7 Simple At Home Yoga Poses

Yoga is one of the easiest fitness and wellness practices to do at home. It requires very little space, no special equipment, and can be adapted to suit almost any experience level. Whether you are brand new to yoga or returning to the mat after time away, a simple at-home routine can support both physical movement and mental calm.

Many people also choose to enhance their yoga practice with incense. When used mindfully, incense can help create a ritual around movement, signalling the start of practice, supporting focus during poses, and encouraging relaxation afterward.

You can follow along with an online instructor, such as Yoga with Adriene, or move through poses at your own pace. Lighting incense before you begin can help set the tone for your practice, whether your intention is relaxation, clarity, or gentle energy.

Calming scents like Lavender or Cleansing can support relaxation, while Cedar or Guidance may help with grounding and mental focus. Each incense stick burns for approximately 45 minutes, making it easy to time a full yoga session from beginning to end.

Before lighting incense, remember a few safety basics: always practise in a well-ventilated space, place incense where it cannot be knocked over during movement, and if you are teaching or practising with others, check first to ensure everyone is comfortable with burning incense.

Below are seven simple yoga poses that can be done at home and easily woven into a short, intentional routine.

Mountain Pose is an excellent way to begin a yoga practice. It promotes grounding, balance, posture, and awareness of the breath.

Stand tall with your big toes touching and heels slightly apart. Lift and spread your toes, then gently place them back on the mat, exploring your balance. Engage your thigh muscles and lift the kneecaps slightly, imagining energy rising from the ground through the crown of your head.

Draw the shoulder blades together briefly, then relax the shoulders down. Tuck the tailbone gently and let your arms rest at your sides with palms facing forward. Take several slow breaths, inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth, before moving into the next pose.

One of the most well-known yoga poses, Downward Dog provides a full-body stretch and helps invigorate circulation.

Begin in a tabletop position with hands under shoulders and knees under hips. As you exhale, lift your knees and press your hips toward the ceiling. Straighten the legs without locking the knees, keeping as much of your feet on the floor as feels comfortable. You may feel a stretch through the calves and backs of the legs.

Let your head rest naturally between your arms, with your gaze toward your calves. Breathe steadily, focusing on strength in the shoulders and a sense of grounding through the hands and feet.

Pigeon Pose is a deep hip opener and can feel especially relieving after sitting for long periods.

From Downward Dog, lift your right leg and bring your right knee toward your right wrist. Rotate the right foot toward the left arm and lower the leg to the mat, keeping the shin either perpendicular to the front of the mat or angled toward the groin.

Keep your hands on the floor beside you and adjust your position to avoid placing pressure on the knee. Extend the left leg straight behind you. Take several slow breaths, then return to tabletop and repeat on the other side.

Warrior I is a strong, grounded lunge that builds stability and focus.

Stand with your legs spread wide and feet firmly planted. Rotate your hips and torso toward the right foot. As you exhale, bend the right knee so it stacks over the ankle, keeping the left leg straight and rooted through the edges of the foot.

Lift both arms overhead and hold the pose for several slow breaths. When ready, return to a wide stance and repeat on the other side.

Warrior II builds strength, stamina, and body awareness.

Stand with your feet three to four feet apart. Raise your arms until they are parallel to the floor, palms facing down. Turn your right foot out and angle the left foot slightly inward. Bend the right knee until it sits directly over the ankle.

Align the right ankle with the arch of the left foot and work toward bringing the left thigh closer to parallel with the floor. Hold for several breaths, then return to centre and repeat on the opposite side.

Bridge Pose strengthens the lower back and glutes while gently opening the chest.

Lie on your back with feet flat on the floor and knees pointing upward. Walk your heels in toward your hips. On an exhale, squeeze the glutes and lift the hips upward. Keep knees aligned over ankles and clasp your hands beneath you if comfortable, gently drawing the shoulder blades together.

Inhale at the top, then slowly lower back down on the exhale.

Child’s Pose is a restorative posture that can be returned to at any point during your practice.

From tabletop, bring your big toes together and sit back onto your heels. Lower your torso onto your thighs and extend your arms forward with palms resting on the mat. Breathe slowly and allow your body to soften into the pose.

After completing this series of poses, take a moment to notice how you feel, both physically and mentally. You may feel more limber from the stretches, as well as calmer and clearer from the steady breathing and focused movement.

If the incense you lit at the beginning of your session has burned down, you may choose to light another stick to signal the end of your practice. Invigorating scents with a lemon base like Bliss or Love, robust florals such as Abundance, or cool forest fragrances like Cypress or Evergreen can help transition you back into your day.

You may also choose to end with a final resting pose known as Savasana, or Corpse Pose. Lie on your back with legs relaxed and arms resting at your sides, palms facing up.

Close your eyes and breathe naturally, enjoying the lingering scent of the incense and giving yourself credit for taking time for an at-home yoga practice.