What you need to begin
A mat, a patch of floor a little larger than the mat and clothes you can move in are enough. Put your phone on silent, and if you play music pick something calm without words. A wall and a cushion are handy for support.
If you have no mat, start on a rug or a folded blanket, though poses feel less steady on a slippery floor. For the first month no expensive equipment is needed.
Time and place
Pick the time of day when you are interrupted least: before work or in the evening before dinner. The guide on morning or evening practice has more on timing. Avoid practising right after a heavy meal.
Keep the place the same, which makes the habit easier to build. A corner of a room where nobody gets in your way and you can stretch your arms is plenty.
Twenty minutes to start
Here is a sequence for a beginner. Stay in each pose for five to eight breaths, then repeat the round two or three times, leaving time for the transitions.
- Child's pose: settle into your breath.
- Downward dog: warm up the shoulders and legs.
- Cobra: open the chest gently.
- Bridge: work the glutes and back.
- Tree pose by a wall: find your balance and choose a spot to rest your gaze, a drishti.
- Savasana: finish with a few minutes of rest on your back.
How to keep going
Agree a minimum with yourself: even five minutes count. Put practice in your calendar and tick it off. If you miss a day, simply pick it up the next one.
Once a week or every other week go to a class: a teacher can correct your technique, suggest options and give you ideas for home. You can find a class near you through Aura, which adds some company to your time at home.
Working with breath and attention
At home no teacher says "breathe evenly", so remind yourself. Take one calm breath before each pose and, inside the pose, make sure the breathing does not stop. If you caught yourself holding your breath, ease the pose.
It is good to leave five minutes at the end for quiet. Lie on your back in savasana, cover yourself with a blanket and simply breathe. A finish like this helps you notice how you feel after practice.
It also helps to jot down what went well: which poses felt comfortable and which raised questions. Those questions can be taken to the next class with a teacher.
When to go to class instead
If you want to learn a new pose, it is better to see it in class first: a teacher can adjust your position and show an easier version. At home you can reinforce what you have learned, and leave anything difficult for when you are not on your own.
Common mistakes at home
The first is a programme that is too long and gets boring within a week. The second is copying advanced poses from a video without experience. The third is practising on a slippery floor or in tight clothes. The fourth is leaving no time for savasana.
Start small, choose poses in which you feel steady and move at your own pace. Any practice beats a perfect plan that never happens.
A word of caution
At home nobody spots you, so choose simple poses and do not force stretches. If you have an injury, pregnancy or any other particular need, talk the practice over with a teacher first. Sharp pain is a signal to stop and leave the pose.