By Rosie Moreton, yoga teacher

As a yoga teacher who spends part of her life teaching in intense retreat environments, and part of her life floating from place to place with no solid daily structure, it can be difficult to maintain a balance of the things that are important to me though I focus on living yoga wherever I am.

Last year I spent six months working on a yoga retreat in Cambodia—teaching every day, being constantly present in the group, staying chatty, bubbly, approachable, and putting all my energy out there for others. The discipline of a daily practice on and off the mat was easy, because the environment I was living in supported it completely. I was constantly lifted up and encouraged to live yoga fully and be my best self by the people around me and the daily structure I followed.

Living Yoga Beyond the Retreat

The challenge—the real test—comes in the aftermath of an experience like that. Can you keep up your practice? Can you stay motivated, stay mindful, live yoga, practice what you preach, be kind to others and—hardest of all—be kind to yourself, even if all else fails? How easy is it to follow yogic principles when you are surrounded by temptation, by distraction, and by people who don’t live yoga or follow the same lifestyle values?

Transitioning from teaching and embodying the practice of yoga 24/7 to teaching drop-in classes or living in hostels is a revealing process. I now realise how easy it would be as a yoga teacher to spout philosophy in class for one hour a day, then walk out the doors and into a wholly un-yogic lifestyle—and no one would know.

But I would know, and that’s what really counts.

People often think yoga teachers have it all figured out—that our days are filled with sunshine, beautiful bodies, wholesome food, and higher living, and that we never feel self-doubt. I’m here to tell you we are just human beings with the same struggles as anyone else. We’ve simply chosen a path to help us manage our “stuff,” and we share what we’ve learned with anyone who’s ready to listen.

What follows are a few things I’ve learned to help me maintain the practice of living yoga, wherever I am—holding myself accountable and living with kindness toward myself and others.

1. Live Yoga Through Daily Practice

Taking time daily (outside of teaching hours) to dedicate to your personal practice is essential. Set your expectations low—just unroll your mat and lie down on it. Once you’re there, you’ll probably do at least 10 minutes of yoga, which is better than nothing. You can’t teach from the heart if you’re not listening to your own inner teacher. This is your time to tap in, notice what’s going on inside, move intuitively, and stay connected. This is how you live yoga: by experiencing it first, for yourself.

2. Connect With Nature

Get outside. Open the windows. Walk barefoot. Nature helps reset your nervous system and reminds you to live yoga by feeling present, alive, and in tune with the earth. Don’t underestimate the power of lying in the sand or smelling a flower.

3. Choose Relationships That Nourish

Spend time with people who help you grow. Distance yourself from those who drain your energy. Live yoga by aligning with people who talk about ideas, passion, and creativity. When you live from that place, you attract relationships that support your path.

4. Practice Mindfulness in the Everyday

Living yoga isn’t about headstands or chanting mantras in Sanskrit. It’s about noticing. The smell of a book. The way the water feels in the shower. The silence between breaths. It’s about waking up and checking in with your body and your thoughts. When you live yoga mindfully, even brushing your teeth becomes a sacred ritual.

5. Kindness Is a Core of Living Yoga

Smile at strangers. Be generous without expecting anything back. Compliment someone. Live yoga through acts of kindness—for others and for yourself. And if you slip up or fall off the practice wagon, respond with compassion. Living yoga is not about being perfect. It’s about showing up again and again, with humility and heart.

How to Truly Live Yoga: Final Thoughts

Living yoga isn’t about perfection—it’s about presence. It’s about waking up each day and choosing awareness, compassion, and connection, even when it feels hard. Whether you’re surrounded by a supportive community or navigating chaos solo, you can live yoga by committing to daily movement, mindfulness, intentional relationships, time in nature, and radical kindness.

Don’t wait for the ideal conditions. Live yoga now—where you are, with what you have, one breath at a time.