Live a Yogic Lifestyle

How to Live a Yogic Lifestyle

Published on January 4, 2019

Each time we move into a yoga pose or practice some pranayama we deepen our ability to control our body, breath, and focus. Likewise, when we dig deeper into the philosophy of yoga, we naturally begin to eat, sleep, love, and think more like yogis. If you have been yearning for practical ways to incorporate all the branches of yoga into your daily life, it might be time for you to discover how to live a yogic lifestyle.

What is a Yogic Lifestyle?

A yogic lifestyle involves consciously shaping our attitudes, habits, and general ways of life to be more congruent with the philosophies, principles, morals, and ethics of yoga. While we will all have a highly individual way of implementing a yogic lifestyle, there are a few guidelines we can all follow.

Firstly, yogis should make lifestyle choices that bring them towards a place of sattva, a state of equanimity and inner-peace. Secondly, establishing and maintaining a healthy body, a focused mind, and a calm heart should be priorities. Lastly, a yogic lifestyle should be conducive to the pursuit of yoga, truth, and spiritual knowledge.

Living a yogic lifestyle does not mean you need to move to an ashram or become a reclusive hermit on top of a mountain. Your lifestyle choices will reflect and be aligned with the ashramaor stage of yoga, you are currently pursuing. Entering a yogic lifestyle can also be as gradual as necessary based on your current life circumstances. Fully committing to living a yogic way of life may eventually lead you to relocate, eat differently, change jobs and develop new friendships—if that’s meant to be, you’ll get there in time.

How To Eat, Sleep, Love, and Think Like A Yogi

Deepening your breadth and depth of yoga knowledge will be necessary in order to integrate yoga into your daily life. Most importantly you will need a working knowledge of the yamas and niyamas and other core yogic philosophies. You will also need to develop tools and techniques for mastering control of your body, breath, thoughts, words, and actions.

Eat like a yogi

Traditionally a yogic diet is vegetarian or vegan, but what is more important is to minimize tamasic animal protein and eat more sattvic and nutrient-rich fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. Ideally, you should try to eat food that is organic, minimally processed, in season, and locally-grown. Yogis will also want to fine tune their diet based on their body’s Ayurvedic dosha. Eating like a yogi will not only support your yoga practice, but make you feel vibrant, energized, calm, and centered throughout your day as well.

Sleep like a yogi

Getting a full eight hours of sleep is essential for a yogi to have a focused and clear mind, a rested and energized body, a robust immune system, and a happy heart. Ideally, a yogi schedules their sleep time to be able to wake up at sunrise—the best time of day to practice yoga or meditation. To achieve deep and peaceful sleep, yogis should aim to minimize mental stimulation before bedtime and instead engage in light-hearted and positive activities like reading, gentle yoga, or guided meditation.

Love like a yogi

Embracing and practicing the five yamas, the moral, ethical and societal guidelines for the practicing yogi, is beneficial for creating authentic, intimate, compassionate, and sustainable healthy relationships. Practicing non-violence towards others reduces hurt and builds trust. Living and speaking our truth with others cultivates clear and honest communication. When we work at reducing greed and unhealthy craving we have more ability to be kind, generous, and thankful towards others. Yogis also have the strength and wisdom to let go of toxic and unhealthy relationships that create unnecessary turmoil in their hearts and minds.

Think like a yogi

yoga lifestyle

Creating a Yoga Lifestyle

Leading a yoga lifestyle does not need to be an all or nothing affair. Start your yoga lifestyle off by making a few small conscious changes that can easily be incorporated into your day-to-day life. Small changes will eventually add up and make a huge difference!

While an asana practice helps strengthen and sharpen mental focus, a regular meditation practice will further allow you to master your mind, achieving deeper awareness of your emotions so that you can better regulate them. Cultivating concentration and focus not only stabilizes and clarifies the mind, but it can also boost your creativity, productivity, and happiness. Practicing nonjudgmental awareness throughout the day will bring more peace and richness into your life and will prevent you from wasting time and energy in excessive negative thinking.

Living Like a Yogi

There will naturally be some growing pains when one chooses the path of a yogi, but the benefits and rewards are great—both on and off the yoga mat. The lifestyle of a yogi naturally changes, fluctuates, deepens, and develops over time.

An easy way to dip your toes into the yogic lifestyle is by attending local yoga retreats and workshops or by spending a week or two at a yoga ashram. Whichever aspects of a yogic lifestyle you choose to explore, remember to take it slow and make the changes that involve the least resistance first.

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14 responses to “How to Live a Yogic Lifestyle”

  1. Aron Sexton Avatar
    Aron Sexton

    Wonderful writing, thank you!

  2. Aidan Irvine Avatar
    Aidan Irvine

    I very much enjoyed this post and recognize and appreciate all of the laborious work that you put into creating it. I want to live a yogic lifestyle!

  3. Chitapita Avatar
    Chitapita

    A little over a month ago I started yoga every day (never ever have I been so dedicated) and this week (3 days ago) I’m cleaning out my house the Marie Kondo way, she also suggests to envision your preferred lifestyle. Didn’t really grasp what that exactly would mean for me personally but thinking about it made me realize I’m growing towards a yogi lifestyle. Not knowing what that means…google search…and voila lots of articles. Thank you for explaining 😂😂 long story.

  4. Niki Avatar
    Niki

    What a wonderful article to read for inspiration to make changes to support wisdom and spirituality as I age. One of my life difficulties has often been giving up easily on goals that I know will benefit myself and dreams. Perhaps living a more yogic lifestyle is a method to build trust in following through. Thank you for sharing your wisdom. This article was easy to digest and therefore comforting and supportive.

  5. harika Avatar
    harika

    Your content is amazing, I loved it a lot.

  6. Maritza Macias Avatar
    Maritza Macias

    I loved this article! 😍

  7. larry bolos Avatar
    larry bolos

    I am very interested in how to live a yogic lifestyle

  8. Ginger prinipoi Avatar
    Ginger prinipoi

    One of the more important lessons i have learned while doing yoga for the last 25 years is to ‘just be’ in the moment and how to live a yogic lifestyle. Whether it’s the asana (yoga postures) that I am doing or my breath, I am in the moment and I am enjoying the experience of being connected, being mindful and being in the moment. Being in the moment is a wonderful gift.

  9. Jessica Hines Avatar
    Jessica Hines

    I am so happy to have found your site. I just started practicing yoga last year and love it. I would like to share some tips with others who are interested in learning more about living a yogic lifestyle.

  10. Mariam Sadeghi Avatar
    Mariam Sadeghi

    This is an awesome article! You have done a wonderful job on explaining the benefits of living a yogic lifestyle. I am very happy to read this because I have always wanted to know more about these things. I am not a big fan of yoga but I have started doing some light exercises at home just because I feel like it. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge!

  11. chrissy tames Avatar
    chrissy tames

    This article has inspired me to begin living more like a yogi. My life is so busy, but I am finding ways to slow down and meditate daily. I am just starting out on my journey towards living a more healthy life style. I have always been interested in health but never knew where to begin. This has given me some direction. Thank You!!

  12. Raajee Avatar
    Raajee

    I want to practice yoga regularly which I have decided is the only good option to keep myself healthy.As the saying goes better late than never I genuinely want someone to give me regular teachings of yoga.

  13. Raajee. Avatar
    Raajee.

    In my busy day to day life I never find time for practicing yoga.But I want do yoga practices regularly and wanting somebody to really give me a push.

  14. Desiree Drago Avatar
    Desiree Drago

    I found the section on healthy eating habits to be particularly helpful and insightful. Overall, this article has inspired me to live a more balanced and mindful life. Thank you!

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Timothy Burgin Avatar
About the author
Timothy Burgin is a Kripalu & Pranakriya trained yoga instructor living and teaching in Asheville, NC. Timothy has studied and taught many styles of yoga and has completed a 500-hour Advanced Pranakriya Yoga training. Timothy has been serving as the Executive Director of YogaBasics.com since 2000. He has authored two yoga books and has written over 500 articles on the practice and philosophy of yoga. Timothy is also the creator of Japa Mala Beads and has been designing and importing mala beads since 2004.
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