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Upward Facing Dog, or Urdhva Mukha Svanasana, is traditionally practiced in the Sun Salutation. Beginner practitioners may want to begin with Cobra Pose or a modified version of Upward Facing Dog. “Up Dog” is considered a backbend and practitioners may complain of low back pain after practicing this pose. Backbends call for equal stretching of all parts of the spine--i.e. avoid only flexing through one part of the spine. Stiffness in the mid or upper back can be the root cause of discomfort. Cobra pose is an ideal option for learning to open the upper spine more fully.

Sun Salutations give practitioners an opportunity to jump forward and backward as they transition from pose to pose, so let’s take a minute to understand the mechanics of jumping. Come to stand in tadasana. Bring the hands to the hips. Begin to bend into the knees as if you were in chair pose or about to sit in a chair. Use the legs and the feet to spring into the air. As you land keep the knees soft and let the ball mound of the foot catch most of your weight. Activate the quads to remain stable. Repeat in a continuous motion 5x-8x.

You’re becoming an expert by now! Let’s complete a Sun Salutation with no props and a few modifications as we continue to build strength. Find tadasana, inhale the arms up, palms remain separated. Lower the arms down straight in front of you with the arms as wide as shoulders, palms facing in. We add our alignment trick. Bring the palms to touch. Bend arms, palms pointing up and connecting the elbows. Keep the elbows connected and continue to lift arms until it’s awkward to do so. Extend the arms from this angle. Release the arms wide, bringing them back to the sidelines as the arms sweep down for your forward bend. Find your half lift, keep hands connected to the earth, if accessible. Knees can slightly bend as needed. Step back to downdog. Tip toe your way to the top of your space finding a forward bend. Halfway lift. Step back to downdog starting with the opposite leg. Inhale to plank, drop the knees. Bend into the arms keeping the elbows tight to the body. Drop the chest and the chin down to the earth. Begin to press the feet back as you slip the chest forward. Hips remain in contact with the mat. Find baby cobra. Press into the mat with the palms, lifting the top body and begin to sink the seat towards the heels. Curl the toes under, lift the hips high and find down dog. Tip toe to the top of your mat. Find a forward bend. Half lift and fold. Inhale arms sweep high to the sky. Exhale. Tadasana. Repeat 2x.

Amazing work! It’s now time to test your skills with a full Sun Salutation, including the standard poses with no modifications. The Sun Salutation is traditionally performed with one breath per movement, but you are encouraged to take as long as needed in each pose. Alignment is more critical than speed as you learn this foundational sequence. Step to the top of your mat. Find Tadasana. Inhale. Arms sweep up, palms to touch for Urdhva Hastasana. Shoulders are plugged in. Gaze is slightly to the sky. Exhale. Arms sweep down. Forward Bend. Inhale. Half Forward Bend. Exhale. Forward Bend. With the palms planted, inhale, step the right leg back, find Lunge. Exhale. Inhale. Step back to Plank Pose. Exhale. Lower Chaturanga. Roll the toes under, inhale, find Up Dog. Chest & thighs are lifted, heart is pressing forward. Exhale. Roll over the toes, press the thighs back, find Down Dog. Tailbone is lifted with length in the spine. Inhale draw the right knee into the chest step forward, Lunge. Left leg presses back, while the chest presses forward. Exhale step the left foot forward to meet the right. Inhale Half Forward Bend. Exhale. Forward Bend. Inhale. Arms sweep high, Urdhva Hastasana. Exhale. Draw the hands into heart center. Find anjali mudra. Repeat 3x.

You should be feeling stronger each and every day! Today practice your Sun Salutation sequence numerous times. Perhaps you begin modified and progress to the sequence you practiced yesterday. Remember that form is more important than moving one breath per movement. Take your time and focus on your alignment.

Take 7 days to pamper yourself. You deserve it! Get daily tips to make on how to rejuvenate yourself with beauty treatments, quick workouts and relaxation techniques. The refreshing feel and glowing skin from a day at the spa can be had without ever leaving home.

We all know that a cup of coffee is a great way to start the day and pick you up from an afternoon slump. Did you also know that used coffee grounds are amazing for your skin? After you hop out of the shower: Mix your coffee grounds with some face oil Lightly massage the mixture onto your face Let it sit for at least 10 minutes Rinse off with warm (not hot though!) water Most importantly, take a minute to admire the lovely glow your freshly moisturized skin has. Instagram selfie time? Definitely.

People spend a lot of money and time picking out the right shampoo but then skimp on conditioner. Even worse is rushing through the process with a “2-in-1” concoction. Instead, invest in a good leave-in conditioner. Conditioner time is you time! Put in your conditioner and take advantage of the time to relax before you rinse it out. Read a book, chat with a friend or do a mini-meditation. It’s all good.