30 Days of Yoga - Nov 2025
- juliegeissler
- Oct 23
- 5 min read
Updated: Oct 28
Mind, the UK charity that supports mental health, is inviting us to join a 30-day yoga challenge for the month of November.
I happen to feel 30 days of yoga is a perfect challenge for Mind, and here’s why:
A goal of yoga is to ‘still the chattering mind’ or to ‘still the fluctuations of the mind’. This is known as ‘Chitta Vritti Nirodha’, as written about by the ancient sage Patanjali (Yoga Sutras). There is a tremendous amount of emotional intelligence in the Yoga Sutras, and Sage Patanjali provides guidelines (what we think of as yoga) to help bring the mind back into into balance when it is overcome by extreme emotions such as fear, anger, despair and anxiety.
Mind (UK website) informs us that 1 in 5 people suffer from mental health issues.
The chances are this has impacted you either directly or indirectly. The truth is most of us have suffered from overactive minds (anxiety, worry) or dull minds (depression, sadness) at some point in our lives, perhaps even to the extent that the quality of our daily life was impacted. We may have struggled to sleep, face the day, or just be our best self.
What is Yoga?
Like many, I first came to yoga for the physical benefits (to recover from back injury). I wasn’t very flexible; I became more flexible. My balance improved. My coordination improved. So did my core strength (holding the postures for longer takes strength).
However, I soon discovered that yoga is much more than mastery of postures (asanas). Through the practice we learn to regulate our breath (pranayama), and integrate movement with the breath (sometimes called vinyasa). Through this process we discover that we can practice with mindfulness (meditation). When we practice with mindfulness, our attention remains on the practice (and not on our thoughts). In this process we may begin to experience calmness, peacefulness and even stillness within. And this may guide us into the deeper practices of pranayama and meditation.
Curiously, in a general yoga class or in a private class we are often not specifically targeting the mind in terms of reducing anxiety. Though I have had clients comment that they felt less anxious because of developing a yoga practice. I love this seemingly indirect benefit! From my training with Svastha Yoga Therapy I now have a better understanding of just how beneficial a yoga practice can be to support mental health.
Right now, you may be thinking…
‘There’s no way I can do yoga for 30 days!’
Bear in mind that a yoga practice can be as long or as short as you like. It could be a 5 min breathing practice, 20 minutes gentle mobilising or one-hour guided class.
Here are a few ideas to help you rethink what a yoga practice could look like
and how you could adjust the focus of your practice from day to day:
Just 5 minutes:
1. Pause and observe your breath. (This is one of my favourite yoga practices.) Just sit quietly and notice where and how you are breathing. Then allow your breath to gently lengthen in a smooth way without excess effort. Let the inhale and exhale be more or less of equal length (perhaps 4, 5 or 6 seconds) without strain. You can do this practically anywhere, anytime.
2. Sit quietly, perhaps closing your eyes and gently hum on exhale. Notice the vibration of the sound in your body. (Use the long smooth inhale and exhale from the first practice for this).
3. Practice mindfulness as you complete a simple routine chore. Washing the dishes and sweeping the floor are the ones commonly cited for this!
“Life consists of moments. Just take care of the moments.
Before you know it, you’ve has a life well lived.”
Dr. Ellen Langer
4. Practice chair pose. From a standing position: inhale and raise your arms; exhale bend your hips and knees bringing your hands down towards your knees. Inhale return to standing - pressing equally through both feet as you rise to stand. I love this practice for strengthening of legs and back… so important as we age.
5. Sit quietly and repeat a mantra or affirmation on exhale. A favourite for me is ‘so hum’. It means ‘that I am’.
6. Choose a different posture to try everyday, three examples:
For 10 minutes (or less)
7. Pause and practice breath awareness following my audio: Breath Awareness Audio
8. Try this gentle mobilising sequence when you wake up: Mobilise your Joints Audio
9. Follow a guided meditation: here’s one for Relaxation and Peace from Lone Wolf Vision.
10. Take a mindful walk.
This can be lovely to do in the autumn woods at the moment (if you live in the UK).
Pause every so often in stillness, and just listen to the sounds of nature.
A scene from the gardens at Ushaw Historic House... the leaves are just beginning to turn... (mid October).
11. Try the Sun Salutation sequence. Try this slow version of Sun Salutation with modified chaturanga.
12. Lie on your bed with your feet up the wall and then close your eyes and watch your breath. It’s a lovely restorative practice.
13. If you are a skilled practitioner: Try this flow from Lone Wolf Vision!
One hour
14. Join a class. Sorry, my classes don’t restart until the end of November, though you are welcome to book into my Stability and Flow class on the 27th November, I would love to see you there! My gentle Breath and Movement class restarts on the 2nd December. All in the Lone Wolf Vision studio, at Ushaw Historic House.
A few family and friends have joined me
on this challenge
and if you would like to make
a small donation to Mind (UK)
here is My Just Giving link.
If you take up the Mind 30-day yoga challenge please let me know! And feel free to send me your ideas to add to this list!
Just some thoughts before you get started…
Please remember to check with your doctor before starting any new exercise routine. The physical practice of yoga is considered exercise!
Watch-over yourself as you practice, and take a rest when needed.
If a practice doesn’t feel right for you, then stop and perhaps choose something different.
Thank you for reading this post (and joining the challenge). If you'd like more information about my classes please reach out at juliegeissler.yoga@gmail.com
Please note, some of my links are to my Facebook group and some to Instagram. Usually I post short videos to both sites.
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