Giving the Inner Sanctum Its Own Room: Create a Yoga Room for your Home

Yoga is an ancient spiritual path. At its essence it means union. There are many different aspects or limbs within the path of yoga. Asana, or the physical aspect of yoga has gained increasing popularity in the North America. Most students who practice yoga to do so at yoga studios, but often devotees desire a space to practice their yoga at home. If you are considering setting up a room for yoga, you do not need to do any major overhauls that will effect the structure or re-sale value of your home. Keep with the simple essence of yoga and you will create a room that suits your needs and won't require major renovations.

Much of yogic philosophy is based on balance, simplicity and ease of effort. Consider these values when approaching your new yoga room and its decor.

Choose a room in your home that has enough privacy. A room with a door that closes is preferable, so that you can enter your space and have relative privacy during your practice. Also, consider a room that has an adequate amount of natural light. The largest renovation, you may want to think about is the installation of hardwood or cork floors. Already carpeted floors are also sufficient.

Ideally, you want to choose a room that gives you enough space to stretch out on a the floor lengthwise. The ceiling should be high enough to allow you to stand on the tips of your toes with your arms stretched as high overhead as you can reach. If there are bound to be more yogis than yourself in your room, consider that these measurements will need to be multiplied by the number of participants.

You will need a closet or a shelving unit for storage of yoga props, such as mats, bolsters, blocks, straps and eye bags. Here, you may want to store yoga literature and perhaps a sound system, if you enjoy practicing to music or using guided practice cds.

When painting your yoga room consider a color that evokes calm. Look to nature to inspire you color palate. A good place to start is with colors in the soft green and blue hues.You can then adorn the walls with with splashes of color- perhaps a favorite yoga poster, a carving or maybe some prayer flags near a window. If you do a more vigorous form of yoga, you may want to look to a more exotic and exciting palate of reds and purples to inspire your practice. Envision a room that reflects you and your practice and that ideally stays true to the decor of your entire home.

Create focal points. Place candles, statues, cards and photos in places that are meaningful to you in your practice. Search for pieces that evoke a feeling of focus and calm. At all times, avoid any clutter in your room. If anything, the room should be sparse.

There is no need to do anything drastic to create your yoga room. A coat of paint, some well thought-out storage and good organization should be enough to create a yoga room of one's own.