The soft morning sunlight filtered through the curtains, gently warming the yoga mat that lay perfectly unrolled on the wooden floor. The air was still and calm, carrying the faint scent of lavender oil. Nastya sat cross-legged at the center of her mat, eyes closed, hands resting lightly on her knees. Her breathing was slow and steady, her face relaxed with a peaceful smile.
“Welcome, everyone,” she whispered softly, her voice filled with calm warmth. “Today, we’ll flow through a gentle full-body stretching yoga routine on the mat — to awaken your muscles, lengthen your spine, and bring peace to your mind.”
The quiet music began — a soothing melody of chimes and soft flutes. The day’s chaos was still miles away. For now, it was just you, your breath, and Nastya’s comforting guidance.
🌅 Warming Up the Body
Nastya began with a simple seated stretch, crossing her legs comfortably and rolling her shoulders back.
“Take a deep breath in,” she said gently, demonstrating as she inhaled through her nose. “And exhale slowly out through your mouth.”
Her arms floated upward with grace, fingers pointing toward the ceiling. “Reach high,” she encouraged. “Stretch through your fingertips. Feel your spine elongate. Imagine you’re growing taller with every breath.”
She smiled softly. “And now, let it go…”
Her arms gently fell back down to her sides, palms open, ready to receive calm energy.
“Let’s repeat that two more times,” she continued, inhaling deeply, her ribs expanding with air. “This is how we prepare the body — through breath.”
With each repetition, the world seemed to slow down. The muscles began to wake, the mind to quiet.
“Now, let’s add gentle neck rolls,” Nastya said, tilting her head to the right, letting the ear fall toward her shoulder. “Breathe into the stretch. Release the tension.”
She rolled her head in a slow, circular motion, her long hair brushing lightly against her shoulders. “Take your time,” she whispered. “No rush. This moment belongs to you.”
🌸 Shoulder and Upper Back Stretch
Once the neck and spine were relaxed, Nastya flowed into shoulder and upper back stretches.
“Let’s interlace the fingers behind the back,” she said softly, demonstrating as her chest opened forward and shoulders rolled back. “Inhale deeply, lift your heart, and exhale — gently fold forward, bringing your forehead toward the mat.”
Her arms stretched back, creating space in her chest and shoulders. “Feel the opening,” she guided. “If you’ve been sitting or working at a desk, this is your moment to release all that tightness.”
She lifted back up slowly, smiling with ease. “Now hug yourself,” she said, wrapping her arms tightly around her torso, hands resting on opposite shoulder blades. “Yes, hug yourself. You deserve it.”
She laughed softly. “It might look funny, but it feels amazing, doesn’t it?”
The movement was simple but powerful — a reminder of self-love, wrapped inside a stretch.
🧘♀️ Cat-Cow Flow on the Mat
“Now, let’s move into our Cat-Cow flow,” Nastya said, shifting gracefully to all fours. Her palms pressed firmly into the mat, shoulders stacked above wrists, hips above knees.
“Inhale, drop your belly, lift your gaze, arch your back — this is Cow Pose.”
Her eyes sparkled as she demonstrated. “And exhale, round your spine, tuck your chin — Cat Pose.”
The slow rhythm of movement and breath filled the room.
“Inhale… feel the stretch along your front body. Exhale… feel your back open and release.”
CUTIS, her little tabby cat, wandered into the room, watching curiously as she flowed back and forth. Nastya chuckled softly, glancing at him. “Even CUTIS likes Cat Pose,” she joked, earning a few giggles from those following her video at home.
After several rounds, she sat back on her heels, resting for a moment. “This flow warms up the entire spine,” she explained. “It connects your breath with your body — the most beautiful part of yoga.”
🌿 Deep Side Stretches
Next came the delicious side stretches. Nastya returned to a seated position with legs crossed.
“Place your right hand on the mat beside you,” she said, lifting her left arm up high. “Inhale — stretch tall, and exhale — gently lean to the right.”
Her body curved gracefully like a crescent moon. “Keep your hips grounded,” she reminded softly. “Breathe into the space between your ribs.”
As she switched sides, her movements were fluid and full of control. “Now the other way,” she said. “Lift, lengthen, and bend.”
The stretch was long and rejuvenating. You could almost feel the tension melting away.
“Side stretches are so important,” Nastya continued. “They open the body, improve posture, and help the lungs expand fully with every breath.”
She held the pose for a moment, eyes closed, enjoying the quiet peace.
🌻 Forward Fold Flow
Nastya extended her legs forward and shook them out lightly. “Now let’s lengthen our hamstrings and release tension from the lower back.”
She inhaled deeply, reaching her arms overhead. “And exhale, fold forward slowly over your legs. Don’t worry how far you go — it’s not about touching your toes. It’s about feeling the stretch.”
Her voice softened, almost like a lullaby. “Let gravity help you here. Relax your neck, relax your shoulders. Just breathe.”
She stayed there for a few breaths, completely still, her hands resting over her shins.
Then, gently, she lifted her head and smiled. “You see, even a small forward fold can calm the mind. It tells the body it’s safe, that it can let go.”
🌼 Hip and Leg Openers
“Now let’s open up the hips — where we store a lot of tension,” Nastya said, shifting into Butterfly Pose.
She brought the soles of her feet together and let her knees drop to the sides. “Hold your feet,” she instructed, leaning slightly forward. “Inhale — lengthen your spine. Exhale — fold gently.”
Her tone was calm but encouraging. “If your hips feel tight, don’t force it. Just breathe. Over time, they’ll open like flowers.”
Next, she extended one leg to the side and kept the other bent. “Reach for your toes,” she said, bending toward the straight leg. “You’ll feel this in your side body, hamstrings, and hips.”
CUTIS the cat meowed softly, climbing onto the mat again, lying down in Sphinx Pose beside her. Nastya laughed, petting him gently. “See? Even CUTIS knows how to relax.”
🌙 Gentle Backbend and Twists
“To balance our forward folds, let’s open the chest,” she said, lying down on her stomach and pressing her palms beneath her shoulders.
“Inhale, lift your head and chest slightly — Cobra Pose.”
Her voice was soothing. “Keep your elbows close to your body. Lengthen your neck. Feel your heart opening.”
She lowered back down slowly, resting her cheek on the mat. “Beautiful,” she whispered. “Now let’s twist.”
Rolling onto her back, she brought her right knee over her body, letting it fall to the left. Her gaze turned right, creating a gentle spinal twist.
“This releases tension from the lower back and massages your internal organs,” she explained. “It’s a pose of renewal.”
After switching sides, she took a long, deep breath. The rhythm of her breathing was steady, like waves on a quiet beach.
🌺 Final Relaxation — Savasana
Nastya finally lay flat on her mat, arms open, palms facing up, legs extended naturally.
“Now comes the most important pose,” she said softly. “Savasana — the pose of stillness.”
Her voice dropped to a gentle whisper. “Close your eyes. Let the floor support you. Let your breath be slow and natural.”
The music softened to a tranquil hum.
“Relax your toes,” she guided. “Your legs, your belly, your chest, your shoulders, your face. Let everything melt away.”
Silence filled the room. The only sounds were the soft chirps of morning birds and the rhythm of calm breathing.
After a few peaceful minutes, Nastya gently sat up again, folding her legs and bringing her palms together at her heart.
“Take one final deep breath in,” she said with a serene smile. “And as you exhale, whisper a quiet thank you — to your body, your mind, and this moment.”
She opened her eyes, radiant and calm. “Namaste.”
The word lingered in the air, wrapping the room in peace.
As the music faded, Nastya smiled at the camera — or perhaps at you, her quiet student through the screen.
“This full-body stretching yoga routine is a reminder,” she said softly, “that your body doesn’t need to be perfect — it just needs to move, breathe, and feel alive. Every time you step on the mat, you give yourself a gift — the gift of balance, peace, and presence.”
With a final wave, she added warmly, “See you tomorrow for another flow. Until then — stay gentle with yourself.”
The camera faded to black, but the calm she created lingered — a feeling of lightness, warmth, and gratitude.
— End of “Full-Body Stretching Yoga Routine on the Mat with Nastya” 🧘♀️💖✨
