Judith Hanson Lasater: 5 Tips for Developing a Regular Home Yoga Practice

We recently sat down with Judith Hansen Lasater who shared some powerful insights with us about why it’s hard for so many of us to maintain a consistent home yoga practice. Judith shared that she doesn’t believe (as so many of us use as an excuse) that time is the main factor. Rather, she states “We need to look at our thoughts and our beliefs about ourselves… It has to do with self-nurturing. It has to do with valuing yourself.” So with that in mind here are a few practical tips to help you get to your mat.

1. Get a Yoga Mat!

This may seem too obvious to mention, but it’s an important part of developing a home practice that a lot of people skip. Once you have your own mat, find a location in your home you can develop into a home sanctuary. Lasater emphasized this point by reminding us that “We all need refuge every day.” 

2. Let Your Yoga Practice Conform to Your Life (not the other way around)

Lasater takes a refreshing stance on her yoga practice in that she doesn’t have a rigid idea of what it will look like. She allows her practice to be whatever she currently needs the most. I think this is a hard concept to grasp; your practice doesn’t always need to be the same thing everyday – and it doesn’t need to address just one of your many needs. Instead, work on developing a practice of listening to yourself so your yoga practice serves you and is something you want to return to daily.

3. Pick a Regular Time to Practice Yoga

Again, don’t think of an exact time like “everyday at 7 a.m”; rather decide if you want to do it before work or after work. Again, listen to yourself and don’t try to force yourself to do it before work if you aren’t a morning person.

4. Make Yoga a Habit

Habits are incredibly powerful. If you make a commitment to practice everyday it will become a habitual part of your day and you won’t have to think that much about doing it or not doing it. You’ll feel the difference when you don’t, and you’ll start to crave your practice more than resent it. Also, be easy with yourself if you have to miss a day because your life calls for that.

5. Vary the Yoga Poses You Do

Make sure you practice at least one pose you absolutely love. Lasater states “I would do at least one pose I loved and one I hated every day. And it just got to where I didn’t really care anymore. It was just a pose, you know?” It’s important to like what you are doing, and hopefully along the way even the poses you think you hate will become enjoyable!

To read the full interview click here.