Yoga Every Morning: Start Your Day Fully Present

Starting your day with a few minutes of yoga stimulates you both physically and mentally. Stretching your muscles, getting your energy and blood flowing, and taking a time for yourself creates of sense of well-being and centeredness. Completing your practice with a few minutes of deep breathing, meditation, or savasana brings additional calm and focus to your mind and spirit and allow you to step into your day fully present.

Time and Space

Many people feel they don’t have the time or the space to practice yoga at home. Really, all you need is five to ten minutes and enough space to roll out your yoga mat. Two full rounds of Sun Salutations takes only four minutes and moves your body in every direction it needs. While we might love an hour of yoga in the morning, not having that much time need not prevent us from practicing at all.

I also have people tell me they have read that you need an uncluttered space to practice yoga. While that would certainly be ideal, as long as your yoga mat is clear, that is really all the uncluttered space you need. Close your eyes as you practice to block out the visual stimulation and bring your attention inward.

At least once a week I practice amid mounds of laundry sorted and waiting to be washed. I close my eyes, focus on my breath, and move. If I think I’ll be distracted, I put a load in before I begin to preempt that little voice that says, “Do something useful!” In reality I am doing something useful – taking time for myself and my body – but in our busy lives we often view that as a luxury when truly it is a necessity.

Home Practice – you don’t need to be an expert.

Practicing yoga at home does not quire an extensive knowledge of yoga. Choose a few favorite poses or a familiar vinyasa such as Sun Salutations. Whatever you choose, begin slowly, allowing your muscles to warm up before trying to stretch them too much. Choose strengthening poses such as Warrior I or II to ground you and warm the muscles through active use.

You can even begin your practice before you roll out of bed. Lay on your back and pull the covers off of your legs. Lift your right leg toward the ceiling and gentle hold behind your thigh. Slowly alternate pointing and flexing your feet, then rotate your ankles in gentle circles. Repeat with the left leg. Next, raise your hands toward the ceiling and rotate your wrists in gentle circles. Finally, bend your right leg and gently twist it over the left side of your body. Roll back to the center, switch legs, and rotate over the right side of your body. If you’re feeling adventurous throw in a wheel pose, but listen to your body and don’t overdo it. Ta da…you’ve just done two minutes of yoga and you haven’t even gotten out of bed!