When the weather is hot, it’s nice to include some cooling, restorative poses in your practice. To this end, I offer you a supported version of janu sirsasana. You will need a bolster, firm pillow (couch cushions will work), or a number of folded blankets. Set your legs up for the pose and then [...]

You’ve heard the saying “necessity is the mother of invention,” right? Since I’m trying to rest a sore shoulder, I’ve turned my daily stretch routine into a hip-opening, hamstring-stretching workshop. Try out this sequence when you want to work on your legs for awhile.
Hips and Hamstrings originally appeared on About.com Yoga on Tuesday, February 16th, [...]

In honor of the new year, my teacher broke out some ab-tastic boat crunches. To do these, you come into boat pose and then release out of the pose to hover both your torso and legs a few inches above the floor. Then you come back up into boat. Rinse and repeat until you feel [...]

The Cobra Pose (bhujangasana in Sanskrit) is a great and easy way to stretch the back. It can be astonishingly energizing!
(Warning: DO NOT perform the Cobra pose if you are pregnant, suffer from hernias, or have injured your back. Stay safe!)
Do this in easy stages:
1. Lie facedown on the ground, legs tightly together and stretched back [...]

The Bow Pose (dhanurasana in Sanskrit) is a version of the simple bow. It’s surprising how many children can do it immediately!
Do this in easy stages:
1. Lie face down and prone on your mat. (If you are skinny or slender, use a thick, padded mat for this pose.)
2. Breathe in and bend your knees up.
3. [...]

I’m going with a yule themed pose on this Christmas week: knee to ankle is also called firelog pose because the legs should look like neatly stacked logs. I’ve also heard this pose called double pigeon and, on occasion, heard a few curse words thrown out as the hips open and knees settle into place. [...]