If I had a rupee for every time someone told me they "can't do yoga" because they are not flexible, I could retire to an ashram in Rishikesh tomorrow. This idea, that yoga requires you to bend yourself into impossible shapes on an exotic beach while looking serene for a photograph, has done more damage to the practice than anything else in its five-thousand-year history. There is an old saying among yoga teachers: "Yoga is not about touching your toes. It is about what you learn on the way down."

I have taught these five poses to people in their twenties and people in their sixties. To people who run marathons and people who have not exercised in a decade. Every single one of them felt something shift, not because the poses were extraordinary, but because they paused, breathed, and paid attention to their bodies for a few minutes. That is all yoga asks of you. Here are five poses anyone can do, exactly as they are, right now.

1. Child's Pose (Balasana)

This is where I always begin. Kneel on the floor with your big toes touching and your knees apart. Sit back on your heels and fold forward, letting your forehead rest on the ground or on a cushion. Your arms can stretch out in front of you or rest alongside your body, whichever feels more natural.

Now just breathe. Slowly, deeply. Stay here for one to three minutes. If your knees protest, place a pillow between your thighs and calves. There is something about this pose that makes you feel held, as if the ground is carrying you for a moment and you can stop carrying yourself. It gently stretches the back, hips, and shoulders, and it has a way of quieting the mind that no amount of thinking ever manages to do.

2. Cat and Cow (Marjaryasana and Bitilasana)

This is the best thing I know for a stiff spine, and if you sit at a desk all day, your spine is almost certainly stiff. Come onto your hands and knees, wrists beneath your shoulders, knees beneath your hips. As you breathe in, let your belly drop toward the floor, lift your chest, and look gently upward. This is cow. As you breathe out, round your spine toward the ceiling and tuck your chin toward your chest. This is cat.

Flow between these two shapes for ten slow breaths. Let the breath lead the movement, not the other way around. You will feel the tension in your neck and between your shoulder blades begin to loosen. That is years of desk work releasing, one breath at a time.

3. Legs Up the Wall (Viparita Karani)

This is the pose I recommend to anyone who says they do not have the energy for yoga. It requires no effort at all. Sit sideways next to any wall in your home, then swing your legs up as you lie down on your back. Your hips can touch the wall or be a few inches away. Rest your arms by your sides, palms facing up. Close your eyes. Breathe naturally. Stay for five to ten minutes.

You will feel the heaviness drain out of your legs almost immediately. Your nervous system will begin to settle. Many of the people I work with use this pose at the end of a long day, or when sleep will not come. It is remarkably calming for something that asks so little of you.

4. Standing Forward Fold (Uttanasana)

Stand with your feet hip width apart. Bend forward from the hips, letting your head and arms hang heavy. Bend your knees as much as you need to. You will feel a pull in the back of your legs. That is years of sitting in an office chair. Do not fight it. Do not try to touch your toes. Just let gravity do the work.

Hold for thirty seconds to a minute, breathing slowly. Blood flows gently toward the head, which clears the fog that comes from too many hours of screen time. When you come back up, do it slowly. You may feel a rush of lightness. That is the whole point.

5. Seated Spinal Twist (Ardha Matsyendrasana)

Sit on the floor with your legs extended. Bend your right knee and place your right foot on the outside of your left thigh. Place your left elbow gently against the outside of your right knee and twist to the right. Keep your spine tall. Breathe into the twist for five to eight breaths. Then repeat on the other side.

You will feel this in your mid and lower back, the area that carries more tension than most people realise. The twist also gently stimulates digestion, which is why traditional yoga sequences often include twists after meals. There is a quiet intelligence in these old practices.

Getting Started

You do not need a mat. A carpet, a rug, or a folded blanket on the floor is perfectly fine. Wear whatever is comfortable. The only rule is this: never push into pain. A mild stretch is good. If something feels sharp, you have gone too far. Back off gently. Breathe slowly through your nose throughout. That steady breath is doing as much work as the poses themselves.

Even ten minutes of this, done with patience, can change how your body and mind feel by the end of the day. You do not need to commit to an hour. You do not need to be good at it. You just need to show up for your body, which has been carrying you faithfully through everything, and give it a few minutes of care. Start today. Start imperfectly. That is the most honest kind of beginning.