Tired Of The Same Yoga Poses? Here's How To Spice Up Your Practice

I first felt this notion when I discovered yoga. It was a remembrance of how easily I could be attentive to the present, without worry or stress about the past and future. It was pure bliss—the sweat, the fluidity, the breath...all of it.

My practice intensified over the years following. I went through various yoga teacher trainings, began teaching, spent more time in yoga pants than in jeans. I was hooked.

But then something shifted.

I stopped craving yoga. I felt pain throughout my body after practicing, and I couldn't tune in to my internal world quite like I had before. As much as I loved the practice, I began to predict what poses were coming next, and instead of being present in my body, I found myself daydreaming and caught up in thought. I dreaded stepping on my mat and soon realized that what I was experiencing was boredom.

If you've felt this before, you're not alone. It's not uncommon to hit a plateau in your yoga practice. In those times when you feel like you've hit a wall, rather than stepping away fully, use it as an opportunity to redirect, shake things up, and find a new relationship to your body.

It's easy to get stuck in the same Sun A and Sun B flow, so next time you're on your mat, allow yourself the freedom to explore all shapes and movements that feel good in your body. Close your eyes and move without the expectation of arriving anywhere. Focus on your breath, your intention for practicing, and be creative in developing a practice that is uniquely your own!