As we move into a critical part of fighting COVID-19 in Singapore, most of the population will be moving into a "work-from-home" arrangement which to be honest is my dream come true (!). Think about the number of hours you save from the daily commute!
However, getting into a routine for home practice is a challenge for most people, it almost seems daunting to begin with. Here are some tips to help you along.
First and foremost, find and commit to a regular time slot and location for your yoga practice. It does not need to be long, it just has to be regular 🕖 With the extra time you saved from commuting to work, you can begin your day in the morning with a short routine: 🕉Start with sitting quietly for 1-2 minutes to settle in a comfortable posture. 🕉Take 5 rounds of deep abdominal breathing followed by 3 rounds kapalabhati (kriya: cleansing) and 3-6 rounds of alternate nostril breathing (pranayama: anuloma viloma) on an empty stomach. 🕉Lie down in savasana for a few minutes, stay aware of the calmness and stay awake (resists falling back to sleep!) 🕉Coming back to a sitting position and begin your practice of meditation. If you are new to meditation, you can sit in silence and observe your breath for 15 minutes, or mentally chant 'om' or an intention you'd like for the day, e.g. 'I am aware of my thoughts' 🕉If you still have time, you can carry on with 3 - 6 rounds of surya namaskar (sun salutation). Finish the practice with savasana. 🕉If you decide not to do surya namaskar that day, a walk in the sunshine for 15 minutes is fantastic for your immune system. You can also try walking barefoot on grass to “earth” yourself for some good energy. As the early morning hours are best for meditation, my suggestion is to do a short meditation when the surroundings is still quiet and do the asanas after that. However, if you feel like your mind is calmer after the asanas, you can swap them around as well. Yoga is for the body + mind, as we develop strength and flexibility in the body, let us also deepen our awareness of our minds through meditation & concentration. Hope this is useful to you. Give it a try for a week and let me know how it's going!