Ardha Uttanasana - Half Dog

Half dog is commonly used in preparation for downward-facing dog. It elongates the spine and positions the shoulders in line with the back, getting the upper body ready for the full expression of down dog.

Half dog is also often used as a modification of downward-facing dog. If there's a shoulder injury or reason to refrain from inversions, it provides a back stretch without the weight and pressure.

But half dog has a charm all its own. Its simplicity makes it easy to move in and out of the pose, on the mat or off. A wall, bathroom vanity, kitchen sink, chair back each could be used to support the hands and arms as the tailbone and crown reach in opposite directions. It can be a morning wake-up pose against a closet door, a break while making dinner, a needed stretch on an airplane.

Instead of the glass - or dog - being half full on the way to down dog or half empty refraining from down dog, half dog is a destination in and of itself.

Utthita Tadasana - Five-pointed Star

One of the beauties of five-pointed star is its simplicity. The stretch up the spine and out each arm and leg rejuvenates on or off the mat. Once I feel the energy moving toward the crown of my head, hands, feet, I focus on the center of my star: my heart. By hugging muscle to bone up my spine and down each limb, I can send the heart force to the five points of my star. Finally, I turn my palms up, and let it radiate outward. So simple. I can move into this pose whether I'm at the kitchen counter making a sandwich or just rolling out of bed in the morning. Despite a few questionable looks from fellow passengers, I've even stood in utthita tadasana in the aisle on a long flight. The sky is a perfect place for a star.

Tadasana - Mountain Pose

Mountain pose can appear to be passive yet much is happening. Our bodies are grounded by the soles of our feet (or by our sit bones in seated mountain). At the same time, we stretch down through our fingertips and upwards with the crown of our heads. That solid base, poised between earth and sky, can be an active part of our minds as we aim for balance throughout the day. Mountain pose can be done while standing in line at the grocery store. Or waiting at a red light. These passive, often mundane parts of the day can become physical and mental moments of rebalancing.