5 Steps in 5 Minutes of Yoga.

Cultivating Flourishing and Happiness

Here, we shall take 5 minutes and 5 steps to experience how small practices can support flourishing and wellbeing. Please feel free to participate in any way that feels right for you.

1) Arriving and breath awareness (1 minute)

Sit comfortably or stand with both feet grounded, let your shoulders soften. Gently bring your 

attention to your breath, inhale fully through the nose, exhale slowly through your mouth.

Take 2-3 slow breaths.

Here even slow breaths can calm the nervous system. - creating internal conditions for happiness and resilience.

2) Gentle movement for vitality (1 minute)

Inhale and gently lift the shoulders. Inhale and gently lift the shoulders, exhale and let them drop. Again, inhale and lift, exhale, release.  Neck rolls, slowly move your head in a clockwise motion, slowly and mindfully, return to centre and repeat anti-clockwise.

Flourishing is about constant positivity – it’s also about learning how to release what we carry, so energy can move more freely.

3) Side stretch, creating space (1 minute) 

Inhale, raise the right arm, exhale gently lean to the left. Notice the feeling of space, without forcing or striving. Return to centre and switch sides.

Happiness grows when we allow room for ourselves, physically, mentally and emotionally.

4) Gentle forward fold – or curl inward (1 minute)

Inhale and lengthen the spine. Exhale and fold forward, with your hands reaching to the floor or rest your hands on your thighs. Let the head and neck relax.

This is a posture of reflection, turning inward, which research links to self awareness and meaning, key components of flourishing.

5) Closing – Gratitude and intention (1 minute)

Slowly come back upright, vertabrae by vertabrae, stacking one on top of the other. Come back to standing position. Shake out your hands and feet and come back to a neutral standing position. if it feels comfortable, place one hand on the heart and the other on the belly and close your eyes. Take one slow breath in, and a long breath out. You might silently name one thing, however small, that you are grateful for right now. Next rub your hands together, feel the warmth within and place them palms down on your face, (fingers are on. your forehead). nurture and nourish yourself.

Studies show that gratitude supports happiness, connection and overall flourishing.  

Yoga doesn’t create flourishing on its own, but it gives us simple tools to support conditions where happiness, meaning, purpose and wellbeing can emerge from.  Causing a blooming from within.