Ten minutes of gentle stretching at the end of the day

I have practiced yoga on and off for years, but the habit that has lasted longest is much smaller than a class: ten minutes on a mat on the back patio, most evenings, while the mountains turn pink.

It isn’t exercise in any serious sense. It is a way of telling my body the day is over. This is the sequence I use. Move slowly, stay well inside what feels comfortable, and skip anything that hurts.

Breathe first

I sit cross-legged, on a folded blanket if my hips are complaining, and take ten slow breaths: in through the nose, and out a little longer than in.

Neck and shoulders

I let my right ear drift toward my right shoulder and stay for a few breaths, then switch sides. Then I roll my shoulders backward five times. After a day of cooking, typing and carrying groceries, this is where I feel it most.

Cat and cow

On hands and knees, I round my back as I breathe out and let it dip gently as I breathe in. Eight or ten rounds, slowly, following the breath rather than counting.

Child’s pose

Knees wide and big toes together, I sink back toward my heels and rest my forehead on the mat or on a pillow. I stay for a minute, sometimes two.

Legs up

To finish, I lie on my back and rest my legs on the seat of a patio chair. A few minutes here, watching the sky go from orange to blue, is my favorite part of the whole day.

Before I roll up the mat, I usually say the same verse, slowly, once:

Be still, and know that I am God.

Psalm 46:10 (KJV)

If you have an injury, are pregnant, or haven’t been active in a while, check with your doctor or a qualified instructor before starting anything new. And if ten minutes feels like too much, start with three.

This article is general information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or another qualified professional about your own health.