How to Practice Partner Yoga at Home

Practicing partner yoga at home is a great way to bond. Partner yoga can be practiced by anyone, including romantic partners. When you practice partner yoga at home you can both enjoy a form of low-impact exercise together, and enjoy connecting on a physical and spiritual level. Partner yoga can be practiced once a week, or once day, depending on your schedules.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Two yoga mats
• A willing yoga partner
• A candle
• Ambient music
• Two eye pillows

1. Create a mood in a room conducive to yoga and to relaxation. Move any furniture out of the center of the room. Light a candle and place it where both partners can see the flickering flame. Place two yoga mats on the floor to form a large rectangle.

2. Start the partner yoga session with the standing Mountain Pose. Face each other and relax into the pose. Stand with both hands in a prayer position and begin the Sun Salutation sequence. This will help both partners warm up for their partner yoga session.

3. Follow the Sun Salutation with a lunge back. Both partners should do a Down-facing Dog Pose. One partner can stop their pose and help the other partner stretch more deeply into the pose. The partner can also help with alignment. The opposite partner can now do a Down-facing Dog Pose, and be helped by the other partner.

4. Balance with your partner's help when you both do the Tree pose. Look directly at your partner. Try to stay steady and relax into the yoga pose.

5. Move into Warrior Pose, with your back to your partner. Your bodies should be touching as you both bend into Warrior Pose. Remember to switch directions and stretch the other side of the body.

6. Forward bend to create a table with your upper body, while facing your partner. Clasp arms and enjoy this entwined stretch.

7. Relax into Child's Pose, facing each other. Stay there in Child's Pose for as long as is comfortable for both yoga partners.

8. Advanced partner yoga sessions can include more inverted poses. Try a handstand or headstand with your yoga partner's help. Very advanced students can do handstands up against each other, rather than a wall, for support.

9. Finish the partner yoga session at home with a long relaxation. One partner can help the other relax. One partner should assume the corpse pose on the floor. The partner can then give a gentle foot or hand massage to their partner. Also gently rub your partner's shoulders and give their head a gentle roll from side to side. Gently rub the eyebrows to help you partner achieve a deeper state of relaxation.

Tips & Warnings

• When you are strapped for time, practice a short 15-minute session of partner yoga.
• On weekends, double the length of the partner yoga session, adding extra poses and relaxation time.
• Keep talking to a minimum and learn to communicate through the flow of the partner yoga poses.
• Do not stick to the same partner yoga routine each time, experiment with your partner.
• Do not interrupt the relaxation portion with talking.

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[scorpioswan]

on 5/30/2009 I'm looking forward to trying this. Thank you!