Ten Ways To Celebrate National Yoga Month (Besides Practicing Yoga)

September is National Yoga Month!

Most yogis will be celebrating by practicing yoga, of course. But what else can you do?

Keep reading for 10 unique ways to celebrate National Yoga Month.

1. Add a yoga book to your reading list. What better time to learn more about the ancient practice of yoga? There are tons of books that provide information from detailed pose descriptions to the history of a specific style of yoga. Looking to keep it more light-hearted? Check out some yoga-related novels. (Not sure where to start? Check out our recommended reading - four books written by yogis, for yogis.)
   
   
2. Try a new pose. Maybe there’s a pose that you are working toward, have a love-hate relationship with, or simply don’t practice too often. You may add it to one of your regular yoga practices, or set aside some time each day to simply roll out your mat and give it a try (don’t forget to warm up if it’s an advanced pose!).
   
   
3. Set daily intentions. Intentions are sometimes integrated into a yoga practice. Think of setting an intention for the whole day a way of making your entire day a yoga practice! Whether it’s a goal, a theme, or just a mantra, this gives you something you can revisit throughout your day when challenges arise or when you just need a reminder to let something go.
   
   
4. Meditate. Whether it’s already part of your regular yoga practices or not, meditation deserves its own time in the spotlight. It may be two minutes before you start your day or five minutes to wind down before bed. Not sure where to start? There are plenty of free meditation options on YouTube or using an app like Calm, Headspace, or Insight Timer.
   
   
5. Incorporate the yamas and niyamas into your life. Typically taught as the first two of the eight limbs of yoga, the yamas and niyamas serve as guiding principles for how we can foster better relationships with ourselves and others. They teach us to live a yogic lifestyle through ideals including not causing harm to ourselves or others, being honest, finding contentment with what we have, and purity. Learn more about the first two limbs of yoga here. During National Yoga Month, try focusing on one of the yamas or niyamas each week, or perhaps dedicate yourself to one for the entire month.
   
   
6. Create some serenity in your home. Your living space contributes to how you feel, how you feel affects what you think, and what you think impacts how you act - see a pattern here? Maybe you’re setting up a cozy space to practice yoga, reorganizing your bedroom, or tidying up your desk. When things are neat and arranged, you’ll feel calmer and more at ease. Looking for ways to spruce up your space? Check out Clever Yoga’s Wellbeing Oil Diffuser, or add some greenery to your home with a set of three Succulent Pots.
   
   
7. Forgive someone in your life - even if it’s yourself. Yoga is all about letting go of what no longer serves you. Spend this month doing that off of your mat, too. If you’ve been treating yourself unkindly over something, take time to reflect this month and move yourself forward. If there’s someone in your life you’d like to make amends with, you can do that, too: If you don’t want to (or can’t) speak to them directly, write them a letter. They never have to see it; letting the words out on paper will be a release for yourself.
   
   
8. Make some positive changes to your nutrition. What you put in your body - the way you treat your body - affects how it looks on not only the outside but on the inside, too; the latter is what’s important here. Drinking more water and eating more fresh fruit and vegetables will help your body function better and is better for your internal organs as opposed to drinking a lot of high-sugar drinks and eating processed foods. Just like the trickle-down effect with your organized living space, what you eat and drink affects how you feel, how you feel impacts what you think, and what you think correlates with what you do. If you’re consistently eating a poor diet and not drinking enough water, you’ll have significantly less energy, feeling sluggish and lethargic. That will ultimately affect every aspect of your life, bringing your productivity down, affecting how you treat yourself and others.
   
   
9. Take time for yourself. As in, really for yourself. What are some things that make you feel good aside from yoga? If you love to cook, try a few new, creative recipes this month. Love to bake? Whip up some fall-inspired treats. Are you a bookworm? Set a goal to finish a new book this month. Or maybe there’s another type of exercise besides yoga that you also love - make sure to incorporate that into your routine. It could be as simple as taking a bath, going for a walk, doing a crossword puzzle, or coloring.
   
   
10. Journal. Whatever you’ve chosen to do on this list, spend a few moments reflecting on it. No need to get fancy and purchase a brand new journal to do it - you can write it down anywhere, even the Notes app on your phone. Just make sure it’s a place where you can revisit your reflections at a later time so you can remember how good you felt incorporating these positive changes into your life this month so that the next time you’re feeling down, you know what to do to get back on the yogic path.