Here are some great ideas for routines to begin your yoga practice, based on the yoga classes that Joan teaches to her students. Whether you need a relaxing five-minute break in the middle of the workday, or an invigorating full-hour session at home to get you energized, toned, and ready for anything, Joan has suggestions for you. Each sequence of yoga postures helps you focus on something specific. For example, one sequence can hone in on improving your physical sense of balance, while another can help you release anger and negative feelings. Other examples include toning internal organs, building upper body strength, and increasing lung capacity. You'll want to choose the routine that's right for you. And remember, it's not important how much yoga you do, but that you keep practicing, doing as much as you can whenever you can. Yoga moves at your pace, in the time you have!

Every time you practice yoga, try to view it as the first time. Study what your body is doing, and don't take anything for granted. Yoga is a new experience every day! Let's say you've learned the mountain pose, tadasana, but you think it's an easy pose and you don't concentrate on it very much during your practice. Your performance of the pose becomes unaware, and your yoga practice is likely to be unproductive. Every time you enter this mountain pose, enter it fully. Feel your thigh muscles strong and engaged, reach through your fingertips toward the ground where each toe is securely planted, lower your shoulders, and feel your head and neck rise upward; you are a mountain!

Also put aside any preconceived ideas you have about being a "beginning student," "intermediate student," or "advanced student." Sure, some postures might be beyond

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your reach right now, but yoga is a personal journey. The length of time you hold poses in comfort—whatever their degree of complexity—and how grounded you are in the poses are the closest things to "advancement" in performing Hatha Yoga. The evenness and strength of your breath are also reflections of the depth of your study. Approach your body as a new and special friend with every yoga class. Be sensitive and kind to yourself, and your yoga practice is sure to prosper.

Let's get started!

Five-Minute Yoga Sessions

These sessions are good at home or at work—any time you need a quick lift or a refocusing boost to help find your center!

Session 1

Try five minutes of breathwork doing alternate nostril breathing. The time will fly by, and you will begin to feel quietly balanced (Hatha).

Session 2

Stand in the mountain pose and bend over into the triangle pose. Hold the triangle on the right side for five breaths, then do the left side for five breaths. Go back into the mountain pose and study your alignment.

Session 3

Face a wall, and reach your arms out to place your palms on the wall at shoulder height. Take a big step back, and bend at the hips toward the wall. Lengthen your spine. This is the downward facing dog against the wall! Hold this position for five minutes. This is a great way to energize your body and open those stiff shoulders.

15-Minute Yoga Sessions

The 15-minute practice is great when you're in a rush and don't have too much time to spare. It may be hard at first to find the time, but we bet you'll end up cherishing this quarter-hour as your indispensable yoga haven! Hold every pose for at least five breaths. Try flowing into each consecutive posture.

Session 1

This sequence builds strength and is a quick way of releasing anger that has turned inward. Use it to help purge negative feelings.

>- Mountain pose >- Warrior 1 pose (both sides) >- Warrior 2 pose (both sides) >- Side angle stretch (both sides) >- Mountain pose

Session 2

This sequence is good for relaxing, calming, and quieting down. It tones the internal organs of the chest and abdomen.

>- Lying down spinal twist > Leg lifts >- Shavasana

Session 3

This session focuses on meditation and internal reflection.

>- Yoga mudra >- Camel pose

>■ Meditative pose (Pick the one you feel most comfortable in.)

Session 4

This session uses pranayama techniques to open your heart chakra, deepening your feelings of love and opening your chest with the breath.

>- Alternate nostril breathing >- Om exhalation >- Shavasana

30-Minute Yoga Sessions

Build up to 30-minute sessions at least one or two times per week. Try to hold each pose for six full breaths. If you can, reserve a regular time and place for these nurturing yoga sessions. You deserve it!

Session 1

This session is an upper body workout performed mostly on the floor, opening your chest and heart with the downward facing dog pose to balance the sequence.

>- Shavasana.

>- Bridge.

> Plough.

> Fish.

>- Child's pose.

>- Repeat this sequence twice, for a total of three rounds.

> Cobra.

>- Child's pose.

>- Downward facing dog.

>- Child's pose.

>- Repeat this sequence twice, for a total of three rounds.

>- Shavasana.

Session 2

Energize and strengthen your body with this invigorating session.

1. Child's pose.

2. Single leg lifts.

3. Double leg lifts.

4. Lying down spinal twist.

5. Bring your knees to your chest, hold there, and pause.

6. Turn over and go into the cobra three times, each time holding the pose a bit longer.

7. Move into the downward facing dog.

8. Step one foot forward, straighten your legs, turn to the side, and come up into a triangle.

9. Do the triangle on both sides.

10. Move into the lightening bolt.

11. Come back down into the child's pose.

12. Repeat the entire sequence of poses two times, for a total of three rounds.

13. Rest in shavasana.

Session 3

This session concentrates on the Jupiter chakra and helps balance sexual energy.

Session 4

The Mars chakra—the chakra of action located at the center of the body—is stimulated in this session, catapulting the body to energy!

>- Three slow full rounds of sun salutations

> Camel

> Boat

>- Shavasana

Session 5

The Mercury chakra—the chakra of communication located at the throat—is activated in this session to help improve interactions with others.

>- Half spinal twist

>- Shoulderstand

> Plough >■ Bridge

>■ Shavasana

Full-Hour Yoga Sessions

Congratulations! You're about to luxuriate in a full hour of yoga practice. We bet you'll find that this one hour devoted to centering, strengthening, and fostering the yoga mind/body connection will make the other hours in your day far more productive and fulfilling!

Session 1

1. Stand tall in the mountain pose, toes spread, knees lifted, and shoulders relaxed down. Do head and shoulder rolls.

2. Like a rag doll, reach your hands to the ceiling and let them fall to the floor; keep your muscles loose and don't worry about touching your toes. Rag doll helps you warm up, increasing alertness by bringing blood to the brain and overcoming stiffness in the spine and legs. Return to the mountain pose to regain focus.

3. Jump your feet about a yard apart for the triangle pose. Perform the triangle on both sides. Return to the mountain pose.

4. From the mountain pose, bend your right knee out, and place your right foot on your left thigh to move into the tree pose. Bring your palms together in front of your heart, and then raise them over your head while retaining your balance. Return to the mountain pose.

5. Walk to a wall in the room and place your hands on the wall at shoulder height. Take a giant step backward. Slowly bend at the waist, keeping the natural alignment of the spine to lengthen into the downward facing dog against the wall. Return to the mountain pose.

6. Turn around to face away from the wall. Jump your feet apart about a yard. Place your hands on your hips, and bend forward slowly with a flat back. The legs stay active, and the back retains its natural alignment. You are a tabletop! Move into the downward facing dog and hold for five breaths.

7. Move into the child's pose. Rise into the downward facing dog. Repeat three times, holding the downward facing dog for a longer period in each repetition.

8. Rest in shavasana.

Session 2

1. Begin in shavasana. Concentrate on breathing from the diaphragm. Let go of all thoughts, and relax each part of your body, from your toes to your head.

2. Prepare for leg lifts by lifting one knee to your chest, hugging it, and raising your head toward the knee. Hold for three seconds. Repeat with the other leg. This pose is called pavana maktasana in Sanskrit; it is a wind-relieving pose, which massages the intestines. Now perform single and double leg lifts.

3. Move into the hero pose and follow with the cow pose. Hero benefits the knees and tones the thighs. Cow stimulates the nerves at the base of the spine, preventing calcifying and aging. Cow also stimulates the nerves in the feet.

4. Now move into the butterfly pose to stretch the inner hips and thighs—a revitalizing pose.

5. Stand erect in the mountain pose.

6. Jump your feet three to four feet apart for warrior 2. Perform on both sides.

7. Return to the mountain pose.

8. Jump your feet out again, this time for warrior 1. Reach toward the heavens, but stay grounded on earth.

9. Return to the mountain pose.

10. Move into the standing head to knees pose, a forward bend. Hold for as long as you can comfortably.

11. Rest in shavasana.