Practice Yoga

Purna Yoga co-founder Aadil Palkhivala shares a practice to help you align your body and mind.

How to do it, why you should, and the secrets to making inversions less scary, more stable, and a ton of fun

This sequence is one I turn to when I want to manifest the warrior that is omnipresent in me; my hope is that it will help you connect to your inner warrior, too.

Guys, your what-to-wear-to-yoga dilemma ends here. These 6 men’s yoga pants and shorts are so comfortable, you’ll probably be wearing them next time a free hour presents itself, making it super convenient to just drop into a class.

Do this short sequence 3–5 times on its own or as part of a longer practice to open your heart chakra and experience compassion.

Learning to hold both peace and possibility in our hearts can help us balance the art of actively creating with letting go and trusting the process.

Prepare for a life-changing Sun Salutation practice with Shiva Rea’s Prana Flow pranams.

People with bigger bodies are discovering comfort and empowerment in yoga studios around the globe. Use these tips to help support yourself, or your students, on the mat.

Indie-folk trio Magic Giant talks to us about the making of their upcoming album, their devotion to yoga, and how their music reflects their practice. Plus, practice to their playlist curated exclusively for YogaJournal.com readers.

Move into backbends more safely, knowing you can consciously engage the muscles needed to protect the lumbar spine.

Want to unleash the true potential of your middle? 
Turns out crunches—yes, the exercise you’ve avoided for years in favor of holding Plank—are key to a stronger core and more stable yoga practice. Discover how they can serve you in every pose.

Senior Yoga Medicine teacher Rachel Land says don’t worry if you’ve never considered the health of your fascia before. As a yogi, you may already be taking good care of it anyway. Here, she outlines what it takes.

Use this mudra anytime you need to detach from daily life, anchor yourself, and plug in to your untamable feminine power.

Come into Kali Mudra, named after the fierce goddess Durga.

This mudra represents unshakeable self-confidence, inner strength, and faith in something greater.

Binds are a wonderful way to open the shoulders, create a safe, stable haven in a pose, and build prana in the body. Within these 5 binds, you’ll find some of the most elegant, graceful shapes that ask you to rise to the occasion.

The intensity of Virasana can feel as daunting as the hero’s journey in your favorite adventure story. Choose the variation on the pose, ranging from gentle to fiery, to fit the narrative of your personal story on the mat today.

Connect to higher consciousness and reach your full potential with this heart- and mind-opening asana and pranayama practice.

Get the most out of 
yoga nidra with this 
exclusive preparatory practice from 
Sri Dharma Mittra.

You're going to like how this feels.

Learn how to create elasticity and strength in Revolved Abdomen Pose in preparation for Parsva Bakasana.

Excuses to get out of yoga? We’ve heard 'em all. That’s what makes us love these excerpts from the new book The Yoga Man(ual) so much. Here, 10 guys share how they came around to embracing the practice—and what keeps them coming back to their mat.

Often used in meditation, pranayama, and asana, this mudra helps lift dull energy, creates a more receptive state, calms the mind, and brightens the overall mood.

This mudra connects us to our higher Self, helps lift dull energy, creates a more receptive state, calms the mind, and brightens the overall mood. It is often used in meditation, pranayama, and asana.

Garuda Mudra is named after the eagle that Vishnu—the lord of preservation—rides. It can help you cultivate the discipline you need to stick with your daily yoga practice when life gets busy.

Tattva Mudra reminds us that the true nature 
of the Self, or our fundamental essence, is transcendent, unchanging, pure, and whole.

Jason Crandell struggles to make time for his home practice just like the rest of us. Here, the poses he deems essential to feel balanced when he’s looking for shortcuts.

Master teacher Sianna Sherman takes us step by step through Padma Mudra.

Prana Mudra is great if you need a quick pick-me-up, as it elicits the vitality that resides within our prana, or life force.

Bring your hands to the contemplative gesture of Dhyana Mudra by resting them, upturned, at your navel with the right hand on top.

Draw inspiration from this hand gesture representing the purity and perseverance of the lotus flower floating above the muddy waters of desire, fear, and attachment.

Ali Maffucci, founder of Inspiralized, is taking us along on her journey as a beginning yoga student. Check back here monthly for updates and follow along with the hashtag #yjtrueconfessions.

Representing a continuous flow of energy, use this mudra to calm and focus your mind and improve your attitude.

Master teacher Sianna Sherman takes us step by step through Abhaya Hrdaya (Fearless Heart) Mudra.

Ganesha Mudra is named after the Hindu deity who removes obstacles. Use it relieve stress and tension and lift your spirits.

Fire up your passion for a sacred life with Lingam Mudra.

Use this mudra to find the courage to keep your heart open and loving, especially during those difficult times in your life when fear, hate, or anger pull you away

Making space for your belly in yoga is a way to both welcome your whole body to your practice and make it more comfortable. Bring these tips from Curvy Yoga founder Anna Guest-Jelley with you for support in any yoga class.

Give your body what it craves.

King Pigeon Pose is about balancing stability and fluidity, in both your body and mind. Grab a strap, folding chair, and blanket and let’s get started!

Open your chest and shoulders and 
challenge your balance as you move step by step into Eka Pada Rajakapotasana II.

Open your hips and stabilize your knees to refine your Warrior I with Carrie Owerko, who leads Yoga Journal's Iyengar 101 course.

Yoga for Bad People founders Heather Lilleston and Katelin Sisson travel like it’s their job (because it is). Here, they offer YJ readers their favorite poses to balance out the body after getting off a plane.

The most common beginner form of Tibetan Yoga is Lu Jong, or “body training.” Experience it's natural connection the elements in these sequences.

Connect to and honor the five elements found in ancient Mayan practices with these movements passed down to Miguel Angel Vergara Calleros and Kat Tudor.

Break a sweat and feel empowered—in 20 minutes or less.

When done properly, twists have the potential to help your low back feel great. Here are three poses to help you relieve low back pain.

Use this mini sequence—from Down Dog to Half Moon Pose—as a fun moving meditation to find core and leg stability that may help you balance, even momentarily, in Handstand.

A chair practice offers the pregnant body support and helps to create the space it so desperately needs. This sequence feels so good that you will want to continue with it—even after baby.

Yoga poses are often taught on an assumed thin, fit, able, and fairly flexible body. Discover how Curvy Yoga challenges what you thought you knew about the practice.

Your yoga mat is the perfect place to explore and reconcile the core dilemma your Enneagram number has revealed. Start here.

These three fun variations of Utthita Trikonasana (Triangle) show you how to practice and play with this pose.

These creative styles will not only activate new muscle groups but also give you a new perspective on the practice. Find out which hybrid is right for you.

Re-ignite your practice by forgoing the familiar in favor of the fresh. Here are some ideas to get you started.

Recommit to your practice this year by forgoing the familiar in favor of the fresh. The best part? All of these fringe benefits to trying new things.

This sequence will cultivate the curiosity, stamina, and strength you need to move deeper into your yoga practice and make lasting change in other areas of your life.

The following sequences draw from ancient Taoist and Tantric energy practices as well as modern science.

These poses help to awaken the psoas, activating different parts of the muscle so that it’s ultimately easier for the brain to fire it up.

Once you know how to breathe mindfully, you can use the practice to help you through challenging times.

Hip openers aren’t always the answer.

Do you practice yoga regularly but still feel “stuck” in certain spots? Senior Yoga Medicine teacher Allison Candelaria created this muscle-and fascia-freeing flow to tune up the lateral sides of your body.

If a sequence makes our end-of-the-year top 10 list, it's one worth saving. Tuck these 10 practices away somewhere you'll be able to find them on days you're in need of a tried-and-true flow.

You probably know that your diet should change with the seasons, but according to Ayurveda, even your pranayama should be tweaked three times a year. Here's how to do it.

Annie Carpenter dove deep into the core at YJ LIVE! San Diego, offering accessible alignment cues and a creative sequence to help maximize core stability.

Yoga teacher Giselle Mari shows you how to use your chakras to resolve any negativity or emotional issues holding you back so you become a lighter, brighter version of you.

This sequence is designed to help you ease tension by putting your spine through its full range of motion.

In this excerpt from her new book, Every Body Yoga, Jessamyn Stanley inspires first-time yogis by getting real about what will get them on the mat. (Even yogis with a long-term relationship with yoga need to read this!)

Every yogi can melt hip tension with this Monkey Pose sequence (with mods!) from the yoga teacher, body-positive advocate, and Instagram star.

The quest to press into Handstand can look like a lifelong journey for most of us, but Primal Yoga creator Liz Arch is full of game-changing tricks. Use this creative drill to refine your core strength—then practice your press.

Amy Ippoliti is masterful at breaking poses down into their individual components, making them accessible and beneficial for all levels and body types. Here, her creative and thorough new pathway to Urdhva Dhanurasana.

Vata governs the body’s changes during pregnancy, but can easily be thrown out of balance. Practice the following Vata-focused sequence to help balance and nourish your pregnant body.

If you’ve mastered Bakasana and are ready to take your arm balance practice to the next level, try incorporating these Bakasana toe-taps into your routine.

The six poses, adapted from the Yoga for Climbers online course developed by pro climber and yogi Heidi Wirtz and Climbing magazine, will help you stay strong and flexible so you can climb harder and stay injury free.

Practicing this twisting sequence is beneficial for anyone who sits for a good portion of the day, suffers from chronic back pain, or loves activities like running, cycling, and hiking.

Boost energy flow in the body with this dynamic practice, representing the air element to counterbalance Kapha’s earthy and watery nature.

Move built-up fire energy from the belly through the rest of the body to balance the Pitta dosha and combat its tendencies for competition and overheating.

Balancing the air and ether of your Vata dosha with the opposing energy of the earth element can help ease the anxiety, nervousness, fatigue, and digestive issues Vatas are prone to.

Whatever the root cause of your slumping, your yoga practice can help alleviate any resulting pain or dips in mood by bringing more balance to the muscles in your chest, upper back, and neck.

Move step by step with power and balance into Ganda Bherundasana.