7 Ways to Practice Yoga Without a Mat
by Shannon McCasland E-RYT 500 & Abby Geurds RYT 200
Did you know that Yoga is so much more than the physical practice you see on the mat? Patanjali’s 8 limbs are a way of enjoying life – guiding us to become the best versions of ourselves all while being mindful and purposeful in our personal practices.
What most people don’t realize is that Asana (the physical practice of Yoga) is only one of eight limbs and without the others we are missing out on so many of the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual benefits. What’s even worse is many people who aren't interested in the physical practice of Yoga, think that they just aren’t a ‘yoga person’ - but there are 7 other ways they might enjoy practicing yoga and all its benefits.
For this reason, we teach Patanjali’s 8 limbs in Radiance Yoga’s 200-Hour Teacher Training with the goal of shining a modern light on how we can bring awareness to all the ways one can practice Yoga throughout daily life both on and off the mat.
Before we dive into the 8 limbs, we want you to know that there’s no right or wrong way to approach them. You don’t need to practice in sequential order or all at once. Simply begin where you feel most comfortable and inspired. Many students do begin with the physical practice of asana but you really don’t need a mat or yoga class to explore yoga.
Check out each of Patanjali’s 8 limbs below along with inspiration for how you might begin practicing yoga without a mat.
Yamas
The Yamas include 5 social ethics that focus on our behavior and how we interact with the external world around us. A great way to start exploring the Yamas is with journaling prompts. Find a brief definition and simple journaling prompt for each Yama below. We recommend choosing one prompt per day or per week to observe how each Yama shows up in your life.
Ahimsa (Non-harming) - Don’t be violent or hurt other living beings physically, mentally and emotionally. In other words, acting with kindness, compassion and patience.
Journaling Prompt: How can I practice patience with and speak kindly to others today?
Satya (Non-lying) - Speaking and recognizing the truth without the cloud of our emotions and perceptions interfering.
Journaling Prompt: Where might I be judging others and if I step inside their shoes, what do I see?
Asteya (Non-stealing) - Not taking what is not yours including material things, time, emotions and energy.
Journaling Prompt: How can I be more mindful of the time and/or energy that I require from others?
Brahmacharya (Balance) - Traditionally defined as retraining from sexual desires but we can also interpret this Yama as not over-indulging in anything.
Journaling Prompt: Where do I have excess in my life and how might I start balancing it today?
Aparighara (Gratitude) - Not being overly possessive or greedy and not taking advantage of others.
Journaling Prompt: What is one thing I am grateful for today?
Niyamas
The Niyamas include 5 observances that focus on our internal practices and self-discipline involving body, mind and spirit. Just like the Yamas, a great way to start exploring the Niyamas is with journaling prompts. Find a brief definition and simple journaling prompt for each Niyama below. We recommend choosing one prompt per day or per week to observe how each Niyama shows up in your life.
Saucha (Cleanliness) - Keeping your body, mind and environment clean and free from clutter.
Journaling Prompt: Braindump all of your thoughts for 5 minutes, cross off the ones that do not serve you and let them go.
Santosha (Contentment) - Finding peace and satisfaction with where you are rather than with expectations or results.
Journaling Prompt: What in life makes me the happiest right now?
Tapas (Self-discipline) - Staying the path and getting comfortable being uncomfortable.
Journaling Prompt: What is one area in my life that I can push myself and take the leap?
Swadhyaya (Self study) - A regular practice of reflection and the ability to recognize our own strengths, weaknesses and opportunities to grow.
Journaling Prompt: What is one mistake I made recently and what can I learn from it?
Ishvara Pranidhana (Connection to higher power) - Seeing the bigger picture and trusting your purpose in life. This can also have religious affiliation.
Journaling Prompt: What do you want to experience, learn and teach in your lifetime?
Asana (the only one that requires a mat!)
Asana refers to the physical postures in yoga which most of us know and love! Our modern day spin on Asana at Radiance Yoga is to forget rigid sequences and expectations for our bodies and instead learn to slow down, tune in and accept our bodies where they are at each moment. Asana can be practiced on your own in short or long bouts - one pose at a time or a series of poses. Of course we can practice yoga classes as well. A great way to get started is with an online practice like our 20 Minute Gentle Flow on YouTube. If you enjoy practicing at home, more classes can be found at Radiance Yoga on Demand. If you need the motivation and accountability of an in-person class and community, check out your local studio like Radiance Yoga and sign-up for a class!
Pranayama
Pranayama is all about the breath and it’s one of our favorite ways to practice yoga on and off the mat at Radiance. The reason we love it is because it’s so easy and accessible to get started. A simple, consistent breathing practice can transform your nervous system, overall stress response and well-being. The more you practice intentionally the more you’ll find you breathe deeper without thinking about it and remain calm in response to everyday stressors. A few ideas to start practicing now:
Build in a moment to pause and breathe during your day. Pick an everyday cue like a red light or waiting for your coffee to brew to take 3 long slow breaths in… and out…
Practice breathing in bed to help you fall asleep. Our favorite technique for this is the extended exhale - Breathe in to a slow count of 4, 3, 2, 1… and breathe out to a slower count of 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1... The emphasis on the exhale stimulates your body’s natural relaxation response.
Need some help getting started? Try a guided breath practice like our Breath Awareness Meditation on YouTube. If you like it, carve out just 5-10 minutes every day to practice and check out even more guided practice at Radiance Yoga On-Demand.
Pratyahara
Pratyahara involves tuning inward and tuning out external stimuli and senses. Easier said than done right? With loud noises outside your window, constant notifications on your phone or yummy smelling chocolate chip cookies in the oven it might seem impossible but here’s one way to start practicing…
Unplug from all the distractions of your phone and technology for a certain period of time. Begin with just 15 minutes and then try 30 minutes or more. Taking this one major distraction out of the picture will allow you to be more present and enjoy the life that is happening right where you are.
Dharana
Dharana is the practice of focusing our attention on a single point. Notice the word ‘practice’! It’s totally normal that your brain will jump around but with the practice of Dharana we simply recognize when the mind has wandered and bring it back to our single point of focus. Think of it like a glass of water with 5 small holes. We can use one hand to block 4 out of the 5 holes and only allow water to leak in one direction. When we are distracted, water may begin to leak again in other directions but all we have to do is bring our focus back to blocking 4 so all of the water can flow in one direction. Dharana can be practiced with almost anything as your focus but here are a few ideas:
Visualization of your favorite place
Mantra - Inhale “I am” Exhale “enough” and repeat 3-10 times
Try this Affirmation Meditation on our YouTube channel
Adult coloring books or mandala coloring sheets
Any hobby or activity
Dhyana
If Dharana is a practice, most think of Dhyana as more of an uninterrupted state of concentration. It’s when you can string moments together of being completely focused on a singular object or activity without having to try. Thinking back to that glass of water, you’d be able to keep the water flowing through just one hole, in one direction without any effort or thinking about blocking the others.
For modern day life at Radiance Yoga, we don’t like to work Dhyana or meditation up to be this big, intimidating, hard to achieve “state” that only a select few get to experience. Instead, we focus on the practice of Dharana and overtime find that students have more and more success with finding longer periods of uninterrupted focus. So if Dharana is the practice of focusing our attention, one way to tap into Dhyana is to practice guided meditation and continue to increase your practice time when you feel ready to do so! Try this 20 Minute Bedtime Body Scan on our YouTube channel or check out Radiance Yoga On-Demand for many more options!
Samadhi
Samadhi is another one that we can’t just practice as easily as we can practice pranayama or asana. Instead, we can think of Samadhi as a state of profound peace and connection to the present moment. And that doesn’t have to be as unreachable or intimidating as it first sounds! Traditionally, this was thought of as being “enlightened” but again, for modern day purposes we don’t think we need to scare anyone away or make this exclusive.
Instead, we teach Samadhi as finding a “flow state” which might be in a yoga class or during one of your favorite activities like running, playing an instrument, crafting, etc. Think of the activities you “get lost” in and don’t even have to think about to stay connected with. Carve out time to enjoy those activities and you’ll find your own personal definition of Samadhi.
So there you have it - All of Patanjali’s 8 limbs of Yoga and did you notice that only one of them (Asana) requires a mat and the physical poses that we mostly think of as ‘Yoga’.
If you think that the physical practice is not for you, and that you could never be a ‘yoga person’ think again! We’ve just outlined 7 additional ways you can practice Yoga, some of which you may already be practicing without realizing it.
Now that you know these everyday practices can bring you many of the benefits without ever rolling out a yoga mat or stepping foot in a studio, does this change your thoughts on being a ‘yoga person’?
No matter how you choose to practice yoga, know that it is a practice for progress, not perfection. The beautiful thing about this is that we are constantly evolving and embracing life’s swerves.
Maybe today you love the physical practice of yoga, but in the future circumstances will change and you won’t be able to practice asana for a long period of time. In that case we want to encourage you to lean into the other 7 limbs of yoga.
Maybe today you aren’t ready to step onto a mat and flow through the poses. But which of the other limbs piques your interest? Maybe a few deep breaths before your next work meeting, journaling before bedtime or carving out time to “get lost” in your favorite hobby more often.
No matter how you choose to practice, you’ll be creating your own unique journey to finding a deeper connection with yourself and the world around you, and that my friend, is yoga!