Routine to ritual- elevate your yoga routine through ritual

home practice online yoga ritual sadhana selfcare yoga Apr 07, 2025

Whakaritenga - Ritual elevate your practice, and open the door to transformation...

"Routines are concrete repetitive actions that help us develop skills while creating continuity and order

Rituals are routines elevated, driven by intention, and imbued with meaning."

- Esther Perel

Come back to your self by creating a ritual for your practice. And open the door to your inner world, which helps us to know, love and understand ourselves.

We can move into a deeper practice than we ever thought possible at home, by turning our yoga routine into a Ritual - Whakaritenga.

This is called your sadhana in yoga, your sadhana is your practice that has deeper meaning to you than physical practice alone.

A Sadhana is a practice that enhances our physical, emotional, spiritual, and mental wellbeing. It helps us to grow. It is done with intention, and awareness.

Whatever your reasons to practice, having an intention will elevate it. Your intention informs your ritual with awareness. It is good to ask yourself "what is the intention of my practice?"

Rituals and intentions help to embed, give power to, and activate your practice.

If your yoga routine feels a little dry, or just not all it could be, creating a ritual may help renew it.

Here's FIVE ideas to help turn your yoga routine into ritual, and reap the benefits in your life ;

1. Props - to help you to feel supported

Props can be cushions, chairs, bolsters, blocks, small tables or stools, beds, blankets, a shawl to wrap around your shoulders during meditation, etc.

You don't need to buy anything expensive, you may have everything you need at home already.

But, if you do buy something special choose colours, fabrics and materials that are naturally calming, warming or supportive. Think organic, non toxic, simple and supportive.

By creating an environment that is special to you, you will want to return to it again and again. And the pieces you choose will become imbued with the special energy of your practice.

As soon as you see, feel, touch, smell or hear these items, you will notice yourself relaxing and preparing mentally for your practice.

Here's an example from my own experience- My teachers studio door was painted bright orange, when walking towards the studio for class, as soon as I saw the door I began to relax and let go of the day.

You can recreate this at home by having a special place or item that is associated with your ritual.

A shawl for meditation, a mala for mantra repition, a crystal, cushion or other special item in your practice space.

I also associate the smell of nag champ incense with the feeling and act of practice.

Though I no longer 'need' these items to practice, they still offer a positive association with practice for me. And an immediate feeling of stepping into a different mode, where everyday issues subside, and I am able to focus on my sadhana/ practice without distraction.

The beauty of yoga is that it can be done with absolutely nothing but your body if you choose...

However, sometimes props such as cushions, bolsters and chairs in certain poses enable our body to let go. Having something under the body allows that part to relax, and possibly move more safely and effectively.

We mentally and physically release any sense of 'holding'. Our para-sympathetic nervous system is activated. Alleviating chronic stress (that releases cortisol into the body, causing inflammation. )

Props enable you to practice compassionately too, avoiding forcing and straining in certain poses.( And practice Ahimsa, non harming, one of the limbs of yoga.)

2. Your space - set the scene

When you practice regularly in the same place this can create a calming energy that you feel each time you return to the space. But if you don't have room in your home for a dedicated yoga space, that's also okay, the energy of your practice enhances the space, wherever you choose to take it.

Try and choose or create a space that is simple, and comfortable.

Make sure that the space you choose is safe!

- a chair or wall can be used for support in balance poses, and be aware of anything that could pose a risk if you fall!

- A candle flame can represent the inner light, the life force, divinity, or the fire element, but be sure to place them on a plate and snub them out after your practice!

TIP : If you like to move around the house for practice have a basket, bag or box, for your yoga props or accessories.

3. Create an altar -

You may like to create an altar, which can be a picture of someone or something you dedicate your practice to, or who inspires you, lights or a candle, or flowers to bring creative feminine energy into the space and your practice.

Crystals, incense or oils, can form part of an altar, add something you found in nature, plants, flowers, rocks can represent the earth element, the feminine creative force.

A special picture or symbol that has meaning for you. It can be kept as simple or as elaborate as you care to make it. These are symbols of meaning to YOU and not about the aesthetic nature of the items alone.

Lighting incense clears the energy and the simple act of lighting a candle can let your body and nervous system know that it's time to relax.

4. Time, when to practice?

Practicing at the same time and place helps to embed your practice so that it becomes a regular ritual for you. Is after your shower the prefect time? Or perhaps you have an energy dip in the afternoon, and could use this time to rest, restore and renew?

Find the time and place that is right for you. A time and place where you can let go and turn inward.

This is your time for you.

Don't rush - perhaps allocate a shorter time for practice so you don't need to rush, and can fit it into your day.

This is preferable to aiming for a longer practice that you seldom achieve, which can also make you feel guilty when you skip it. Try 15- 20 minutes, daily, or 3 days a week.

Play with your schedule to find what works for you, and remember that intention we talked about earlier. This may determine your time of day and how long your practice is. Use your intuitive knowing. What works for others may not work for you.

I feel it is better to be flexible and maintain a sustainable practice, that set rigid rules and give up when it gets too hard to maintain. Compassion and self love come in here again.

5. What is your Intention?

This is probably the most important aspect to lift your routine to ritual. Take some time to reflect and ask, what is the intention of my practice? Your intention doesn't need to be justified, approved or even spoken about by anyone else. But is you do have a friend or community or fellow yoga practitioners that you can talk to, and feel safe to do so, that can be a place to start if unsure.

Community, fellow practitioners or your teacher can give guidance, support and inspiration on your journey.

Dedicating your practice to someone or something, or make it an offering to someone or something is one way to honour an intention with practice. Here's a few ideas..

greater peace
joy
aroha, love and compassion
inner strength
alleviate suffering
greater health and wellbeing for yourself, which has a ripple effect on those around you

There are no limits, make your own and choose what has meaning for you and what you would like to elevate in your life. Yoga practice can be even more powerful when combined with your intention.

A few more tips!

Leave your phone or any devices you're not using in another room. Or put it on silent and turn off notifications. This is your time for YOU, and distractions are best kept to an absolute minimum. You are important, you are worthy of your time and energy.
Be sure that you have everything before you begin - cushions, blankets, bolsters, blocks, chairs or stools, shawl, etc. Keep them together in a basket or bag.
Rome wasn't built in a day, like anything else- it takes time, especially if creating a ritual is something new for you.
Time and repetition, is needed to grasp many of the broad range of practices of yoga. Yoga is not just the physical practices. Think about all of your Taha - sides of you, mental, physical, emotional, spiritual, and how these are all inter-twined. Your ritual can reflect this.
Reflect, take 5 minutes after practice to write about your experiences.

Do try and stay with your ritual or sadhana for a while before changing it. Reflect and notice anything you feel after a while of practice. If you do need to make tweaks and modify, do so once you have reflected.

When practiced with intention and awareness, yoga can give you tools to help ride the waves, the ups and downs of life, to give yourself and perhaps others grace when needed. It can be transformative and healing, and not merely a routine.

🪷 You can elevate your routine to be one of RITUAL

Remember,

Creating a ritual for your practice can bring in more joy and beauty associated with it.
Reviewing your ritual or routine can bring back the shine if it has gone dry.
Ritual brings more AROHA into your practice, and reminds us to be intentional in our self-care.
Self care is essential to give us the energy needed to care for others too
Rituals elevate every day routines giving them more meaning, opening the door to transformation and healing.

Happy Practicing!

P.S - Practice with me online with my self-paced course- Yoga for Calm, please join here

Try a short practice for free - here

For my audio guided deep relaxation journey to use at home please join here

To join the newsletter list and be notified when a new blog post is available please sign up here