Evening Chair Yoga

Fifteen Thirty-Minute Lessons in Gentle Movement, Breathing and Meditation for Better Sleep

Before You Begin

This book is for adults who are new to yoga and meditation and who would like to sleep better. You may have busy days at work or at home, you may feel stiff or tired in the evening, or you may simply prefer not to get down on the floor before bed. No flexibility, fitness or earlier experience is needed. Every movement is done sitting on an ordinary chair, every word that may be new is explained the first time it appears, and every movement is described slowly and completely, from where it starts to how you come back.

The book is built as a course of fifteen evening lessons. In each chapter a teacher speaks to a small class of beginners, and so to you: first a short lecture that explains one part of sleep, breathing, movement or attention, then one complete thirty-minute practice in a chair, and at the end a summary of the evening's main points. Every practice has the same five parts, arriving, breathing, moving, stillness and closing, so that the evening soon becomes a familiar habit that leads you gently toward bed.

A good way to use the book is to read one chapter in the evening and do its practice, ideally in the hour before bed and in soft light. On the following evenings, repeat the same practice for a few nights before you go on to the next lesson. The movements and the breathing become easier and calmer with repetition, and each new lesson builds on the ones before it. If you are tired, a shorter practice, or a few minutes of slow breathing, is a full and worthwhile evening.

You will need a sturdy, stable chair without wheels, not a folding chair that could fold, standing on a non-slip floor, ideally with its back against a wall. The seat should be high enough for both feet to rest flat on the floor; a firm cushion on the seat, or a folded blanket or a firm block under the feet, can help. Chapter 1 explains step by step how to choose and set up the chair and the space around it.

The one rule of the whole course is the rule of comfort. Every movement goes only as far as feels comfortable, and nothing is forced. If you feel pain, dizziness or shortness of breath, stop, rest and breathe calmly, and always come out of a movement slowly. Smaller movements, or simply sitting and breathing, are always a full part of the practice. If you have a long-term health condition, are in pain, or are pregnant, please talk to a doctor before you begin this practice.

Thirty minutes in a chair each evening is a small and kind way to close the day. When you are ready, find your chair, soften the lights and turn to the first lesson.

Chapter 1: A Chair, an Evening and Thirty Minutes

Tonight's Lesson

Welcome, and thank you for coming this evening. Please take a seat on one of the chairs and let your bag and your coat rest somewhere out of the way. You do not need to know anything about yoga or meditation to be here, and you do not need to be flexible, strong or sporty. All you need is a sturdy chair, about half an hour in the evening, and a wish to sleep a little better. That is enough to begin.

This is the first of fifteen evening lessons. Each lesson has the same shape. First I will talk for a while about one subject: tonight it is the chair, the course and the way we practise; in later lessons it will be sleep, the breath, posture, different parts of the body and the quiet work of attention. Then we will do one complete thirty-minute practice together, sitting in our chairs. At the end I will give you a short summary of the evening, so that you can look back at the main points at a glance. When you read a lesson at home, you can do the same: read the chapter one evening and do its practice, then repeat that practice on the following evenings until it feels familiar, and only then go on to the next lesson.

Tonight is about getting ready. I would like to explain, in a few plain words, what yoga and meditation are and why we will do them in a chair. Then I will show you how to choose and set up a safe chair and a quiet space, what to wear, and when in the evening to practise. I will also explain the five parts that every practice in this course contains, and one rule that matters more than any other: the rule of comfort. After that, we will try our first practice. It is very simple, and that is on purpose. A calm, simple evening is exactly what helps the body move toward sleep.

What Yoga and Meditation Are

Let me begin with the two words in the title of our course. Yoga grew over many centuries within spiritual and philosophical traditions, and the word yoga is often explained as "joining". Many people understand it as the joining of movement, breath and attention. Meditation is found in many traditions, religious and not. In this course we use both of them simply as a practice for the body and the mind. No belief is needed, and you do not have to agree with any idea or tradition to take part. You only need to sit, move gently, breathe and pay attention.

In this book, yoga means slow, careful movement done together with the breath. When we lift the shoulders, we may breathe in; when we let them fall, we may breathe out. We move only a little at a time, and we pay attention to how each movement feels. This is different from exercise that aims to make you sweat, become stronger or reach further. Here the aim is the opposite of effort. We want to loosen what has become tight during the day, to let the breath become slow and easy, and to give the body a clear message that the day is ending.

Meditation, in this book, means training your attention. You rest your attention on something simple, such as the feeling of your breath or the feeling of the chair under you. Sooner or later the mind wanders off to a thought, a memory or a plan for tomorrow. That is completely normal, and it happens to everyone. When you notice that the mind has wandered, you bring it back, gently and without scolding yourself. Each time you notice and come back, you are practising meditation. It is not about emptying the mind or reaching a special state. It is about resting your attention in one place, again and again, in a kind way.

Why do we practise in a chair? First, a chair makes yoga possible for almost everyone. Many people are stiff after a long day, some are older, some have knees or backs that do not like the floor, and many simply do not want to get down onto the floor and up again late in the evening. Second, a chair keeps the body calm. Getting up and down, standing on one leg or bending over the floor all wake the body up. Sitting keeps the movements small and steady. Third, a chair is close to everyday life. You can do the whole practice in your bedroom, a few steps from your bed, and then simply stand up slowly and go to sleep.

Every practice in this course has the same five parts, always in the same order, and the whole practice lasts about thirty minutes. The first part is Arriving, about three minutes, when you sit down, settle and leave the busy day behind. The second part is Breathing, about five minutes, when you notice your breath and let it become slow and easy. The third part is Moving, about twelve minutes, when you do gentle seated movements for the neck, shoulders, arms, spine, legs and feet. The fourth part is Stillness, about seven minutes, when you sit quietly and rest your attention. The fifth part is Closing and going to bed, about three minutes, when you end the practice and walk calmly to bed.

Why always the same five parts? Because the body and the mind learn through repetition. If you practise in the same order, at about the same time, in the same place, the practice slowly becomes a signal. After a week or two, many people find that simply sitting down in the chair in soft light already makes them feel calmer. The new lessons in this course will change what happens inside the parts, adding new movements, new ways of breathing and new kinds of stillness. Earlier movements will return, so the course builds up step by step. The frame, however, stays the same every night.

A Safe Chair and a Quiet Space

Now let us look at the chair itself. The best chair for this practice is an ordinary, sturdy chair with four legs, a firm seat and a back. A wooden or solid kitchen chair or a firm dining chair works well. Please do not use a chair with wheels, a chair that swivels, a rocking chair, or a folding chair that could fold while you sit on it. Avoid soft armchairs and sofas too: they let you sink down, and it becomes hard to sit tall and to move freely.

The height of the seat matters. When you sit near the front of the seat, both of your feet should rest flat on the floor, with your knees roughly at the same height as your hips or a little lower. If the seat is too high and your feet do not reach the floor comfortably, place a firm block or a thickly folded blanket under your feet. If the seat is too low and your knees come up higher than your hips, place a firm cushion or a folded blanket on the seat. A well-fitting chair makes every movement easier and safer.

Next, the place. Put the chair on a floor that does not slip, such as a carpet or a rug that lies flat, or a firm floor with a non-slip mat under the chair legs. If you can, place the chair with its back against a wall, so that it cannot slide backward. Make sure there is some empty space around you, about the length of your arms to the front and to each side, so that your hands do not hit furniture when you reach out. Move away anything you could trip over when you stand up at the end. The bedroom is a good place, because after the practice you only have a few steps to your bed.

For clothes, choose something soft and loose that does not press on your waist or chest, such as the clothes you sleep in. Bare feet or socks are both fine, as long as your feet do not slip on the floor. For light, use one soft lamp rather than bright ceiling lights, because bright light in the late evening tells the body that it is still daytime. Keep a glass of water nearby. The best time to practise is in the hour before bed. Please do not practise straight after a heavy meal; wait an hour or two, or simply eat a lighter evening meal. Put your phone on silent and out of reach, so that the half hour belongs to you.

Before we start, there is one sentence I ask every class to hear. If you have a long-term health condition, are in pain, or are pregnant, please talk to a doctor before you begin this practice. And now the rule of comfort, which applies to every lesson in this course. Every movement goes only as far as is comfortable for you tonight. There is no pain and no forcing, and there is no goal of going deeper or further. If you feel pain, dizziness or shortness of breath, stop, rest and breathe quietly, and come out of any movement slowly. A smaller movement, or simply sitting and breathing, is always a full part of the practice. If you are unsure whether a movement suits you, ask a doctor.

The Thirty-Minute Practice

Let us prepare for our first practice. Place your sturdy chair on a non-slip floor, ideally with its back against a wall, and check that your feet rest flat on the floor or on a firm block. Turn off the bright lights and leave one soft lamp on. Wear soft, comfortable clothes, and keep a glass of water within reach. Remember the rule of comfort: if you feel pain, dizziness or shortness of breath at any moment, stop, rest and breathe quietly, and come out of any movement slowly. If you are very tired tonight, you may do only some of the parts. That is fine.

Minutes 1 to 3: Arriving. Sit down on the chair, a little toward the front of the seat. Place your feet flat on the floor, about as wide apart as your hips. Rest your hands on your thighs. Let your eyes close, or if you prefer, let them look softly at the floor a little in front of you. Notice that you have stopped. The work of the day is finished for now. Feel the weight of your body resting on the seat. Feel your feet on the floor. Notice any sounds in the room or outside, and let them be there. You do not need to do anything with them. Simply sit and arrive for about three minutes.

Minutes 4 to 8: Breathing. Now bring your attention to your breath. Do not change it. Simply notice that you are breathing. If you can, breathe in and out through your nose. Notice the cool air coming in and the slightly warmer air going out. Notice where you feel the breath most clearly: perhaps at the nose, perhaps in the chest, perhaps in the belly. Some breaths may be short, some longer. That is all fine. When the mind wanders off to a thought, notice that it has wandered, and gently come back to the next breath. Stay with your natural breath like this for about five minutes.

Minutes 9 to 20: Moving. We begin the moving part by sitting tall. Keep your feet flat on the floor and your hands on your thighs. Feel the two firm bones at the bottom of your pelvis pressing into the seat; we call these the sitting bones. Let your weight rest evenly on both of them. Now, as you breathe in, imagine a thread gently lifting the top of your head toward the ceiling, so that your back becomes a little longer. As you breathe out, let your shoulders soften down, away from your ears, while your back stays long. Do not stiffen or pull your shoulders back hard. Take about six slow breaths here, letting the back lengthen gently on each breath in and the shoulders soften on each breath out, without trying to grow taller each time. Then let go of any effort and sit comfortably for a moment. This takes about three minutes.

Next, shoulder rolls. Sit tall with your arms hanging loosely by your sides or your hands resting on your thighs. Slowly lift both shoulders up toward your ears, then move them back, then let them sink down, and then bring them a little forward, so that the tips of your shoulders draw a slow circle. Breathe in as the shoulders rise, and breathe out as they move back and down. Make the circle as small or as large as feels comfortable. Do five slow circles in this direction. Then pause, and do five slow circles the other way: up, forward, down and back. When you finish, let the shoulders rest and notice how they feel. This takes about three minutes.

Now, slow nods. Sit tall and look straight ahead. As you breathe out, slowly lower your chin a little toward your chest, only as far as is comfortable, and feel a gentle stretch along the back of your neck. As you breathe in, slowly lift your head back to the middle, so that you are looking straight ahead again. Do not let your head drop far back; the movement goes from looking slightly down to looking straight ahead, and no further. Repeat this about six times, one nod for each breath. Then rest with your head balanced in the middle. This takes about three minutes.

Last in the moving part, hands on the thighs. Rest your hands on your thighs, palms facing down. As you breathe in, slowly slide your hands forward along your thighs toward your knees. As you breathe out, slowly slide them back toward your hips. Keep your back long and let the movement be small and easy. Do this about six times. Then turn your hands so that the palms face up and let them rest on your thighs, the fingers loose and slightly curled. Feel the warmth of your hands and the weight of your arms. Stay like this for a few breaths. This takes about three minutes and brings the moving part to an end.

Minutes 21 to 27: Stillness. Move back in the seat until your back is resting against the back of the chair, if that is more comfortable. Keep your feet flat on the floor and your hands resting on your thighs. Close your eyes, or let them look softly at the floor. Now simply sit quietly. Let your attention rest on the feeling of your body in the chair: the seat under you, the chair back behind you, your feet on the floor. When thoughts come, and they will, notice them and let them pass, and come back to the feeling of the chair. There is nothing to achieve here. You are just sitting, quietly, at the end of the day. Stay for about seven minutes.

Minutes 28 to 30: Closing. Let your breath become a little fuller for two or three breaths. Gently move your fingers and your toes. If your eyes were closed, open them slowly and look around the dim room. Take a sip of water if you like. Then place your hands on your thighs, lean slightly forward, press your feet into the floor and stand up slowly. If you feel at all dizzy, sit down again and wait a moment. Turn off the lamp, walk calmly to your bed, and lie down. Let the quiet of the last half hour come with you.

Common Questions

A common question is: "I am very stiff. Can I really do this?" Yes. This course was made for people who are stiff, tired or new to movement. Every movement can be made smaller, and a small, slow movement is just as useful as a large one. Over the coming evenings you may notice that some movements become easier, but that is never the goal. The goal is to feel a little calmer and a little more ready for sleep at the end of the half hour.

Another question is: "What if I feel sleepy during the practice?" That is a good sign, because the practice is meant to lead you toward sleep. If you become very sleepy, you may shorten the practice, do the closing part and go to bed. Please do not fall asleep in the chair, however, because sitting for a long time while asleep can leave you stiff and cold, and you might slip. Go to bed while you still feel safe and steady on your feet.

People also ask: "Do I have to do the full thirty minutes every night?" Thirty minutes is the shape of the practice in this course, and it works well for most evenings. On a night when you are very tired, or when the evening is short, you can do less: perhaps the arriving part, a few minutes of breathing and a short closing. That still counts. What helps most is doing something gentle each evening, rather than doing a long practice only now and then.

Finally, some people ask: "Should I keep my eyes open or closed?" Either is fine. Many people like to close their eyes during the breathing and stillness parts, because it helps the mind turn inward. If closing your eyes makes you feel unsteady or uneasy, keep them open and let them rest softly on the floor a little in front of you. During the moving part, it is often helpful to keep the eyes open, so that you feel steady in the chair.

Summary

This course has fifteen evening lessons. Each one has a short lecture, a complete thirty-minute practice in a chair and a summary. Read a lesson, practise it, and repeat that practice for a few evenings before going on.

Yoga grew over many centuries within spiritual and philosophical traditions, and meditation is found in many traditions, religious and not. In this course they are a practice for the body and the mind: slow movement with the breath, and kind, steady attention. No belief is needed.

A chair makes the practice possible for almost everyone and keeps the body calm and close to bed. Use a sturdy chair without wheels, not a folding chair, on a non-slip floor, ideally with its back against a wall.

Your feet should rest flat on the floor. Use a firm block or a folded blanket under the feet if the seat is high, or a firm cushion on the seat if it is low.

Practise in the hour before bed, in soft light and soft clothes, not straight after a heavy meal. Keep a glass of water nearby and your phone out of reach.

Every practice has five parts: Arriving, Breathing, Moving, Stillness, and Closing and going to bed. Doing them in the same order each night helps the practice become a calm signal for sleep.

Follow the rule of comfort: move only as far as is comfortable, never force, and stop to rest if you feel pain, dizziness or shortness of breath. If you have a long-term health condition, are in pain, or are pregnant, please talk to a doctor before you begin this practice.