The Big Stretch

What's the first thing you do every morning? You go for that big stretch. That's yoga! Your body is saying, let's open up. But most of us ignore these little signals from our bodies until there's a crisis. Perhaps your alignment is out of kilter and you don't pay attention to that stiffness in your shoulder or that tension in your neck. Unfortunately, one day, your lower back might get to the point where you need to see a doctor, and then you're going to have to say, "Fix me." In yoga, you learn to check in every day and ask, "How do I feel?" You're getting feedback all the time from your body. This feedback can remind you to adjust your posture, helping you realize what is causing that tension or stiffness. You might ask, "Am I leaning backward? Am I leaning forward? Is my head off center?" The more you hone your sensitivity, the more you'll bring yourself back into balance every moment of your life.

—Rodney Yee, Host of Everyday Yoga