Sunrise Flow: 10 Poses for Your Morning Yoga Flow

It’s important to start your day off on the right foot, but it’s even better to start off on both feet with a little morning yoga in the comfort of your own home!

These simple yoga poses help you feel calm and can help you set the direction of your thoughts and actions so you can decide to have a peaceful and exciting day, every day.

The reason we want to present the idea that you start your morning with these simple stretches every day is that they can have a tremendous effect on your physical and mental health as well as your ability to have a positive attitude. There are so many wellness living techniques promoted as the best and ultimate way to get fit and feel good but yoga is a practice that has lasted longer than written history itself which indicates people really do experience the yoga benefit.

Taking time for a short morning yoga flow will help you coast into your day calm, cool and collected. The night before, lay your mat on the floor so it’s ready for you the second you wake up, and cue up a calm playlist so that you can just hit play and get into those soft vibes.

10 Morning Flow Yoga Poses

1. Seated Forward Fold

We all tend to be a bit stiff in the morning, so just relax into a simple forward fold with your legs together in front of you. This can help you feel calm if you wake up with some anxiety as all forward folds help calm your nerves. Relax your neck and just take some deep breaths slowly in and out of your nose.

If you need to bend your knees a little bit, go ahead as this is not a competition for flexibility. If you have tight hamstrings, try putting a pillow or folded blanket under your hips to help you fold forward. This helps to decompress your lower back and helps you get in tune with your body.

2. Seated Wide-Legged Forward Fold

Gently lift your torso and bring your legs into a straddle. Lean forward so that you feel a stretch on the inner groin. Starting your day with hip stretches helps you feel free and creative.

Take some deep breaths and release any stress that you woke up with. If your mind is negative, release any negative thoughts with each exhale. Be sure to relax your neck so that your head hangs in this stretch. This helps align your spine and reduces tension in the neck and shoulders. Practice melting into the pose which will help you bring a sense of calm into the rest of your day.

3. Head to Knee Pose

Slowly bend your left leg so the bottom of your left foot meets the inner right thigh. Turn towards your right foot and grab onto your foot with both hands. You can also just reach as close to your foot as possible but don’t feel like you need to force your muscles beyond their limit. You’ll feel a nice stretch in the left side of the back as you breathe slowly in and out of your nose.

After about a minute, switch and bring the right leg in, folding over the left leg.

4. Butterfly

Now bring the bottoms of your feet together so that your knees fall to the sides. Interlace your hands underneath your feet like a basket and lift your chest forward and up giving a gentle stretch your spine.

Press your elbows into your knees to bring them closer to the ground as you lean forward and let your head hang heavily. Relax your face, shoulders, back and stomach muscles as you breathe slowly and deeply in and out of your nose.

5. Frog

Gently bring yourself to your hands and knees and then let your knees slide apart so you get a stretch on the groin. Keep your heels in line with your knees and your knees in line with your hips as your feet point out to the sides. Lower onto your elbows and let your head and belly hang. Let gravity do the work here as you surrender to the pose breathing deeply and slowly for at least a minute. Feel your whole body melting as you work less and let yourself soften.

After about a minute in the pose, you’ll feel your body start to let go. Allow yourself to release any ideas about your day that are not positive. Release anything that you planned to do that doesn’t really resonate with your soul. Release any notions that today will be anything less than spectacular.

6. Low Cobra

Coming onto your stomach place your hands under your shoulders with your palms on the ground and your legs straight behind you. Gently lift your chest and pull your shoulders down away from your ears. You can just come up halfway to keep pressure out of your lower back. Feel the stretch in your upper back and throat as well as across the chest. Breathe slowly and deeply and then lower back onto your chest and rest for a few breaths.

7. Downward Facing Dog

Now press back onto all fours and then mindfully transition into a downward facing dog by lifting your hips. Keep your fingers spread wide and your feet hip distance apart. Relax your neck so the weight of your head helps to elongate the spine. Sink your heels towards the floor and your chest towards your thighs.

Breathe and take some time in the pose to let your circulation flow to your head. This will help your mind function and lowers pressure on the heart. Pedal your feet slowly to wake up the legs.

8. Bridge Pose

Bring your knees back to the floor and walk your knees forward so you can come onto your back. Bend your knees so your feet are flat up against your backside. Place your palms face down next to your hips and then lift your hips. Keep your knees pulling towards each other to protect the lower back and maybe interlace hands under your back. Connect the chest to the chin and breathe slowly and deeply through the nose.

Feel connected to the earth and grounded. Lower the hips and rest with them on the ground.

9. Shoulder Stand

Bring your legs straight up like you’re going to stand on the ceiling. Lift your hips and hold them in your hands with your elbows on the ground. Straighten the spine and connect the chest to the chin as your shoulders, hips, and legs come into one line. Breathe slowly and deeply without turning the head to the side to protect your neck. Keep lifting the hips to keep the spine straight. This allows gravity to drain blood from your feet and can help reduce swollen feet.

10. Plow Pose

From shoulder stand, bring your feet over your head and see if they will touch the ground. Keep your hips lifting so your spine stays straight and do not look side to side to protect your neck. Take some deep breaths in this pose as your spine decompresses. This is great for hormone balance and helps the thyroid function.

It is called the queen of all yoga poses and helps jump-start the digestion as well as align the spine. When you’re ready to come out of the pose slowly lower your spine back onto the ground and then rest on your back for a little bit and set your intention for the day. Before you get up, state clearly in your mind, “my intention for today is (fill in the blank).”

Closing Thoughts

Sun salutations are traditionally done in the morning to greet the sun and wake up the energy in the body. In our fast-paced culture, we often feel stressed from the moment we wake up. There is an incessant pressure to do more and excel, yet we rarely take time to just relax and be present which is essential for our health and our enjoyment of life. The ancient yogis knew that energy flows along the spine through the chakra system. Keeping the spine moving in all directions allows us to think clearly and have stable emotions.

When we practice being calm and tune into the energy in our body, we can sense what the best use of our time and energy is for our soul. Cultivating this yin feminine energy in a hyper-masculine society can help us soften our emotions and let us tap into more intuitive living. Try this calming morning yoga flow to start living more in touch with your spirit and universal love.

When the voice of the soul drowns out the loud chaotic voice of the ego and society, we become empowered and free. Let yourself surrender to the soul each morning so you feel the strength and experience of your true identity and never forget what is your true source of inner peace. We often seek peacefulness in the world around us and yet it is always right there, in our hearts.

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