How Much Yoga is Enough?
by Lisa Longton
When someone asks me the question of “how much yoga is enough?” I can assume they are only referring to the practice of the yoga poses, and not all the eight limbs of yoga.
Patañjali referred to consistency of practice in Yoga Sutra 1:14: Sa tu dirgha kala nairantarya satkarasevito drdhabhumih. This translates to: Practice becomes firmly established when it has been cultivated uninterruptedly and with devotion over a prolonged period of time. Patañjali also was referring to the practice of all the eight limbs of yoga.
The question really is “how many days a week do I have to practice the yoga poses?” Asanas (yoga poses) were designed to be practiced every day to receive the many benefits they offer, and there are so many different poses to choose from.
If you are new to yoga, it may mean attending more yoga classes during the week. Try mixing it up by attending different classes that have a different focus, such as Restoratives, or classes with a special focus such as Low Back and Hips, attend a Flow class, learn something new by returning to the Fundamentals or by trying a different teacher.
A consistent yoga practice really also means adding a few days of practice at home. But practicing at home can seem daunting. Where do you start? In a home practice, you learn to listen to your own desires and address your personal needs in your practice. Taking care of your body in this way is rewarding and fulfilling.
Yoga class time is essential, but a home practice is satisfying and inspiring. It hones your ability to identify your state of being each day, to gather a complete picture of your physical, emotional and mental status. By getting better at acknowledging our current state, our compassion for ourselves increases, and we learn how to care for ourselves by practicing the yoga poses that your body needs in the moment.
Aids to support a home practice:
Try journaling: Simply write down the poses you perform at home, every time you practice. Include in your journal how you feel prior to your practice, and how you feel after your practice.
Schedule a private lesson with a yoga teacher to get a personalized yoga sequence that is designed specifically for you. The hour lesson provides you with a sequence you can take home to practice. Rescheduling a private lesson regularly keeps your home practice fresh and moving forward.
Begin: Remember what Iyengar says, “take action, no matter how small”. Iyengar himself says that his practice changes each day, according to how he feels. Some days he doesn’t feel much like practicing, but he always begins. Once he has begun, his practice might continue and blossom, and it might not, but he won’t know until he begins.
With all of that in mind, if attending a yoga class only once a week is all your schedule allows, that will have to be enough. Yoga will meet you wherever you are. Your flexibility and strength will improve, just much more slowly. The bottom line is, find more time for your yoga practice, and you will enjoy more results. Try committing to a regular, daily practice and see for yourself that the benefits of yoga are quickly and exponentially noticeable.