12-Minute Morning Yoga to Ease You Into Your Day

This morning yoga practice is brief but it’s packed with opportunities for intuitive movement. After all, there’s no better way to ease into your day than with a flow that meets—and honors—your body and mind exactly where you are.

Yoga teacher Taylor Lorenz leads you through this quick morning practice, which is designed to fit into even the busiest schedules. You can invite presence into your routine by feeling your way through the flow and pausing to breathe into areas of your body and being that most need your attention.

12-Minute Morning Yoga Practice

The brevity of this morning yoga practice makes your intention all the more important. “Notice your connection to the Earth, your heart beating, and how you feel after just a short amount of time and commitment to yourself and this practice,” says Lorenz. You may notice how different the rest of your day feels, too.

Kneeling

Start in a kneeling position with your hands on your thighs. Soften your gaze or close your eyes and take 3 rounds of breath here. (If this feels too intense on your knees, slide a block beneath your seat or skip the pose.)

Cat-Cow

When you’re ready, place your hands on the mat in Tabletop, and with your next inhale lower your belly and lift your chin in Cow Pose.

Exhale as you round the spine and tuck your chin in Cat Pose. Flow through 3 sets of Cat and Cow.

Hip Circles

Stay with your Cat-Cow or begin to move in circles with your shoulders passing over your wrists and your hips sinking back over your heels. Add any intuitive movement that feels right for you. When you’re ready, guide yourself back to a neutral spine.

Knee Circles

Float your right knee of the ground and trace 2 or 3 big circles in the air with your knee.

Lizard Pose

Step your right foot forward to the outside of your right hand in Lizard Pose. Feel free to use blocks or another supportive prop beneath your hands. Stay here or begin to dip or sway your hips from side to side.

Child’s Pose

Come back through center and bring your right knee back alongside your left and. exhale as you sit back in Child’s Pose.

With an inhalation, return to Tabletop and repeat the Hip Circles, Knee Circles, and Lizard Pose on your left side.

Downward-Facing Dog

Come back through center after Lizard Pose, draw your left knee back alongside your right knee, tuck your toes, and shift your hips up and back into Downward-Facing Dog. Enjoy some intuitive movement here by pedaling your legs, shifting your hips from side to side, and or rippling your spine.

Standing Forward Bend

Inhale and come up on your toes. Bend your knees, look forward, and step, hop, or jump to the top of your mat and come into Standing Forward Bend.

Halfway Lift

Inhale as you lift halfway to a flat back with your hands on your shins. Exhale as you fold forward over bent knees.

Upward Salute

Inhale as you lift your arms overhead.

Hands to Heart Center

Exhale as you bring your hands to heart center.

Inhale your arms skyward and repeat this half Sun Salutation, starting with Upward Salute followed by Standing Forward Bend.

Downward-Facing Dog

With an exhalation, plant your hands and step back into Downward-Facing Dog.

Plank Pose

Let your inhalation carry your forward through Plank Pose with the option to lower the knees to the mat. On your exhalation, lower yourself to the mat.

Dynamic Cobra

Untuck your toes, press the tops of your feet into your mat, and inhale as you lift your chest in Baby Cobra Pose.

Exhale as you lower your chest toward the ground.

Repeat this movement for 2 cycles of breath, inviting hands. to hover as you rise.

Downward-Facing Dog

From Cobra, exhale as you move through Tabletop or push yourself back up into Plank Pose before finding Downward-Facing Dog.

Inhale as you walk or step to the front of your mat. Inhale into Halfway Lift. Exhale into Standing Forward Bend. Inhale to lift your arms toward the in Upward Salute. Exhale as you bring hands to heart center.

Tree Pose

Shift your weight into your right foot and draw your left knee toward your chest. Guide your left knee over toward the left, placing your left foot flat against your inner thigh or calf in Tree Pose.

High Lunge

When you’r ready, draw your left knee forward before stepping back into High Lunge.

Inhale as you raise your arms high overhead. Exhale as you cactus your arms and open your heart toward the sky.

Once complete, draw your right foot up to meet your left. Shift your weight into your left foot and repeat Tree Pose and High Lunge on the opposite side.

Standing Forward Bend

Inhale your arms toward the sky and exhale to fold forward. Allow yourself to dangle here, with the option to bring your hands to opposite elbows. Sway from side to side.

Revolved Standing Forward Bend

Place your left hand flat on the mat beneath your face and circle your right arm toward the sky. Put a deep bend in your left knee as you open your chest to your right side.

Exhale and switch sides.

Downward-Facing Dog

With your next inhalation, step back to Downward-Facing Dog.

Upward-Facing Dog

Float through a vinyasa flow once more, rising through a Cobra or Upward-Facing Dog.

Child’s Pose

Exhale to release back to the mat. Sit back in Child’s Pose.

Kneeling

Walk your hands toward your knees and sit back on your heels. Draw your palms to meet at heart center, bow your head, and thank yourself for showing up on your mat today.