Goals, goals, goals. A lot of people are about goals. Goals are good. Goals help us reach our destinations.
While yoga is not traditionally associated with goals- it is a pursuit and people do it for different reasons. Having yogic goals can deepen one’s practice. Whether it’s mastering an arm balance or taking a hot yoga class- goals are motivating!
Try these inspiring tactics:
1. Identify your least flexible body part and focus on it for 1 month
If someone has tight calves- downward dog might feel awkward and uncomfortable. As such, people may avoid mastering the positioning of downward dog. However, a great yoga goal is to identify the least flexible body parts and to focus on them for 1 month. The progression might be surprising and stretches won’t need to be avoided any longer.
2. Do yoga for 5 to 10 minutes every 90 minutes throughout the work day
Whether sitting at a desk job, being a stay-at-home parent or having a physically demanding job, try doing mini-yoga sessions throughout the day. Simple poses don’t require a mat. There are many desk-yoga routines- so check them out- they can be incorporated into any job.
3. Do yoga once a day
This may be a tall order, but one will be amazed at how great it can feel after 30 days when practicing yoga at least once a day. This is not easy to accomplish given the business of everyday lives, but once the habit is formed, it will become effortless in no time.
4. Attend a live class once a week
It’s easy to fall into a home-practice rut doing the same old yoga DVD over and over.
There really is no substitute for doing yoga in a live class with a great teacher. If skipping out on the local yoga studio, set a goal to start attending at least once a week … differences will be noticed!
5. Focus on a new pose once a week
There are thousands of poses varying in difficulty. Whether new to yoga or experienced, there are always new poses to add to a practice to help expand one’s yogi experience. Sometimes a new pose may be a variation of a pose we already do.
Adding a new pose to yoga sessions each week is an excellent way to expand one’s practice.
6. Do a non-favored pose every day for 1 month
Some of us don’t like chair pose. It’s not that it’s a hard…some people just don’t like it. Everyone has poses they don’t care to do. Instead of avoiding those poses, set a goal of purposely incorporating the least favorite pose and do it at least once a week, and if possible, once a day.
7. Add 10 minutes to Savasana pose at the end of every session
Savasana pose (lying down on one’s back) may seem like a benign pose and a waste of time, but it’s not. In fact, it’s an important relaxation pose, especially at the end of a yoga session.
That being said, many times Savasana is skipped or cut short. Instead of doing the old 30 second Savasana treatment … resolve to really develop Savasana pose and do it for at least 10 minutes at the end of every yoga routine.
8. Bring a family member or friend to yoga class (spread the word)
Loving yoga should be shared- so why not gently encourage friends and family to join yoga class. Others might love it if they give it a chance.
Yoga is a terrific activity to do with a partner, friend and/or kids.
9. Read one yoga/meditation/philosophy book over the next 30 days
Doing yoga is more important, but reading about it can have benefits as well. Reading about yoga will expand one’s knowledge and help one to gain a deeper understanding of the various philosophies. Besides, reading is relaxing.
10. Try a new routine every week for 3 months
Stop doing the same old stale routine. Expand one’s yoga repertoire and resolve to try a new routine every week for the next 3 months. This may mean attending a different yoga class at the local studio, buying some DVDs and or joining an online yoga routine website.
11. Meditate for 20 minutes every day
For many of us, once the yoga practice is over, the meditation falls to the wayside because it’s not physical and its benefits are not so tangible. However, the benefits of meditation are profound … so a great yoga goal is to incorporate meditation into one’s yoga practice.
12. Do a radically different yoga style for 1 month
If focusing on one or two yoga styles for a long time, branch out and try a different style. For example, if practicing Hot Yoga regularly, try gentle or Ashtanga yoga.
13. Do 1 core-focused yoga session each week
Developing a strong mid-section is important for musculoskeletal health. Yoga core sessions are great for building a strong core … so resolve to incorporate some serious core training time each week into a yoga practice.
14. Create a weekly 8-pronged focused yoga session
There are many types of yoga poses: seated poses, twists, forward bends, standing, balance poses, core, backbends and inversion poses. A great yoga goal is to establish a practice that incorporates all of them over the course of a week. Incorporate all within a session or over the course of several sessions.
15. Get 200 Hour Certified
If one really wants to take a yoga practice to the next level- do a yoga teacher training course. It doesn’t mean that teaching must follow. Many non-teachers take teacher training to deepen their practice. It’s costly and time-consuming, but it will take a yoga routine to the next level.
16. Go on a yoga retreat
Combine vacation and yoga by going on a yoga retreat. It’s a great way to get away from it all while enjoying a deep yoga experience in a live setting with an accomplished teacher and fellow yogis.
17. Do a cleanse (if really ambitious, do a cleanse every 3 months)
Cleanses can refresh our bodies and minds. Some people do cleanses regularly. While cleanses have many health benefits- beware of the ones that are too extreme. Likewise, yogis should consult their doctor about any cleanse before beginning.
18. Start Pranayama
Pranayama is like meditation … it tends to be avoided. However, pranayama can have a profound impact on one’s life and practice. Be sure to learn and do pranayama with an accomplished yoga teacher experienced and knowledgeable about pranayama.
Goals can be fun and healthy. Take care to avoid getting too fixated, but by setting goals one can take a yoga practice to the next level and learn something new about yoga.
