As a constantly traveling Yogini, I mastered the art of practicing Yoga – no matter where I am, and no matter what is the nature of my trips. I’m here to share with you 3 tips which helped me a lot, and hopefully will help you too!
Never let expectations to ruin your reality
When I first started Yoga, I was super determined to practice every day, concerned that even one day of rest will take me ten steps backward in my practice. I used to take my Yoga mat everywhere I was traveling.
Besides Yoga, I enjoy other physical activities – scuba diving, surfing, hiking and martial arts – these are also the things I usually do during my travels.
You can probably imagine that after entire day of such activities, it’s hard to find energy, jump on the mat and start asana practice. With my personality, seeing yoga mat which is never used, sitting in the corner of the room was causing guilt.
I felt super bad that I can’t complete the plan which I which I optimistically crafted for myself.
After several trips like that, I lowered my expectations – making them possible to meet reality. Knowing that Yoga is not just the asana practice, and in life should be the time and the place for everything, I decided to focus on meditation during my travels. It improved my mood and quality of my travels – no guilt, pure pleasure!
Summer is coming and as the Yoga mat will always be there, the other amazing things can happen once in a life time. Sometimes the best way is to minimize Yoga practice just to taking hot pictures in beautiful outfits 🙂 – and that’s fine too!
It’s also an amazing feeling to step on your mat after few days of break – sometimes less means more, and a little rest can actually improve your asana practice!
Be disciplined
If your travels have a business nature, then it’s really important for you to stay on a right track!
Maintaining your regime when you’re jumping from place to place might be though, although everything is possible! Some of my students practice with me on Skype during the trips – scheduling classes is the only way for them to keep discipline.
For others is easier – maybe you’re the person who is all set with YouTube Yoga videos! And if you are, I believe it’s a great opportunity! Of course only if your practice is pretty strong, and you’re 100% positive you won’t hurt yourself doing the poses 😉
And finally some of us just can’t practice alone and we need group classes – in that case you can always try Yoga studios near by! I personally love to use class pass and try whatever pops up!
Explore the universe and be the master of your own
Traveling gives us this unusual chance to see and experience differs of culture.
And as every place has its typical food specialities, architecture, night life and nature, I’ve learned that in different places, also Yoga is practiced in – sometimes completely different – way.
I believe it’s fantastic to try varieties of styles, because you can learn a lot – not only about Yoga, but about your own self! You can discover new stuff you like, see what raises your spirits, what feeds and improves you.
If your main task is sightseeing – maybe taking just a single class and marking it as checked would be the way for you.
If you’re planning to practice everyday – you can always use class pass, or get a class package. In most places you can rent yoga mat for little money, so you don’t even have to bother to carry your own. Although I recommend to bring our own yoga towel – it weights nothing and has only your germs 😉
When in some countries I found Yoga decreasing my energy level close to zero and – I’ll take a risk and say that – even depressing, in other places I just love it!
I always like to implement new things into my practice! Trying Yoga in many places gives me that option – tones of new stuff which I can add to my “package” and therefore make my Yoga more diverse and multi level.
So far, from the places I’ve ever been, I personally love the most how Yoga is practiced in California!
If you’re ever there, I highly recommend checking some of studios – I’m sure it’s going to be a great experience for you too!
Wherever the ways will take us, we shall always remember that the most important part of Yoga practice is within us – what we think, what we say, and what we do. You can have the Yoga session of your life without even stepping on the mat :).
