DEVELOPING A PERSONAL PRACTICE 217no longer necessary. In this case, you will reach out and grab the bottom of
the foot where the strap used to be positioned.
Blanket
Although you can probably get away without having a blanket, it is definitely
worth considering. I prefer the wool blankets commonly found in yoga studios.
These can also be used to provide padding. Many people need padding under
the back knee in dragon. Sometimes a block or bolster is too thick and the
blanket provides an in-between option. You can also place a blanket under
the front hip in sleeping swan, and blankets provide comfort in corpse pose.
Placing the blanket under the head or even across the belly in a pose like
reclining butterfly can take your comfort to a higher level of bliss.
Timer and Music
Using a timer to keep track of time will ensure that you do both sides of the
poses evenly. Most smartphones come with a digital stopwatch that you can
use as a timer. You can also use a separate stopwatch or the function on your
watch if it has one. Because you want to relax as much as possible in your
practice, minimize the jarring sounds of a timer going off. I let the stopwatch
keep running through my whole practice and do a quick calculation to know
when I started and when I need to come out. Over time, your inner clock will
become more refined and your intuition will let you know when you’re close
to finishing. Sometimes, in a difficult pose, it may feel like you have been
there for five minutes when in reality you have only been there 50 seconds.
This is another reason why tracking your time is important; the clock will hold
you accountable for remaining in the position until your time is up. Along
those lines, always have a game plan before your practice. Know how long
you want to hold the poses. If it is a shorter practice, the holds might be two
minutes. If it is a longer practice, then the holds might be five minutes or more.
Playing music in the background of your practice can greatly enhance your
enjoyment. Be sure to pick whatever invokes calmness and serenity. Try to
have your whole playlist mapped out, so that once you start your practice,
you are not in a position of having to act as a DJ. You don’t want the music
to become a distraction. You want it to enhance the yin qualities of finding
stillness and going internal. At other times, practice with no music can provide
another kind of powerful exploration. Simple silence can be transformative.
Explore and experiment with different techniques to see what feels best. Also,
listen to your inner wisdom and, before you practice, see what it is asking for.
If you use your smartphone for music or for a stopwatch, use the airplane
mode function. It can be tempting in a long yin pose to get distracted if
you can access emails, text messages, and the Internet on your phone. It is
inevitable that discomfort or boredom will arise within your practice. Guess
what happens the moment your mind becomes bored and restless? It seeks