Celebrate National Yoga Month

September is National Yoga month and there’s no better time to start, re-energize or deepen your yoga practice, especially as your summer trips wind down and we transition into the fall season. Here are some great tips that apply to all yoga practioners, no matter where you are in your yoga practice.

1. Practice Daily—When we view the “practice of yoga” we typically think of the physical part of the practice, “the asana”. However, the asana practice is only one sliver of the yoga pizza pie. There’s so much more to explore. Use this month to incorporate other practices of yoga into your routine besides just asana.

Meditation and pranayama are powerful and often the overlooked aspects of yoga that require little to no physical effort but still give the same benefits of relaxation, focus, clarity and stress relief. Start small with 5 minutes of pranayama first and then 5 minutes of meditation and see by the end of the month if you can increase your meditation time to 20 minutes.

2. Get Out of Your Yoga Comfort Zone—We love finding comfort in our routine but sometimes comfort can get a little boring. Take this month to explore new classes, new studios or to develop your own home practice. Too scared to try something on your own? Bring a friend. My challenge this month to explore more restorative and yin yoga classes and teachers.

3. Give Back—As much as yoga is about finding connection within the individual, it’s about collectively coming together as one community. This month make your yoga practice not only about you, but think about how you can give back. Maybe it’s as simple as attending a yoga benefit for a non-profit organization or you can even go big with it by planning your own event.

4. Get Social—Yoga is a great way to make some friends. Next time you’re on your yoga mat, say hello to your neighbor. The chances are is that it’s not the first time you’ve seen him or her. As a yoga teacher, I find that the best classes I have taught or have taken is when the environment has this warm and welcoming energy.

5. Keep your hydration in check—Hydration is key, especially if you’re practicing in a space that’s on the hot side and you seem to end up like a big puddle by the end of class. How consistent you are with drinking and what you’re drinking is key.

Throughout my day, I drink 1.5 to 3 liters of Essentia Water. I keep a bottle of Essentia with me at all times to remind me to drink and to also make sure I’m not over drinking; just drinking when I’m thirsty. Essentia has electrolytes which makes a big difference in keeping me hydrated and keeping my energy up.