PSA: Our Costa Rica yoga retreat is happening in November! I'd love for you to join us! And, we're down to our last few YBC Holiday Mantra Boxes - our awesome discovery box - so order now if you'd like one! Lastly, if you have the YBC App and take a min to review it, send a screenshot of your review to Lauren and we'll send you a little something in thanks.

Hola! Comin' atcha from Starbucks this morning, where I am convinced they keep the air conditioning set to Russia in the dead of winter so its patrons don't stay all day. I will not be surprised if I leave with frostbite. 

If there's one pose that makes people laugh in class, it's happy baby because, well, it's a funny pose. It's also really awesome for opening up the hips so if crow pose is on your radar, this is a pose you're going to want to add to your practice asap. 

There are a lot of things I'm happy to do for you all, my friends. Nearly breaking my wrists to show improroper crow pose form, check. Facing my fears of being up close and personal talking on camera for a vlog, check. But I have to draw the line somewhere, people, so if I could just draw your attention to my knee in the bottom photo for a sec.... see it? In all its hyperextended glory? 

Buzzing on the Yoga Forum today: How to take yoga pose selfies, and weight talk in a weird class. Plus, people have already started booking their trips! Check out the 2015 Yoga Retreat Schedule and reserve your spot today!

This morning I wanted to bring it back to basics with a super popular pose we see often in vinyasa flows - three legged downward facing dog, a variation of downward dog. I know many beginners have chosen this pose as the benchmark for the 31 Day Strength Project, but even if you're not a beginner, this is a good reminder. 

On the Yoga Forum: How do you stay committed to the practice of yoga? Do you set a reminder? Follow a schedule? Tell us over on the yoga forum!

The common mistakes series is one of my favorites but I never know what pose to break down, so I was psyched when the other day I received multiple requests on instagram for mermaid pose. I did the breakdown for mermaid pose last year but never a side by side of what to do vs what to avoid. This pose is one of my favorites but it can be tricky because it requires the body to be so open.

Come on over to the Yoga Forum, where people are sharing thoughts about all aspects of yoga, including their favorite yoga poses. 

For me, learning how to do crow pose was a pivotal moment in my personal yoga practice. All of the sudden, I felt like my practice had new dimensions and could go to new (literal) heights. It became less linear and the pose opened a door to something totally new. So when I teach the pose in class, I'm not surprised at the excitement I see in students. 

This is one of my favorite (unexpected) poses to pop into a fun vinyasa flow.

Ah, the almighty backbend. This pose is tough because it's a total body stretch. I mean, forget the spine flexibility required for a sec, and you'll see we also need ample space in the wrists, shoulders/armpits, and quads. Many of the common mistakes I see in other poses are just easy alignment issues that people can quickly fix. The common mistakes in wheel pose, however, are often due to a lack of flexibility. That is to say, I think many people know how the pose is supposed to look, they just may not have the openness yet. If this is you, don't worry - the flexibility will come with consistent practice, I promise. 

Bridge pose is an inversion I often introduce toward the end of a flow class once everyone is really warmed up. It's a class favorite because the foundation is accessible to most people. Those who struggle with the full expression of the pose are usually dealing with really tight chests and/or hip flexors, so if you're one of those people give yoga video for chest a try and work in this yoga pose for hip flexors and see if that helps.

Today I want to talk about the ol' pelvis tilt. Side note: I'm cracking up every time I write pelvis tilt cuz I'm getting a visual of an Elvis-like pelvic thrust. Anyway!