12 Niche (and kind of crazy) yoga rituals that make the practice your own

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: the way you do yoga is the way you live. In addition to your actual time on the mat, this reality is reflected in the yoga habits that accompany your practice. That pre-yoga cup of tea that must be drunk from a particular mug, the music played along the way, the painstaking adjustment of your mat so that it lines up with the floorboards… these micro-moments combine into a regimen that can border on ritual.

We gathered our team of editors and chatted, quickly discovering that our little routines before, after, and during yoga are pretty specific. And yes, sometimes crazy.

Are these things really important? Not at all. Our physical practice comes down to breath, intention and allowing. But it’s fun and funny to think how bad human we all strive for presence. I hope our little bits of awareness will prompt you to notice some of your own little rituals – and smile.

12 Yoga Habits We Just Can’t Quit

From favorite props to after-class outings, these are the kinds of yoga habits that make the practice even more personal.

1. No obligations

“I don’t register for class until the morning of class, even if it’s an evening class, so I don’t have to cancel. But I literally never cancel. So…WTF. But I don’t care about commitments in general, so…”

2. Styling session

“The ritual where I lay out my yoga clothes the night before or morning of class. It can also be fun if I have a new yoga top or leggings to try out.”

3. Outfit repeater

“I wear a variation of that flared leggings and sports bras for every class. They are from Doel. I love them.”

4. The right time

“I leave my apartment at an exact time, 7:07 a.m. to be exact, to make it to my 7:30 a.m. class a little earlier. If I leave earlier or later, it feels a little strange.”

5. Before you’re done

“To keep myself out of my mind when I’m afraid to go to class for any reason (maybe I haven’t been in a while or I’m afraid to see people) I remind myself, ‘start before you’re ready.’ This lights a fire under me and brings me into the moment. Even though I still have anxious butterflies, it puts me into action and keeps me in the room at all times.

6. My parking spot, my cubicle

“We’re all creatures of habit in general, but for some reason this seems to be doubly so on class days. I have a specific parking spot that I’m bizarrely attached to, along with a preferred cubicle. I’ve found that on days when these very public spaces are occupied by someone else, I’m a little confused. That’s probably not very yoga of me.”

7. Mat placement

“I have a specific spot where I roll out my mat. It depends on the class and the studio: the second row all the way to the left if it’s in yin, the middle row, second from the right in vinyasa. I have no idea why I do this. But there’s something ritualistic and soothing about having the same benefit.”

8. All in a row

“If the classroom floors are hardwood or there are seams, my mat needs to be exactly aligned. I stop halfway through the lesson if I notice that my mat is not aligned properly to address this very important issue.”

9. Favorite props

“There are certain blanket colors that I really don’t like. I always choose one that is on my approved list. Ideally it is pink. Turquoise is also on my approved list. Purple if the teacher insists we have a blanket and the rest is taken. I will go without instead of choosing another color!”

10. Say “Thank You”

“I silently thank the teacher after Savasana. No big drama. Sometimes it’s a conversation, and sometimes it’s just a nod or a wave and an articulate ‘thank you’ when they’re surrounded by students asking questions. For me, it’s closure instead of just running headlong back into life.”

11. Coffee after class

“After class, I get coffee, tea, or matcha from a local spot on the same block. It feels good to be around people after letting go of a lot of excess emotional stuff I’ve been carrying around. I like to notice that I’m a little looser/more chatty/less in my head, even in small interactions like with the guy behind the counter.”

12. The yoga cloud

“Sometimes, after a good lesson, I just lie in bed and enjoy the good atmosphere. Normally I’m always looking for the next thing to do or what to think about. But after the lesson I allow myself to cold without external stimulation: no music, no telephone, only actual presence. Maybe I’m drinking tea or something, but I’m just vibrating in my yoga cloud.