The scent of incense wafts through your air, and it ignites something deep within you. Every step you take into the yoga centre seems to reflect your inner journey, until you are standing on your mat in the yoga room. Then you are ready to start practicing. Now you’re ready to practice yoga. If you can afford to go to a yoga studio for practice, that’s great. What if you are traveling with a hectic work schedule and your hotel room is all that you have? What if you want to do yoga at home? You can transform any space into your own yoga sanctuary. You can create a sacred space in any room with these DIY techniques. I practice yoga at home as well as in hotels. It’s a happy and rare occurrence to find myself in a yoga class as a student. I treasure those classes, they are a great way to get up in the morning. However, I have learned how to transform any space into a place for spiritual practice. Below are a few of the tips I have. You are welcome to modify as necessary and leave your tips in the comments.
1. De-clutter
This may sound simple, but it really does make a difference. Clean up after yourself if you are unrolling your yoga mat at the hotel. This is also true for your home. It is important to declutter your home if you are considering turning it into a yoga studio. It is difficult to let go of your inner world when it is chaotic. You can use furniture that doubles up as storage to create a yoga space in your shared home. You can store non-yoga items such as toys, magazines, and shoes neatly when you aren’t using them
2. A nice Shawl
Although it may not be something you do, I always travel with a large shawl. I use it to meditate and then lie down for relaxation. The blue, woven shawl is from India. It brings me a sense of safety and coziness wherever I go. Yes, I know I am basically saying that I travel with a blanket in my suitcase around the globe. It really does help me feel sacred. When I arrive at a hotel, I pull out my shawl to fold up in front of the place where I will meditate and practice. You’ll find blankets and shawls neatly folded and neatly placed over the sofas in any room of my house. You might want to keep a few shawls nearby if your yoga room doubles as your living space.
3. Mood Lighting
The intensity of light can make a huge difference in how a room feels. It can be jarring for the nervous systems to see bright fluorescent lights. You might consider installing dimmers or smart lights that can adjust the intensity and color of your lighting. You might prefer a white light in your yoga room, but a more soft or amber-toned light for meditation and yoga. Indirect lighting is my best option when I travel. There aren’t many dimmers, much less smart bulbs that can be controlled via an app. If I plan to roll my yoga mat and do some meditation, I will turn off a lamp in another part of the room. Sometimes I will leave the bathroom light on and close the door partially. It all depends on the hotel’s lighting. Lighting is all about finding the right balance between too bright to make you feel tired and too dim to make your nervous system unable to calm down.
4. Smells
I love everything scented. I love scented everything, whether it’s essential oils, scented candles or incense, and good quality perfumes. This also means that I am very sensitive to the smells. When I sit down for meditation or practice yoga, there is one smell that I am very sensitive to: food. You can probably see why. You don’t want to feel hungry while you do yoga or meditation. Sometimes, the automatic hunger reflex can be triggered by the smell of food. I clean out the air with fresh air. I ensure that food is properly stored and that dirty dishes are put in the dishwasher. Next, I light a scented candle or incense and diffuse essential oils. A few drops of essential oil can be placed on a cotton ball if I am traveling without an oil diffuser. Place the cotton ball next to the AC vent or fan.
5. Mats, Cushions, and Props
Although I carry a shawl in my luggage, I don’t often bring a complete set of yoga accessories. When I travel and teach, I borrow a yoga mat. Many hotels offer yoga mats in their gyms. There is an easy trick to do yoga in hotels: use a large bath towel on the floor. You don’t have to travel with a mat. A large bath towel will provide you with good traction and cushioning. Grab a pillow from a chair, sofa or bed to make a cushion. Be creative with props. Instead of using a block, you can use a book, a bottle, or other materials. A pillow is better than a bolster. You don’t need all the accessories for your home yoga studio. Think about the tools that you use in your daily practice. Next, choose the tools that are most beneficial to your practice and store them in a designated place.
6. By Kino MacGregor
Kino MacGregor, a world-renowned Ashtanga Yoga teacher and author of many yoga-inspired books including The Yogi Assignment, is the founder of OmStars.com. To get started, you can practice the Ashtanga Yoga Full Primary Series online.