Want to start your day in the right way, with positivity and intention? Try this quick and beginner friendly yoga sequence.
The 7 poses described below will help you to wake up, to boost your energy, and to set your intentions for the day ahead.
- Bridge Pose – Lay down on your back with the knees bent and soles on the mat. Have the feet hip width distance apart and close to the sit bones. Roll your shoulders down and away from the ears. Push into the heels, and lift the hips up. Hug the inner thighs together. Dig your heels into the mat, thinking about dragging them back towards the shoulders. Hold for a few rounds of breath, then lower down inch by inch.
2. Reclined Pigeon – Lift the right foot off of the ground, and cross it over the left thigh. Stay here, opening the right knee out to the side. Or reach through and pull your left knee or thigh in towards you. Relax the upper body as much as possible here. Focus in on the breath. Release and repeat on the other side.
3. Abdominal Work – Extend the legs out in front of you. Interlace the fingers behind your head. Start to engage the core here as you press the floating ribs down. Take an inhale. As you exhale, lift the head and shoulders off the mat along with the right foot. Pointing the toes. Inhale to lower it down. Exhale to take the alternate. Do 2-3 rounds. To then add on a twist, as the right leg lifts reach the left elbow up to the sky. Alternating for 2-3 more rounds.
4. Three-Legged Dog to Plank – Come to table top, with the hands ahead of the shoulders. Tuck the toes and lift the hips up and back. Lift the right foot up towards the sky. As you exhale, bend the knee to try to tap it towards the nose while shifting forward into plank. Inhale, extending the right leg back into three-legged dog. Repeat 3 times.
5. Standing Pigeon – Step the right foot through between the hands. Press into the feet to lift up to high lunge. Bring the hands together at the heart. Push into the right foot, lift your left foot off of the mat. Cross the left ankle over the right thigh. Bend the standing knee, as you sink the hips down. Send the hips back and lean the chest slightly forward.
6. Forward Fold – Bring both feet down and take them towards the edges of the mat. Interlace your fingers behind your back. Open the chest and lengthen the spine. Exhale, bending the knees slightly as you fold forward. Hinging at the hips. Reach the knuckles up and over. Take a few cleansing breaths in through the nose and out through the mouth.
Repeat 4 through 6 on the other side.
7. Seated Meditation – Come to sit comfortably, crossing the ankles or placing shins in front of one another. Maybe propping the hips up on a prop if it feels better. Bring the hands together at the heart. Take a moment to notice how the movement has made you feel.
Want to be guided through a quick and easy 10 minute morning yoga flow? Check out the video below!
Namaste,
Kassandra
