10-Minute Yoga to Reset Mind and Body

Some moments demand a reset. Whether you’re experiencing a sluggish morning, an afternoon slump, or some evening anxiety, taking a beat to move and breathe can provide the near-instant reset of mind and body that you need.

This 10-minute yoga practice provides a welcome pause, allowing you the space to consider the vibes you would like to bring into the rest of your day or night. Rather than lingering in stuck or stagnant energy, you can opt for intentional movement to encourage the flow of your innate energy.

10-Minute Yoga to Reset Mind and Body

All you need for this practice is yourself, your yoga mat, and a place to move your body.

Easy Pose

Begin in a comfortable seated position, such as Easy Pose. Palms can rest on your thighs, facing up or down.

Close your eyes and breathe here for 1-2 minutes.

Cat-Cow Tilt

When you’re ready, come onto your hands and knees in Tabletop. With your next inhalation, lower your belly and lift your chin in Cow Pose.

With your exhalation, shift your sit bones back to hover over your heels.

As you inhale, shift forward, round your spine, and tuck your chin in Cat Pose.

Cobra Pose

Keep shifting forward as you lower your hips and thighs and lift your chest any amount in Cobra Pose.

Baby Cobra

Finish by lowering your chest to the mat and coming onto your belly in Baby Cobra.

Broken Wing

Send your right arm straight out to the side, palm facing down. Place your left hand beneath your left shoulder and press into your hand to lift your chest and roll onto your outer right hip and right shoulder in Broken Wing. Step your left foot behind your right leg, bending your knee and placing your foot flat on the mat.

Take one full breath here.

When you’re ready, come through center and repeat the pose on the opposite side.

Stay here for 1 full breath.

High Cobra Pose

Begin to roll back to center. Place your palms down, either beneath your shoulders or, for a slightly deeper backbend, beside your ribs. Press into your hands and the tops of your feet and rise into High Cobra.

Stay here for 2 cycles of breath.

With your next exhalation, bring your palms to the mat and press up through Tabletop and back to Cow Pose. Repeat the following poses, moving with the pace of your breath:

• Cat-Cow Tilt
• Cobra Pose
• Baby Cobra
• Broken Wing

High Cobra

When you’re ready, come back through center in High Cobra. This time, place your fingertips slightly forward and wider than your mat, tenting your fingertips and rooting into the tops of your feet to rise into High Cobra on your inhalation.

With your next exhalation, twist toward your right, bending into your elbows and dipping your left shoulder forward. Inhale to lift back through center, exhale to twist toward your left. Lift back through center once more before lowering all the way down to your belly.

Plank Pose

Place your palms beside your ribs, tuck your toes, and press up to high Plank Pose with an exhalation.

Take 2 breaths here.

Downward-Facing Dog

With your next exhalation, send your hips up and back to Downward-Facing Dog. Move as needed here, swaying your hips, pedaling out your feet, or grounding into stillness.

Stay here for 3 cycles of breath.

High Plank Pose

With your next inhalation, lift your heels and slowly round your spine forward into a fluid High Plank.

With your next exhalation, glide back to Downward-Facing Dog.

Repeat this pattern of movement 3 times with the pace of your own breath.

Twisting Dog

From Downward-Facing Dog, lift and pivot your heels toward the right side of your mat. Bend your knees deeply and press your right heel toward the mat. Take your gaze under your left arm for a deeper twist here.

Stay here for 1 cycle of breath.

When you’re ready, pivot your heels back through center and repeat this twist on the opposite side.

After 1 cycle of breath, come back to Downward-Facing Dog.

Standing Forward Bend

As you exhale, walk your feet to the top of your mat to meet your hands in Standing Forward Bend.

Halfway Lift

Inhale and keep your back flat as you come into Halfway Lift. Exhale as you fold forward again.

Squat

Exhale, fold forward again, and pivot your toes so they angle outward. Bend you knees and send your hips down toward your heels in a Squat (Garland Pose or Malasana). Bring your palms together at heart center and take a full breath here.

Inhale to root your fingertips, exhale to lift your hips, pivot your toes to face forward, and return to Standing Forward Bend.

Repeat this pattern of movement 3 times, moving with your breath:

• Cat-Cow Tilt
• Halfway Lift
• Standing Forward Bend
• Squat

Finish in Standing Forward Bend.

Stay here for 2 cycles of breath, swinging your torso and shaking out your arms as needed.

Mountain Pose

With you next inhalation, root through your feet and slowly roll up to Mountain Pose, one vertebrae at a time. Let your head come up last. Roll your shoulders here, bouncing a bit to find buoyancy in your knees.

Upward Salute

Take a breath in as you reach your arms overhead in Upward Salute. Exhale as you draw your hands into prayer at heart center in Mountain Pose.

Find stillness here, and know that you can create whatever sort of energy you need anytime you desire, both on and off your mat.