iYoga Premium App Review

With so many yoga apps now available for your tablets and other mobile devices, it’s tough to discern which ones merit your attention and which ones just offer another variation on the electronic flash card theme, a well-saturated market. iYoga Premium distinguishes itself from the herd by offering a unique visual approach. Respected yoga teacher […]

Scale Pose – Tolasana

Type of Pose: Arm balance Benefits: Strengthens the abdominal muscles and the arms Instructions: 1. From Lotus Pose, bring the hands to the floor on the outside of the thighs. 2. Inhale and press down into the palms as you engage the abdomen and lift the legs and buttocks off the floor. 3. Take several […]

Yoga, With New Poses to Strike

Melanie Fidler for The New York Times Julie Ziff Sint leads a class of Hoop Vinyasa at Om Factory near Union Square. THE first yoga class I took, over 20 years ago, was pretty straightforward. In those days yoga was typically a series of postures and stretches on a mat. But in recent years some […]

Is Yoga a Religion?

Question: Is Yoga a Religion? Answer: In order to examine this question, it is helpful to look at the difference between religion and spirituality. Those who participate in organized religion accept their denomination’s deity or deities and worship through a system of long-established rituals. They may read sacred texts that outline a moral code, which […]

What Not to Say to Yogis

As students of yoga, we work on becoming comfortable in our own skins. Part of this is not really caring what anyone else thinks about our lifestyle choices, including what ignoramuses have to say on the subject of yoga. Yet most of us aren’t yet so blissed out that we can’t be annoyed by the […]

Kundalini Yoga

Kundalini yoga is an ancient form of yoga that has only been practiced in the west relatively recently. In 1969, Yogi Bhajan founded 3HO (the Healthy, Happy, Holy Organization) to introduce this yoga practice to a broader population. Although Kundalini had not previously been taught to the public, Yogi Bhajan felt that everyone should have […]

Revolved Triangle Pose

Type of pose: Standing, Twisting Benefits: Strengthen the legs, stretches the groins, hamstrings, hips, opens the chest and shoulders, Instructions: 1. From Warrior II, straighten your front leg (the right leg in this case). 2. Square the hips to the front. 3. Bring the left hand to the outside of the right foot at you […]

Parsvottonasana Variations

From Parsvottonasana Variation II, bend the right knee until the right thigh is parallel to the floor. At the same time, slide the left foot towards the back of the mat. Bring the head down towards the floor on the inside of the right foot as you continue to stretch the arms forward. Your head […]

Seated Yoga Poses

Looking for seated yoga postures to add to your practice? This list includes all the seated poses we have featured on About.com’s yoga site, arranged in order from basic to advanced. Clicking the links will take you to full instructions for each pose. If you have trouble standing for long periods, check out our chair […]

Yoga Backbends Photo Gallery

When you don’t know the names of the poses, use this photo gallery to find yoga backbends. The poses are rated for beginners, intermediate, and advanced students, and full instructions for each pose are just a click away. It’s also a handy index if you are looking for backbends to enrich your yoga practice. Scorpion […]