What temperature is ideal for practice?

Question: “My yoga room was cold today so I jumped out of my reclining pose and put a sweater on.. i decided this morning as long as you are comfortable (sweater) without distraction (cold) worked bit it did make me wonder if there is a specific temperature that is best for the practice?”

Answer: “ Great question!

Everyone is going to do what they do. When you first start out, do whatever you want, whatever you need to get your practice going and get to the stage of Momentum.

As far as temperature, being warm and cozy is not recommended.

In general, practice in a cold room, without clothing, or as little clothing as possible. Don't have anything touching your skin. There are about 5 good reasons why the yogis practice this way.

Cold water, cold showers, cold baths are powerful and positively affect praanaayaama. It drives the blood from the extremities and into the central axis and into the center of the brain. The praana pulls inward. When the later stages of praanaayaama really start to take off, the body gets super hot, from the concentration and the pauses of the breath. Another reason for going cold is that the aura around the skin becomes very active. Clothing is disruptive to the changes going on around the skin. You want skin to air. It is better with no cotton, wool or synthetics covering the body. The cold temperature keeps you very alert. The cold helps you transcend reactivity to sensation.

The Himaalayan yogis recommend bathing in freezing cold water. Some practice in the nude with charcoal ashes covering their bodies. The charcoal closes the pores of their skin and keeps them warm a little bit. The charcoal has a detoxifying effect, is readily available and it's free.

And now, everyone will go do, what they want to do.”