Create space for yoga and let yoga create space for you
You might have heard the cue in a yoga class to ‘create space’, but what does this actually mean? How can yoga create space?
Yoga creates space
Just breathing creates space in your body by physically moving your lungs, ribs, chest belly and back - and we do a lot of conscious breathing in yoga!. Practicing asanas (physical poses) also helps you expand your range of motion, lengthen compressed areas of your body like your spine, and get comfortable with taking up more space.
The meditative aspects of yoga also create space in your mind by training you to observe your thoughts from a distance rather than getting caught up in them. By taking a pause in your day for your practice, you’ll often find that you are more focused and creative, just like how ideas might come to you in the shower.
On top of this, by practicing yoga you are practicing creating space in your life for self-care, and prioritising your needs. But creating space in your life for yoga can sometimes be tricky.
The next challenge is keeping the space you have created in your body, mind and in your life. It can be far too easy to hunch back over your desk, numb your mind with distractions and fill up your schedule again. All you can do is consistently show up for yourself, remember why you’re doing this, and don’t beat yourself up.
Create space for yoga
With our never ending to-do lists and competing priorities it can be really hard to create space for your practice. I mean physically clearing clutter so you have space to roll out your mat in your home, making space for a class in your schedule, and mentally having the head space to practice when your sofa is looking oh so comfy.
Here are some tips for how to create space for your yoga practice:
Reduce the friction
In an ideal world we’d all have a dedicated room for yoga which has all your equipment, your favourite playlist on a loop, and a door to shut out the clutter and distractions. But even without this, we can get the same benefit by making it as easy as possible to roll out your mat.
James Clear says in his book Atomic Habits that reducing the friction associated with a behaviour makes you way more likely to do it. So put your yoga mat somewhere visible so it’s easy to grab it and roll it out, before you change your mind!
Schedule it in
One of the biggest benefits of going to in-person classes is that they are at scheduled times - you have to book them in and commit to practicing at that time. But you can also create this for yourself with your home practice by setting aside time in your calendar for your practice, just like if you were attending a scheduled class.
Accountability
Practicing with someone else can help hold you accountable and make sure you keep the space in your schedule that you set aside. This is another benefit of live classes in-person or online, because the instructor will notice if you don’t show up.
For your self practice, using a recorded class or going freestyle, it can be a little trickier to create this accountability for yourself. Practicing with a friend, whether they’re in the room with you, or just pressing play on the class at the same time is a great way to do this. In Flow Cycle Yoga we have a group chat which can be used to create this accountability - post in the chat when you’re planning to practice this week and the other members can check in to see if you did (in a loving way of course!)
Safety
Creating space can feel vulnerable and scary, especially when we’re so used to distracting ourselves. Unwanted feelings can come to the surface if you give them space to. Remember these feelings are valid and by giving space to them you free yourself up to experience life fully.
It might make you feel more comfortable and safe to practice yoga alone at home, so you don’t have to worry what others might think (spoiler alert, they’re probably not even thinking about you!) Or you might feel safer in a yoga studio with a qualified instructor - find what works for you and remember no one knows your body as well as you do.
And the best part - connecting with your body through yoga and breathwork calms your nervous system and can make you feel safer, which will then allow you to drop further into your body.
Practice in alignment with your cycles
Everyone is affected by natural cycles, such as your sleep/wake cycle, hunger cycles, menstrual cycle, and the lunar cycle just to name a few. You can fit your yoga practice around these cycles by practicing a slower, more restorative style class when you’re tired and depleted (such as when you’re on your period), and a more active practice when you’re feeling energised (like how you might feel around ovulation).
By making space in your practice for flexibility around your cycles, you’ll be more likely to find a practice that suits what you need that day, and therefore less likely to skip your practice. This is what we do every month in Flow Cycle Yoga, with four yoga classes tailored to each phase of your menstrual or lunar cycle.
April’s theme in Flow Cycle Yoga is creating space, in your body and in your mind, on and off your mat. Flow Cycle Yoga is a monthly membership where you will learn to align your yoga practice with your menstrual and/or lunar cycle.