The Purple Guide to Learning Yoga in 10 Days

Chapter 1: First Day

Welcome. This is the day you stop thinking about yoga and actually try it. The goal here is not to become flexible, calm, or enlightened. The goal is simply to sit down, breathe, and move for a short time in a way that feels good. By the end of this first session, you should feel a little more relaxed, a little more aware of your body, and a little less intimidated by the whole idea. That's it. That's a win.

First things first: find a quiet spot where you won't be interrupted for the next twenty minutes. I know, I know, life is chaotic. The phone can stay in the other room. The kids can entertain themselves. If you have a door, close it. This is your time to be boring and still. You don't need a special room with a bamboo floor and incense. You just need enough space to stretch your arms out to the sides without hitting anything. The floor is fine. A bare floor is fine, but a towel or a carpet or, ideally, a yoga mat will be nicer to your elbows. Don't have a mat yet? Don't worry. A folded blanket on a hard floor works. A rug works. The point is not the equipment; the point is that you've shown up.

Let's talk about what you're wearing. You do not need special yoga pants. You can wear shorts, sweatpants, a t-shirt, or pajamas. The only thing that matters is