Marjaryasana/Bitilasana (Cat/Cow pose) is a combination of two yoga poses that gently stretch and warm up your spine. The Sankrit name for cat cow pose is Marjaiasana. Marjay meaning cat and Bitil meaning cow (asana meaning pose).  Cat/Cow pose consists of moving the spine from a rounded position to an arched position. Hence Cat/Cow pose is good for the spine. It’s a basic motions but it is enormously beneficial in preventing back pain and maintaining a healthy spine. Bringing movement and flexibility to your spine helps your body to become more coordinated. Try a few slow rounds of Cat-Cow when you wake in the morning, before bed, or after sitting for a long period. You may notice yourself walking taller throughout the day! 😊

How To Perform Cat-Cow Pose:
 
Cat Pose
1. Start on the ground with a neutral spine in table-top position with your knees and hands on the floor. Your knees should be hip distance apart in line with your hips and your arms should be straightened and in line with your shoulders. Keep your head in line with your body and either close your eyes or gaze towards the ground.

2. Take an inhale while in this neutral spine position and then slowly exhale your breath while rounding your spine towards the sky, keeping your hands and knees where they are.

3. As you round your spine you will gently release your head towards the ground while making sure not to tense your neck. Engage your lower core muscles and really try to bring your tailbone towards the center of your body while rounding your back as high as you can.
 
Cow Pose
4. Once you have released your entire breath in Cat Pose start to inhale deeply while dropping your belly towards the ground.

5. Begin to arch your back and lift your chest towards the sky keeping your neck in line with your spine. Release your lower belly to the ground while actively lifting your tailbone to the sky.

6. After a full inhale while in Cow Pose, start to slowly exhale your breath and move through to Cat Pose once again. Continue through the Cat-Cow sequence as many times as you need, maintaining a slow and steady breath the entire time.
 

Sun Salutation is the most famous yoga sequence and can be a way for us to connect with our light within and our self-illumination. According to yogapedia.com, "Sun Salutation is one of the most important yoga practices. It is the set of 12 yoga poses which can be performed while chanting 12 different mantras. Mantras add a reflective spiritual element to the practice. The practice of Sun Salutation awakens the body intelligence to create energy directly from the sun. In the Vedic tradition, the sun is symbolic of consciousness and, therefore, has been worshiped daily in the Indian culture. Sun Salutation may also be referred to as Surya Namaskara in Sanskrit."

The original Surya Namaskar wasn't a sequence of postures, but rather a sequence of sacred words - mantras to honor the sun. The Vedic tradition, which predates classical yoga by several thousands of years, honored the sun as a symbol of the Divine. The full practice includes 132 passages and takes more than an hour to recite. The sun salutations were traditionally chanted at sunrise, repeating the sequence in each of the four cardinal directions.

If you want to “flow” through your Sun Salutation with more grace and peace, here are some simple and practical tips that can help make your Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar) experience complete and blissful. 

Meditate before you start Surya Namaskar
So why meditate before practicing the Sun Salutes? Meditation helps remove restlessness in the mind and prepares your body for Surya Namaskar yoga postures.

Practice Sun Salutation early in the mornings
Although Sun Salutations can be practiced at any time of the day, the early-morning hours are considered especially auspicious for yoga and meditation practice. For most of us, early morning is the time of the day we can be alone, without any interruptions or distractions. 

Try moving slowly and deliberately
When you feel how the sequence becomes a sort of moving meditation as you practice, your center of awareness in your body (such as your third eye or your heart) challenges you to keep focusing there for the duration of your practice. Even when you pick up pace, don’t do the poses with jerky movements or with force. Allow the postures to flow gently and gracefully one into the other.

Have the Attitude of Gratitude
When you step on your mat, give thanks for the day, your body, your yoga practice and anything else that has meaning to you personally. This makes a big difference! You will be able to enjoy your stretches much more and to keep the positive energy flowing through the duration of your yoga practice.

Do your Surya Namaskars with awareness
This is a very essential element in the entire practice. Surya Namaskar could be very energizing when it’s practiced at a slower pace and with awareness on the breath. If done with proper awareness, one can feel the flow of energy starting from the Navel chakra through the entire body. 

Use the breath to calm the mind (and steady the body)
Whatever happens in the mind influences the breath. Stress and tension cause the breath to increase, peace and calm slow the breath. The opposite is also true, slowing the breath will bring peace and calm to the mind. As the mind calms, the body will follow, tight muscles will soften and supporting muscles will become more steady.

Practice Sun Salutation as a warm-up or stand-alone practice
If you are new to yoga or don’t have time for an hour practice. For busy yogis, practice Sun Salutation for 10-15 minutes then relax in Savasana. If you have more time, practice Sun Salutation as a daily routine before starting your regular yoga practice. It is worth noting, if you are practicing Surya Namaskars as part of your warm-up, you can do them at a somewhat faster speed. When you practice them as part of the yoga posture practice, you can practice them slow to medium speed. After a few rounds, your body will feel light and flexible and the stretches in the active yoga postures become deeper. If you have backache, avoid practicing Sun Salutations at a fast pace.

Relax After Sun Salutation
As you finish your last round of Surya Namaskar, lie down and relax your entire body. For best results, it is advisable to lie down in Yoga Nidra or Savasana, giving your body and mind enough time to assimilate the effects of your practice.

Surya Namaskar is the perfect practice to awaken the body, focus the mind, and connect to a sense of gratitude for each new day. Remember that you have the sun inside your heart. 

We often use and abuse our shoulders a lot more than we realize. Whether it’s sitting at a computer, lifting weights, or even doing a few too many Chatarungas, it’s important to balance all of that strengthening or lack of movement with opening postures. Try these shoulder-openers when your shoulders are feeling tight or especially overworked.
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Forward fold with chest expansion
Begin in a forward fold with your feet at least hip-width apart. Allow your head and neck to relax. Interlace your hands at your lower back. If your shoulders are tight, keep a soft bend in your elbows. Slowly draw your palms forward, over your head, to open through the chest and shoulders. Take the shoulder opening to your limit, and breathe here for as long as it feels good.

Eagle
Begin in chair pose, or Utkatasana. On an exhale, swing your right arm under your left, and bring your right palm to meet your left in front of your face. Lift your right leg over your left leg and compress your inner thighs, finding a tight wrap. Find a bind with the right foot behind the left calf, or use your right foot as a kickstand. Breathe here with a strong core, and draw your elbows away from your chest, and your palms away from your face. Switch sides when you’re ready.

Floor Bow
Begin on your belly with your chin facing forward. Bend your knees, drawing your heels up to your gluts, and reach back and capture your feet or ankles from the outside. Exhale, and as you inhale, kick your feet into your palms, lifting your chest away from your mat. Gaze straight forward, and try to rock your weight into your belly. Draw your knees toward one another and breathe.

Camel
Kneel and walk your knees toward the front of your mat. Lift your hips over your knees, and bring your palms to your lower back, fingertips facing down for a deeper shoulder opening. Squeeze your elbows toward one another and lift your gaze while you open through your chest. Keep your hips stacked over your knees, and arch your spine while you lift through your heart. Find five breaths in your fullest expression, and keep pressing your elbows toward one another to open through your shoulders.

Cow-Face
Begin in a seated position. Bend both knees, and swing your left leg underneath your right. Nestle your left heel next to your right hip. Stack your right knee over your left, and let your right foot rest on the mat beside your left hip. Extend your left arm high, bend at your elbow, and reach your left palm in between your shoulder blades. Bring your right arm behind your back, bending at your elbow and reach up to grasp your left fingertips with your right. If you can’t grasp opposite fingertips, you can use a towel or a strap. This is a very intense shoulder opener – either stay here, or fold forward from your hips. Switch sides after 5 or 7 breaths.
 

Balasana (Child’s Pose) comes from the Sanskrit words bala meaning child and asana meaning pose. Child’s pose is practiced in almost every style of yoga and class.  This pose is usually practiced as a way to rest after an intense pose or sequence.  However, it has numerous benefits of its own.  Balasana is a great pose that allows you to turn inward; providing the opportunity to calm the mind and restore energy. Child’s pose is a basic beginner pose that nearly anyone can do.

Child’s pose is one of the most common postures that you will see when using yoga for back pain due to the versatility that it offers. Child’s Pose relieves tension in your back and hips while increasing flexibility and circulation to the muscles and joints in your low back. When practiced in the full expression of the posture, Child’s Pose can produce immediate back pain relief. Above are more great benefits of Child’s pose.

Getting into the pose:
To come into this pose, kneel onto the floor, and sit back onto your ankles. Keep your knees and big toes touching one another as you sit back. Lean forward at the waist and place your forehead on the floor. If your hips pop up, don't worry about it. As you stay in the pose, keep inviting your hips to meet your heels.

Your arms can take several positions:

1. Straight over your head with your palms on the ground, as you draw your hands forward to open your shoulders under your arm pit, as shown in the photo above,
2. Arms are by your side, with hands, palms up and moving toward your feet, relaxing your shoulders toward the ground, not shown.

To open your body farther, begin the pose in the same manner as described above. Instead of keeping your knees together, spread them as wide apart as is comfortable for you. Still keeping your big toes together.


Caution:  If you have a groin injury, back or hip problems, consult with your physician prior to doing this pose. Please, carefully check in with your body before doing this pose, and do NOT do anything in which your body feels unsafe!

 Padangusthasana or Big Toe Pose is a beginner yoga asana (pose) that is a very good stretching pose for all muscles of the body – from head to toe. In Sanskrit Padangusthasana translates as Pada meaning foot, angustha meaning thumb, hasta meaning hand, so the pose literally translates to thumb to foot pose and hand to foot pose.

Practicing this pose increases blood circulation to the brain and stretches the thigh muscles, hamstrings, calf muscles and the back, lower back and both the arms. This is one of the very few poses that increase muscle density and burn fat accumulated in them. Padangusthasana massages the liver and spleen and gives strength to the knees.

This pose is said to balance the body and mind is ideal for women who are trying to conceive due to its stretching quality. Big Toe Pose improves concentration, memory and focus and can help prevent osteoporosis to a great extent. It calms down the practitioner and cures headache and insomnia, making the body more flexible at the same time. The Big Toe Pose helps relieve wind and rejuvenates tired muscles.

How to do Padangusthasana:
 

• Begin by stepping or jumping your feet hip distance apart, feet are parallel and lined up with hip bones, fold at your hips, wrap your first two fingers around your big toes lift your head and heart

 

• Exhale fold forward, leaning your body weight toward the balls of your feet tuck your head in toward your knees. Slide shoulder blades down your back while broadening your collar bones and lengthening the back your neck. Allow your head to hang down placing traction on your neck vertebrae.

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• It is ok to bend your knees, as flexibility develops slowly work to straighten your legs.

 
 
Caution:  In all forward bending poses, be to fold from the hips, not the waist.  As you fold from the hips it will require a little more effort as you are moving more of your body than when folding at the waist.  Performing hip flexion instead of spinal flexion in this pose will protect your intervertebral discs.

Garland Pose is a hip-opening yoga pose that helps to lengthen and open the hips, helping to create more mobility. The Sanskrit name for Malasana comes from two words: mala meaning garland and asana meaning pose. Malasana offers numerous benefits especially for those who sit all day at work. Sitting leads to a higher percentage of stress on the back and lower spine. When we sit at a 90-degree angle in a chair, we shorten our hip flexors (the psoas). As the psoas shorten, our lumbar spine is pushed forward and pulled out of alignment. Prolonged sitting can lead many people to experience a back injury or pain.

Our hips are one of the largest joints in our bodies, an energetic area where we tend to store anger, tension and rigidity. Our hips allow us to move forward in life with grace and ease, therefore, it’s important to keep this part of our body limber, open and lubricated. When aligned properly, practicing this pose can feel great, opening up the hip flexors and offering a deep stretch to the groin muscles and a complimentary release for the sacral chakra (second chakra) which oversees the flow of creative, sexual and reproductive energy. It can also help strengthen and relax the lower back, calves, and glutes. It also helps boost metabolism, stoke the digestive fire, and alleviate constipation.

Modifications & Variations

• If your heels don’t come to the floor, place a folded blanket or rolled yoga mat underneath them. If you need extra support squatting, you can sit on a yoga block (as seen in the picture).
• Rest both hands on the back of a chair.
• Rest one hand along a wall to the side of the body.
• Practice the pose with your back against a wall.

 
Tips

• Avoid jerking, pulling, pushing, or forcing any movement in this pose. Let your movements be slow and smooth.
• Do not bounce your hips up and down. Doing so can over-strain your knees and hip flexors.
• Keep shifting your weight back into your heels.
• Lengthen the front of your torso and keep your spine long, not rounded.

Yoga is all about freeing the mind, enriching the soul, and working the body. But wearing the wrong clothing to your yoga practice can make you off balance, prone to injury, and downright clumsy. Even though there  isn't any  'official dress code' for stepping onto the yoga mat, when you wear the wrong outfit you will not be able to get the proper form out of your poses – and trust me when it comes to yoga, your form matters.
 
If you are new to yoga, here are some simple tips to make you “yoga ready” :
 
Jewelry
We all like to look our best, it's only natural. But when you are on a yoga mat, your beauty comes from inside. Sure you might look great wearing that stylish toe ring, but if it gets snagged on your yoga mat whenever you prep for  a downward dog then you might wind up toppling over in the middle of your class. The same thing goes for bracelets, necklaces, and big rings.
 
Same goes for you guys out there as well. Watches can tear into a yoga mat when you are flowing through your poses and they can also limit the flexibility of your wrists. So you may want to take them off before your practice.
 
Basically if it will dangle when  you're upside down or if it can get snagged on your mat while you are working out then it should come off. The good news is that wedding rings usually don't cause a problem.
 
Pants
If you know anything about yoga you probably know that jeans are not acceptable. After all they limit your mobility and make it nearly impossible to get into a nice deep stretch. But what you might not know is that it isn't just tight fitting pants that can get you into trouble on a yoga mat, when your pants are too lose they can also be a hazard.
 
Think about the different poses that you do in yoga, even a simple plank pose can get aggravating when your pants legs are hanging down onto the floor. And if you are taking a flow class, those baggy pants will be nothing short of a disaster, (every time you try to flow in those floor poses your pants legs will be extremely uncooperative).
 
They make yoga pants because these are the best pants for your yoga practice. But depending on how often you practice yoga, yoga pants can get a little pricey. If you are looking for some pants you can wear regularly, remember that you want pants that feel comfortable but don't feel tight. You also want pants that are snug enough that they hug your body but they should also be loose enough that you love being in them. 
 
Quick Tip: When you find the pants that fit right for you, you also want to check the length of the pants – the last thing you want is to have your feet tripped up by pants that are too long.
 
Shirt
The good news is that your yoga shirt is not as big of a deal as the yoga pants. In fact, you can use almost any shirt to practice yoga in as long as it meets a few simple rules.
 
A good rule of thumb when picking out a shirt for your yoga practice is to try the shirt on and get into a downward dog position while you are at home. Since this is a popular yoga pose and it also forces your body upside down, it is a great gauge to how your shirt will do during your yoga class. 
 
-Will others be able to see your stomach?
-Is the neckline so low that others can see your chest area?
-Are you comfortable in this shirt while you are in this pose?
 
These might seem like silly questions, but it is better to figure this stuff out while you are at home than when you are in a crowded yoga studio exposing everyone to your private parts..
 
Tip: If you choose to wear long sleeves you might want to make sure that the sleeves don't come down past your wrists – wrestling with the sleeves of your shirt will take you out of your yoga workout meditation and may even cause you to lose proper form during certain poses.
 
One of the greatest things about yoga is that you can come as you are. There is no dress code, there is no fitness level that you have to be at, and there is no one to compete with except yourself. Your yoga routine is all about meeting yourself where you are and taking yourself to the next level. When you dress for your yoga success, you will be unstoppable. 

Revolved Side Angle pose or Parivritta Parsvakonasana comes from the Sanskrit word, Parivritta meaning to turn around, Parsva meaning side and asana meaning pose. Parivritta Parsvakonasana is a side angle twist pose that has many variations. One of the classic variations for Revolved Side Angle Pose is to practice this pose with Anjali Mudra(hands in prayer position near your sternum). 

All twisting asanas stimulate detoxification, improve blood circulation and rejuvenate the spine. When you twist your torso you compress your internal organs, cutting off all blood supply. When you release the twist you allow fresh blood to flow to your internal organs. This process cleanses your organs and improves their ability to function.

How to perform Revolved Side Angle Pose
 
Begin standing in Mountain Pose (Tadasana) with your feet hip-distance apart and your arms at your sides. Breathe deeply and evenly, calming your mind and focusing on the present moment.
Turn to the right and step your feet wide apart, about 4 to 5 feet. Turn your left foot out 90 degrees. Align your front heel with the arch of your back foot. Your pelvis and torso should face the same direction as your toes.

1. Bend your knee over your ankle so your shin is perpendicular to the floor. Press your weight through your left heel. Inhale and raise your arms overhead. This is Warrior I (Virabhadrasana I).
2. Bring your palms together at your chest in prayer position. Exhale and rotate your torso. Lean your torso toward your front thigh and bring your elbow to the outside of your thigh.
3. Press your upper arm against your thigh, then draw in your shoulder blade to turn your chest.
4. Keep your entire body hugging tightly to the center line of your body. Work to keep your back heel, hips, spine, and head in one straight line.
5. Turn your gaze to the back wall or ceiling.
6. Extend through the crown of your head, lengthening your upper body. Draw your shoulder blades firmly into your upper back.
7. Lengthen your spine further on your inhalations and twist deeper on your exhalations.
8. Hold for 5 full breaths. Then inhale to return to Warrior I, reaching both arms overhead. Exhale and bring both hands to the mat and come into Downward Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana). Repeat the pose for the same amount of time on the opposite side.

Caution: 

• Since this is a twisting pose, it is not recommended for anyone who has neck problems or problems in the lower back.
• Avoid practicing the pose if you have a headache or suffer from high or low blood pressure.
• For those with neck problems, avoid turning your head too much.
• Never force the twist! Only turn as far as it feels healthy and comfortable; then, gently deepen the pose from there.

 
 
Parivrtta Parsvakonasana is a powerful pose that can shift your yoga practice to a deeper level. It will build focus, detoxify your organs, and develop inner and outer strength. When practicing this pose, remember that the "goal" is not to achieve the full expression the pose, but to be aware of the pose you are currently in; staying focused in the present moment.

Ashtanga yoga can be a challenging and disciplined practice consisting of a series of asanas linked with the breath and performed in a sequence to build a flow between movements during the 60 to 90 minutes it takes from start to finish. The regular practice of Ashtanga yoga builds strength and flexibility and improves posture. Although Ashtanga is a challenging yoga style, beginners must remember it is a slow process. The focus of Ashtanga yoga is internal cleansing, not a workout.

Ashtanga yoga, meaning "eight-limbed yoga," it incorporates the eight paths to spiritual purification that include moral codes, self-purification and study, asanas, breath and sense control, concentration, meditation and mind control. Traditional Ashtanga practice opens and closes with a meditative chant intended for inner healing, prosperity or praise.
 
Pranayama Breathing
At its foundation, Ashtanga yoga focuses on Pranayama breathing, or “victorious breath in Sanskrit, which requires the student to narrow the air passage in the throat in order to control inhalations and exhalations more precisely throughout each move. The premise of controlled breathing is that it expands the lungs to create heat within the body, inspiring a meditative state of mind.
 
Sun Salutations
Practicing Ashtanga yoga at home is possible because the primary series of poses do not require a lot of space or special equipment. Each pose is repeated on both sides of the body to promote whole body balance. To begin, start with 5 rounds of Sun Salutation A; the muscles start to warm-up thus avoiding injury and bringing heat to the body. Once you’ve warmed the muscles, continue your Ashtanga home practice with  3 rounds of Sun Salutation B. Always practice according to your fitness level. Work through the posture but don’t force yourself into a position that is painful.
 
Opening the Hamstrings, Release the Low Back
When you begin moving into your standing poses, pay close attention to  stretching the hamstrings , or the muscles that run behind your legs, and opening the low back. Standing Forward Bend calms the nervous system and stimulates blood flow to the brain. Practice Ashtanga yoga primary series gently and often, without strain or forcing yourself into poses you’re not quite ready for. It's okay to bend the knees slightly in the beginning, especially if your hamstrings are tight. Remember, it’s okay to modify when needed.
 
Consistency
Ashtanga yoga doesn’t vary in the sequence; the asanas are always the same (Some people think that doing the same sequence of postures every day is too repetitive and they lose interest. Of course everyone is different but, I have found that performing the same sequence everyday enables you to become familiar with the physical movements that you can solely focus on the breathing throughout the practice). For a beginner, teachers advise to gradually build proficiency in each pose, given the physicality involved in the series. As a beginner, it’s best to practice Ashtanga yoga 4-5 days a week before trying the 6 day a week practice. The challenge of Ashtanga yoga is cumulative – as you practice, you will find that your ability to move into more difficult asanas comes from the previous foundation work.

Getting Started
Are you ready to start your Ashtanga yoga journey? Getting started is easy; here's a great video for beginners ranging from 10 minutes to 60 minutes with my teacher, R. Sharath Jois (practitioner and lineage holder of Ashtanga Yoga, in the tradition of K. Pattabhi Jois).