Hi friends,
Let’s talk about something close to my heart—mindfulness. It’s a word we hear a lot, and sometimes it can feel a little… elusive. Like there’s a “right way” to do it or some secret mindfulness society you need an invite to. (Spoiler: there isn’t.)
For me, mindfulness isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being present—in all your beautifully human, sometimes messy, always evolving glory. It’s that quiet nudge to slow down, take a breath, and actually feel your life as it’s unfolding.
And yoga? Yoga is one of my favorite ways to practice mindfulness. It gently brings us back to ourselves—to our breath, our bodies, and this exact moment. So let’s take a look at a few yoga practices that can help bring more calm, clarity, and joy into your day.
1. Morning Sun Salutations: Start Your Day with Intention
Imagine this: You roll out of bed (after maybe one or two hits of the snooze button—no judgment), pull on your favorite soft leggings, and step onto your mat. The light outside is soft and golden, the house is still quiet, and for a few precious moments, the world feels calm.
A few rounds of Sun Salutations can shift everything. It’s like pressing the reset button—gently waking up your body, your breath, your spirit. With each movement, you start to feel more alive and more grounded. Inhale as you reach for the sky, exhale as you fold forward, and just like that, you’re not just stretching—you’re flowing.
It doesn’t have to be complicated to be powerful. This little morning ritual is one of the sweetest ways to invite presence, gratitude, and intention into the rest of your day.
Your practice doesn’t have to be complicated to be powerful. This little morning ritual is one of the sweetest ways to invite presence, gratitude, and intention into the rest of your day.
And if a full Sun Salutation feels like a bit much first thing in the morning, no worries—you can modify it. Here’s a softer, more accessible version that still gives you all the goodness:
Modified Sun Salutation:
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Start in Mountain Pose — feet grounded, arms by your sides, spine tall. Take a deep breath in and feel your feet connected to the earth.
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Inhale, reach your arms overhead — stretch tall and maybe look up if your neck allows.
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Exhale, fold forward — bend your knees generously as you bring your hands toward your shins or the floor. Let your head hang.
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Inhale, lift halfway — place your hands on your shins or thighs and lengthen your spine.
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Exhale, fold again — soften and let go.
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Inhale, sweep your arms back up to standing — rise slowly with intention, arms reaching up.
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Exhale, hands to heart — pause here and take a breath.
Repeat this 3–5 times, moving with your breath and staying soft in your body. No rush. Just you, your mat, and the gentle rhythm of a new day.
And speaking of starting your day with sunshine—if you’re looking for a little extra inspiration, we have a collection of sun-themed yoga mats that are perfect for morning movement. They’re bright, beautiful, and designed to remind you of the light you carry (especially on the days you need a little help finding it).
Explore our sun-inspired mats →
Sun Salutation by Angie Bryant
Eternal Sunshine by Sydni Sherwood
Golden Sunburst
Sunlit Tree
2. Yoga Nidra: The Art of Effortless Relaxation
Okay, stick with me on this—because this one is magic. Yoga Nidra (sometimes called “yogic sleep”) might be the most restful thing you’ll ever do. And the best part? You don’t have to do much at all. Just lie down, get cozy, and let a gentle voice guide you through a series of calming, meditative steps.
It’s not a nap, but it’s definitely nap-adjacent. Yoga Nidra takes you to that dreamy space between being awake and asleep—the sweet spot where your body fully relaxes, your mind unwinds, and all those open browser tabs in your brain finally start to close. It’s like giving your nervous system a warm hug.
If you want to try it out: grab your mat, maybe an eye pillow, dim the lights, and let yourself melt. Your whole self will thank you for it.
To help you get started, here’s a gentle Yoga Nidra script you can follow. You can read it aloud for yourself, record it in your own voice, or simply let the words guide you as you settle in. Think of it as a soft invitation to rest—no effort, just ease.
Yoga Nidra Script: Welcome to Rest
Let yourself settle. Lie down on your back in a comfortable position—arms gently at your sides, palms facing up, legs relaxed. If you’d like, place a pillow under your knees or a blanket over your body. This is your time to rest.
Take a slow, deep breath in…
and a long, soft breath out.
Again—inhale gently, filling up…
and exhale slowly, letting go.
Feel your whole body supported by the ground beneath you. You are safe. You are held.
Now, bring your awareness to the space between your eyebrows—your third eye. Soften this space and allow your breath to become effortless.
Let’s begin a gentle rotation of awareness through the body. You don’t need to move—just bring your attention there and relax each part as I name it.
Bring your attention to your right hand…
your right thumb…
second finger…
third…
fourth…
little finger…
Palm of your hand…
back of your hand…
wrist…
forearm…
elbow…
upper arm…
shoulder…
Right side of your chest…
waist…
hip…
thigh…
knee…
shin…
ankle…
heel…
sole of your foot…
top of your foot…
right big toe…
second toe…
third…
fourth…
fifth toe…
Now gently shift your awareness to your left hand...
[Repeat the same pattern for the left side.]
Now move your attention to the back of your body…
Back of your head…
Shoulder blades…
Mid-back…
Lower back…
Hips resting heavy…
Bring your awareness to your front body…
Your belly rising and falling…
Your chest gently moving with breath…
Your heart space—soft and open.
Now imagine a warm light glowing at the center of your chest. With each breath, this light expands… filling your whole body with ease, warmth, and peace.
There’s nothing to do. Nowhere to go. Just this moment.
You are resting.
You are healing.
You are enough—just as you are.
Stay in this restful awareness as long as you’d like.
When you’re ready to return, begin to deepen your breath…
wiggle your fingers and toes…
and slowly open your eyes.
Welcome back.
As you return from your practice—feeling a little softer, a little more grounded—know that this kind of rest and presence is always available to you.
If you’d like to carry this feeling into your everyday practice, we have a collection of mindfulness-inspired yoga mats designed to support you—body, mind, and spirit. Each one is a gentle reminder to slow down, breathe deeply, and stay connected to what matters most.
Explore the Mindfulness Collection →
Mindful of the Earth
Mindful of the Sky
Mindful Market
3. Balancing Poses: Root Down, Rise Up
When life feels a little off-kilter (and let’s be honest, it often does), balancing poses like Tree or Warrior III have a beautiful way of helping you find your footing again—on the mat and off.
There’s something about standing on one leg that instantly brings you into the here and now. You can’t exactly balance while worrying about your to-do list or replaying that weird thing you said three days ago. These poses ask for your full attention, your breath, your focus—and they offer presence in return.
And when you wobble? Or topple over completely? That’s part of the magic. It’s not about nailing the pose—it’s about noticing the moment, laughing it off, and coming back with kindness. Just like life.
Try This Mindful Balancing Sequence
You don’t need a long practice to feel the benefits—just a few intentional minutes and a willingness to wobble. Move slowly, breathe deeply, and stay curious.
1. Mountain Pose (Tadasana)
Stand tall with feet hip-width apart, arms by your sides, and palms facing forward.
Take a few deep breaths here. Feel your feet grounding into the floor.
Close your eyes for a moment and notice how your body feels today.
2. Tree Pose (Vrksasana)
Shift your weight onto your right foot.
Bring your left foot to your ankle, calf, or inner thigh (avoid the knee).
Hands can stay at your heart or reach overhead like branches.
Hold for 3–5 breaths.
Wobbling? Perfect. That’s part of the practice.
Gently lower and switch sides.
3. Chair Pose with Heels Lifted (Utkatasana variation)
From Mountain Pose, bend your knees and lower your hips like you're sitting in a chair.
Lift your heels off the ground to challenge your balance.
Hold for 3–4 breaths, then lower your heels and rise back up.
4. Warrior III (Virabhadrasana III)
Step your left foot back and reach your arms overhead.
Shift your weight into your right foot as you hinge forward, lifting your back leg behind you.
Aim for one long line from fingertips to toes.
Hands can also rest at heart center or on blocks for support.
Hold for 2–3 breaths, then return to standing and switch sides.
5. Standing Forward Fold (Uttanasana)
Fold forward, bending your knees as much as you need.
Let your head hang heavy.
Sway gently side to side if that feels good.
Take 5–6 slow breaths here and allow everything to soften.
6. Return to Mountain Pose
Come back to standing.
Feel the effects of your practice—the steadiness, the breath, the presence.
4. Pranayama: The Power of Your Breath
You know that feeling when you finally pause and take one big, deep breath—and suddenly the edges of your day soften just a little? That’s the quiet power of pranayama.
Pranayama is the breathwork practice in yoga that helps anchor us—to our bodies, our thoughts, and this very moment. Whether you need to calm your mind, shake off sluggish energy, or just create a little more space inside yourself, your breath is always right there, ready to help.
Here are a couple of my favorite go-to breath practices. You don’t need a mat, fancy clothes, or even a quiet room—just a few minutes and your beautiful breath.
🌬️ Box Breathing
(Perfect for calming nerves and creating focus)
Try this:
Sit comfortably, close your eyes, and begin to breathe through your nose.
Inhale for 1… 2… 3… 4…
Hold for 1… 2… 3… 4…
Exhale for 1… 2… 3… 4…
Hold empty for 1… 2… 3… 4…
Repeat this cycle 4–6 times.
As you breathe, imagine tracing the edges of a square—one side for each count. Let your breath be steady and smooth. If it helps, gently place one hand on your belly and one on your heart. Feel yourself settling.
🌿 Nadi Shodhana (Alternate Nostril Breathing)
(Deeply grounding and balancing for the nervous system)
Here’s how to begin:
Sit comfortably and bring your right hand up. Gently fold your pointer and middle fingers down, leaving your thumb and ring finger extended.
Use your thumb to close your right nostril.
Inhale slowly through your left nostril… 1… 2… 3… 4...
Close the left nostril with your ring finger.
Release the right nostril and exhale through the right… 1… 2… 3… 4…
Inhale through the right nostril…
Close the right, open the left, and exhale through the left…
That’s one full round.
Repeat 5–7 rounds, moving slowly, and don’t worry if you forget which side is next. Just keep breathing with intention.
Let each breath bring a little more balance and ease.
You only need five quiet minutes to completely shift the energy of your day. Breathwork is portable peace—perfect for your desk, your car, even the grocery store line when things feel a little too much.
5. Savasana: The Sweetest Stillness
Can we just take a moment to give Shavasana the love it deserves?
This final resting pose—so often rushed or skipped—is actually the sweetest part of your whole practice. Think of it like dessert: simple, nourishing, and exactly what you didn’t know you needed.
Shavasana is mindfulness at its most effortless. You lie down. You close your eyes. And for a few precious minutes, you just exist. No tasks, no fixing, no chasing—just being.
It might feel like nothing is happening, but beneath the stillness, everything is softening. Your breath slows. Your nervous system settles. Your body integrates all the work it’s done.
This is where the magic lands.
This is where it soaks in.
This is the pause that makes all the movement matter.
We live in a world that praises productivity, yet our nervous systems crave pause. Yoga reminds us that healing doesn’t happen in the hustle. It happens here in the slowing down, the stillness, and the breath. You don’t have to earn your rest. You are worthy of it, just as you are.
🕊️ Shavasana Meditation Script
Lie down comfortably on your mat.
Let your legs extend naturally, your arms fall away from your sides, palms facing up. Close your eyes.
Take a deep breath in through your nose…
And exhale fully through your mouth—like a gentle sigh.
Feel the weight of your body sinking into the earth beneath you. There’s nothing to do, nowhere to be. Just this moment.
Bring your attention to your toes… and let them relax.
Your feet… ankles… calves… thighs. Softening.
Now your hips… belly… chest… let them be heavy and at ease.
Shoulders melting down.
Arms, wrists, hands… fingers. Let go.
Soften your jaw. Unclench your teeth.
Smooth the space between your eyebrows.
Let your whole face relax.
Begin to notice your breath…
No need to change it, just observe.
Each inhale bringing in peace…
Each exhale releasing tension.
If thoughts drift in, that’s okay—just notice, and return to your breath.
You are safe.
You are supported.
You are whole.
Stay here as long as you’d like. When you’re ready to come back, gently wiggle your fingers and toes. Let your breath deepen. And slowly open your eyes, carrying this calm with you.
Mindfulness Is a Journey, Not a Destination
Mindfulness Is a Journey, Not a Destination
Mindfulness isn’t about nailing the perfect pose or clearing every thought from your mind (because really—who can do that?). It’s about showing up—on your mat, in your breath, and in your life—with a little openness and a whole lot of heart.
Yoga is such a beautiful way to invite more mindfulness into your day. It’s like a quiet love letter to yourself—a chance to tune in, let go, and remember that you’re already whole, just as you are.
And if you’ve ever thought about giving yourself the gift of stepping away for a while—to focus inward, to rest, to breathe—our yoga retreats at Big Raven Farm were created for exactly that.
Tucked into the rolling hills of Minnesota, the farm is peaceful, cozy, and kind of magical. The yoga space feels like it was made just for you, and the quiet here isn’t empty—it’s nourishing. Whether you’re craving connection, a little stillness, or just one long, uninterrupted exhale, there’s a place for you here.
So the next time life feels a little chaotic, remember: you’ve got your mat, your breath, and a yoga retreat in Minnesota that’s ready when you are.
Do you have a favorite way to feel more grounded or mindful? I’d love to hear it. Drop a comment or share your story—because truly, we’re all in this together, one breath and one moment at a time.
Sending you a big, warm hug and all the good vibes,
Joleen ✨