You’re not alone.

The images of yoga we are so readily given rarely embody the heart of yoga. Yoga is meant for all bodies, all experiences, and all nervous systems.

So here is my creative list of ideas to support your nervous system, body and mind during times of intentional movement (yoga asaña).

1. Take your mat outside! Inside there can be so many distractions. Sometimes being inside makes it hard to not think about the unwashed dishes or the click of the washer. When you go outside, notice the trees, listen to the birds, watch the sky and let yourself connect with the wild world. Connection with the earth is so incredibly grounding!

2. If slow movements don’t feel good for you- add more movement! Start with shaking your body out, dancing, or jumping for energy output. As you flow, if it doesn’t feel good to hold a pose, don’t. My body personally loves movement so I often flow between a couple poses instead of holding a single pose! You can also add little twists, bounces, or subtle movement in many poses. Listen to your body above all else. You can also bring fidgets with you!

3. Remove time constraints. To move through 30 minutes of yoga asaña may feel entirely too much. So move for 2 minutes or 5 minutes. When my kids were tiny, I did a lot of mini flows with them! I still do a lot of mini flows when I’m waiting for my hot water to boil for my tea, or while my kids are brushing their teeth before bed. It’s really okay if you don’t have your mat with you :) I promise. My kitchen sees a lot of tree and warrior poses in between dinner prepping.

4. Add expression before, during or after. Bring a journal with you to write (meditative journaling is a form of journaling in which you jot down everything that comes to your mind to give these thoughts a place to go instead of ruminating or increasing anxiety if it’s something you don’t want to forget later!) I do a lot of art before or after yoga. I bring my watercolors with me and paint what I feel, what I see or what I need.

5. Pair yoga with therapy. If you are in therapy, make time after therapy or before. Movement is such a powerful way of moving energy that is trapped in our bodies from emotions, trauma, or stress. Combining these healing modalities can feel incredibly grounding.

6. Bring snacks! I almost always do yoga with my emotional support water bottle or a cup of tea with me. I led yoga once with a student who ate doritos the entire flow!

7. I love moving to music! Music can be a supportive way to calm the noise in our brains down and help us focus on how we feel in our bodies.

8. Wear whatever clothes you feel the most yourself in! Move in your pajamas, in shorts, in jeans, in an earthy dress. “Yoga clothes” are part of the capitalism movement and were never foundational to practice.

9. Explore accessible yoga options! Chair yoga, bed yoga, gentle yoga, yin yoga, recovery hatha yoga, wheelchair yoga, neurodiverse yoga…yoga has always been about honoring all bodies and experiences. Be curious enough to see what is out there! I personally am trying to grow in my accessible and inclusive content, I’d love to hear from you if you have ideas I can expand in!

10. Incorporate your beliefs, culture, and interests into your practice. Yoga is so incredibly personal while also being so centered on liberation and justice for the world.

11. Use props! Chairs, walls, pillows, blankets, stuffed animals, blocks, bolsters, exercise straps can all be used! Your body is unlike any other so do what feels right!

12. Do what feels right for you! You get to make this practice yours!