Perhaps you cant afford to do this every day.

Yet to really reap the benefits of yoga, you must practice for a long time, without break, and with all earnestness. (Yoga Sutras I !"# $ home practice allows you to put in the time, focusing on consistency over %uantity. $ few minutes every day is better than a few hours once a week &or month#. If you're a teacher, this time at home on your mat is crucial( your own body becomes your laboratory and you can then share what you've learned in class. )ut developing a home practice can seem very daunting. *ur days are already so full. +hen would we have time to practice at home, -ow will we know what to do, -ere are . principles to help you get started/ 1. Make it short. 0an you commit to !. or 12 minutes, 34periment until you find a time of day that works for you. $fter you wake up and have a cup of coffee, but before you shower, )efore dinner after getting home from work, If you're tired and hungry, have an apple or a 5uice, and then do it. +hen you find a time that works, stick with it. 6he routine will become self reinforcing. 2. All you need to do is get yourself on your mat. 7eet yourself where you are. If you're very tired, or not feeling great, you may never get up and off of it8 You might 5ust roll around and stretch a bit, then rest. *ften the days you feel the worst at the beginning of practice are the days you wind up feeling the best at the end. 3. Keep it simple. *ne of the great things about going to class is that you dont have to think too hard. 9ive this to yourself as you begin a home practice. $t first, it helps to have a se%uence you stick to every time &modified as needed( see step 1 above#. :earch the internet for yoga sites that provide a simple daily se%uence for your level. 6he general order should be/ sun salutations standing poses standing balances ;or arm balances inversions twists forward bends

$s you get more e4perienced, you'll begin to feel comfortable deviating from the routine, perhaps focusing on a different family of poses each day of the week &for e4ample# for a well rounded practice over time. 4. Make it fun! Yes, an eventual goal of yoga practice is pratyahara &withdrawal of the mind from the senses#. $nd, in

the meantime, we are physical beings and this is a physical practice. 6here is room in yoga for parado4. 7ake it delightful to your senses. <ight candles, play music, create an atmosphere that is pure pleasure for you to revel in for those 12 minutes. It 5ust might become one of your favorite parts of the day. 5. Have a fe props handy. You can buy a couple of foam yoga blocks at your studio &often#, on the internet, or even where you shop for groceries8 $dd a yoga belt or two. You dont need special 7e4ican blankets=5ust use whatever you might have at home if you need to create height or support for certain poses. $nyone can have a home yoga practice( you do not need to be a teacher or an advanced practitioner. *f course, for safety and best results, it helps to have some basic knowledge of the poses you will be practicing &perhaps gained in class, from a video, or from a teacher one on one#. >ind a time, choose your routine, and get started. 6he countless benefits of a daily yoga practice will soon be yours