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Try this restorative 30-minute yoga class with Jessamyn Stanley

This yoga routine is for everyone and anyone.
By Jessamyn Stanley

This class is meant for practitioners of all levels and body types. Leave all preconceived notions at the door and wear your humility on your sleeve. If you can find a smile, breathe and laugh at yourself, this is the practice for you. Where you are is exactly where you need to be. Fall over, fart, curse, get up or stay down. You are the yoga you need.

Warm up

  • Corpse pose: Lay flat on your back with your arms by your side.
  • Reclined twists: Bend and raise your knees off of the floor, then lower them to one side of your body. Repeat on the other side.
  • Happy baby pose: Bring your legs up off of the ground, bend your knees and grab your toes with your hands.
  • Table top: Flip over and place your hands on the ground in line with your shoulders. Bend knees so they rest under your hips, keep your back flat.
  • Cat pose + cow pose: From table top, tighten your abs and arch your back. Then, release your back as you stretch and lower your ab muscles toward the ground.
  • Standing forward fold: Come back to standing position and while keeping your feet flat on the ground, bend and lower your upper body toward your feet.
  • Standing forward fold twist: From a standing forward fold, lower one hand to the ground and raise your opposite hand toward the sky, twisting at the waist and gazing upward. Repeat on the other side.
  • Mountain pose: With feet flat on the ground, keep your body in a straight line and rock back and forth or side to side.

Flow

Start in mountain pose, as outlined above. Then follow this sun salutation A, repeating this flow below one to two times:

Start in a standing mountain pose, then sweep your arms out to the sides and up overhead into an upward salute.
Start in a standing mountain pose, then sweep your arms out to the sides and up overhead into an upward salute.TODAY
Bend over into a forward standing fold, then lift your torso halfway into a half standing forward fold.
Bend over into a forward standing fold, then lift your torso halfway into a half standing forward fold. TODAY
Step or jump back into plank pose.
Step or jump back into plank pose. TODAY
Move into caterpillar pose, also known as knees-chest-chin pose because they're all touching the ground — along with your hands and feet — in this position.
Move into caterpillar pose, also known as knees-chest-chin pose because they're all touching the ground — along with your hands and feet — in this position.TODAY
Transition into upward facing dog.
Transition into upward facing dog.TODAY
Lift your hips and move into downward facing dog.
Lift your hips and move into downward facing dog.TODAY
Step or jump both feet between your hands and lift your torso into a half standing forward fold.
Step or jump both feet between your hands and lift your torso into a half standing forward fold.TODAY
Lift up into a standing forward fold, and then into an upward salute.
Lift up into a standing forward fold, and then into an upward salute.TODAY
Return to mountain pose.
Return to mountain pose.TODAY

After you've completed the sun salutations, continue through this sequence:

Start in mountain pose, then move into a wide-leg straddle.
Start in mountain pose, then move into a wide-leg straddle.TODAY
Start in warrior 2, then transition into reverse warrior on the right side.
Start in warrior 2, then transition into reverse warrior on the right side.TODAY
Repeat reverse warrior on the left side.
Repeat reverse warrior on the left side.TODAY
Windmill your arms to a standing wide-legged straddle, then to a forward fold.
Windmill your arms to a standing wide-legged straddle, then to a forward fold.TODAY
Finish this flow in mountain pose.
Finish this flow in mountain pose.TODAY

Cooldown

  • Seated forward bend: Sitting down, bring your legs together in front of you and bend forward, lowering your body as you reach toward your toes.
  • Seated wide-legged straddle: Stretch your legs out to your sides and bend forward, lowering your body toward the ground.
  • Easy pose and meditation: When you're ready, pull your legs in and cross them in a seated position, and relax.
Jessamyn Stanley

Jessamyn Stanley is an award-winning yoga instructor, author of Every Body Yoga, and founder of The Underbelly. Jessamyn also hosts a bi-weekly advice podcast titled Dear Jessamyn, where she offers fresh perspectives on relationships and lifestyles for anyone living and loving outside the box.