Yoga while travelling – continue your practice

Is yoga a big part of your life, but you find when you travel you fall off the wagon? Making excuses of not having enough time, the mindset, the space – the mat! Let’s talk about yoga while travelling!

Yoga is a part of who I am, and anyone who has their own physical asana practice will understand – I feel best when I am practicing regularly.

So why is it when we travel to beautiful or exotic places we suddenly don’t have time for something that makes us feel so good! Below you will find tips and tricks to get you flowing on your trips, travels, and vacations.

1. Make your practice short and sweet – demanding an hour a day of yourself can be unrealistic, even while living at home and sticking to a scheduled routine. A short practice is less daunting and more likely to get you flowing regularly. Even ten minutes will give your day a little boost of happiness.

2. Join a local class – Yoga is popular, therefore it is everywhere, and likely to be where you are travelling. This can be a fun way to meet people, especially if travelling solo.

3. Bring your mat with you – I often travel with my yoga mat, it is a huge influence for getting me moving. Having the “space” is motivating, so roll out that mat and begin flowing!

4. No mat, no worries – Woke up a bit stiff from that firm hostel mattress? Use it to support your child’s pose: this will help release your lower back and relax your hips. Use a couch, chair, fake grass, carpet, wooden floor (if you’re feeling hardcore), the sand at the beach, use your imagination!

5. Don’t worry about being shy – Some of us may have the space to do yoga but feel shy practicing in front of others. As long as you’re not in the background of someone’s ocean side wedding – stealing the show – I wouldn’t worry too much. I will often find a quieter corner at the hostel I’m staying in, plug my headphones in, and relax into my practice.

6. Join a retreat – this is more of a high end option, as retreats come with a significant price tag. If this is available to you, this could be a great option. Retreats are typically situated beachfront or surrounded by lush, tropical jungle. So you are likely to find yourself in a stunning setting while practicing yoga – double win.

7. Study yoga! – I completed a 500 hour ytt (yoga teacher training) in Nepal. It was one of the best experiences of my life, I did physical yoga and meditation everyday, while learning about Ayurvedic medicine and the history of yoga. And you need not want to be a teacher to complete a training. If you are looking to grow your own practice for yourself, this is a really fun and in depth way to learn more about yoga, and you!

See Nepal Yoga Home for information on the course I studied.

I’ve practiced yoga while travelling all over the world, often moving to my own desires. I’ve practiced in hotel rooms, on North Pacific coastal beaches, fake grass at the children’s playground in Lima, hostel beds, grass lawns, rooftops in many different cities and villages, dozens of couches – firm couches preferably, and my own mat rolled out (doesn’t matter where – this is my favourite).

Shyness can prevent us from practicing in public, but don’t be let that deter you! Read the room, if people are lazing around on couches staring at their phones, you aren’t interrupting anything by enjoying your practice. This is your practice and your body, so move in a way that makes you feel good, and other people’s judgments will melt away and not matter.