bearika

First of all, thank you for what you do. The materials you provide have had an immense impact on my practice.

I have two questions:

I know there probably isn't a definitely rule to this, and that everyone's practice is different, but is there an "ideal" amount that one should practice? Every day for an hour? Every day for 20 minutes? 5 days a week? Every morning and night? Right now I primarily practice when I have a physical need, like before or after a run or on days that I sat at a desk a lot. However, I don't know if there are significant benefits I am not receiving from not practicing more often. There are videos and materials out there for almost anything... Yoga in the morning. Yoga at bedtime. Yoga in the afternoon when you need a boost. Yoga when you're stressed. Yoga for digestion. It all sounds good! But I don't have time for it all. How does one choose? I find the biggest barrier in my practice is branching out from my typical routine and cadence because I almost don't know where to begin. There's just so much.

Also, I'm going to be buying a new mat in the next few weeks. I practice often enough, that I'm looking at this purchase like an investment. The mats I've used in the past are just too slippery for after a run. I need something more. Suggestions? I want to make sure that if I spend the money on something like a Manduka, it's going to be worth it.