Lately, I’ve been thinking about how yoga can truly live beyond the mat—how we can embody it in our everyday choices, even when life gets busy and we can’t make it to class. This episode was inspired by a wrinkled, water-stained piece of paper that’s been sitting on my desk for months—a simple list I’d scribbled one afternoon called “30 Ways to Live Like a Yogi.” These are small, practical acts of awareness that help me return to the essence of yoga every single day, and I’m excited to share them with you.
I also talk about what the word yogi really means—especially for those of us who grew up in India, where being called a yogi wasn’t casual. A yogi wasn’t someone with a good practice or a peaceful aura; it was a title of renunciation and deep spiritual pursuit. So when I say “live like a yogi,” I mean carrying yoga’s spirit—awareness, compassion, non-attachment—into how we move through life, not leaving home for the Himalayas. You’ll hear 30 simple yet powerful ways to embody that spirit in your day-to-day routine.
Live Like A Yogi Episode Highlights:
- Updates on the upcoming 300-hour teacher training and free cueing workshop
- Inspiration behind the episode: a personal 30-day mindfulness list
- The cultural meaning of the word yogi and why Aru uses it thoughtfully
- Reminder that yoga is awareness, not limited to the mat or a single class hour
- Encouragement to bring yoga into everyday life through small actions
30 Ways to Live Like a Yogi
- Practice gratitude (Santosha): Start or end your day recognizing what you already have.
- Notice beauty (Pratyaksha): Pause to see and appreciate the ordinary.
- Use your hands: Cook, write, clean, or garden mindfully.
- Invite color: Surround yourself with color in your clothes, home, and art.
- Wish well for others (Maitri Bhavana): Silently send goodwill to someone.
- Exhale your worries: Let the breath teach you how to release and surrender.
- Ask what lights you up (Swadhyaya): Reflect on what truly brings you joy.
- Light a candle or diya: Honor your inner fire and invite new beginnings.
- Clap your hands or ring a bell: Clear stagnant energy through sound.
- Drink water: Hydrate as an act of purification and flow.
- Practice Abhyanga: Offer yourself an Ayurvedic self-massage ritual.
- Clean up and declutter (Aparigraha): Let go of excess to create space.
- Notice negative thoughts: Catch and redirect them with awareness.
- Remember someone who has passed (Shraddha): Honor lineage and memory.
- Take a mindful walk: Feel each step as a moving meditation.
- Notice other beings: Observe animals, plants, and nature in stillness.
- Smile: Offer joy to yourself and the world—it shifts your prana.
- Avoid gossip and negative news: Protect your mental sheath (manas).
- Touch the soil: Ground yourself through nature and earth connection.
- Detach from drama (Vairagya): Step back from chaos and choose peace.
- Reduce sensory input (Pratyahara): Limit screens, noise, and visual clutter.
- Move your body: Use mindful movement to find steadiness and ease.
- Explore a craft: Create art or engage in creative play without expectation.
- Cleanse your space: Let fresh air, light, and sound purify your environment.
- Practice silence (Mauna): Set aside time for quiet reflection.
- Serve others (Seva): Offer selfless service to people, animals, or nature.
- Practice Yoga Nidra or body scan: Restore deeply and honor rest.
- Journal: Write to witness your inner world and cultivate awareness.
- Cleanse the body (Saucha): Practice monthly purification or gentle detox.
- Sit in silence: Connect to your essence, the stillness beneath all doing.
Resources and Links Mentioned:
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