5 Ways to Make Your Yoga Practice Flourish

This article originally appeared on Yoganonymous.com.

When the rain showers start flowing, and the flowers start blossoming, it's a sign from the universe that it's time to upgrade: Upgrade the foods you're eating, upgrade the feng shui in your home, upgrade your wardrobe, and upgrade your yoga practice. 

Focus less on doing, and focus more on experiencing. Your yoga practice leads you on a meditative journey, into the place where your your body, mind, and energy field all meet. You can get more connected with your inner workings by amping up the experiential factors  of your practice with these five tips. You'll be grounding yourself down, and blossoming out just like a newborn flower. 

5 Ways to Blossom Your Practice

1. Pick a killer playlist

It's no new news to hear that music has the power to affect your mood, concentration, and ability to "get in the zone." People have been using music for centuries to set the tone for emotional experiences: cue in mystical hymns, cue in horns, cue in drums.

Decide what tone you want for your yoga practice, and find a matching playlist to glide you through your poses. If you need some help with your selection, check out one of our YOGANONYMIX playlists (they're amazing). 

2. Pair your practice with a drink

What type of yoga are you doing today? Is there something you can drink before, or during your practice, that will help amplify your experience? Here are a few suggestions of easy-to-make drinks that pair well with different practice styles:

Power yoga: Pair with turmeric latte

Yin yoga: Pair with kava and coconut milk

Hatha yoga: Pair with genmaicha green tea

3. Reset your aromatic senses

Think about that moment when you're in a yoga studio, and your teacher massages eucalyptus oil into the back of your neck—that relaxing magic is called sheer bliss.

Recreate that blissful moment by setting the stage for your yoga practice with aromatherapy. You can apply an essential oil directly to your pulse points, or you can simply mix a few drops with water to spritz in the room, spritz on your yoga mat, and spritz in your hair. 

Yes, spritz your hair. There's no shame in obsessing over aromatherapy. 

4. Adjust room temperature and lighting

Room temperature and lighting deeply affect the experience you have during your practice. Are you looking for a revitalizing practice? Open the windows, pull back the blinds, and let the temperature drop. On the otherhand, f you're looking for something to rejuvate you after a long day: pull the curtains to a close, turn off all the lights, light some soy candles, and leave the windows open—ahhhhh, fresh air.

When you pay attention to the little details in lighting, in room, and in energy, you will change the way you experience your practice. If the room feels off, or if you're looking to make your practice experience even more special, use a space clearing technique before starting. This could be anything from placing a cup of water with a tablespoon of sea salt in the entrance of the room to lighting sage, or palto santo. 

5.  Set an intention

You've set the mood, now it's time to set an intention. Treat your intention like a wish that goes straight out to the world, and manifests almost instantly. This is your time to get clear on your hopes, wishes, and desires. State your intention out loud. Say it loudly three times, and then thank yourself for showing up onto your mat. You are a magnificent human being—don't let yourself forget that.