3 Yoga Exercises You Should Do Every Morning

Yogi Cameron first started practicing Yoga in Paris at the Sivananda Ashram in 1987 while living a supermodel's life as the face of Guess and Versace, and the muse of Madonna and Elton John. He moved to India and studied the Yoga principles and Ayurveda for over a decade before coming to America to teach westerners the power of The Yogi Code. His new book, The Yogi Code, is on sale now from our sister company, Enliven Books (an imprint of Atria Publishing Group, Simon & Schuster)!Here is how your daily Yogi Code Practice should be done at home. This practice should be the first thing you do after brushing your teeth and bathing.

Keep the eyes closed during these practices unless otherwise instructed. Having the eyes closed will help you go further inward. Always breathe through the nose if possible. (You will be able to see a demonstration of these practices on YCMembership.com.)

Full Yogic Breath• Sit on the floor in a cross-legged position (if your knees are off the floor, sit on a hard, solid cushion or blankets until your knees are farther down than your hips) or sit on a chair with your spine straight.
• Start to inhale, first feeling the stomach expand outward, then the rib cage, and then the chest, in this order. When exhaling, first feel the chest deflate, then the rib cage, and finally the stomach. Don't force the air out by pushing, but rather control the air by letting it out slowly. To exhale fully, pull the stomach in all the way without straining until all the air has been exhaled from the lungs.
• Inhale again, expanding stomach, rib cage, and chest. Exhale, deflating the chest, rib cage, and stomach, which is pulled in all the way.
• Make the breath very controlled, slow, and deep so at no time do you force the air in or out quickly and lose control over it.
• Do this practice for three to seven minutes or seven to fifteen rounds.
• Sit quietly for a moment and see how the practice affects your mind.

Humming Bee (Bhramari)This practice involves the closing off of our senses so we can experience what it is like when our mind is not influenced by them. As you will see, the mind will start to be filled with more peace and fewer preoccupations. The special part of the practice is a humming noise, which vibrates in the ears, mouth, eyes, and nose and is calming to the mind. It can also bring emotions to the surface, but in a quiet and controlled way.

• To start the practice, sit in a comfortable seated posture so you are very stable and your back is straight.
• Now bring your arms up, open the elbows outward, and put your index finger into your ears. Don't press your fingers in too hard, but also not too lightly.
• Keep the mouth and lips closed, with the teeth slightly apart. Inhale very slowly through the nostrils. Exhale through the nose while making a long, even, and steady humming noise. Don't force the breath, but do it smoothly. Rest your arms between each round if they become tired; otherwise, do the rounds consecutively.
• Do five rounds.
• Sit quietly for a moment and see how the practice affects your mind.

Chakra Purification Focus (Unmani Mudra)Chakras are energy centers running up and down our spine that hold and distribute immense energy. They are also centers that need maintenance in order to be ready for one of the most powerful forces, called Kundalini, to go through them. This force is dormant at the base of the spine and needs awakening through yogic practice. In this practice we are stimulating the chakras and preparing them for this energy rise.

• Sit in a comfortable seated posture with a straight spine.
• Bring your attention to the back of your head at the top of the spine. Inhale and hold the breath for a second. Exhale slowly in a controlled manner, letting the air out very slowly. As you exhale, visualize your energy descending through the spine (you will be passing through all the chakras) until you reach the bottom of the spine. As you are exhaling and lowering your attention down the spine, your eyes can also be lowering and closing. If opening and closing the eyes is not comfortable, don't do this part of the practice until you have more experience with it.
• Hold the breath for a second, then start to inhale slowly. As you inhale, bring your attention upward from the base of the spine to the top of the spine (again you will be passing through all the chakras). As you move upward, your eyes can also be opening slowly.
• Repeat this cycle seven times. One cycle is one trip down and up through the spine.
• Make sure to move slowly while expanding your breath in and out in a controlled manner like you did in full breath.
• After each round, you can take a few yogic breaths and return to do the next round, or you can do the seven rounds continuously.
• At the end of the last round, sit quietly and observe the mind.

Read the next two exercises and discover more yogic practices in Yogi Cameron's new book, The Yogi Code, on sale now from our sister company, Enliven Books (an imprint of Atria Publishing Group, Simon & Schuster)!