Morning yoga can offer you an instant infusion of energy or quietly usher you from a sleeping state to a waking one. Or it can provide some blend of the two. And the morning yoga practices that inspire you to get on your mat first thing tend to be those that meet you exactly where you are—whether that’s tired, anxious, chill—while inspiring you to expand your sense of mental and physical awareness.

In this practice, yoga teacher Taylor Lorenz relies on a series of simple spinal twists to gently invigorate the body. Rather than focusing on peak poses or intense shapes, these twists subtly encourage presence through gentle movement and connection to your breath.

15-Minute Morning Yoga

Keep a block (or book or similar object-slash-prop) close by for additional support. After all, morning yoga should be comfortable, not a test of endurance.

Child’s Pose

Sit back on your heels with your big toes touching and your knees widened toward the edges of your mat in Child’s Pose. Walk your hands forward so your torso and forehead rest on your mat. Stay here for 8 cycles of breath.

Press into your palms and lift your chest slightly. Walk your hands toward the right edge of your mat, stacking your left hand atop your right, for a gentle side stretch. Stay here for 4 breaths.

Move through center and repeat on the left side.

Cow Pose

Walk your hands back to center, press into your palms, and move through Tabletop into Cow Pose. Inhale and arch your spine.

Cat Pose

Exhale, rounding your back and tucking your chin to your chest in Cat Pose.

Repeat Cat and Cow 2 more times each, moving with the pace of your own breath.

Side Bend

Return to a neutral spine. With an exhalation, bend toward the right, taking your gaze over your right shoulder toward your right hip.

Inhale, return to a neutral spine, and exhale, bend to the left.

Repeat 3 times with the pace of your breath.

Downward-Facing Dog

With your next exhalation, move through center, tuck your toes, and press your hips and back into Downward-Facing Dog. Stay here for 4 breaths, adding any intuitive moment that feels right.

Standing Forward Bend

Inhale, come onto the balls of your feet, bend your knees, look forward, and walk, step, or hop to the front of your mat and come into a Standing Forward Bend.

Mountain Pose

Let your arms dangle as you slowly roll up, vertebrae by vertebrae, into Mountain Pose. Inhale as you sweep your arms toward the sky, exhale as you bring your hands together at heart center.

Side Twist

Inhale as you sweep your arms back toward the sky. Exhale as you twist your torso to the right, reaching your left arm forward and your right arm back. Stay here for 3 breaths.

Twisting Reverse Bend

Place your right hand on your low back and stay in the twist as you inhale and reach your left arm up and overhead for a gentle bend.

Standing Forward Bend

Inhale as you draw your torso back to center and reach both arms toward the sky, and with an exhalation, fold forward.

Downward-Facing Dog

Inhale as you lift halfway into Standing Half Forward Bend with a flat back, exhale as you step back to Downward-Facing Dog.

Plank Pose

Use your inhalation to ripple forward into Plank Pose, lowering your knees if you choose.

Cobra Pose

From knees or toes, exhale as you lower yourself through Chaturanga and come all the way onto your belly. Untuck your toes, press the tops of your feet into the mat, bring your palms beneath your shoulders, and inhale as you lift your chest into Cobra Pose.

Downward-Facing Dog

Lower yourself to the mat and exhale as you press back to Downward-Facing Dog.

Low Lunge

With an inhalation, sweep your right foot up and back. Exhale as you draw your knee toward your chest and step your right foot between your hands and lower your left knee to the mat. Inhale as you lift your chest and raise your arms toward the sky in Low Lunge.

Low Lunge Twist

Exhale as you twist toward the right, left arm forward and right arm back.

Low Lunge Reverse Bend

Bring your right hand to your lower back and inhale as you sweep your left arm up and overhead in a gentle bend.

Revolved Half Splits

Exhale as you bring your left hand to the mat or a block. Inhale as you reach your right hand toward the sky as you sit your hips back and straighten your right leg in Revolved Half Splits. Stay here for 2 breaths.

Wide-Legged Forward Bend

Bend into your right knee, bring your hands to the mat, and pivot to face the long edge of your mat in a Wide-Legged Forward Fold. Grab hold of your elbows and dangle here for 3 breaths.

Wide-Legged Twist

Release your right hand to the ground beneath your face and inhale as you lift your left hand toward the sky in a twist. Stay here for 2 breaths.

When you’re ready, bring both hands to the ground and step to a Standing Forward Bend at the short edge of your mat. Roll up to Mountain Pose and repeat this series of poses (Side Twist through Wide-Legged Twist) on the opposite side. Once complete, return to Mountain.

Standing Twist

Shift your weight into your right foot. Draw your left knee toward your chest, flexing your left foot so it’s parallel to the ground. Bring your right hand to your outer left thigh, and reach your left arm behind you for a Standing Twist. Stay here or reach your right hand toward the front of the mat.

Stay here for 3 cycles of breath.

Warrior 3

Exhale as you return to center. Keep your left leg lifted, tilt your chest forward, and send your left leg back in space for Warrior 3. Draw your hands together at heart center or long at your sides. Stay here for 3 cycles of breath.

High Lunge Twist

Lightly land the toes of your left foot back into High Lunge. Inhale as you sweep your arms toward the sky, exhale as you twist toward the right, arms open wide. Inhale here.

Reverse Warrior

Exhale as you lean back into Reverse Warrior.

Revolved Pyramid Pose

Reach your left arm forward and down to the mat or a block, planting it and straightening both legs. Open your torso toward the right, bringing your right arm straight toward the sky in Revolved Pyramid. Take 2 full breaths here.

Standing Forward Bend

Exhale as you bring both hands to the mat and step your left foot up to meet the right in Standing Forward Bend. Inhale as you lift halfway, exhale as you fold forward again.

Roll up and sweep your arms toward the sky, and exhale as your bring your hands to heart center. Shift your weight into your left foot to repeat this series of poses (Standing Twist through Standing Forward Bend) on the opposite side.

Downward-Facing Dog

Inhale as you lift halfway, exhale as you step back to Downward-Facing Dog. Stay here or take a vinyasa by moving through Plank, Chaturanga, Cobra, and back to Down Dog at your own pace.

Knees to Chest

Gently land your knees on the ground and flip onto your back. Draw your knees to your chest and rock from side to side for 2 breaths. Bring your head to your knees and take 1 full inhale here.

Savasana

Exhale into Savasana. Stay here for 1-3 minutes, or however long you need to integrate your practice.

Pencil Stretch

Take your arms up and back and inhale, enjoying a full-body stretch from fingertips to toes. Exhale, relaxing your body.

Fetal Pose

Pull your knees toward your chest and roll over to your right side in Fetal Pose. Pause here for 1-2 breaths before pushing your way up to a comfortable seat.

Closing

Bring your hands together at heart center, bow your head, and thank yourself for showing up for this morning yoga practice.