The Adventure Continues: Creating your Sequence!

Alright, we have dealt with most of the big obstacles in setting up a personal yoga practice: intention, planning, space and time. If you're new and would like some ideas or thoughts around any of those please feel free to go check them out along with the comment sections for extras!

Now we are ready. Ready to embark on this Yoga Adventure. I'm at the top of my mat, I am dressed for yoga awesomeness, have some candles, children and partner won't bother me..... and I have no idea what exactly to DO. The last hurdle is believing that yes- you can practice safely without a teacher.
I'm not implying that teachers are not necessary as part of your yoga practice. Good yoga instructors are essential in providing appropriate feedback and helping you try something new and grow in your practice among many other aspects. However, I do believe that so many people think that they "can't" create a sequence or practice safely on their own.

First: the safety issue. After a few traumatizing yoga experiences of my own, I have sadly come to the realization that just because the person is a certified yoga instructor, that may not mean they are 'good' yoga teachers. Certification no longer automatically means 'quality and trusted' yoga teacher in my mind and new teachers always take time to earn my trust. Sad? Maybe a little, but I've been pushed, adjusted, ridiculed and chastised too many times by different yoga instructors to blindly do what the instructor asks.
Regardless if you are in a class or by yourself, your body is your BEST safety alarm. I will never forget one of the teachers in Montreal scolding me, in front of the entire class I might add, for popping in and out of postures too quickly. Ultimately she was right it is so important to mindfully move through each asana so that you can be very aware of how each movement feels. Any hint of real pain and that should be enough to stop, adjust or take a nice rest in child's pose. Pain is not gain, it's your body warning you of injury. You know your body the best and how far is safe to 'push' it, just be very mindful while practicing at home AND during class.

On to what exactly will you DO during your awesome Personal Practice. This has been an evolution for me and I'm confident that as you become more comfortable with practicing at home you'll become better at knowing what type of practice works best for you!
VIDEOS
My very first personal practice were my awkward, on a quilted blanket because I didn't yet own a mat, DVD Vinyasa yoga with Seane Corn. DVD's are always an option for those who feel completely overwhelmed by trying to figure out which sequence, which postures or which podcast to work from. A few DVD's, like Shiva Rea's Shakti DVD, allow for further growth where you can pick and choose should you wish to change it up.

Another option, as we are all pretty hard up for cash, would be free online videos. I've been trying to find some really nice ones recently and have had a bit of difficulty. My issue? I spend so much time looking for a decent one and weeding out crap.

My Yoga Online has a very nice selection of classes ranging from four minutes to an hour. However, a monthly membership costs 9.95$.
YogaYak has a nice selection of asana, meditation, pranayama along with nicely outlined categories.
Ekhart Yoga Online is a wonderful selection of videos with Esther Ekhart and a variety of other yoga instructors. There is a nice variety of videos (and a free video section!) as well as workshops, blog entries and talks. Worth checking out.
Although videos are nice, I have found that I'm not really a 'video yoga' kind of Yogini. I much prefer to practice without looking at a computer screen and as such my home practice in BC morphed into pre-made yoga picture sequences.
Pre-Made Sequences
At the time I hadn't yet kicked my magazine addiction (so terrible for the planet!) and was reading The Yoga Journal. Each month there is a Home Practice section with a cut-out picture+instruction sequence. WOO! I sticky-tacked my favourites on the wall and off I went! Unfortunately the online version doesn't have the pretty, in a page round about version but can still be printed off easily. My favourites: A fine balance (Anusara Sequence) and Strength and Grace (Vinyasa Flow sequence). They include suggestions to begin and end each sequence and how to move between postures. Of course, like any sequence not written for myself, I modify or change those postures that are impossible or painful to do (for example I don't do tripod headstand...lol).
Another wonderful option on Yoga Journal is the Yoga Sequence Builder option. It allows you to browse the asanas and pick and choose in sequence! Each pose is categorized as 'all levels', 'intermediate' or 'advanced' and you can print it off once you're done. This works especially well if you have an idea of what postures you like and have some time to browse through. The tricky part is knowing how some postures go together and how to make them flow.
How about you? Do you have any excellent free-online sequence links, videos etc to share? I'd love to hear about them :) What about any tips or building a sequence ideas that have worked well? I have heard that there is a 'stick-man' yoga website where you can download icons of different postures, but with a price. I prefer to draw my own. (my 'yoga book' where I took my fav articles, cut them out and put them in this handy reference guide!)

Right now my personal practice consists of scribbling common names of asanas and notes on where I'd like to go in the practice. Often if I forget the name I'll make something up to describe it and maybe draw a little yoga stick man :)

Blessings!


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