Seeds by Alba · A home practice
To start yoga at home, choose a clear space, a comfortable time and a short practice you can repeat. Fifteen minutes gives you room for gentle movement, breathing and rest, without needing to rearrange your whole day.
I’m Alba, a yoga teacher based in Barcelona. My approach begins with listening: to your body, your energy and what is present today. Some days you want to move. Others, you arrive tired, distracted, with your mind still somewhere inside your to-do list. Both are places to begin.
Practising at home gives you space to get to know those differences. You can take your time and repeat something familiar, without needing to decide on a different class every day. Here is a gentle way to begin, with enough structure to follow and room to adjust.
What do you need to start yoga at home?
A non-slip yoga mat, comfortable clothes and enough space to move your arms and legs are a useful starting point. Keep a folded blanket nearby for support under your knees or head. A sturdy chair can help with seated movements and balance. Check that your floor is clear and your supports are stable.
You can make the space beautiful if that brings you pleasure: soften the light, put your phone aside, choose a corner you enjoy being in. Keep the preparation simple enough that it doesn’t become another task before you can practise. A small, familiar space is enough to start.
You can also begin without being flexible. Bend your knees, sit on a chair or reduce the range of a movement. Let your breathing remain comfortable. If you notice yourself straining, holding your breath or forcing a position, ease back and give yourself more support.
How can you practise yoga at home in 15 minutes?
Read through the sequence before you begin. The timings are approximate and include your transitions. Move slowly, keep the chair nearby if needed and skip anything that doesn’t feel appropriate. You can stay seated throughout and return to the gentle seated movements instead.
Arrive
Sit on a sturdy chair with your feet resting on the floor, or on a folded blanket on your mat. Let your hands settle on your thighs. Keep your eyes open or close them if comfortable. Notice the support beneath you and allow your breath to stay natural. How are you arriving today?
Move gently
Slowly roll your shoulders a few times in each direction. Rest your hands on your thighs. As you breathe in, gently lift your chest; as you breathe out, soften and round your back slightly. Keep the movement small and let your head follow comfortably, without tipping it backwards.
Explore Cat–Cow
If kneeling is comfortable, come onto your hands and knees, with hands beneath shoulders and knees beneath hips. Move gently between a small opening across your chest and a soft rounding through your back. Pad your knees if helpful. If your wrists or knees are uncomfortable, repeat the seated movement instead.
Stand and notice
Come into Mountain Pose, standing slowly with chair support if needed. Place your feet a comfortable distance apart. Notice their contact with the floor. If comfortable, sweep your arms forwards and upwards as you inhale, then lower them as you exhale. Keep your hands on your hips if your shoulders prefer.
Find support
Place your hands on a sturdy chair secured against a wall. Bend your knees slightly and hinge forwards from your hips into a supported half forward fold. Keep your back comfortably long. Return to standing slowly and repeat gently. Stay upright if folding forwards feels uncomfortable.
Come down to rest
Lower yourself to the floor with care. Lie on your back with knees bent and feet on the mat. If comfortable, let one bent knee open slightly to the side, then return to centre. Alternate slowly, keeping your pelvis steady. You can also remain still or stay supported in your chair.
Leave space for stillness
Keep your knees bent or extend your legs if comfortable. Support your head if needed. Let your breath find its own rhythm and feel the weight of your body resting. Before getting up, notice what is here. There is no particular feeling you need to reach.
How do you build a daily yoga practice that fits your life?
Choose a time you can realistically make room for. Morning might offer a quiet moment before messages and work begin. An afternoon practice can create a pause between tasks. In the evening, you may prefer slower movement and more rest. Try a time for a few days before deciding whether it suits you.
It can help to place your practice beside something familiar, such as brushing your teeth or closing your laptop. Leave your mat ready if you have space. Choose the sequence beforehand, so you have one less decision to make when you arrive.
Give yourself permission to shorten it. On a busy day, you might sit, move your shoulders and take a few moments of rest. If you miss a day, return when you can. I like to ask: what would make it easier for me to begin today? Let the answer be practical and kind.
If you would like help adapting a practice to you, my private yoga sessions in Barcelona offer individual guidance. You can also explore the ways to work with me as your practice develops.
Would you like a structure to return to?
Choosing what to do each day can be one of the harder parts of beginning. I created the 7-day Reset to offer a place to start: a short guide bringing together movement, breath, rest and reflection, with space to approach each day as you are.
Explore the full details and see whether it feels right for you.
Begin your 7-day ResetWith love,
Alba
A moment from our sunset yoga shoot on the terrace of ME Barcelona’s top suite. Space to move, breathe and let the day settle.
