30-Minute Yoga Flow for Depression

A Gentle Practice to Relieve Stress, Soothe the Nervous System & Lift Your Mood

This flow is designed for those heavy days — the ones where your mind feels foggy, your chest feels tight, and motivation is nowhere to be found. Whether you’re navigating depression, burnout, or simply a tough week, this practice meets you right where you are.

There’s no pressure to perform here.
No goals. No pushing.
Just gentle, breath-led movement and grounding shapes to help you feel safe, supported, and a little more present in your body.

🧘‍♀️ You’ll need: a mat, optional bolster or pillow, and a blanket or block.

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🕯️ 30-Minute Mood-Supporting Yoga Flow

🔹 Minute 0–3: Seated Grounding + Breath Awareness

• Sit in a cross-legged seat or kneel on a bolster
• Rest your hands on your heart and belly
• Breathe in through the nose (count of 4)
• Exhale slowly through the mouth (count of 6)
• Repeat for 6–10 slow breaths

💬 Mantra: “I am here. I am safe.”

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🔹 Minute 3–6: Seated Cat-Cow + Shoulder Rolls

• On an inhale, arch the spine and lift the heart
• On the exhale, round the spine and tuck chin
• Move slowly with the breath for 6–8 rounds
• Add gentle shoulder rolls and wrist circles

💡 These movements help break up stagnation and reconnect breath with body.

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🔹 Minute 6–9: Child’s Pose with Support

• Kneel with knees wide, big toes touch
• Fold forward over a pillow or bolster
• Arms forward or beside the body
• Stay for 2 minutes

💬 Let yourself be held. Let your exhale soften your jaw and eyes.

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🔹 Minute 9–14: Tabletop → Cat-Cow → Thread the Needle

• Flow through 3 rounds of Cat-Cow
• Then thread the right arm under the left
• Rest your right shoulder and temple down
• Breathe into the upper back
• Hold 1 minute each side

💡 Gentle twisting relieves upper body tension often linked to emotional stress.

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🔹 Minute 14–17: Puppy Pose (Heart Melting Pose)

• From Tabletop, walk hands forward
• Keep hips over knees, forehead or chin to mat
• Breathe into the armpits, shoulders, chest
• Stay for 2 minutes

💬 Visualize your heart softening and releasing what it no longer needs to carry.

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🔹 Minute 17–22: Low Lunge + Cactus Arms

• Step right foot forward into Low Lunge
• Bring arms to cactus and lift the chest gently
• Option to interlace hands behind back
• Hold for 1 minute
• Switch sides

💡 Opens the chest and shoulders — areas that collapse with low mood or fatigue.

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🔹 Minute 22–25: Seated Forward Fold (with Props)

• Sit tall, legs extended
• Place a pillow or folded blanket on thighs
• Fold forward and let your body rest into support
• Stay for 2–3 minutes

💬 It’s okay to let go. Let your breath do the heavy lifting.

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🔹 Minute 25–28: Reclined Twist (Supine)

• Lie on your back
• Draw knees to chest, then let them fall right
• Extend left arm and gaze left
• Breathe into the belly
• Switch sides after 1–2 minutes

💡 Helps calm the nervous system and release tension from the spine.

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🔹 Minute 28–30: Supported Savasana

• Place a pillow under knees or a blanket on top
• Let the arms rest out wide, palms up
• Soften your jaw, eyes, belly
• Focus on the rhythm of your breath — no control, just notice

💬 Final mantra: “This moment is enough.”

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🌿 Final Thoughts

This practice isn’t about pushing through or “fixing” anything. It’s a place to return to your body, even on the hard days.

Try this 30-minute flow once a week, or as often as you need to reset, soften, and lift the weight — just a little. You don’t have to feel amazing when you finish. You just have to feel a bit more here.