Find the Best Yoga for Your Body Shape

August 20, 2020
People who practice yoga are commonly thought of as being thin, toned, and flexible, but yoga can be practiced with any type of body. Yet each of the different yoga styles are often better suited for specific body types. Knowing which type of yoga practice is best for your type of body will ensure that you have a positive experience and more success in your practice. The advice given will

The Latest: News, Opinion, Yoga Info & More

Discover the latest yoga news, trends and happenings throughout the world in our Yoga Blog. Find our most recent yoga articles, practice tips, and detailed instructional guides below.

Yoga for Bedtime Yoga for Bedtime: 16 Poses for Better Sleep
Yoga Mat Wipes giveaway June Giveaway: Yoga Mat & Home Wipes
Sama Vritti Pranayama Sama Vritti Pranayama (Box Breath or Equal Breathing)
Morning Guided Meditation 6 Fabulous and Free Morning Guided Meditation Videos
Morning Meditation Routine How to Start a Morning Meditation Routine
Bedtime Yoga for Beginners Bedtime Yoga for Beginners: How to Start

Free YogaBasics Newsletter

Sign up for our Yoga Newsletter to receive updates on yoga news, expert tips, in-depth articles, giveaways, inspiration & more! We send out 2-3 emails per month and keep our list 100% private and spam free.

Asana: Yoga Poses

Explore over 125 yoga asanas in our yoga pose index. All of our posture pages have full instructions and multi-photo illustrations. Our four main categories of yoga poses are listed below, but you can find many others in our main section.

Seated Yoga Poses

Seated Yoga Poses
Standing Yoga Poses

Standing Yoga Poses
belly twist version a1

Supine Yoga Poses
Prone Yoga Poses

Prone Yoga Poses

The Importance of a Daily Yoga Practice

July 26, 2013
My youngest daughter is fond of saying: “If you want to be a runner, you have to run; and if you want to be a weightlifter, you have to lift weights.” A runner, she knows that the only way she is going to improve on her race time is to run. Her no-nonsense attitude toward running serves for me as a reminder of the spirit of yoga. The Sutras (1.14) teach us that to become firmly

Be Inspired to Practice Yoga

Find the motivation and inspiration for a dedicated yoga practice by reading interviews with inspirational teachers and watching our collection of inspirational yoga videos.

Science of Yoga Documentary Watch: A Powerful Documentary on the Science of Yoga
Swami Sivananda video 123-Year-Old Yogi Gives Keys to a Beautiful Life
Inspiring Video: Yoga Everyday Yoga Everyday: A Video to Inspire a Daily Practice

Take a Yoga Quiz

Discover and learn more about yourself by taking one of our fun and easy yoga quizzes. Check out one or more of our classic personality-style quizzes to help guide your yoga journey. Each quiz provides immediate feedback and reveals your results at the end.

yoga body part quiz Yoga Quiz: Which Part of Your Body Should You Focus On?
Yoga for Your Zodiac Sign Yoga Quiz: What’s the Best Yoga Based on Your Zodiac Sign?
Yoga Quiz yoga community for you Yoga Quiz: What Type of Yoga Community is Best for You?

The Best Yoga Poses to Build Better Balance

June 23, 2020
Not every yoga class includes a balancing pose—but they certainly should. Standing on one leg is challenging and demanding, which in turn builds both inner and outer strength and resilience. Having a strong sense of balance increases proprioception and body awareness boosts confidence and self-esteem, creates a strong sense of groundedness, and can prevent future injuries and falls.

Deepen Your Yoga Practice

Discover great tips, sage advice and expert how-to’s on the many ways to explore, deepen and refine your yoga practice. In our in-depth topics and articles, we examine and investigate the subtitles and modern applications of this ancient practice.

Essential Oils to Energize a Yoga Practice The Best Essential Oils to Energize and Awaken Your Yoga Practice
yoga pranayama breathing Breathing Through the Challenges of Pranayama
Staying In Love With Yoga 9 Wonderful Ways To Stay In Love With Yoga
challenging yoga pose Stop Being so Easy on Yourself in Yoga
Common Yoga Symbols The Meaning and Use of Common Yoga Symbols
beginning yoga pose 3 Reasons to Practice Yoga with a Beginner’s Mind

Yogic Wisdom

  • “In practicing meditation, we’re not trying to live up to some kind of ideal–quite the opposite. We’re just being with our experience, whatever it is.” ⏤ Pema Chodron
  • “We do not “come into” this world; we come out of it, as leaves from a tree. As the ocean “waves,” the universe “peoples.” Every individual is an expression of the whole realm of nature, a unique action of the total universe.” ⏤ Alan Watts
  • “Fill your hearts with love and gratitude. Life gives us what we need and not necessarily what we want. It follows its own wisdom, which is often incomprehensible to our gross minds. We should learn to accept situations in life. This attitude of acceptance is the secret to happiness.
    ”     ⏤ Mata Amritanandamayi
  • “Our breath, like our heartbeat, is the most reliable rhythm in our lives. When we become attuned to this constant rhythm, our breath can gradually teach us to come back to the original silence of the mind.” ⏤ Donna Farhi

Nada Yoga: Union Through Sound

December 15, 2020
Using music and sound to connect to a higher state of consciousness is common in most spiritual traditions. This is especially true in India, where many of the Hindu gods and goddesses are musicians: Krisha plays the flute, Saraswati holds a stringed veena, and Ganesha created the tabla drums. There is also a “yoga of sound,” called nāda yoga, described in the Hatha Yoga

Our Most Loved Content

Check out some of our most popular articles and information guides on YogaBasics. These pages are great starting guides to further explore the site and deepen your practice and understanding of yoga.

Common Yoga Mistakes and How to Fix Them 24 Common Yoga Mistakes and How to Fix Them
Beginner Yoga Poses The 18 Best Yoga Poses for Beginners
Yoga Emotional Release Emotional Release Through Yoga
Common Yoga Symbols The Meaning and Use of Common Yoga Symbols
hot yoga Hot Yoga: Definition, Benefits, Cautions and Tips for Newbies
obstacles in yoga Antarayas: The 13 Obstacles of Yoga