My Favorite Spotify Playlists for Home Yoga

Oftentimes, I relish any opportunity to have some peace and quiet. Most of my day is spent teaching, and talking, or listening to podcasts or audio books as I drive to and from the studio. I also like to give my brain some time for peace, and my yoga practice ends up being the perfect time for that. When the rest of the day is full, I highly encourage you to get more comfortable practicing in silence (or near silence, in my case; I live right near a major highway so…).

That being said, I am a music lover, and if my motivation to practice is on the low end, a good playlist can make all the difference. I’m not a teacher that meticulously chooses each song, and I have mad respect for those teachers, because music can create an amazing atmosphere, and totally change the way you feel about what you’re doing, even when you’re at home.

If I’m working a more technical practice at home, I tend to go for instrumental so I can still hear and follow my breathing, and focus on the task at hand. When I’m practicing restorative yoga, I really love a good ambient playlist that ends up being more white noise that anything else, but when I’m doing more of a free flowing, feel good practice, I love to keep myself moving with the motivation of some of my favorite songs.

Below, you can see some of my favorite Spotify playlists for practicing at home:

1. Instrumental Music for a more Technical Practice

   1. Instrumental Guitar Focus

   2. Relaxing Instrumental Jazz Cafe

2. Ambient Music for Restorative Yoga

   1. Anything by Stephen Halpern

   2. Peaceful Retreat

3. Motivational Favorites for Flowing

   1. Roots Revival

   2. Morning Acoustic

Check these out next time you need a soundtrack for your practice. And, let me know what you’re listening to! Share your favorite playlist in the comments below.

Practicing Yoga at hOMe: Setting Yourself Up For Success

• Set Up Your Space

  1. It helps to have a designated yoga spot in your home. It doesn’t have to be anything elaborate, and you certainly don’t need an entire room (although, that’s awesome if you have one). Creating a ritual is a great way to bolster your commitment, and your motivation. Try to leave your props in a visible location. Seeing them will be good encouragement. You might want to invest in an essential oil, or a scented candle that you like. Use it each time you come to your mat. Do you like to practice to music? Set a playlist for yourself ahead of time so you don’t spend the first 15minutes of your practice picking out the perfect song. When in doubt, skip it. How often to we get to be quiet?

• Monitor Your Expectations

  1. Practicing at home is different than practicing at a yoga studio. For better, and for worse. It helps to think ahead of time about the logistics of rolling your mat out. If your home is full of other beings, human or otherwise, see if you can carve out a quiet spot somewhere. You might want to fill your roommates, your spouse, or your kids in on your yoga plans and let them know you really need this time for yourself. Set a boundary so they can learn to respect it. That being said, while you might imagine practicing yoga at home to be a sacred, quiet experience, in reality you’ll probably be interrupted by family members, pets, roommates, your cell phone, etc. Do what you can to minimize interruptions, but know that you can still get so much benefit from your practice even if your dog is sitting on your mat with you, and your baby is crying in the next room, and your phone is ringing. Just commit to getting yourself on the mat, the rest will follow.

• Do What Feels Good

  1. If consistency is a struggle, it really helps to do the stuff you love to do. Focus on the poses, stretches, and breathing techniques that feel really good for you. Yes, we “should” be doing the things we don’t love, and the work that’s really challenging, but if we don’t even make it onto our mat because we think our practice should look or feel a certain way, then we’re doing ourselves a disservice. Let your practice be something you look forward to. Treat yourself well with the time that you have available. It will bolster your commitment.

• Set a Goal

  1. When you’re trying to pick up a new habit, it can help to be a little goal-oriented. It’s hard to keep track of how often you’re doing something, and for how long, if you don’t actually keep track of it. Write your commitment down in this format “I will practice yoga at home for at least _______min, at least _______days per week.” Then, if you’re the kind of person that needs a little accountability, you can hold yourself accountable by tracking how often you complete your goal in a journal, or a note on your phone. You can even set an alarm to remind yourself it’s time to get on the mat. Make it a pleasure, not a chore. If you know you need external accountability - make a commitment with a friend, and check in on each other.

In our 2019 Kickstart Program, there’s built in accountability through our private Facebook group that’s just for participants. All the videos will be posted there, and you’ll have direct access to Amy to ask questions anytime throughout the program.

What is your biggest obstacle when it comes to practicing yoga at home consistently? Leave your response in the comments below:

How to Modify Your Yoga Practice for Wrist Injuries

There are so many yoga poses that require your hands to be on the ground (tabletop, downward dog, upward dog, plank, arm balances, handstand, etc.), and repeating these postures over and over with poor wrist and hand positioning can lead to injury. If you've recently injured your wrist, it may be appropriate to skip your yoga practice all together, but if your doctor says you’re healthy enough to participate, there are certainly a few ways to limit the pressure you put on your wrists, prevent injury, and avoid aggravation of an old wrist injury.

1. Spread your fingers: Everyone should be doing this, regardless of wrist injury.
• Practice this in tabletop. Bring your shoulders directly over your wrists and your hips directly over your knees. Take a look at your hands. Spread your fingers as wide as you possibly can. Maintain that spread as you press down evenly into all of the knuckles, the fingertips, and all four corners of the palm.

2. Prop your palms: Reducing the angle between your forearm and your hand can take some pressure off of the wrists.
• Place a wedge, a folded towel, or a folded blanket toward the top of your mat and use it throughout your entire Vinyasa with the base of your palms on the thickest part. Let your fingers touch the mat, and don't forget to spread them wide here as well.

3. Make fists: This works particularly well for tabletop and plank positions.
• Come to tabletop and make a fist (with your thumb outside of your fingers) and place the flat expanse of your knuckles on the floor. Activate the muscles in your forearm and practice stepping into and out of plank from tabletop, being careful as not to allow your wrists to buckle inward or outward. If this buckling occurs, skip this modification, and try #4 on this list.

4. Use your forearms: When others are practicing poses (like plank, side plank, and handstand) that can aggravate your wrist injury, use your forearms instead!
• Modify plank with forearm plank
• Modify side plank with forearm side plank
• Modify handstand with forearm stand

5. Take a child’s pose: When in doubt, skip it! There are certain poses that just don’t work during times of injury. Perhaps, the best modification for a pose that puts a great amount of pressure on your wrists is a simple child’s pose.

If you’ve newly injured your wrists, or you’re dealing with chronic wrist pain, sometimes the best thing to do is avoid putting any pressure on your hands for a while. Restorative yoga, and most forms of gentle yoga will afford you the opportunity to still practice yoga without re-injuring your wrists. Talk to your doctor or physical therapist and bring that information to your teacher who can help you modify around your pain until you’re feeling better.

How have you dealt with wrist pain in your practice? Share your story in the comments below.

Yoga Equipment: What to Buy, What to Skip

Buying yoga equipment can be overwhelming. The sheer amount of options can cause even the most decisive yogi to scratch their head. “What’s the best mat for me?” “Do I really NEED a bolster?” “How about blocks?” I’ll answer these questions below and offer you my best recommendations, and a few suggestions for what to avoid.

YOGA EQUIPMENT

Required: In my opinion, these are the must-have items if you want to practice yoga at home. Most studios will have rental mats and props you can borrow. One of the biggest boundaries to practicing yoga at home is not having the right equipment to support you. It makes all the difference.

A GREAT YOGA MAT

• Best bang for your buck

  • Yoga Accessories 1/4 Sticky Mat $20: This is a classic choice and a great option for beginners or the budget conscious. At around $20 a pop you can’t beat the price, and after a short break in period, they generally live up to their name and become quite sticky. Beware though, there are a lot of mats that look like this one that are either extremely thin, or made so poorly that they fall apart after a few uses. These generally have a lifespan of 1-2 years of regular use. Click here to purchase online

• Best Quality

  • Manduka Pro $110: This is the mat I use. I love it because it’s dense and easy on the joints. It’s thick, but not cushy. It lasts FOREVER, and it gets better with age. Warning: it does have a break in period, but with regular use the slipping phase will be over quickly. It is also 5x as expensive as a sticky mat. But, if you’re a regular practitioner, this is, in my opinion, your best choice. Click here to purchase online

• Best Grip

  • Manduka eKo $88: Pros: The texture of this mat is great. There’s a rubber-like grip, and it’s sticky right away. No break in period. It’s made with environmentally friendly materials. Cons: There’s a rubbery odor that wears off in time (especially if you store it unrolled for a little while). I’ve noticed that the lifespan is not quite as long as the PRO, but you’ll have a lot of happy years together with this mat if grip is your #1 priority. Click here to purchase online

• A PAIR OF YOGA BLOCKS

  • Best Bang for your Buck:

    • Yoga Accessories 4inch Foam Block $8.99 each. Pros: These are inexpensive and they’ll get the job done. Cons: They wear out in time and they show nail marks and scratches. They’re a little soft and not as supportive as I’d like for most poses. Click here to purchase online

  • Best Quality:

    • Manduka Recycled Foam Yoga Block $16 each: Pros: They are all that a yoga block should be: sturdy, scratch resistant, there when you need them. I love these blocks and so do my students. Cons: They’re a little more expensive than your average block. Click here to purchase online

• A GOOD BLANKET, OR TWO

  • Best bang for your buck

    • Yoga Accessories Mexican Yoga Blanket $24: Pros: Sturdy enough to fold up and sit on, dense enough to pad the knees, warm enough to cover yourself with. This is a great blanket, and it’s attractive too. Cons: None, really! And the price is right. Click here to purchase online

  • Best Quality

    • Manduka Recycled Wool Yoga Blanket $44: Pros: Sturdier, more dense, warmer. You can really feel the quality. Like all Manduka products, you’ll have this one a long time. Cons: It’s not the most attractive blanket, and it’s on the higher end for a prop you can usually have lying around the house already. But, you’ll get all that you need in the way of supporting your yoga practice with this awesome blanket. Click here to purchase online

Recommended: You can definitely get by in most yoga classes without these props, but you’ll find your practice is a little less frustrating with the help of a strap and the support of a bolster. If you plan to practice gentle and restorative yoga, a bolster is an absolute must, and two is even better. A strap is such a small investment, and I think you’ll find it pays for itself in time. There are so many creative ways to utilize it.

• A STRAP

  • Best bang for your buck: This is something you can totally wing. Yes, it would be better to have a real yoga strap, that’s at least 8ft long, but if you have a hand towel, or an old belt, or even a resistance band lying around somewhere - they can serve as a fairly good stand in for yoga emergencies!

  • Best Quality

    • Manduka unfold Yoga Strap $12: Pros: I like it because it’ll last. These are the straps I use at my studio. They’re in constant use and they hold up really well. I love the square D-ring because they hold their position really well, no slipping. Cons: None! Click here to purchase online

• A BOLSTER

  • Best bang for your buck:

    • Yoga Accessories Supportive Rectangular Bolster $35: Pros: This is a really nice, dense, heavy bolster. Quality is great for the price. If you like a big, heavy bolster, this one is for you. Cons: They get a little misshapen over time but that’s expected with almost any bolster. Click here to purchase online

  • Best Quality

    • Manduka Enlight Rectangular Bolster $68: Pros: These are the bolsters I use at the studio. Lighter than some other bolsters if you like that, and I find it’s just the right size. Supportive and easy to clean with a removable, washable cover. Cons: it, too will lose it’s shape a bit with really regular use.Pricy Click here to purchase online

What NOT to Get

• Really thin or really thick yoga mats. “Travel” size mats are only good if you plan on folding them up and putting them in a suitcase. They are fine for that purpose and work well if you are using them on top of a hotel carpet. “Extra thick” mats are good for Pilates, or if you only plan on practicing restorative yoga. They are terrible for balance, standing poses, and downward facing dog.

• Wooden blocks. They seem like a good idea because they’re so supportive, but they’re heavy, and not practical for most poses.

• Circular straps. They seem like a good idea because you don’t have to bind them and unbind them, but they offer limited use in your practice, and you’ll probably end up with one that’s the wrong size for what you need.

• Round bolsters. This is strictly my opinion, but I find that the rectangular bolster is much more useful. you’ll have to trust me on this one.

• Thin blocks. Whatever brand you choose, the dimensions of your block should be 9”x6”x4”. And you should have at least 2 of the same size block. Remember, that blocks have 3 sides, and you can turn them to suit the pose you’re in, and the support that you need.

A note:

You can get by with just yourself, and a good mat. You can really do a lot on your own, and you definitely don’t need a ton of stuff to do some stretching, or some meditating, and to feel better. However, good props can make some yoga classes feel a little less frustrating, especially if you have stiffness in your joints, or tightness in your muscles (don’t we all?). But please, know there are always ways to improvise if you can’t have ALL of these items handy at home.

Let me know what some of your favorite equipment is in the comments below. And, if you have any questions for me, don’t hesitate to ask.

Happy practicing!

Amy's Favorite Guided Meditations

Hello all!

I’m a big believer in guided mediation, especially for beginners It can be really challenging for most of us to sit in peace, and reap the benefits of meditation with no guidance or instruction. I’ve tried a number of meditation programs, and meditation apps, and I wanted to share my favorites with you.

1. Headspace

   • It’s my favorite because it teaches you how to meditate and helps you build a routine, which is key for sticking to any new habit.

   • His voice is fantastic – I love listening to Andy Puddicombe speak.

   • There is a free 10 day trial, and there is a paid portion of the app as well.

   • It’s well worth the price because the library is HUGE and the content is really fantastic.

   • You can choose between 10, 15, or 20-min meditations, and it helps you commit to 30 days of meditating on one particular topic – good for scatterbrains like me.

   • Headspace.com or Headspace in the app store

2. Meditation Studio by Gaiam

   • It’s new, it’s free, and it features a variety of really great instructors.

   • There are courses on special topics like happiness, and changing habits, and there are also one-off meditations you can squeeze into your day.

   • You choose which meditations you want to download – so you can access them even when you’re offline.

   • There’s a scheduling option to help you stay on track with your habit.

   • http://www.meditationstudioapp.com or Meditation Studio in the app store.

3. Oprah & Deepak Chopra 21-Day Meditation Challenges

   • Oprah and Deepak put out free 21-day challenges periodically on lots of great topics for your wellbeing.

   • The background music is lovely.

   • It’s thought provoking, inspirational, and gives you adequate time to process what you’re learning with silent meditation.

   • You can buy any of their recorded 21-day challenges online – I particularly love The Energy of Attraction program.

   • http://www.chopracentermeditation.com or Oprah & Deepak’s 21-day Meditation Experience in the app store

4. Stop.Breathe.Think.

   • Love it. Also does a good job of teaching you how to meditate.

   • Easy to use and really effective.

   • You can track your progress, and I enjoy the animations as well.

   • As short as 3 minutes and as long as 20 – so you can fit it into your schedule.

   • I like to use this one as a quick break in the middle of the day in addition to a more regular morning practice.

   • http://www.stopbreathethink.org or via app store.

5. Welzen

   • A newie but a goodie. I’ve tried it a few times so far and I like the simplicity.

   • Choose your topic, choose how much time you have (3, 5, or 10-mins), and they’ll guide you through a meditation.

   • Topics include relaxation, resting the mind, quick breaks, stress relief, and deep sleep.

   • http://www.welzen.org or via app store

We’ll be learning a few simple meditation and breathing techniques in our 2019 Kickstart Program. Let me know in the comments below what your favorite guided meditation app is.