How To Set Up A Home Yoga Studio

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Everyone seems to be busting asanas and flows on the mat and Omm-ing their way to Zen these days. An ancient technique that combines breathing, physical movement, and spiritual practice, yoga can be performed anywhere: in the studio, out in the park, or at home. If you’re looking to relocate your yoga sessions to private quarters, you’ll need to stage the yogi nook with due care.

When designing the at-home yoga studio, you should bear in mind the five yamas and niyamas, and make sure the yoga nook is conducive to dharana (concentration), dhyana (meditation), and samadhi (state of yogic ecstasy).

Sounds too complicated? No need to panic: here’s a brief step-by-step guide to help you stage your yogic nest like a pro Zen designer.

SEE ALSO: Auras: What They Mean And How To See Them

Free the Energy Flow of Clutter

According to Feng Shui and Zen design principles, clutter hinders uninterrupted energy flow, and as such has no place in a yoga studio. A rule of thumb when staging an at-home yoga corner is to stick to the minimalist formula and use only the elements vital for the yoga routine, such as yoga mats and stability balls, and perhaps a few basic furnishings such as a low table, beanbag, or a shelf. A minimalist design will help you boost concentration and energy flow, and minimize yoga room cleanup and maintenance hassle.

Expert tip: when decorating your yoga studio, you can order the critical homeware online and have it delivered to your doorstep: it’ll save you time, cash, and nerves down the road.

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May Mother Nature Guide You

If you’ve ever been to a yoga studio, you’ve probably noticed that most of the elements found there are made from organic materials. Yogis support sustainable design and mindful living, and if you want to stay true to Zen when dressing up your at-home yoga studio, make sure you use naturally sourced décor pieces. Also, it would be ideal if you could set up the yogic corner in an east-facing room that receives lots of sunlight in the morning: the warm rays of sun will brighten up your mood and help you stay motivated for meditation, asanas, and niyama practice.

Floors Dressed for Yoga Success

As a general rule, the floors of your private yoga studio should be left nude, as this will slice the risk of trip-and-fall incidents. Ideally, the room in which you’ll stage your yogic nook should have non-squeaky hardwood floors, but if this isn’t an option, you can always dress up vinyl sheets or tiles in wall-to-wall carpeting for underfoot comfort and better flooring thermal properties. With the flooring sorted, you should throw down a handful of thick towels and top them with quality yoga mats to hack superior yogic comfort.

The Sounds and Scents of Peace

With the yoga studio bare bones in place, you should turn your attention to décor details such as scented candles, incense sticks, and other extras that can take your at-home yoga experience to the next level. The at-home yoga corner should look, sound, and smell like a private Zen temple, so feel free to throw in a standalone audio system or a set of speakers you’ll use to stream yoga tunes from your smartphone or mp3 player.

Other things you can add to your yoga nook include oil burners and fragrant oils, dream catchers, motivational posters, and other extras which fit your stylistic bill – just make sure you don’t go overboard with details, to stay on the slick side of the yoga room.

Snug Cushions Keep Yogis Warm

Have you ever seen an at-home gym or yoga studio without at least a handful of mattresses? Of course you haven’t. If you don’t want to spend a small fortune on exercise mats, try using a few stacks of cushions to infuse your private Zen temple with comfort and warmth, and top the snug studio décor with thick blankets, area rugs, and throws to set up a cozy corner in your very own Zen haven. After all, if you’re going to spend your mornings meditating and busting flows on the mat, you can at least do the hard yogic work in the lap of comfort and style.

Decorating an at-home yoga corner is easy – in fact, it’s a hundred times easier than performing some of the most complex yoga poses. Why pay for a spot in a downtown yoga center if you can have a studio all to yourself, and in the heart of your home no less? Follow the steps listed above when decorating the yoga nook and the Zen temple out of your wildest yogic dreams will become a reality in a matter of hours. Namaste.

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