Posted on June 24, 2026 at 10:59 am
Many of us move through life carrying an invisible pressure to be or do more. To become stronger, better, more productive and more resilient. Even within yoga spaces, we can sometimes feel as if we are expected to constantly improve ourselves, as if healing is just another accomplishment to be achieved.
But yoga taught me something completely different.
True healing often begins when we stop treating ourselves as a problem that needs to be solved.
There was a time in my life when I had to completely rebuild my relationship with my body. Paralyzed from the chest down, I could no longer force my way through discomfort or disconnect from what I was feeling. I had no choice but to slow down enough to listen. In that listening, I discovered self-compassion, not as a concept, but as a daily practice.
Mercy for myself arrived quietly. Through breathing. Through stillness. By learning that some days my practice may feel robust and dynamic, while other days it may look like resting and allowing myself to be supported. I have realized that each of these approaches is equally valuable.
Gentle movement, supported posture, mindful breathing, and even the willingness to pause and notice sensations can become acts of self-compassion. Yoga reminds us that this practice is about relationships – the relationships we build with ourselves, with our bodies, and with the present moment.
Yoga is not about fixing what seems broken. It’s about creating a safe environment in which we can not only accept our flaws but embrace them and support a relationship with all aspects of ourselves.
Self-compassion Not weakness, but courage. It is choosing softness in a world that often teaches hardness. It is learning how to carefully sustain ourselves through change, uncertainty, and healing. Perhaps learning to meet ourselves with kindness is where yoga truly begins.
20-minute chair yoga exercises for self-compassion
I’ll guide you through a short, gentle practice based on self-compassion and kindness.
Centering
I invite you to calmly return to your beautiful body. You can place your hands on your legs, palms facing down, or wherever you feel comfortable. Soften your shoulders. If it’s comfortable for you, close your eyes, otherwise you can get a soft look. Stop here.
Take some time here to offer yourself a little kindness and compassion. Maybe place your hands on your heart center. Listen to how you feel. You may be asking yourself, what do I need now? Listen to the answer. Maybe you don’t need anything. Maybe you can accept the moment exactly as it is. Note that.
Self-massage
Imagine that you have a brush in your hands and that you are going to paint yourself in your favorite color. My favorite color is blue, so I’m going to paint myself blue, starting by massaging my left hand with my right hand and turning it blue. You can use any movement you want. The only thing I ask of you is to do it consciously.
Work the biceps and shoulder blades, the back of the neck in the trapezius, and the shoulder blades, wherever you can reach. Then you can do the same with your other hand, and color yourself in your favorite color.
If available, continue to cross one leg and do the same with your legs and circle your ankles. Maybe you put your fingers between your toes, massage the soles of your feet, paint them blue, and notice what you feel. Release your leg and lift the other leg to do the same.
Notice how you feel when you always treat yourself with compassion, love, and kindness. Keep your hands close together now English currencyYou might start rubbing the palm of one hand against the other, creating a bit of warmth that you can apply to your face and eyes. Maybe give your face a little massage, and paint your face, ears, and neck your favorite color. When you’re done massaging yourself, invite more conscious movement into your shoulders and body.
Sitting cat cow
This is the difference from cat and cow. I like to put my hand on my knee or put my hand on the frame of the wheelchair. You can choose what feels comfortable for you.
Well, send your awareness to the back of your sternum as you bring your shoulder blades toward each other and arch your back as you inhale Cow pose. Pay attention to your shoulder blades. You want to move them toward each other when you arch your back into the cow.
Then lift your shoulder blades away from each other as you round your back and inhale Cat pose. Let your breaths be long and soft through your mouth.
Then inhale through your nose and hold as the cow inhales, the cat exhales, the cow inhales, and the cat exhales. Take it several times. Beautiful. And release.
Mountain pose
Sit straight and tall. Place your hands, palms facing down, on your legs and look for a soft look here. Return your body to the grounding position Mountain pose (Tadasana). Notice how you feel.
Shoulder circles
As you sit, lean back into your bones and very gently rotate your shoulders and synchronize your breathing. So inhale while raising your shoulders and bring them back as you exhale.
Or you can do one shoulder at a time, whatever works best for you. So we rotate it backwards a few times, and we rotate it forwards as well.
He raises the arm
Return to center and find a comfortable, safe position where you can raise your arms. You can close your hands or leave them open. Start by rotating your wrists inward and raising your arms at the same time. You want to inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth. Continue rotating your wrists. Then circle your wrists in the opposite direction while gently lowering your arms down.
Shake your arms slightly as you release.
Lateral bending flow
You’re going to get a little bit of flow for the side bend, and we’re going to do this three times in each direction. I love that you can sync your movement with your breath. If raising your arm is not available, you can place your hands on your hips and do a gentler, softer version of side bends. Whatever is available to you now, this is your practice. You can also visualize this practice.
I like to hold the chair frame with both hands as I lift the opposite arm up. You can do whatever feels comfortable to you. Sit up straight and tall as you brace yourself through your sit bones. Holding the chair frame with your right hand, inhale, raise your left arm and hold it here. Exhale long and softly as you lower it, using a long exhale by pressing your lips together and blowing very gently through your mouth as you lower your arm down.
Let’s do it on the other side with breathing. Continue on each side several times. Then shake your arms slightly and release.
Triangle position
Our next asana will be a variation of Triangle position (Trikonasana) This is actually a simple progression. Place your left arm between your thighs, reaching as far as it will fit towards your feet. Inhale as you raise your right arm up and look toward your palm. Catch it here. Let’s take a collective breath here, shall we? Inhale and exhale. Then return to the center. Notice how you feel.
Reposition yourself on the chair and do the same with the opposite arm.
Centering
Notice how you feel now, guys. Let’s get back to that place where nothing is missing, a place of self-compassion, love, and kindness. Let’s go back to ourselves.
I would like you to place one hand on your heart center, the other on your stomach, and maybe raise the corners of your mouth, close your eyes if that’s comfortable or you can give a soft look. Catch it here.
You can repeat the following to yourself.
May I be kind to myself in this moment.
May I accept myself as I am.
May I bear all that is, even if it is pain, with tenderness.
Can I give myself the compassion I need?
I deserve love and care.
Release and open your arms wide, eyes open, palms facing forward.
As you inhale, hug yourself as if you were hugging someone you really love, perhaps swaying from side to side within the hug.
Exhale and give yourself another compassionate hug.
Exhale and open your arms wide again. Inhale as you raise your arms by any amount. Exhale as you bring your hands in prayer to your heart center. Thank you so much for taking the time today to practice your chair yoga routine with me. I hope you feel a little grace and a little compassion for yourself. I will meet you again next time.
