ADHO MUKHA SVANASANA ~ (DOWNWARD FACING DOG POSE)

If you had to limit your yoga practice to just one pose, down dog would be a great choice. It's absolutely my favorite. Down dog strengthens the arms and legs, opens the hips and shoulders, stretches the entire back of the body and gives you a mild inversion, since the head is below the heart. Because it distributes the weight evenly though all four limbs, the pose feels very balanced and solid. That's amplified by the fact that the heart chakra, at the base of the breastbone and in the middle of the chakra pole, is the energetic center for this pose. There's something about facing down toward the earth that's also very centering, and I find this pose both calms and energizes me. It's no wonder that down dog is both an integral part of the Iyengar restorative series and the Ashtanga flow series - where it's done more than 50 times!

So here's one way to enjoy this wonderful asana, based on  Anusara Yoga Universal Principles of Alignment.

Come to your hands and knees. Bring the wrists under the shoulders, with the creases of the wrists parallel. Spread the fingers wide and root the finger tips, base or ball mount of the fingers, and the heels of the hands into the mat.

Hug the muscles of the hands and arms to the bones and draw the muscular energy up the arms and into the heart chakra at the base of the sternum, drawing the shoulder blades together on the back and rolling the shoulders up and back. From the heart center, shoot the organic energy back through the bones, expanding them and stretching them down to anchor the hands, especially the ball mounts of the index fingers. Keep a tiny "2 micron" bend in the elbows so the "eyes" of the inner elbows look at each other rather than foward.

Lift the ribs and kidneys up and stretch the tailbone back and in so the lower back does not sag, but instead the spine stretches evenly on both front and back sides. Draw the armpits onto the rib cage and broaden across the collar bones.

With the feet hips width, take the knees back 2 inches, curl the toes, and lift the knees. First stretch the sitting bones as far away from the hands as possible, while continuing to roll the shoulders back away from the ears and towards the hips. Lift and spread the toes, straighten and energize the legs by hugging the muscles to the bones, and draw the muscular energy from the soles of the feet up the legs to the pelvis and then to the bottom of the heart. Draw the groins and inner thighs back, root the tail bone in, then shoot organic energy from the heart center through the bones, taking the sitting bones back and up and the heels back and down.

Lengthen out through the neck and top of the head. Keep lifting the front of the body up into the back of the body as you bring the spine more into the body. Resist the top of the shins slightly forward to not hyperextend the knees and take the thigh bones back and up. Press into the ball mounts of the big toes and the outer heels. Work with the breath. As you inhale pull the muscular energy up and into the heart center. As you exhale, shoot the organic energy through the bones, infinitely stretching in two directions from your heart center.

After 5-8 breaths, on an inhale bend the knees and drop them to the mat, on the exhale flatten the tops of the feet and rock back into child's pose, sitting bones sinking toward or into the heels, forehead resting on crossed hands or on the mat with the arms relaxed forward, alongside the head, or with palms up by the heels. Rest and enjoy the breath.

GARUDASANA ~ EAGLE POSE

This is a great pose for relieving shoulder tension, opening the upper back,stretching the outer hips and thighs, and strengthening the legs. According to Iyengar, it's one of the best for relieving leg cramps, and I know from personal experience that it alleviates sciatica. Plus, because balancing in this pose requires considerable concentration, it definitely focuses the mind. The pose is named after Garuda, the mythical king of birds and powerful opponent of evil that carries the great god Vishnu and his consort, Lakshmi, through the universe. I find it interesting that Vishnu means "The Pervader," the inner cohesion through which everything exists. You will definitely need this inner cohesion to become steady in Garudasana. So get Vishnu on your back and get ready for a truly divine asana

Practice Tips:

Here's one way to get into Garudasana that is  stand with the feet about two feet apart. Extend your left arm straight in front at shoulder height. Swing your right arm undeneath the left so that the right elbow is just behind the left. Bend the left arm at the elbow and bring the backs of the hands toward each other. You can keep the hands in that position (holding a strap if necessary to keep the hands close) pressing the elbows together. Or you can grab the left wrist with the right hand, interlace fingers and fold them down, or press the palms, interlace the thumbs and keep the little finger side straight forward, not skewed to the right.

Keeping the arms in that position, bend the knees several inches. Then, shifting your weight to the left foot, lift the right leg high and swing it over the left. You can either rest the right toes on the floor to the outside of the left foot and work there. Or you can twist the right foot and hook it behind the left leg just above the ankle. If you can't get the toes all the way around, just get them to the back of the leg.

Gaze at a focal point on the floor or wall and stretch the elbows forward and up while you take the sitting bones down. The energetic center for this pose is the center of the pelvis. So as you breathe in the pose, sink down from the center of the pelvis, and from the center of the pelvis extend up. Hold for about five breaths, max out the sinking and lifting on the last exhale, then inhale up and untwine as you exhale. Follow the same steps for the other side.

For me, one of the hardest parts of this pose is trying to keep the hips and shoulders even with each other and facing in the same direction I started. When I hook my right foot behind the left leg, I tend to rotate my pelvis to the left. So I have to consciously work the right hip back to keep the pelvis aligned. It helps to notice which way you're facing before you entwine the legs, then see if you can continue to face that way as you work the pose, and not end up twisting to the side.

To give more stretch to the hips and more work to the legs, try this variation. After you are in the pose, bend forward, keeping your back straight, and rest your right elbow on your right knee. You'll have to bend the knee of the standing leg more to do this. Great stretch! You can also try crossing the arms the other way. That is, with the right leg over the left, have the right arm over the left instead of under it. Notice how the stretch changes, and fly like an eagle to greater awareness.

BHUJANGASANA ~ COBRA POSE

Done carefully, this basic backbend is a wonderfully energizing pose.It opens the chest and shoulders, stretches the thigh, front hip and abdominal muscles, stimulates the kidneys, thyroid and adrenals, increases lung capacity, and tones the digestive and reproductive systems. It's a great preparation for more strenuous backbends - and it feels great. Done too aggressively, though, cobra can really put a crimp in your back. So take your time, and like the snake it's named after, wait for the right moment to strike before you do the pose fully.

Practice Tips:

The following will guide you safely into and out of cobra pose. For more on this asana,

Lie prone with the hands underneath your shoulders, your forehead resting on the mat, and your feet hips width apart. Starting with the toes, hug the muscles of the feet and legs to the bones and draw the muscular energy up the legs into the center of the pelvis. Keeping that energy flowing up, extend energy down from the pelvis through the bones, stretching back through the toes as if you wanted to reach something just beyond their reach. Root your tailbone down and in to pin the pubic bone to the floor - and keep it there. Rooting the tailbone down and in is key to doing this or any other backbend safely.

Lift the shoulders up from the floor and roll them back towards the hips. Keep the elbows stretching in and back. As you inhale, pull slightly down and back with the hands to pull the sternum forward and up. Stretch out through top of the head and back and down through the toes as you lift. Keep bringing the spine in, the shoulders rolling up, the chest puffing forward, and the shoulder blades sliding down toward the hips. Use mainly the back muscles at first to come up, not the hands and arms. With the exhale, stretch forward and down through the top of the head and back through the toes as you come back down to rest the forehead on the mat. Repeat up and down three or four more times.

Then come up and hold, keeping the legs strong, the tailbone in, the pubic bone pressing down, and the heart lifting forward and up. If you back feels ok, you can begin to gently press down and back with the hands to bring the chest more forward and up. But if you begin to feel any pinching or strain in the lower back, ease off or come out of the pose. Try to bring the curve as much into the upper back as the lower back, so the heart center is the apex of the arc. Keep the pubic bone in contact with the floor at all times, and work with the breath - stretching forward with the sternum and back with the toes on the inhales, digging the tailbone down and lifting the heart up on the exhales.

Gradually, you can bring the hands back more towards the hips before you come up into the pose and straighten the arms. This will increase the curve on the back and the intensity of the pose. Alternatively, you can take the hands forward a bit in front of the shoulders to straighten the arms and help keep the shoulders rolling up and back without stressing the lower back. And you can stretch up and back through the top of the head to take the chin up and gaze at the sky through your third eye between the eyebrows. Another way to intensify the pose is to bring the feet and legs together before you go up in it, stretching back through the inner heels as well as the toes, and resisting the shins toward the floor.

After any version you do, slowly lift up to hands and knees then back to child's pose for the counter stretch. Go easily, giving your lower back time to open up as you lower the sitting bones toward the hips and stretchthe tailbone back. Rest your forehead on stacked hands, on the floor with the arms relaxed in front or alongside the head, or back by the heels with the palms up. Breathe fully, exhanling through the lower back to loosen it up, and coil back down like a snake at rest.

VIRASANA ~ HERO POSE

While it looks simple, sitting in this pose is truly a heroic feat for many of us who have stiff hips,knees and ankles, because it can give those areas quite a stretch. But for that very reason it is one of the best for opening the hips to rotate more internally, loosening the knee joints and stretching the quadriceps as well as the front of the shins and ankles. This pose helps develop arches in the feet, so it is good for flat feet. And because it increases circulation at the bottom of the pelvis, virasana also promotes reproductive health. Once you get comfortable in the pose, it is very solid and grounding. This, plus the fact that it facilitates aligning the spine and shushumna (central energy channel), makes Virasana an excellent pose for meditation.
Practice Tips:

So try these steps for becoming a hero. And for more on preliminary exercises that will make this pose easier, Kneel on a soft surface (doubled mat or blanket) with the knees together. Take the feet slightly wider than hip's width apart (to the edge of the mat if you're using one). Reach behind the knees and press the palms on the calf muscles to pull them back and slightly out. Holding the calf muscles down, sit between the ankles so they are alongside the hips.

If you're stiff like me and there's no way the sitting bones will get to the floor or the stretch is too intense on the knees, sit on a block or rolled up blanket to elevate the hips. You may also find it helpful to put folded washcloth or sock behind each knee before you come to sit. If the stretch is too intense on the ankles, put a rolled up towel or mat under the tops of the ankles, or sit so the tops of the ankles are on the edge of the blanket you're sitting on, with the toes off it. You may also let the knees separate a little to alleviate the stretch there if it's too intense.

Check to see that the tops of all the toes are on the mat, blanket or floor and that the ankles are not falling inward. If they are, you might find it helpful to put your fists between the heel and the hips and encourage the feet to line up parallel.

Whether your sitting bones are on a block, blanket or the floor, push down from the center of your pelvis and root them down into your base. Roll the inner thighs down and the groins down and back to promote the inward opening of the hip joint. Then from the center of the pelvis, extend up, having the spine rise up like the stem of a flower that blossoms at the crown of your head.

As you sit, make sure you're not jutting the ribs forward. Instead, take the lower ribs back and the kidneys up while bringing the spine in, so the spine stretches evenly front and back. To help align the pelvis, bend forward a bit, pull the flesh of the buttocks back and out, then sit straight and root the tail bone down. Roll the shoulders up and back and lift or lower the chin so the head balances lightly and evenly at the top of the spine.

Rest your hand palms down on your thighs or palms down on your feet. Breathe evenly, rising up on the inhales, rooting down on the exhales, and become a true yogic champion, heroically overcoming your limitations to connect more fully with Supreme Consciousness.

To come out of the pose, lean forward and come to your hands and knees. Stretch one leg back strongly through the heel, then rotate ankle inward three times and outward three times. Do the opposite leg, then lift up into "lazy dog" pose - bend one knee and push the opposite heel down, then bend the other, also bending the elbows and pushing out into the shoulders and hips to take out the kinks so you feel like the champion you are.

ARDHA CHANDRASANA ~ HALF MOON POSE

While this asana may look like a half moon floating in the sky, doing it feels to me like a star softly radiating energy in all directions. Ardha Chandrasana strengthens the ankles, legs, back and buttocks, opens the hips and chest, and stretches the calf and inner thigh muscles. It provides a mild inversion, alleviates gastric disorders, calms the nervous system and develops balance. Simply put, half moon pose makes you feel heavenly. I find it wonderfully restorative whenever I feel tight or tired. There's something about balancing sideways that changes your perspective on things and brings you back to your center. In fact, connecting with your core and grounding down through the standing leg is key to doing this pose. Once you experience the lightness, openness and quiet energy of Ardha Chandrasana, you'll look knowingly at the next half moon you see - and smile.
Practice Tips:

Because Ardha Chandrasana gives the inner thigh muscles a powerful stretch, it's advisable to first do some poses, such as Utthita Trikonasana (triangle), Virabhadrasana II (side warrior) or Parsvakonasana (side angle pose), that stretch the inner thighs less intensely. For that reason, and because this is a lateral pose in which the hips and shoulders stack over each other as they do in triangle, half moon pose is often done out of triangle (but not necessarily, as we'll see in a bit).

So if you know triangle pose, get into it, legs firmly grounded and arms extended up and down. Then bend your front knee, reach forward with your bottom hand and place it (or just the finger tips for starters) about a foot in front of and slightly to the outside of your front foot, so the thumb and little toe are roughly in the same line. Looking down at your big toe, with an inhale lift your back leg as you straighten the standing leg. Stretch back through both the heel and ball of the lifted foot, and press down through the heel and big toe of the foot you're standing on. Stack the shoulders and hips, and stretch up through the raised arm. Root your tailbone in and extend out through the top of your head. If you're steady, you can turn to look up at the thumb of the raised hand.

Balancing in the full pose can be tricky, especially if you don't keep the legs energized and the torso open and extended. To do so, keep grounding into the supporting foot and directing the rebound energy out through your spine and limbs. Let your core stay mobile and pulsing with the breath, so you don't become rigid and restrict the flow of energy through the pose. Keep the knee and foot of the standing leg facing straight forward, not turned in, and make sure the sitting bone of the standing leg stays in the same vertical plane as the heel, so it doesn't fall to the outside and torque the knee inward. Also, keep the ribs back and the heart open in back as well as front, so the spine stretches evenly front and back and you don't jut the ribs or collapse your center.

Perhaps most important, stay connected with the breath, letting it move you more deeply into the pose. As you inhale extend, and as you exhale expand, "exploding" gently from the center of the pelvis and shooting energy through your spine and limbs like a pulsing star. Lift the raised foot higher as you extend. Say "wow" with your body to clarify the lines of energy, and note how much steadier you become. After 4-5 smooth and even breaths, bend the front knee, lower the back leg, straighten the front leg into trikonasana for a breath, then come up with an inhale.

If your legs are tight and you can't both straighten the standing leg and keep the hand of the supporting arm on the floor, rest the hand on a block, at whatever height works for you. If your legs are weak and you keep collapsing the torso, practice with your hips and back against a wall. In fact, doing the pose against the wall really helps you focus on opening the chest, shoulders and hips, improves alignment, and increases the stretch on the standing leg. I highly recommend it - at least from time to time - even if you are adept at doing the pose in the middle of the floor.

A less usual way to do Ardha Chandrasana, but one that I actually prefer, is to simply do it. By that I mean starting by standing with the feet about a yard apart. Rest the hand of the top arm on your sacrum at the small of your back and use it as a lever to pull your top shoulder back and open across the collar bones. Then bend the front knee, reach down to place the hand, and lift the back leg as you straighten the standing leg, as described above. As you lift and extend, revolve the torso open, root the tailbone in and roll the top hip up. Keep drawing muscular energy in and shooting pranic energy through the bones with the breath, following the alignment tips mentioned. After several mindful extensions of breath energy in the pose, lower the raised arm to the small of your back, bend the front knee as you lower the back leg, and come up to stand. Take a moment to savor the wonderful feeling of having floated in the heavens from your base on the earth.

SAVANASANA ~ CORPSE POSE

Aahhhh! Sweet surrender. Time to lay your burden down. Whether you do it at the end of your practice or as a mini-yoga session of its own, savasana is wonderfully restorative for both the body and mind. Lying on your back enables you to totally let go of all muscle tension yet keep the spine aligned. This calms the nervous system and helps energy to circulate freely and evenly throughout the body. The heartbeat and respiration become smooth and easy, and your whole being is brought into balance. Closing your eyes and letting go of thoughts and worries frees your mind to enter a deeper and happier form of consciousness. The result is a state of blissful peace - your true nature. So give yourself up to Mother Earth, dissolve into the breath and let it softly carry you back to the loving stillness where you began.

Practice Tips:

Because savasana lowers the blood pressure and body temperature, you may want to put on socks and sweats or cover yourself with a blanket or towel when you lie back, especially if the space you're in is cool and you'll be in the pose for more than a few minutes. It also helps to have a blanket, double mat or other cushioned surface to lie back on comfortably. In addition, you may want to lower the lights or use an eye bag to help the eyes rest.

To get into this pose, I like to first sit with my knees up and feet on the floor about hips width apart. Holding on to the back of my thighs, I gently tuck my chin and tail bone and let the back round. Then I lay one vertebra at a time on my mat as I ease myself down. I slide the legs out and slightly more than hips width apart (this enables the diaphragm to move with maximum freedom and ease) and let the arms come down to the sides, hands palms up and about a foot away from my hips.

To loosen my legs, I flop the feet gently from side to side and then let them fall to the outside, letting my legs fall off my pelvis. Pushing into my elbows, I raise the chest a bit to get the shoulder blades off the floor, bring them toward each other to open the collar bones and heart, then gently let the torso back down. Lifting the arms about an inch off the floor, I spread the fingers and stretch them away from the shoulders. Keeping the stretch, I pull the shoulders toward the ears about an inch to level them off and then roll them down to open the upper chest. I next let the hands and arms float back down, letting go and letting the fingers curl as they like. Finally, I lift the head a tiny bit, bring the chin down to neutral, and stretching back through the crown of the head, I lower it back down, coming to rest on that knob (occipital lobe) at the base of the skull. (If you find your head drops back and chin juts up, you'll be more comfortable if you put a rolled mat, pillow, or something else under your head to raise it to where the neck is level.)

However you get into savasana, once you're there you might want to take a big breath in and release it with an audible sigh to help release tension. Do this a couple of times if you like. You might also want to open the jaw wide and yawn, then let it hang gently open. Check to see that the throat and neck are relaxed and that you're not clenching your teeth or trying to control the breath. Let the eyes rest behind gently closed lids, falling back into the eye sockets and maybe even rolling up to "look" through your third eye between the eyebrows. Let the roof of the mouth dome up and soften, the inner ears open and the whole "back" of the face - the sinuses, the muscles around the eyes and mouth, and the teeth and gums - relax. Let the tongue lie silent and soft at the bottom of the mouth, and let the root of the tongue relax and slide down your throat and through the torso into the center of your pelvis, energetically releasing everything along the way.

To deepen your relaxation, you might want to do a body scan or a progressive relaxation exercise. I like to think of a warm, soft light falling first onto the crown of my head, then spreading slowly down my face, shoulders, torso, pelvis, legs, feet and out my toes. As it flows down, it "melts" tension away. The muscles fall away from the bones, and the bones fall away from each other, creating space for the breath energy to move freely and deeply through the body. The ribs spread apart like the pages of a book, the inner organs relax and lie happily on each other, and the heart softens and opens. The breath becomes very soft and quiet - so quiet that if there were a downy feather in front of your nostrils, it would barely flutter as the air moved easily in and out.

As the breath quiets, your mind becomes clear and still, like the surface of a pond reflecting the beauty of being around you. With no place to go, nothing to do and no one to be, you become what you really are: peaceful, loving bliss.

While it's good to do savasana for at least five minutes, it's great to do it for 10, 15 or more. To come out of it, slowly start to deepen the breath into bigger, fuller inhales and longer, more complete exhales. Start to move your fingers and toes, then circle your wrists and ankles a few times in and out. Bring your feet together and point the toes, and stretch your arms up overhead, back of the hands on the floor and fingers spread and stretching toward the wall behind you. With a big inhale stretch the fingers away from the toes, and with the exhale release. You may want to do this a couple of times.

Then with an inhale bend the knees one at a time and draw the feet in toward your hips, ankles and knees together. With an exhale, let the knees drop to your right side and let your body follow along so you're lying on your right side, resting your head on your hand or arm and breathing softly. When you're ready, use your arms to slowly lift up and come to sit for a moment, savoring how wonderful it is to feel "reborn." Then take that feeling of peace with you wherever you go and share it with everyone you meet.

PARIGHASANA ~ GATE LATCH POSE

Like a bar or beam (parigha) used to latch a gate shut, the arms in this pose lower down over the extended leg to secure a intense side bend. As a result, the back of the extended leg gets a strong stretch, as do the outer hip, torso and abdomen. And because there's a mild twist required to keep the shoulders stacked and the rib cage open, you'll also feel it in the groins, which open to keep the body facing forward as you bend to the side. Gate pose is wonderful for people at all levels because it can be worked to different degrees of intensity, depending on how far over you go. (A strong version of it is part of the Ashtanga intermediate series.) At any level, it tones the abdominal area, frees the hips and gives you an awesome stretch - one that will definitely make you say ahhh.

Practice Tips:

Parighasana is a beautifully simple yet powerful pose. Start by kneeling hips width apart (on a blanket, folded towel or doubled mat if a regular surface is hard on your knees). Extend your right leg straight out to the right side, and turn the foot to point to the right. As you press the right toes down onto or toward the floor, engage the quadriceps and pull up strongly on your right kneecap. Keep the quads pulling up the whole time so you don't jam into the back of the knee and hyperextend it.

Extend the right arm to the right. Energize it by gently spreading the fingers and drawing the muscles in toward the bones and up the arm into your center as the bones stretch back through. Turn the palm up and lower the back of the right hand to the top of the right leg. Extend the left arm, energize it, turn the palm up, and lift the arm straight up so it's by your ear. Now you're ready to latch the gate.

With an inhale, stretch up out of the pelvis, and as you exhale stretch up and over to the right as you turn to look up past your left upper arm. Keep the left shoulder back so it stays in line with the right one, not in front of it. With each inhale stretch the spine and top arm out and turn the rib cage more to the left. With each exhale stretch over more to the right and down over the leg, sliding the right hand more toward the foot. Keep the right leg strong with the top of the right thigh pulling into the hip. And keep pulling the left hip back to the left so the left thigh stays vertical. Remember to remain open in front with the left shoulder and ribs opening to the left and back, not dropping forward so you can get lower (this is cheating).

Your goal is eventually to bring the palm of the left hand on top of the right, with both arms extended. If this is easy (it's not for me - I'm not quite there) try this. Keeping the quads pulling up, lift the toes and stretch out evenly through both the heel and the ball mounts of the right foot. Turn the right palm more to the right and grab the inner right foot with the right hand, then grab the outer foot with the left hand (or just keep stretching the left arm toward the foot). Using the arms as levers, twist up more to the left. (This is something like parivrtta janu sirsana, if you know that pose). No matter where you are in gate pose, work it for 5-8 breaths, then stretch up with an inhale, and switch sides.

In the Ashtanga version, you would start with the left leg extended along the floor, and the right leg bent back, with the knee and top of the foot on the floor, and opening away from the left leg. You then bend sideways over the left leg, either extending the arms and opening up or grabbing the left foot with the hands and twisting up as in the other version.

As the name implies, parighasana makes you steadfast. The kneeling leg is like a post to which the bar or latch fastens, holding the gate of the torso in place so you can get the full benefit of the stretch. I find this pose a wonderful prep for triangle (trikonasana) because it opens many of the same areas - some even more intensely - without putting as much strain on the legs. So next time you're feeling a little stiff in the hips, swing the gate open and closed a few times, and you'll be ready for anything.

UTTHITA TRIKONASANA ~ EXTENDED TRIANGLE POSE

Triangle is for me the quintessential standing pose. It requires strength in the legs, openness in the hips and torso, good alignment, and the extension of energy through the spine and limbs. Consequently it strengthens the arches, ankles, legs (especially the quadriceps) and buttocks. Trikonasana also stretches the thighs, spine and sides of the torso. And because it releases the hips and spinal column and opens the abdominal area, this pose can relieve back pain and improve digestion and elimination. Triangle even strengthens the neck by making the muscles there work to keep the head aligned while it's in a horizontal position. Not bad at all for a single pose! Plus, because it requires a firm grounding through the feet, trikonasana builds a sense of steadfastness and fortitude you can take with you to other parts of your life. Like the pyramids that share the triangle's power, you can then remain strong, stable and tranquil no matter what happens around you.

Practice Tips:

Start by taking a wide stance - you can jump into it if you like - with the feet facing forward, roughly one leg's length apart (3½ feet or so) and the arms extended horizontally to the sides. Lift your left heel and take it back so the foot turns inward a bit, without letting your left hip turn in (keep resisting it back and open). Pivoting on the right heel, lift your right toes and turn them out until the foot is facing 90 degrees to the right. As you do this, rotate the right leg out from the inner side, and make sure your right knee turns out too so it faces the middle of the foot. Your right heel should be in line with the arch of the left foot. This is the base of your triangle.

Take a big inhale and open your heart. As you exhale, soften and release your weight down through your legs into your feet. Feel the whole bottom of each foot in contact with the earth. From this base (the soles of your feet) inhale and draw the muscles gently in toward the bones and up along them into the center of the pelvis. Be sure to lift the arches, calves and kneecaps and resist the top of the right shin forward to keep from jamming into the back of the knee. (I like to think of this as a tiny two-micron bend in the knee.) With an exhale, extend energy from your pelvis down through the leg bones, rooting your feet more firmly into the earth. Press down the ball mount of the right big toe and feel the energy come out the outer edge of the left foot. Keep your legs humming with energy, but not so hard you tire out before you get into the pose.

Energize your arms by opening the hands and drawing muscle energy along the bones from your fingertips into your heart center. Then exhale energy back through the bones, expanding them and extending them through the muscles like a hand through a glove. Keep the front of the armpits and collarbones rolling up and back and your heart open and lifting. Staying open in front, take the ribs and sides of the waist back and open the heart in back as you bring the spine and tail bone in. (When you come into the pose, your ribs may want to jut forward, so keep resisting them back.)

With an inhale lift your heart and extend the spine up out of the pelvis. With an exhale pull the left hip back (I like to think of it as a hip-check to the left) and indent the right groin as you stretch sideways over the right leg. If you're flexible, bring the right fingertips or palm all the way to the floor outside your right leg, with the forearm against the shin (or loop the big toe for the Ashtanga version). Have your right arm perpendicular to the torso and in line with the left, which extends up in the opposite direction. If you're less flexible, rest the right hand on a block or on the ankle or shin. Roll the right shoulder back to stay open across the collarbones, and with the neck level (you may need to tuck the chin a bit to get it there) turn to look up at your left thumb, which should be in line with your mouth. You're now more or less into the pose.

To fine tune your alignment, make sure the shoulders are in line with your hips (not in front of them) and stacked over each other, and that your right sitting bone has not gone back out of line with the right heel. If so, root the tailbone in more and bring the shoulders back and hips forward. Keep your right ankle, knee and sitting bone in line, with the knee facing forward over the foot. Also, make sure that you have not collapsed the lower ribs and arched the top ones up in a bow shape. Keep lengthening the right side of the torso from the hips to the armpit and bring the left ribs down to keep both sides of the rib cage even.

Now go inside. Rotate the belly, heart, lungs and core to the left and upward. As you inhale draw the energy up from your base to the pelvic energy center. As you exhale, shoot it out through your spine and limbs. Press the heel and outer edge of the back foot down and extend out through the crown of your head. Push into the right hand and shoot the energy out your left fingertips. Let the breath do the pose. The more grounded and connected you become, the more open, light and peaceful you'll be.

When you're ready to come out, press into the right foot and with an inhale let your left fingers pull you up. Turn the feet to center as you exhale, lower the arms, and release. Take a breath or two, noticing how you feel. Then do the other side, reversing the instructions. For starters, 5-8 breaths in the pose will probably be enough. Eventually you'll actually want to hold trikonasana for a minute or two and enjoy how stable and free this pose makes you feel.

PINCHA MAYURASANA ~ PEACOCK'S TAIL FEATHER POSE

Before a peacock fans his tail feathers, he proudly lifts them upright to prepare for his strutting dance. Pincha mayurasana is named for this energetic tail lift, and you will definitely have to lift your tail to do this pose, which is also called elbow stand or forearm stand. While the tailbone plays a key role in this inversion, you'll probably feel it most in the shoulders, which have to open and vigorously lift to hold the pose.

Therefore this asana is excellent for releasing tension in the shoulder girdle, opening the chest and strengthening the shoulders, upper arms and upper back. It also tones the abdominals, as it requires a lot of ab work (uddiyana bandha) to keep the ribs in and the lower back from arching. And it strengthens the legs and buttocks, because their muscles have to firmly contract and stretch upward as the tops of inner thighs squeeze together. Like all inversions, pincha mayurasana brings blood to the head and invigorates the entire body. When you learn to balance well in this exhilarating pose, you'll understand why peacocks like to strut their stuff.

 Practice Tips:

Because pincha mayurasana requires a good degree of both strength and flexibility in the shoulders, it's best to develop that before you try to launch your peacock tail. Otherwise you might collapse and strain them (or your ego). Therefore, you may find it helpful to take a phased approach to this asana.

First, try a preparatory pose called elbow dog, so named because it's like downward facing dog pose adho mukha svanasana), but with your elbows on the mat. To do elbow dog, come to your hands and knees, with the wrists underneath the shoulders, the knees hips-width beneath the hip joints and the toes curled under. Lower the elbows down and turn the palms up to ground the outside of the elbows. Then turn the palms down, making sure the forearms are parallel, the fingers spread, and the palms, forearms and outer elbows pressing down. Look forward just past your hands and pull the abs in and up. With an inhale, push into the elbows, forearms and hands, lift the hips up and push them back with the legs strong. Take the upper back in and the shoulder blades together as you push your heart back while stretching the spine up and keeping the ribs in. Hold for 5-8 breaths and release. Then try this pose again, seeing if you can hold it longer - maybe 10-12 breaths (roughly a minute).

If you can hold a straight line from your elbows through your shoulders to your tail in elbow dog for a minute (ask a friend to check your alignment or have a mirror on one side), you're ready to try the next phase - otherwise, keep working on elbow dog. (Because this next preparation and the full pose are more intense inversions, they are not advised if you have high blood pressure, heart problems, glaucoma detached retina, or you are menstruating.) You'll need a solid wall for this phase.

To find where to place your elbows, sit for a moment facing the wall and adjust your position until your feet are against the wall with your legs extended straight ahead. Note where your sitting bones are - that's where you want your elbows to be. Now, facing away from the wall, come to your hands and knees and lower your elbows to the spot where your sitting bones were. Position the arms the same as you did for elbow dog, pull in your abs in and up, lift the hips, then walk the feet up the wall until the legs are parallel to the floor. Push into the hands, forearms and elbows and lift the hips up as you try to take your chest to the wall but keep the ribs back. Wow, strong stretch! Hold for a few breaths, bring the feet down, and rest in child's pose for a bit.

If you're feeling ready to try elbow stand, you can move to the next phase. You'll use the wall again. There are a couple ways to do this. I'll first describe the more common method, then the one recommended by Donna Farhi, which I think is better for learning the correct alignment (see her book, Yoga Mind, Body & Spirit). Try each and see which you prefer.

The typical way is to come to all fours facing the wall, and place your hands shoulder-width apart with the fingers spread and the tips of the middle fingers touching the wall. Turn the palms up to ground the outer elbow. Check to see that the forearms are parallel and grounded, the palms and fingertips are pressed down, the shoulder blades are on the back, the abs are pulling in and up, and the shoulders are lifting toward the hips. Arch the neck a bit and look at the wall. Lift the hips into elbow dog, walk the feet in toward the wall, and bend one knee. The bent leg is your pusher or springer, and the other leg, which stays straight and strong, is your lifter or swinger. Bend the knee a little more, and with an inhale push off with the bent leg as you swing the straight leg up and toward the wall, following immediately with a straightened left leg. Be careful not to swing up too vigorously, or you may damage the wall (or hurt your foot). If you're new at this, first try a couple of easy test springs and swings to get the timing and gauge the amount of energy you'll need to get up without crashing into the wall.

Once you have the legs up against the wall bring the upper back and the sacrum in, the ribs back, and push down into the elbows, hands and forearms as you squeeze the legs together and stretch them strongly up. Vigorously lift the shoulders and hips while you keep your tailbone stretching up and in. Hold for 3-5 breaths at first, then lower the legs one at a time and come down.

If your shoulders splayed out, you may have slid the hands toward each other, rolled to the inner part of your elbows, collapsed the shoulders inward and pulled the shoulder blades off your back. To avoid this, keep your weight on the outer edge of the forearms and elbows and keep opening the shoulders back. If you're still splaying out, it helps to place a block between the hands, with the thumbs in front and the index fingers along the sides, to keep the hands apart. Also, use a strap around the upper arms just above the elbows to keep them shoulder-width apart. If this is too intense, or you can't keep the forearms down, you might want to work more on the preparatory phases

Ideally, in pincha mayurasansa the elbows, shoulders, hips and heels are all in the same vertical line. That's hard to do with the legs extended and the feet against the wall because the heels will be behind the hips. This makes it difficult to engage the abdominals and keep the torso in line. Therefore Donna Farhi recommends placing the elbows a shin's length away from the wall (you can measure it by kneeling with your feet against the wall and see where your knees are; then, when you face forward to lift up, your elbows should go where your knees were).

When you're well positioned and aligned as described above, swing the legs up as in the previous version, but then slide both feet down the wall to where your shins are perpendicular to it. This will enable you to use your abdominal, pelvic and hamstring muscles to bring the pelvis away from the wall and into an upright position, with the knees, hips, shoulders and elbows all aligned. To do this, lift the tailbone actively, contract the abs and bring the pubic bone toward the navel to bring the ribs back and lengthen the spine. Keep the forearms grounded. If your alignment is good, you can try taking one leg straight up. If the balance and energy are there, you can then stretch the other up, too, squeezing the tops of the inner thighs together. After about 5 breaths, come down as in the other version.

Gradually increase the length of time you stay in the pose, working on your balance and alignment. Of course, you'll eventually want - and be able - to do pincha mayurasana in the middle of the floor, kicking up one leg after the other. Then like a peacock you'll definitely have something to strut about.

SALABHASANA ~ LOCUST POSE

When you look at a locust or grasshopper, one of the first things you see is a set of steely back legs raised diagonally and ready to launch the insect into space with a powerful spring. In locust pose, you'll need the same kind of power in your back and legs to lift into this energizing asana. While it looks simple, salabhasana requires a surprising amount of effort and strength - especially in the advanced version. Because the lower back, buttock and leg muscles have to contract vigorously to achieve this pose, it is excellent for strengthening these areas. It also stimulates the cardiovascular, endocrine and digestive systems, benefits the bladder and prostate gland, and increases flexibility in the spine. Like all backbends, salabhasana opens the nadis or energy channels along the front of the body, boosts the heart rate and improves the absorption of oxygen. As a result, you'll feel pumped and ready to jump about like a grasshopper after you practice this invigorating pose.

Practice Tips:

There are two main versions of salabhasana, and several variations of each, so don't be surprised if people do or teach this pose differently. All versions share the strong lift in the legs, require a lot of work in the back, and open the front of the body, so the benefits are similar. We'll look first at the version where the pelvis stays on the floor and both the upper body and legs are lifted. Then we'll look at the more advanced version, where the chin, upper body and arms are kept on the floor and the legs and pelvis are lifted.

For first version, lie prone, resting on your chin with your hands palms up (or palms facing the thighs) along your sides, with the legs together. Energize the legs by drawing muscle energy to the bones and gently pulling it up from the toes into the center of the pelvis, then extending the bones back. Hug the legs together and root your tailbone down with a slight pelvic tuck. Energize the arms by drawing the muscle energy in and up and stretching the bones back through. Roll the shoulders up and back as you slide the shoulder blades down and in. With an inhale, stretch from your inner body out through the head, feet and arms as you lift them up, using your back muscles to arch up. Keep the neck level, the legs strong and gently squeezing together, and your tailbone in. After 4-5 breaths, lower with an exhale. You can rest with your forehead on stacked hands, with your toes out and heels in (downward facing corpse pose), or on one side of your face with the hands palms up along the thighs and the toes in, heels out. Repeat the pose once or twice more, perhaps trying one of the following variations.

There are many variations of this version. For example, in the Ashtanga second series, salabhasana A is done with the hands kept on the floor, palms up, as you lift up. For salabhasana B, slide the hands forward, palms down, until the forearms are 90 degrees to the floor. In other variations you interlace your fingers behind your back and stretch back through the knuckles as you lift, or hold the opposite elbows behind the back and pull them back and up as you lift the head, chest and legs. Or you can extend the arms forward and lift them as you lift the legs and stretch them back. Also, notice the difference between lifting on an inhale and lifting on an exhale, letting your inner body expand as you exhale. Experiment with different variations and notice how they change the pose, and pick the ones you like best.

If your back felt fine doing the version with the pelvis on the floor, you might try the one in which you lift the pelvis and legs up while you keep the head, arms and chest down (viparita salabhasana). Because this version creates pressure in the heart, head and lungs and brings a lot of blood to the throat and brain, it isn't recommended for people with heart conditions or high blood pressure. So just do the first version, or go very easy with this one, just lifting one leg at a time or keeping the pelvis on the floor and simply stretching back.

Start by lying prone as before, but with your arms underneath your body, your hands in fists against your thighs, with the back of the hands on the floor. (Alternatively, you can put the back of the fists against your thighs, or have the fists thumb-side down along the thighs). Energize the legs and arms as in the previous version, legs together. Ease into the pose by first stretching and lifting one leg, raising it on the inhale higher and higher for 3-4 breaths, then lowering it and doing the same with the other. Then, with an inhale, press the arms into the floor and lift both legs up, trying to also lift the pelvis as the legs stretch back and squeeze together. Hold for 1-3 breaths, then release.

If you didn't get very high, don't worry - that's normal. This version of salabhasana requires tremendous back strength and lots of flexibility in the torso. So if you even got the pelvis up a little bit, congratulate yourself and try it again after a rest. If you want more work on the arms, place the palms flat on the floor with the arms close together underneath the pelvis and thighs before you lift up.

Whichever version you do, you'll find salabhasana a real upper. Just take it easy, letting your breath return to normal between repetitions. When you're finished, bring your hands under your shoulders and slowly and carefully lift up to your hands and knees, then fold back into child's pose, sitting bones on your heels, forehead on stacked hands or the floor. Breathe softly and glow happily, reflecting on the lessons you've learned from the locust.

BADDHA KONASANA ~ BOUND ANGLE POSE / COBBLER POSE

For some people sitting in this pose is no big deal. They, like Indian cobblers who hold their work between their feet, simply put the soles of their feet together and their knees fall completely open to the floor. For others, like me, getting the knees anywhere near the floor is a major accomplishment. It all depends on how loose your hips, groins and inner thighs are - or how much you've practiced this "cobbler" pose, which is excellent for opening the groins and hip joints and stretching the inner thighs But even if your knees open easily, sitting in baddha konasana will help tone the pelvic area, stretch the spine, alleviate menstrual symptoms and prevent or treat urinary and prostate problems. It is also recommended during pregnancy. And if you take it into a forward bend, you'll stretch and strengthen the back and stimulate the abdominal organs. So make like a cobbler and enjoy the benefits of this basic but important pose.

Practice Tips:

Sitting on your mat, bring the soles of your feet together and draw the heels in close to the pelvis. If you're stiff and the heels don't come in very close, you might want to put your hands on the floor behind your hips, lift the pelvis and bring it closer to the heels. Interlace your fingers around the front of your feet and sit tall, chin level. As you push the outsides of the feet into the floor, gently pull up on them with the hands to create resistance that will help you lift the sternum, bring the chest forward, and open across the shoulders. Keep stretching the top of the head away from your tailbone as you root the sitting bones down.

If the ribs jut forward, lift the kidneys back and up so the ribs come in. Press the soles of the feet together, stretch out through the inner thighs and bring the knees toward the floor. Descend the sitting bones, groins, inner thighs and outer hips as you lift the perineal area and draw the lower abdominals in and up. Hold the pose for a minute or two (10 to 25 deep breaths), longer if you like.

If you're stiff, sitting tall and getting the knees toward the floor may seem like mission impossible. So you might try sitting on a block or a folded blanket to elevate the hips. This will make it easier to level the pelvis, which usually tips back and under when you're stiff, making it difficult to stretch the spine straight. You might also (or instead) work the pose with the hands on the floor behind the hips. Pushing down and back with the hands will help you lift the chest up and forward and keep the shoulders open as you rotate the pelvis forward and down to try to level it off.

Alternatively, you can sit in the pose with your back against a wall and keep the shoulder blades and back of head on the wall as you press the feet together and open the knees down. Whether you're sitting by the wall or not, if you want a more powerful stretch, you can put your hands on the top of the thighs near the hip joints, with the thumbs facing in and the fingers on the outside of the thighs. Press down and roll the thighs out and back to help open the hip joints. You might even place a sandbag on each upper thigh near the hips to help open that area. But if you do, be very careful not to overdo it and strain the ligaments.

According to John Friend, one of my favorite yoga teachers, keeping the floor of the pelvis level and the sides of the pelvis evenly open in this and other asanas is important to maximize the energy flow, increase the benefits of the pose and minimize the risk of injury. Therefore, in baddha konasana he recommends a balanced action in the feet, which translates into evenness in the pelvis. If you open the feet so the soles face up, you get too much outer spiral in the legs. This causes the front of the pelvis to lift and closes the back of the pelvic floor. If you press only into the heels, the same happens. So he recommends pressing evenly into the heels and the balls of the feet, and evenly down along the sides of the feet from toes to heel. Descending both the groins and the sitting bones will then keep the pelvic floor level or working toward that. But don't be surprised if other teachers, especially in the Ashtanga system, have you open the feet like the pages of a book. Try these different ways and see which works best for you.

If sitting tall with the knees on or near the floor is fairly easy, you might want to stretch forward into a bound angle forward bend. You can pull gently on the hands to deepen the stretch, provided you don't collapse the front of the spine or round the shoulders forward and toward the ears. If that happens, you might want to place the hands behind you and push your torso forward and down. Keep lifting the sternum toward your chin, pulling the armpits back and stretching through the crown of your head to keep the spine long. If your arms are long enough, you might even press the elbows into the thighs as you bend forward to help them open and descend. Just try to keep the floor of the pelvis level. For a few hyperflexible folk, this might mean taking the tail bone down more and lifting the pubic bone a bit to keep the back side of the pelvis down and open. Lift out with an inhale after 10 breaths or so.

How close you get the knees to the floor in the upright pose or how far you go down in the forward bend doesn't really matter. What does matter is how mindfully you work in the pose and how open and lengthened you keep your energy core from the floor of the pelvis to the crown of your head. If you do baddha konasana with care and patient awareness, you'll cobble together a real work of art.