How to Create a Spiritual Yoga Practice That Aligns Mind, Body, and Spirit

How to Create a Spiritual Yoga Practice That Aligns Mind, Body, and Spirit

Hi fam! Have you been longing to bring more depth, connection, and magick into your yoga practice? Do you crave a sense of inner peace and a deeper connection to your highest potential without having to be advanced in your physical yoga practice? I'm excited to bring to you today's post where will will discuss the hear of this blog with the topic of spiritual yoga—a sacred, intentional fusion of mindful movements and Spirit-led rituals that nurture your inner self.

This guide explores how to create and sustain a practice that resonates with your personal spiritual path. Whether you're a beginner yogi, a seeker of mindfulness, or a witch looking to incorporate yoga into your magickal practice, this blog will be your guide.

Together, we’ll explore setting intentions, incorporating chanting, and practicing yoga off the mat. Sounds like a deep-breathing, heart-opening, om-azing vibe? Stick with me—I’ve got you! Today's blog post is going to deep dive into some of the core components of building a customized practice.

What is a Spiritual Yoga Practice?

Yoga, meaning "unity" in Sanskrit, goes beyond physical exercise to become a tool for spiritual growth and self-realization. While asanas (postures) and pranayama (breath control) benefit the body, true spiritual yoga connects movement, breath, and intention to align your physical self with your higher self. It’s about exploring your inner consciousness and finding balance not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually.

This practice isn't about intense workouts but about reducing stress, increasing compassion, and deepening your spiritual path. Whether on or off the mat, yoga provides tools to process challenges, release "the heavy," and return to the present moment. Even without hours to practice, these concepts can be integrated into daily life for a more balanced, mindful existence.

Setting Intentions for Your Spiritual Practice

Setting intentions is like planting seeds for growth. Whether it’s visualizing a positive day or fostering a deeper connection with yourself, intentions help direct your energy toward what you want to manifest. Even if your day starts off rough, you have the power to shift your vibe and create a better outcome. Take a moment to set an intention before your practice and see how it transforms both your mindset and experience.

Practicing Gratitude...It really Works!

Practicing gratitude may seem cliché, but it’s a powerful way to raise your energy and connect with your spiritual self. Gratitude shifts our focus from scarcity to abundance, helping us appreciate even small wins—like a good parking spot or a smooth commute. Saying it out loud with enthusiasm amplifies its impact. On the yoga mat, gratitude can be practiced through mindful breathing or reflecting on lessons and strengths, even in tough times.

Gratitude isn’t just about the good—it’s about finding silver linings in challenges and viewing adversity as an opportunity for growth. Life can be hard, but choosing resilience over victimhood helps us stay grounded. Acknowledge your blessings, or Spirit may remind you how much worse it could be. Count your blessings and watch your perspective shift.

Self-Reflection

Yoga is not just about physical movement, it's also about going inward and connecting with our true selves. Taking moments for self-reflection during our practice allows us to check in with ourselves and see how we are truly feeling physically, mentally, and emotionally. This can help us identify areas that need more attention or areas where we need to let go and surrender, because we often times all we can do is surrender to Divinity so it's better to let go than to hold on too tight.

Self-reflection can also help us gain a better understanding of our thoughts, emotions, and patterns, allowing us to cultivate self-awareness and make positive changes in our lives. As we continue our yoga journey, it's important to incorporate moments of self-reflection into our practice for overall growth and well-being.

I have some great posts on shadow work It’s about exploring the hidden parts of ourselves—our shadows—to heal, build self-awareness, and connect with our highest selves. By acknowledging our darkness, we can release toxicity and make space for growth.

Connecting with Your Higher Power

Yoga is a spiritual practice that helps us connect with something greater—be it the universe, nature, or a higher power—bringing peace, purpose, and belonging. You can deepen this connection by incorporating mantras, prayers, or visualizing loving energy as you flow through poses.

When I struggle to connect with Divinity during a flow, I imagine divine energy as a specific color, tethered to me and forming a protective orb. This visualization is grounding, especially during overwhelming times. If you work with a higher power, invite them into your practice by asking for guidance, reciting a prayer, or simply acknowledging their presence.

If you're facing challenges, ask for guidance at the start of your practice and let each breath and movement align with your higher power. If you lose focus, redirect your energy by refocusing or chanting. Sustaining this connection allows divinity to guide us more effortlessly in life. Find what resonates with you and weave it into your yoga practice.

Practicing Yoga for Spiritual Growth

Now that we’ve established what makes practicing yoga special, how can you incorporate it into your life? While a traditional yoga class focuses on physical postures and fitness, a spiritual practice weaves in mindful rituals and practices. Here’s how you can create your own spiritual yoga practice:

1. Set Intentions for Your Practice

Yoga becomes truly transformative when guided by intention. Before you begin, reflect on what you wish to cultivate—peace, clarity, or self-discipline—and carry that intention through your practice. Consider dedicating your session to someone in need, spreading healing energy beyond yourself and fostering a deeper connection to others and divinity.

2. Explore Chanting and Mantras

Chanting mantras in yoga helps invoke energy and connection. Repetition can vary—3, 11, or 108 times—based on what feels right to you. Focus on creating a personal connection rather than robotic repetition. Here are a few mantras to try:

“Om Gam Ganapataye Namaha” – Invoke Ganesha’s energy to overcome obstacles and tackle challenges.

“Om Namah Shivaya” – Honor your inner self and divine energy, aligning your spirit with Shiva, the destroyer of evil and master of time.

"Om Shanti Shanti Shanti” – Seek peace within yourself, your surroundings, and the world.

Experiment with these or create chants that reflect your spiritual journey.

3. Take Yoga Off the Mat

As we know, yoga isn’t just physical postures, and it’s a way of life and an ongoing spiritual discipline. I've mentioned a few concepts like gratitude and self reflection for off-the-mat yoga, but it's such a small starting point. To really understand the concept of yoga as I way of life, I would highly reccomend checking out the Yoga Sutras of Pantajali which is ancient text of 195 sutras—basically bite-sized tips for leveling up spiritually while keeping it real in the chaos of everyday life. It makes for a great audiobook!

The Yoga Sutras teach us to practice non-attachment (vairagya), compassion, and self-discipline beyond our mats. Find ways to make every moment of life apart of your regular yoga practice—whether that’s being kinder to yourself, practicing non-attachment to outcomes, or meditating to reduce stress.

4. Include Meditation and Breathwork

Breathing exercises (pranayama) and meditation are powerful tools to connect to your higher self and create presence. Conscious breathing brings awareness to your physical body while quieting your mental chatter.

Meditate after your physical movements to reflect on your practice and tune into Spirit. A simple breath exercise to try? Box Breathing, is an excellent way to calm your thoughts and recenter.

Psst- Check out my whole breath work series on my youtube channel for easy breath work techniques to help you chill out.

5. Recognize and Honor Your Spiritual Journey

Your yoga practice is unique and sacred to you. Trust the process and celebrate small milestones. In fact, sometimes my best days are when I take a step back in my physical practice in order to build strength. At the sake of being super cheesy it really is about the journey and how you get there, and not just the destination.

Just like with spirituality, it's not about jumping ahead by by Yoga isn’t about achieving perfect balance or enlightenment overnight; it’s about growth, presence, and connection—one breath at a time.

Ways to Keep Up a Spiritual Yoga Practice Daily

Spiritual discipline requires consistency. Here are five ways to keep showing up for your practice, day after day.

1. Create an Altar (And use it!)

Create a dedicated space for your practice with items that inspire your spirit, like crystals, candles, or meaningful symbols. Use your altar to meditate, light candles, and connect with your sacred space. Regularly engaging with your altar is a powerful way to deepen your spiritual connection.

2. Journal...Everything  

Maintain a yoga journal to track your growth and deepen your spiritual journey. Use it to record your mantras, set intentions, and capture any insights that arise during your practice. Journaling can also double as a meditative practice—simply focus on your breath as you write. Unsure where to start? Try the PIES method by reflecting on your current state Physically, Intellectually, Emotionally, and Spiritually. Additionally, consider using your journal to explore your spiritual development by noting moments of connection, gratitude, or clarity, and reflecting on how your practice aligns with your higher purpose.

3. Embrace the Yoga Philosophies

Integrate yoga's foundational principles—the yamas (ethical guidelines) and niyamas (personal disciplines)—to enrich your spiritual practice. Embody ahimsa (non-violence) by treating your body kindly during asanas, and practice svadhyaya (self-study) by reflecting on your inner journey. Pair these principles with asana (postures) for strength, pranayama (breath control) for calm, and pratyahara (sense withdrawal) for inward focus. Build on this with dharana (concentration) to sharpen focus, dhyana (meditation) for inner peace, and samadhi (bliss) for harmony. Embracing yoga's eight limbs connects you with ancient wisdom and fosters balance on and off the mat.

4. Join a Community

Many yoga classes offer a spiritual or mindfulness focus, and workshops often take this a step further by incorporating various healing modalities. You can explore kirtans for chanting, sound healing sessions, and other practices that deepen your connection to yourself and the community. Finding a class or an online group of like-minded souls can help you stay committed and share inspiration with other yogis. Nothing beats dynamic discussions on spirituality and coming together under a full moon to manifest dreams and heal collectively.

5.) Attend a Yoga Retreat or Workshop

My journey of spiritual enlightenment began the first time I went to a yoga retreat and my life has never been the same since. Take time to immerse yourself in your spiritual yoga practice by attending a retreat or workshop led by experienced teachers.

This will allow you to deepen your understanding and connection to the practice, while also rejuvenating your mind, body, and spirit while connecting with others who are on the same path!. Be sure to subscribe to my blog for upcoming witchy yoga retreats and drop a comment if you'd like to go to one!

BONUS:  Align with the Moon PhasesUse the cycles of the moon to guide your practice. For example, practice grounding asanas during the new moon or expansive postures during the full moon. :) It's probably my favorite part of my spiritual practice because you learn how to effortlessly flow through life.

Final Thoughts

Yoga becomes truly meaningful when paired with spiritual practices, fostering self-awareness and discovery for a more fulfilling life—starting with one mindful breath. Practice daily, embrace gratitude, and challenge yourself to grow. Curious about adding a witchy vie to your yoga practice? Check out this blog post to dive deeper. Namaste.