The 30-Minute Yoga Flow That Will Turn Anyone Into a Yogi, Care of Adriene Mishler

Adriene Mishler—or, as her 4.6 million YouTube followers know her, "Yoga With Adriene"—has a surprisingly simple approach to yoga: Find what feels good.

She uttered those four words in her first-ever YouTube post in 2012, and recently released a line of Teespring merchandise emblazoned with the phrase. "It's what inspired me to want to share yoga and now has become a multifaceted mantra that can help guide you to explore who you really are, practice moving in a way that serves your body, and ultimately lead you to find your own unique and meaningful contribution to society," Mishler says of the provenance of the mantra.

But what exactly does it mean to "find what feels good"? "One quiet mountain pose, one purposeful downward dog, one minute of dancing —to me it’s all about taking the moment and not worrying too much about what you're doing (or not doing), but rather focusing on how you exist inside whatever you set out to do," she explains. "Whether it’s a 15-minute flow, a 90-minute sweaty flow, or a light jog with the dog, ask yourself if it's conscious. How are you moving and treating yourself each day? I always say that it is not often what we do, but how we do it. How you move matters."

If you're an aspiring yogi struggling to make this happen for yourself, not to worry: There's a flow for that. Mishler recommends the Movement Medicine series on her YouTube channel, which includes two 15-minute sequences that can help you feel good enough on the mat to keep coming back. "One is designed to bring you energy and one is designed to relieve anxiety and welcome calm," she says. "You can also put them together, practicing them back-to-back for a lovely well-rounded 30 minute at home yoga session." 

She loves the initial "energy" part of the practice because it's only 15 minutes long, so it's perfect for when you need a quick mental reset.  "It starts off slowly but builds to a swift and revitalizing pace," she says. As for the "calm" flow, Mishler says that it "really provides us with the opportunity to tend to the energetic body in a nurturing way and focus on mindfulness, ease, and the power of your breath."  See? You'll be your very own yoga guru in no time.

To amp up your practice even more, try adding an essential oil. And if you're a fan of Yoga With Adriene, you'll love these YouTube yoga videos, too.