Travel and yoga are truly a dream combination. Travel broadens our horizons, challenges us in interesting ways, teaches us new life lessons and gives us the opportunity to connect with new people. And while yoga can have very similar benefits, at the same time it helps us stay healthy, it grounds us, helps us maintain inner peace and balance, and it gives us a new perspective on life and the world around us. However, traveling has a habit of throwing us a bit off track and interfering with our daily routines, which can often make practicing yoga on the road quite challenging. So, here are a few simple tips that will help make yoga your perfect travel companion:

Go easy on yourself

While you might not be able to maintain your usual hour-long daily routine or go to classes three times a week when you travel, it’s still important to keep practicing mindfulness and peacefulness through yoga by deciding on a realistic and achievable time frame you can commit to your practice every day and adhere to it no matter the circumstances. Setting a sensible goal, such as 20 minutes of yoga practice each morning, will aid you in creating a sustainable routine wherever you are and it will help you stay grounded, focused and blissfully aware of your surroundings when you travel.

Plan a simple routine in advance

If you are used to taking yoga classes and practicing only under the guidance of a teacher, another helpful idea would be to create a few simple practice sequences and routines you can turn to each day. Establishing practices will help you stick to a routine with very little effort and without having to think too much about what to do next. When you spend some time practicing set routines, you will learn how to feel and recognize exactly what your body needs, especially after several long hours spent on a plane or a train.

Visit a local class or a retreat

From the studios and community halls to the parks and beautiful beaches, yoga can be found just about anywhere nowadays. So, before you set off on your journey, research yoga classes in the area you are visiting, or even book a destination with yoga in mind, which will give you a chance to pause, immerse in your practice and take all of that inspiration with you as you continue with your travels. Being one of the most desired destinations for experienced yogis, there’s no wonder you can find great Bora Bora holiday deals that offer everything from relaxing resorts to hotels with incredible yoga classes that help you bring some peace and serenity into your life in the most magical scenery possible.

Stop making excuses

One of the best things about yoga is that is can be done anywhere and at any time, whether it is in the country, on the beach, or even in the airport lounge. Even in the smallest of rooms you can fit in standing poses such as Trikonasana, the tree pose and Warrior Two, so there truly are no valid excuses to give up on your mindful practices simply because you are on the road. Yoga doesn’t require any special equipment or a large space; it simply needs you to decide it’s the perfect time and place to practice.

Remember that yoga is more than just asana

Yoga doesn’t always need to require a mat; you can practice it every day by pausing for a few moments, taking a few deep breaths, meditating or even practicing pranayama. You can make it a point to show compassion to every stressed out fellow traveler you meet in transit by chanting mantras. Or, you could even use the experience of travel to deepen your yoga practice by working on something other than the asana, such as the yamas and niyamas or by opting for more bhakti yoga (the yoga of devotion), all of which will help you discover your inner peace within all the stresses and the chaos that travel tends to bring.

While it’s not always easy to form habits while you travel, the abovementioned tips will help you keep up with your yoga practice wherever you are and retain your health, sanity, balance and peace.

About the author:

Marie Nieves is a lifestyle blogger who loves unusual trips, meditation and creative ideas. On her travels she likes to read poetry and prose and surf the Internet. She is an avid lover of photography and a regular author at High Style Life. You can find Marie on Facebook or follow her on Twitter and Pinterest.