The sequence
- Easy Seat · 90 seconds. Sit on a folded blanket if your knees complain. Let the hands rest and notice the breath, without changing it yet.
- Cat Pose · 45 seconds. Hands under shoulders, knees under hips. Round the back as you breathe out. Move slowly enough to feel the shoulder blades.
- Cow Pose · 45 seconds. Tip the pelvis and let the chest open. Keep the neck long. This is a small move.
- Child’s Pose · 60 seconds. Sink the hips toward the heels. Knees can be wide. Arms rest forward or alongside you.
- Mountain Pose · 60 seconds. Stand and feel both feet. Soften the knees. Stack the ribs over the hips.
- Standing Forward Fold · 60 seconds. Bend the knees a lot. Let the head hang. Hold the elbows if the floor feels far away.
- Halfway Lift · 45 seconds. Hands on shins or blocks. Long spine, soft knees. Look a little ahead, not up at the ceiling.
- Mountain Pose · 45 seconds. Rise slowly. If the head spins, pause with your hands on your thighs before you stand tall.
- Child’s Pose · 60 seconds. Come back to the floor. This is the transition, not a leftover.
- Corpse Pose · 210 seconds. Lie down. Let the feet fall open. Stay for the whole time, even if you want to skip the rest.
Day 1 · Arrive
This short routine fits well at the start of the day, after work, or anytime you want a clear reset without doing much. It begins close to the floor in Easy Seat, which gives you a quiet moment to settle and notice your breath as it is. Then Cat and Cow gently wake up the spine with small movement, and Child’s Pose gives you a pause before standing. You’re not trying to do a lot here. You’re learning how to arrive in your body and notice simple shifts in effort, breath, and attention.
The standing part brings that same steady attention into your feet. Mountain helps you feel balanced and upright, then the soft fold and Halfway Lift change the shape of the spine without rushing. Rising back to Mountain slowly can tell you a lot. If you feel steadier, less scattered, or a little more present, the practice is likely doing what it needs to do. The second Child’s Pose acts like a bridge back down to the floor, and Corpse Pose gives the whole sequence time to settle. Many people find the final rest is where the practice starts to land.
If you want a shorter version, keep Easy Seat, Cat, Cow, one Child’s Pose, one Mountain, and Corpse Pose. If standing feels like too much today, you can spend a little longer in the floor poses and skip the fold and Halfway Lift. Use a folded blanket in Easy Seat, blocks in Halfway Lift, or hold your elbows in the fold if the floor feels far away. Breathe through your nose if that’s comfortable, and ease out if anything pinches.
If you are pregnant, injured, or dealing with back pain, consult a doctor before you follow this page. Stop for sharp pain, numbness, dizziness, or chest pain. This is movement education, not a diagnosis or a treatment. Read the medical disclaimer.
Day 1 · Arrive is a 12-minute practice written from the pose pages on this site. A first practice on the floor and on your feet. You learn Mountain, a soft fold, Cat and Cow, and a real rest. The player above is a timer and a list of cues. It is not a video class, and it is not next to an advertisement. Use the written sequence under the player if you would rather read than watch a clock.
The opening cues include: Sit on a folded blanket if your knees complain. Let the hands rest and notice the breath, without changing it yet; Hands under shoulders, knees under hips. Round the back as you breathe out. Move slowly enough to feel the shoulder blades; Tip the pelvis and let the chest open. Keep the neck long. This is a small move. Follow the seconds as a suggestion. If a pose says to stay and your knee or your breath disagrees, come out early. Pausing the timer is part of using it correctly. You do not earn the practice by finishing a number.
Nothing in this routine is offered as a treatment. A short practice may help an ordinary stiff day, a loud afternoon, or the few minutes before sleep, depending on which routine you opened. It does not cure back pain, insomnia, anxiety, or an injury. If you are pregnant, hurt, or unsure whether a shape is appropriate, consult a doctor first. Stop for sharp pain, numbness, chest pain, or dizziness.
Read the pose page linked from any line you have not tried. The safety note there is more specific than this overview. Then come back and do the shorter version if the full 12 minutes is more than you wanted. A shorter honest practice is the one worth repeating.
Day 1 · Arrive stays inside this site’s pose library. The minutes on the page are a ceiling, not a target you have to hit. Come out of a shape early, use the modification on the pose page, and leave the last cue for another day if you want. The practice counts when it is calm enough to repeat, including a practice you cut in half.
Day 1 · Arrive: common questions
What should this routine feel like for a beginner?
It should feel gentle, steady, and clear. You may notice a little warmth from moving between the floor and standing, but it isn’t meant to feel intense. In the fold, your knees can stay deeply bent. In Cat and Cow, keep the movement small enough that your neck stays easy.
Can I skip the final rest if I’m short on time?
If you can, keep at least a brief rest at the end. Corpse Pose gives your body and mind a moment to absorb the practice. Many people want to skip it, especially on a busy day, but even a shorter quiet pause can help the routine feel complete.
What if getting up from the floor or standing back up makes me dizzy?
Move more slowly and use the pauses built into the sequence. When you rise from the fold, bring your hands to your thighs and take a moment before standing tall. You can also place a chair or wall nearby for support and keep your gaze soft and slightly forward.