How to manifest the best benefits of your practice:

*Practice every day if possible…even if it is just 10-15 minutes. You will see physical benefits become evident the more you practice. If you make the time for yourself, your body and mind will thank you.

*Master the practice of how to properly breathe. Breathe through the nose only for it filters and warms the air before it hits your lungs. Inhale so that your abdomen rises and exhale so that it falls. Observe your breathing as you practice and you will eventually make this a new habit after you leave your mat. The increase of air that fills your lungs to the bottom provides more oxygen to circulate in your body. It also strengthens your lungs by increasing their capacity to inhale more. The exhalation is equally important. Exhale completely in order to release all the toxins  out of your body.

*Do not worry about how far you can reach, stretch or how long you can hold a pose. Instead, focus on slowly lengthening your muscles and increasing your awareness of what you are feeling with each pose at the moment. It will change with each practice.

*Practice experiencing different types of“edges”. Sometimes when you practice, extend what part of your body you are working to that delicate line between slight discomfort and pain. Do not cross the line to pain; instead, take it to slight discomfort and let your body adjust to it. By pursuing your “edge”, you slowly open up yourself wider cell by cell. Other times, you may find that not achieving that tipping point "edge" is what you need. Listen to your body and see what works best for you.

*Cherish Savasana. This is the delicious moment when you lie down and simply close your eyes, resume your natural breathing and enjoy the merging of the physical benefits with the mental and ultimately, the spiritual. This part also takes practice because the mind is more inflexible than the body. By training your mind to be quiet when you want it to be, you become the master of your mind.