Living Yoga: 13 Daily Self- Care Rituals to Bring Yoga Philosophy into Everyday Life
Senior yoga teacher and yoga therapist Celeste Green shares how yoga can guide daily life to bring more balance, purpose, and presence into your everyday routine.
It often feels overwhelming to start something new—a blank page, a blank canvas, a new job, or even a yoga class. Sometimes, so much so that I avoid doing it altogether.
And yet, here I am, writing a new blog.
As I type these words, I realize: this small act is yoga.
“Huh?” you might be thinking.
“Celeste, that’s a stretch.”
Well, hold on—stay with me and I’ll explain.
I want to tell you about yoga, the living practice.
Yes, I too love to move and breathe—those are powerful tools of yoga—but they’re not the whole story.
So I invite you to explore with me what else yoga might offer.
It’s funny—I was asked to write about how to incorporate yoga into daily life.
I guess I thought I’d just show you.
Let’s Start With Why
Why do we do yoga?
Maybe your reason is to get stronger, become more flexible, get out of your head, feel peaceful, find relief, let go of something, or simply feel better.
All valid.
But the Yoga Sutras point us to something deeper.
Yoga Sutra 1.1 says:
“Now is the practice of yoga.”
N-O-W is yoga.
Presence is yoga.
My attention, placed here, at this moment, is yoga.
The How: Effort + Surrender
Yoga Sutra 1.12 gives us the how—the means of entering this state of yoga:
“Mastery of the mind and its fluctuations comes from diligent practice and detachment.”
Two things are required.
1. Abhyāsa – Diligent Practice
This is discipline. Effort. Showing up.
For me, it's sitting down on the couch, opening my laptop, pulling up a blank Google Doc, and starting to write. Even when it feels uncomfortable or uncertain.
It’s the effort to move in the direction of something meaningful.
2. Vairāgyam – Letting Go
But effort alone isn’t enough.
The Sutra goes on to name detachment—surrender, relinquishment—as equally necessary.
So while I must show up and write this, I also have to let go of how it’s received.
Maybe this piece feels too heady.
Maybe you’d rather read a quick list of “Yoga Self-Care Practices” (don’t worry, it’s below!).
Maybe you just want to stretch and feel good, and leave yoga at that.
And all of that’s okay.
Letting go of the outcome of our efforts is part of the practice.
So here I am.
I’ve made the effort. And now, I place it down—as an offering to you, do with it what you’d like.
Yoga is found in the meeting place of doing and releasing.
Now, Just for Fun...
13 Daily Yoga-Inspired Self-Care Rituals
These are the rhythms, tools, and touchstones that help me return my attention to where I want it to be.
1. Morning Inspiration Wall
Photos of women who inspire me are posted on the wall across from my bed, so their presence is the first and last thing my mind lands on.
I got this idea from a book my friend gave me, Spacial Alchemy, about aligning your home to remind you of who you want to be.
2. Tongue Scraping
A simple Ayurvedic ritual to remove toxins and ignite digestion.
3. Teeth Brushing Meditation
What if I just... brushed my teeth?
This is a practice of presence in the mundane. While brushing, I direct my attention to the sensations—the movements, the sounds—and gently return my mind when it wanders. No multitasking allowed. Trust me: it’s harder than it sounds.
4. Warm Water & Ghee
The first thing in my belly is hot water with ghee.
It’s great for digestion and elimination. I use a medicated ghee, but a plain ghee or coconut oil works, too.
5. Incense
I light incense in the morning and late afternoon to mark transitions in my day, to remember my practice—and because it smells amazing.
My current favorite is a Japanese brand called Fushankodo.
6. Porch Practice
These days, I practice outside. Watching the light hit the trees as I chant and move is a simple joy.
My current sequence includes chanting from the Yoga Sutras, breath-linked movement, more chanting, pranayama, and meditation—given for me by my mentor and yoga therapist. I’m a big believer in the power of the teacher-student relationship. Traditionally, yoga was passed down this way one to one, students directed by what their teacher saw they needed for growth. I have grown immensely from being guided by someone I trust. (This is my encouragement to go find yourself a yoga therapist!)
7. Abhyanga (Self-Massage)
Before my shower, I do a full-body oil massage—an Ayurvedic ritual called abhyanga.
It grounds me, centers me, and (bonus) leaves my skin moisturized and glowing.
8. Chai
I’m hooked on my friend Suguna’s chai recipe:
¾ cup milk, ¼ cup water, 1–2 tsp. sugar (I use coconut), a chunk of fresh ginger—boiled together, then black tea added.
9. Sacred Reading
While sipping tea, I read a passage from Celestial Chimes: Daily Quotes from the Bhagavad Gita, a book I recently picked up in India.
I love having one sacred line to return my mind to as I move throughout my day.
10. Eating Meditation
I try to eat at least one meal a day in silence.
The practice is to place full attention on eating—the sights, smells, tastes, and thoughts that arise. Ayurveda teaches this as a way to deepen the connection to your food and yourself which in turn is better for your digestion!
There’s a saying often used in Ayurveda:
“It’s not what you eat, it’s what you digest.”
11. Cool Water
If you're in Nashville, you know how hot it’s been lately. To cool off, I like to take an afternoon dip in a creek, river, or lake. Putting my head in cool water is one of the most pleasurable things for me right now.
12. Evening Walks
Once the heat eases, I take a silent walk with my dog—and yes, my cat comes too (ha!).
I listen to crickets and frogs, watch deer, and look up at birds gliding through the sky.
13. Dim Light & Star Time
As the sun sets, so do the lights in my home.
I’ve swapped harsh bulbs for salt lamps, candles, and low-watt lighting.
Before bed, I step outside and look at the stars—a small ritual that reminds me of the vastness of the universe, and my tiny, sacred place within it.
Closing Reflections
Yoga is about attention—and where that attention is placed.
This might seem like an extensive list, but I want to be honest: I don’t do every one of these things every day. These are the small practices I return to right now, the tools I draw from to remember who I am.
As Yoga Sutra 1.3 says:
“Then (when the mind is in the present, the state of yoga) the seer is established in their own true nature, they can see clearly and accurately.”
And that’s the point of all of this, isn’t it?
To remember. To return.
To see clearly again.
“Knowledge is superior to (mere) practice, meditation is superior to knowledge, superior to meditation is renunciation of the fruit of action, from renunciation results peace immediately.” – Bhagavad Gita 12.12
