How to practice yoga when you're not in Lycra

Did you know that the physical part of yoga is only a small part of the whole practice? Yep. True story. As the popularity of yoga grows it’s easy to forget that there’s more to it than snazzy leggings and pretzel-like Instagram posts.

Despite being a small piece of a much bigger puzzle, the postures (asanas) are something we tend to focus on the most. It’s the most tangible element of yoga, an often an easy entry point - whether that’s joining a studio class, practicing at home, or even doing a few sneaky stretches while at work. But what about those other aspects? Good question!

The Yoga Sutras (a famous yoga text) are a foundational part of yogic philosophy and are made up of 196 short verses that are essentially words of wisdom on how to live a happy and healthy life through yoga.

According to Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, there are eight limbs of yoga:

1) YAMA: five moral considerations to live your life by - think of them as yogic ethics.

- Ahimsa (non-harm)

- Satya (being truthful)

- Asteya (not stealing)

- Brahmacharya (restraint / nothing in excess)

- Aparigraha (not being greedy)

2) NIYAMA: Five things we can strive for in order to improve ourselves.

- Saucha (cleanliness)

- Santosha (contentment)

- Tapas (discipline)

- Svadhyaya (self-study / self-improvement)

- Isvara Pranidhana (devotion)

3) ASANA: the physical practice of yoga, but originally it referred mainly to a meditation posture.

4) PRANAYAMA: breath control and techniques.

5) PRATYAHARA: withdrawal of the senses, so you focus on what’s inside rather than outside in order to limit distractions.

6) DHARANA: concentration.

7) DHYANA: meditation.

8) SAMADHI: a state of bliss / the ultimate end goal.

It might sound complicated, but the good news is that you’re probably doing most of these without even realising, although, bringing more awareness to your actions is always encouraged.

A lot of these points are self explanatory, but to make this easier to digest and understand, here’s how I adopt a few of these principals into my own life.

Ahimsa (non-harm): I hope it goes without saying that I don’t make a habit of beating people up (and at 4’11 I doubt I’d do much damage). Physical harm is easy for me to avoid, but emotional or mental harm is more difficult. Sometimes I’m very hard on myself and my own worst critic. I need to remember to be more accepting, kind and compassionate when things aren’t perfect or going my way. A simplified approach to ahimsa is essentially showing kindness to others and kindness to yourself. Other good examples of Ahimsa are not harming animals or the planet. It goes beyond being nice to humans.

Aparigraha (not being greedy): Easier said than done when it comes to chocolate, although in most aspects of my life I think I’m good at ‘non-greed’. Aparigraha also means not wanting unnecessary things, or being jealous of what other people have. I’m consciously trying not to compare myself to others, but to appreciate our differences. Thanks to yoga, I’ve gotten pretty good at being content with what I have.

Pratyahara, Dharana and Dhyana: I’m the first to admit that my meditation practice could be more consistent. Sitting still and being quiet aren’t my strongest skills, but the good news is that meditation is more than sitting cross legged and trying to empty your mind. For me, these three limbs are very connected; first you become less distracted, then you can focus, then (sometimes - if you’re lucky) you enjoy some moments of peace.

I prefer moving meditations like going for a walk or repeating a really simple sequence of movements. I also find it much easier to count, or say a phrase (mantra) over and over. Mala beads are good for this kind of meditation especially when your mind is prone to wandering. It’s impossible to simply switch-off your brain (and that’s never been the goal) so I always encourage my students not to think of it this way as it only leads to frustration. Just be more aware of your thoughts and feelings. That’s often enough.

So there you have it, seven new ways to practice yoga when you’re not in Lycra. Although if you want to keep the leggings on no-one will blame you, they’re pretty comfy!

If you’d like to deepen your practice of yoga then you may consider joining my upcoming yoga teacher training. You can see the full course curriculum here with information on all the topics we’ll cover.