Starting a Home Yoga Practice

Starting a home yoga practice can be a transformative journey for your mind, body, and spirit. Starting a yoga practice at home also offers numerous physical, mental, and emotional benefits.  However, like starting anything, it can be scary and uncertain. By understanding a few tips to get started, you can begin with a little more knowledge and courage.

Here are some tips for beginners:

1. Set Your Intentions

  • Decide why you want to practice yoga (e.g., stress relief, flexibility, strength, or mindfulness).
  • Keep your goals realistic and focus on enjoying the process.

2. Start Small and Simple

  • Begin with shorter sessions (10-20 minutes) and gradually increase duration.
  • Focus on basic poses like Child’s Pose, Downward Dog, Warrior I, and Cat-Cow.

3. Choose the Right Style

  • Explore styles like Hatha (gentle and beginner-friendly), Vinyasa (flow-based), or Yin (deep stretches).
  • Experiment with different classes or teachers to find what resonates with you.

4. Create a Comfortable Space

  • Set up a quiet, clutter-free area with enough room to stretch and move.
  • Use props like a yoga mat, blocks, and straps to support your practice.

5. Wear Comfortable Clothing

  • Choose clothing that allows free movement and doesn’t restrict your breathing.

6. Listen to Your Body

  • Avoid pushing yourself into pain; yoga is about progress, not perfection.
  • Use modifications as needed and honor where your body is each day.

7. Practice Breathing Techniques

  • Focus on deep, steady breathing (like Ujjayi breath) to calm your mind and enhance your practice.
  • Pair your breath with your movements for a meditative flow.

8. Stay Consistent

  • Try to practice regularly, even if it’s just a few minutes daily.
  • Consistency is key to building strength, flexibility, and mindfulness.

9. Seek Guidance

  • Consider joining a beginner’s yoga class or using online videos/tutorials.
  • A qualified instructor can ensure proper alignment and provide personalized tips.

10. Be Patient and Kind to Yourself

  • Yoga is a journey, not a destination. Celebrate small progress and enjoy the learning process.
  • Remember, everyone’s practice looks different—focus on your unique path.

Check out these additional tips for beginning a home yoga practice. If you don’t think you have the perfect space, maybe this article will help you get started!


Here are five basic styles of yoga, each with its unique focus and benefits:

1. Hatha Yoga

  • Focus: A gentle introduction to yoga postures and breathing techniques.
  • Best For: Beginners or those looking for a slower-paced practice.
  • Key Features:
    • Combines physical poses (asanas) with breathing (pranayama).
    • Emphasizes balance, alignment, and mindfulness.

2. Vinyasa Yoga

  • Focus: Flowing movements synchronized with breath.
  • Best For: Those who enjoy dynamic, dance-like sequences.
  • Key Features:
    • Smooth transitions between poses.
    • Often set to music, creating an energetic atmosphere.

3. Ashtanga Yoga

  • Focus: A structured sequence of poses performed in a specific order.
  • Best For: People who enjoy discipline and a physically demanding practice.
  • Key Features:
    • Follows a set series of poses.
    • Builds strength, flexibility, and stamina.

4. Yin Yoga

  • Focus: Deep stretching and relaxation, targeting connective tissues.
  • Best For: Those seeking stress relief, flexibility, and a meditative experience.
  • Key Features:
    • Long-held, passive poses (2-5 minutes).
    • Encourages stillness and introspection.

5. Restorative Yoga

  • Focus: Deep relaxation and stress relief through passive, supported poses.
  • Best For: Those seeking rest, recovery, and a calming practice.
  • Key Features:
    • Long-held poses (5-20 minutes) with extensive use of props like bolsters, blankets, and blocks.
    • Activates the parasympathetic nervous system for deep relaxation and healing.

Check out this for more on several styles of Yoga

If you are ready to experience gentle yoga virtually, check out my new online weekly LIVE class! All Fromm the comfort of your own home!


    Stacie believes that it is her life purpose to share the gift of Yoga with anyone who is willing to say yes. In addition to raising a family and being an advocate for those with disabilities, Stacie is founder of Embracing Spirit Yoga which specializes in bringing adaptive Yoga into community centers and rehabilitation clinics. Bringing her depth of compassion to the mat–or the chair–she offers students the opportunity to grow as an individual in all aspects of their life.

    With over seventeen years experience, Stacie Wyatt is an experienced 500 hour Registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance, Certified Brain Injury Specialist, Certified Trauma Informed Coach, Life Wellness Coach, Senior YogaFit Instructor, Mind/Body Personal trainer, Stress Reduction and Meditation Instructor, Pilates Instructor, and Barre Instructor. Stacie is also certified in Integrative Movement Therapy™and is also a believer in the power and application of essential oils for health and wellness and proudly shares doTERRA essential oils.

    Beginner Yoga

    For newcomers, yoga serves as a gentle introduction to holistic health and wellness. Starting with basic poses and breathing exercises sets the stage for more advanced practices and lifelong benefits. Practicing beginner yoga offers a wide range of physical, mental, and emotional benefits. Here’s a detailed breakdown of how it can positively impact your life:

    Physical Benefits

    1. Improves Flexibility
      • Yoga stretches the muscles gently, increasing range of motion over time.
    2. Builds Strength
      • Basic poses like Warrior and Plank engage muscles, helping to tone and strengthen.
    3. Enhances Balance
      • Poses like Tree Pose improve stability and coordination.
    4. Boosts Posture
      • Focus on alignment helps counteract slouching and improve spinal health.
    5. Increases Energy Levels
      • Gentle movements and deep breathing can combat fatigue and increase vitality.
    6. Promotes Better Sleep
      • Relaxation techniques calm the nervous system, improving sleep quality.
    7. Supports Joint Health
      • Yoga moves the joints through their full range of motion, reducing stiffness.
    8. Aids Digestion
      • Twisting poses and mindful breathing can stimulate the digestive system.

    Mental Benefits

    1. Reduces Stress
      • Mindful breathing and relaxation techniques lower cortisol levels, the stress hormone.
    2. Increases Focus
      • Yoga teaches concentration by focusing on breath and movement.
    3. Promotes Mindfulness
      • Encourages living in the present moment, enhancing awareness and gratitude.
    4. Improves Mental Clarity
      • Regular practice can help clear mental clutter, improving decision-making and creativity.

    Emotional Benefits

    1. Enhances Mood
      • Yoga releases endorphins, improving mood and reducing feelings of anxiety or depression.
    2. Builds Self-Confidence
      • Achieving poses and practicing self-compassion can boost confidence and self-esteem.
    3. Develops Patience
      • Learning to hold poses and practice regularly teaches patience and persistence.
    4. Fosters Emotional Resilience
      • Yoga encourages letting go of negative emotions, creating space for calm and positivity.

    Holistic Health Benefits

    1. Improves Breathing
      • Breathing exercises (pranayama) strengthen the lungs and improve oxygen flow.
    2. Supports Immune System
      • Stress reduction and improved circulation can enhance immunity.
    3. Balances Hormones
      • Yoga can help regulate the endocrine system, promoting hormonal balance.
    4. Encourages a Healthy Lifestyle
      • Yoga often inspires better habits, including mindful eating and regular exercise.

    Join Me!

    Subscribe to my YouTube channel to get first access to Yoga for Beginner’s series that is coming soon!

    With over seventeen years experience, Stacie Wyatt is a E-500 hour Registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance, Certified Brain Injury Specialist, Certified Trauma Informed Coach, Life Wellness Coach, Senior YogaFit Instructor, Mind/Body Personal trainer, Stress Reduction and Meditation Instructor, Pilates Instructor, and Barre Instructor. Stacie is also certified in Integrative Movement Therapy™and is also a believer in the power and application of essential oils for health and wellness and proudly shares doTERRA essential oils.

    Yoga Principles – The Yamas

    My favorite example of what Yoga really is comes from my first Yoga teacher training. We learned the Yoga principles make up very important aspects to the practice. The teacher shared that Yoga is best described as a bicycle wheel where only one of the spokes on the wheel has to do with the body (asana), and the rest of the spokes is how we show up in the world.

    What are the Yamas?

    The Yamas are best described as five guidelines or principles in which we relate to others and the world around us. Another spoke of the wheel (the Niyamas) relate to our own personal guidelines and relating to the Self. When we understand and apply these guidelines to our life we can begin to see we are truly living our Yoga.

    Ahimsa

    (non-violence). When I first began practicing Yoga I thought ahimsa meant I had to give up eating meat, which I did for a while. It is actually much more than that. Violence begins in our thoughts and goes outward to our actions, and our words. Violence can also relate to how we treat the Earth. Our actions have profound effects on others and the world, so living a non violent way can impact people as well as animals and plants.

    Satya

    (truth). Satya is truthfulness, but it’s more than just telling the truth. The word ‘sat’ literally translates as ‘true essence’ or ‘unchangeable’.  One example of how living Satya exists is how we present ourselves to others and how we relate from the space of truth. For example, exaggerating facts to appear more extreme, or withholding facts to appear more pure, are acts that do not align with Satya. Also the thoughts about others and the stories we make up about others can relate to this Yama.

    Asteya

    (non stealing). We often think of stealing in the material sense, but this Yama is much more than that. To live asteya means we are mindful to not steal someone else’s grief by comparing it with our own grief. It also means that we do not steal someone’s celebration by becoming envious. Further, it is an honoring of one’s time and not “stealing” their resources to benefit us. Oh, and stealing their donut off their desk counts, too.

    Brahmacharya

    (moderation of the senses/right use of energy). In the ancient origins of Yoga this may have been interpreted as a form of celibacy, which no longer applies in our modern world of Yoga. Instead, this Yama actually can mean that we are aware of where we invest our energy. Another way to see this is directing our energy away from external desires and instead, towards finding peace and happiness within ourselves. Participating in drama and gossip is a form of energy that is not a useful place to invest in.

    Aparigraha

    (non-greed). This important Yama teaches us to take only what we need, keep only what serves us in the moment and to let go when the time is right. This can be in a literal sense as it relates to materialism but it can also lean towards a greediness of demands on someone else where expectations are high. Holding onto relationships, people, jobs, money and other areas can be a form of greed.

    Reflecting on the Living the Yamas

    We can learn that Yoga is much more than laying on the floor and creating shapes with our bodies. As we do, it is important to remember that while we are practicing the physical part of Yoga, we can infuse all of these Yamas into the time on the mat (or in a chair). For example, when we expect and demand that we have our “spot” in the yoga studio, or when we put too much focus on perfecting our headstand, or we push our bodies into pain we have just been harming, untruthful, greedy, and not using our energy appropriately.

    I have much more to say on the Yamas here.

    Follow me for more goodness!

    About Stacie

    Stacie believes that it is her life purpose to share the gift of Yoga with anyone who is willing to say yes. In addition to raising a family and being an advocate for those with disabilities, Stacie is founder of Embracing Spirit Yoga which specializes in bringing adaptive Yoga into community centers and rehabilitation clinics. Bringing her depth of compassion to the mat–or the chair–she offers students the opportunity to grow as an individual in all aspects of their life.

    With over sixteen years experience, Stacie Wyatt is an experienced 500 hour Registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance, Certified Brain Injury Specialist, Certified Trauma Informed Coach, Life Wellness Coach, Senior YogaFit Instructor, Mind/Body Personal trainer, Stress Reduction and Meditation Instructor, Pilates Instructor, and Barre Instructor. Stacie is also certified in Integrative Movement Therapy™and is also a believer in the power and application of essential oils for health and wellness and proudly shares doTERRA essential oils.

    Is Yoga Just Exercise?

    Consider for yourself if you view Yoga as exercise? Is it? Is Yoga something you “do”? Or, is Yoga much more than exercise?

    Big questions with a really simple answer. First of all, the majority of us do in fact come to a Yoga class looking for some sort of physical enhancement; to be more toned, to have greater flexibility, to be more coordinated, to support aches and pains naturally or a variety of other reasons. I get that. I did, too. When I first started practicing Yoga it was purely from the standpoint of exercise and my reasoning is that I wanted to be more flexible.

    Then it happened. Not only did I gain flexibility physically but my mind and heart also became quite flexible in the process.

    Is Yoga Exercise?

    According to Medline, Yoga is a practice that connects the body, breath, and mind. It uses physical postures, breathing exercises, and meditation to improve overall health. Yoga was developed as a spiritual practice thousands of years ago. Today, most Westerners who do yoga do it for exercise or to reduce stress.

    Was that the intent of Yoga when it was discovered?

    The word ‘Yoga’ is derived from the Sanskrit root ‘Yuj’, meaning ‘to join’ or ‘to yoke’ or ‘to unite’. As per Yogic scriptures the practice of Yoga leads to the union of individual consciousness with that of the Universal Consciousness, indicating a perfect harmony between the mind and body.

    Through learning about the 8 Limbs of Yoga we begin to see this is much more than a physical practice that our Western minds have adopted.

    What are the 8 Limbs of Yoga?

    • YAMA – Restraints, moral disciplines or moral vows.
    • NIYAMA – Positive duties or observances.
    • ASANA – Posture of the body.
    • PRANAYAMA – Breathing Techniques.
    • PRATYAHARA – Sense withdrawal.
    • DHARANA – Focused Concentration.
    • DHYANA – Meditative Absorption.
    • SAMADHI – Bliss or Enlightenment.

    You see, if the 8 limbs of Yoga were the spokes of a bicycle wheel, only one spoke would have anything to do with the physical body.

    Why does learning about the other 7 limbs matter?

    For some people exercise is all they want, and that is fine. I just am hesitant to call it Yoga. To me, Yoga is a lifestyle and a series of attitudes and principles that we embody to create wholeness in the mind, body and spirit. When this happens, we actually begin to influence the people around us in a more positive way. Way more positive than being able to hold a plank for three minutes or lift super heavy weights if you ask me. I would rather know that the way I am showing up in the world is bettering the people around me. We practice showing up on the mat, and apply it to our life off the mat.

    When I was raising children, my oldest and youngest boys got to experience two very different childhoods as it relates to the influence Yoga had on me. As a result it also influenced them. My oldest son had more years of being influenced by a highly reactive, stressed, angry and overly emotional mom. My youngest on the other hand, had a longer period of his formative years with a present, calm and peaceful mom. While each son is their own personality and preferences, they do have a dynamically different outlook on life and I do attribute some of that to their primary caregiver (me) having gone through the transformative change that Yoga can bring to one’s life.

    Can we just see Yoga as an exercise and still be ok?

    Absolutely. 100%. Yes. I would just ask that if you choose to practice Yoga, you consider also learning about the other equally important limbs of the practice. You just might see how amazing it can be, beyond the body.

    I have lots more to say on this. Take a listen!

    Movement is Medicine

    We have all heard it before, but I am here to tell you there is so much truth to it. Movement truly is medicine in its most natural form.

    For years and years I have struggled with the effects of fibromyalgia and I have learned the more I move, the less I hurt. Many people who live with fibromyalgia—me included—would probably rather lay on a heating bad and hope the exhausting pain goes away, but the reality is movement will in fact make you feel better.

    When we live the yoga lifestyle and endure challenges like this it’s imperative to pull our awareness into the sutras, or principles that enhance how we show up in the world. For examples, living with truth means we listen to our bodies and only do what truthfully feels right. It’s about not stealing from ourselves by overdoing (or under doing) it and taking away from healing process. It’s also about non-harming and being intentional with what we say yes to.

    Each day since coming home from the hospital I have made a deliberate and mindful choice to move my body. It may be that my six directions of the spine is my max, or a simpler morning sequence, or I might add onto my physical therapy exercises by grabbing my dumbbells for some upper body endorphins.

    Besides the intentional ways to get movement, it’s so important to realize the simple everyday tasks that count towards movement! Think back to your first few days home from surgery, or when you were struggling with illness, and the small victories that came with making your own meal or even showering! I am so thrilled that I am not as exhausted showering and getting dressed as I was just a week ago.

    All the ways we navigate our day also count as movement!

    • Showering and getting dressed
    • Preparing an easy meal
    • Walking to the mail box
    • Emptying the dishwasher
    • Doing a load of laundry
    • Making the bed
    • Walking around the yard
    • Tidying up your space
    • A short trip to the market

    Of course deliberate and intentional movement is important, but during this recovery time be sure to pat yourself on the back for the small everyday tasks that require movement and congratulate yourself on a job well done. Try to incorporate the yoga principles into your daily life and opt for staying aligned with who you are, and not what you happen to be going through.

    You CAN do this and you ARE doing amazing.

    Watch this—


    With over sixteen years experience, Stacie Wyatt is a E-500 hour Registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance, Certified Brain Injury Specialist, Certified Trauma Informed Coach, Life Wellness Coach, Senior YogaFit Instructor, Mind/Body Personal trainer, Stress Reduction and Meditation Instructor, Pilates Instructor, and Barre Instructor. Stacie is also certified in Integrative Movement Therapy™and is also a believer in the power and application of essential oils for health and wellness and proudly shares doTERRA essential oils.