and be careful not to overdo it.

Yoga offers many benefits, so find a way to practice and do it regularly. Not being able to practice with a group is no longer an excuse. Do it whenever and wherever you choose and have fun along the way.