Relaxing the Body – relax, let the body be soft, the breath quiet; feel the connection of the body with the ground.

Quieting the Mind – the mind is quiet, eyes at the back of the head, the face soft, the back of the neck long and wide.

Intent – see the posture with your inner eye; imagine the pose.

Rooting – root the feet, activate the inner thighs, root the ball of the big toe.

Connecting – feel the connection from the rooting of the foot through the inner thighs to the belly, through the back and up to the top of the head. Bring the hands up from the feet or from the sitting bones. Keep the lower ribs connected to the hipbones; the back is neutral and quiet.

Breathing – watch the natural breath, inhale and bring the hands up, exhale and go into the pose.

Elongating & Expanding – the back is wide and long, the legs elongated.


—Orit Sen-Gupta, A Little Book of Yoga: The seven vital principles of practice, 2021