On developing a self-practice — Maya Butti

My most fulfilling yoga practice is self-practice. A self-practice is when we practice by ourselves, without a teacher guiding us through the practice. A self-practice can be done by following set sequence which we have learnt, or by free flowing through postures.

For me, self-practice is when I experience true yoga, a true union with myself. When I am guided by my breath rather than someone’s voice, the inward journey becomes not just easier, but deeper. An exploration of my inner world facilitated by breath and movement.

So long as our attention is moving outward to an external source to receive instruction, our journey inwards can be limited. When attention is going outward, it’s impossible to go completely within.

I don’t discredit classes guided by a teacher- I take them and I teach them. It would be challenging to develop a self-practice without a teacher and attending classes.

Attending classes is important to improve our alignment, to receive adjustments, to learn new postures, to hear perspectives which are not in our consciousness, to share the energy of our practice with others, develop relationships... and more. They are a place to learn, deepen and share.

If anything, self-practice and teacher-led classes complement one another. When taking a teacher led class, we often must do postures that we don’t like and would naturally avoid in self-practice. We hold postures for longer than we would like, and in alignment which may feel unnatural but it more beneficial. All of this is yoga- learning to be equanimeous in the face of obstacles or unpleasant situations.

As we find ourselves in this time of global introspection, if you haven’t already tried a self-practice, this is the perfect occasion. A time to explore our inner workings, and see ourselves as we truly are, gently and quietly.

Allow yourself to be guided by your body- it will take you where it wants to go.

Allow yourself to be guided by your breath- it will take you inwards.

My advice for developing a self-practice is as follows:

Write up a set base sequence and repeat the sequence until your body remembers it completely. Once your body remembers where to go and the “thinking” element (which posture should I do next?) is removed, the breathwork and inner journey is facilitated.
Start small- a short and comfortable sequence which you can build upon is more likely to be repeated than something which is too hard or strenuous. 3-5 sun salutations is a good start. Once your sequence is set, you can always add and subtract pieces to suit your body on the day.
Repeat your sequence at regular intervals- it doesn’t have to be daily, but at least 2-3 times a week is great for muscle memory and cognitive memory.
A self-practice requires self-discipline (Tapas as called in Yoga Philosophy). It may take some trial and error to find your sequences or your rhythm, but once established, stay with it. Always be guided by your breath.
Stay consistent. When we do self-practice, we are forced to see our true self. Our attention can only go inwards as we are not listening to an external voice. The inward journey is deeper and it is common for self-practice to trigger some discomfort within us. It requires us to shed the layers of ourself which no longer fit who we are. This can be confronting and lead us to avoid the practice. Stay with your breath and work thruogh it. Practice and all is coming.
If your set sequence begins to feel like groundhog day, chances are you are not being fully present in your practice. It is not from changing postures everyday that we experience yoga, but it is through repetition that we can experience the postures as new postures every day. We can experience being fully present in our experience in that moment and catch ourself when we are not. Your triangle today, is different to your triangle yesterday.

I personally use a modified Ashtanga primary sequence and occasionally add a few postures once completed at the end. I have been practicing the same sequence on and off for 8 years and feel it is a new practice almost every time. I have been consistent, and also waned for extended periods. My set sequence shows me how far I have come or regressed. The beauty of my self-practice is being able to focus completely on my breath, rather than seeking an external source of queue.

Hopefully this helps to step you towards a self practice!