Real Yoga

Review the routine first.

When possible, practice Hatha Yoga in the morning on an empty stomach and after a bowel movement.

Use a blanket, thin mat or practice on some carpet. Use a yoga mat if you want.

Disclaimer: There are inherent risks in doing any form of stretching. Consult your doctor prior to practicing Hatha Yoga.

We will start Lesson 3 with a 30 second vibratory motor exercise. Your whole body will be vibrating with energy.

So get ready, here we go!

This music is meant to help the Yogic Vibrations vibrate more beautifully throughout your entire body.

1. Stand with legs slightly apart, arms at your side.
2. Take a deep full triple breath.
3. This is done by expanding the lower abdominal muscles while inhaling, then expand the rib cage outwards, then inhale completely up into the upper chest. This is the full triple Yogic breath.
4. All Yogic breathing should be practiced like this.
5. In the beginning take this breath in as comfortably as you can and then hold it.
Now begin to curl the toes under and tense them, gradually tensing the ankles then the calves (without releasing your previous tensions), then the thighs, the hips and the buttocks, the stomach muscles, the small of the back, the hands and arms at the same time, then the chest and pectorals and back.
6. Then tense the neck and the entire chin and face and ears.
7. The whole body should be just vibrating like crazy.
8. This whole pose should take no longer than 30 seconds.
9. Now release the breath and relax by shaking loosely the arms and legs.
10. Repeat three times maximum. No more than three times.

Now you are ready for Lesson 3.

If you have the time, start from the very beginning of Lesson 1 right up to this point and then carry on with the next few postures.

The first 3 poses of Lesson 3 are all spinal twists. The first one is the simplest.

The spinal twists, once mastered, will work the entire spine, pelvic region, neck and shoulders and legs causing them all to vibrate with energy.

The spinal twists should be held for a comfortable period. They will create flexibility of the spine that is necessary, after doing the former poses.

1. Shoulder Stand
2. Bridge Pose
3. Knee–Ear Pose
4. Swing Pose
5. Wind Expelling Pose
6. Seated Forward Fold
7. Seated Forward Fold: Reaching for your toes in the air
8. Seated Forward Fold: Resting elbows on toes
9. Tortoise Pose
10. Bridge Pose

Half Lord of the Fishes

1. Some people find it confusing to get the elbow on the outside of the knee. But if you look carefully at the image you will see that it is the elbow which is at the top side of the outside of the knee.
2. Bring your foot as close to the knee as possible. You can use the foot, against the knee, as leverage to make the twist go deeper. But only go to your comfort limit.
3. Your head can be facing forward or twisted backwards as seen in the picture.
4. Twist and hold just as long as it is comfortable.

Sage Marichi's Pose

1. Sit on the floor with one leg straight and the other leg bent.
2. Reach around one knee and try to grab your hand.
3. Try to point the toes of the stretched leg upwards.
4. When you are starting off, you might need to cheat a little by doing variations.
5. If you cannot reach your hands, just twist the best you can.
6. As you get better, try to touch your chin to your knee.
7. If you want, the leg that is straight can be bent with the foot being placed behind the heel of the other foot.

Sage Marichi's Pose in Half Lotus

1. Sit in half lotus. Notice one foot is positioned close to the thigh / groin.
2. Bend your opposite knee Keep your heel close to your sitting bone.
3. Reach around your knee and back and grab the other hand.
4. This pose is identical to Pose 13 except you are seated in half lotus.
5. Try and get the foot into the pelvic region.

Peacock Pose

1. Lay flat on your stomach with the legs close together.
2. Now raise your self up on your hands (which are pointing backwards) and place the elbows into the waist–pelvic area, making sure that the elbow, being against the pelvic bone will not slip out from under you.
3. In this position take a deep breath and begin to raise the legs off the floor. To accomplish this balancing act it helps to lower the chest slightly so that your elbows are acting as a fulcrum.
4. Once balanced parallel to the floor you may begin to breath regularly but shallow breaths.
5. This posture is fabulous for all abdominal areas and all the organs and glands therein. It also aids in awakening Kundalini from her coiled position. It begins to give you great strength and balance.

The Crow Pose

1. With your hands on the floor, give a small lift with your legs and place the knees high up close to the arm pits.
2. Balance there as long as you are comfortable.
3. This is one preparation to enter the Headstand, as it increases blood flow to the brain, especially if you drop your neck, leaving the head relaxed and without tension.
4. Breath comfortably, and when you feel you are ready to try the Headstand, then slowly lower the head to the floor, while lifting the legs heavenward.

Headstand

1. Transition from the Crow Pose to the Headstand when you are ready by slowly lowering the head to the floor while lifting your legs heavenward.
2. The Headstand is not a good pose for everyone to do especially if you have neck issues.
3. You can remain in Crow Pose and let your head hang if you are unable to do the Headstand.
4. The Headstand does take a bit of muscular strength at this point. Just keep practicing it until your head is between your hands and your legs can be lifted vertical.
5. ou are now in the headstand.
6. To perfect this dual posture movement (Crow Pose to Headstand) learn to do it very slowly — like a ballet movement.
7. While using an inversion table has, in many ways the same effect as the Headstand by pushing massive amounts of blood to the head. The one thing the inversion table doesn't have is the need for intense and extreme focus.
8. Doing the Headstand require complete and utter focus so you don't fall. That focus is what silences the mind.

Lotus Pose

Corpse Pose or Relaxation Pose

264 Hatha Yoga Poses (Asana)asana poses

Simple #1: Awakening The Bodyfoot massage myofascial release Bitilasana Marjariasana cow pose dog tilt cat tilt Baddha Konasana Bound Ankle Pose Butterfly Pose Cobblers Pose cobbler's pose Shavasana Corpse Relaxation

Simple #2: Move Into StillnessAnjaneyasana low lunge pose crescent lunge Parighasana gate pose Mrigasana deer pose Ardha Bhujangasana half cobra pose Balasana child's pose childs pose Shavasana Corpse Relaxation

Simple #3: Focus The MindVrksasana tree pose Virabhadrasana warrior pose Adho Mukha Svanasana downward dog half cobra pose Ardha Bhujangasana Ardha Bhujangasana knee to chest pose Shavasana relaxation pose corpse pose

Simple #4: Back BendingBitilasana Marjariasana cat tilt cow pose dog tilt Halasana plow pose Sarvangasana shoulder stand Sethu Bandhasana bridge pose Supta Matsyendrasana supine twist back twist Shavasana relaxation pose corpse pose

Simple #5: LegsSupta Baddha Konasana Reclining Bound Angle Pose Reclined Butterfly Pose Paschimottanasana Seated Forward Fold Upavistha Konasana Wide-Angle Seated Forward Bend Wide Angle Seated Forward Bend Dhanurasana bow pose Marjaryasana D Cat Pulling His Tail Pose Shavasana Corpse Pose Relaxation Pose

Simple #6: SeatedUtthita Tadasana five start pointed pose Anuvittasana standing backbend Urdhva Hastasana extended mountain pose Katichakrasana standing spinal twist Parshvottanasana pyramid pose Vineeta Rajahamsasana humble flamingo pose Utthita Ardha Dhanurasana standing half pose Uttanasana standing forward bend Shavasana Corpse Pose Relaxation Pose

Simple #7: Standing Posessukhasana Bound Ankle Pose Butterfly Pose cobbler's pose cobbler pose Virasana Hero Pose Malasana garland pose Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana Revolved Head To Knee Pose Sukhasana easy pose Shavasana Corpse Pose Relaxation Pose

Simple #8: Gentle But GoodAnjaneyasana crescent moon pose low lunge pose Upavistha Konasana Wide–Angled Seated Forward Bend Salamba Bhujangasana sphinx pose Parivrtta Sukhasana Easy Twist Pose Sasangasana Rabbit Pose Shavasana Corpse Pose Relaxation Pose

Long Routine: Challenging But DoableBitilasana Marjariasana Cow Dog Cat Tilt Uttana Shishosana Extended Puppy Baddha Konasana Bound Ankle Butterfly Pose Cobblers Pose Cobbler's Pose Matsyasana Fish Janu Sirsasana Paschimottanasana Seated Forward Bhujangasana Cobra Adho Mukha Svanasana Downward Dog Supta Matsyendrasana Spinal Twist Supine Twist Ardha Matsyendrasana Half Lord of the Fishes Ustrasana Camel Apanasana Knees to Chest Setu Bandhasana Half Bridge Balasana Child's pose Childs pose Padmasana Lotus Shavasana Corpse Relaxation

Lesson 1 (Novice)Sarvangasana shoulder stand Sethu Bandhasana Bridge Karnapidasana Knee Ear Swing Padmasana Lotus Shavasana Corpse Relaxation

Lesson 2 (Intermediate)Pawanmuktasana Wind Expelling Paschimottanasana Seated Forward Fold Kurmasana Tortoise Setu Bandhasana Half Bridge Shavasana Corpse Relaxation

Lesson 3 (Intermediate)Yogic Vibration Ardha Matsyendrasana Half Lord of the Fishes Marichyasana Sage Marichi's Pose Mayoorasana Peacock Kakasana Crow Sirsasana Headstand Shavasana Corpse Relaxation

Lesson 4 (Advanced)Bhujangasana Cobra Bhujangasana Advanced Cobra Ardha Salabhasana Half Locust Poorna Salabhasana Full Locust Arms At Back Locust Final Locust Pose Shavasana Corpse Relaxation

Lesson 5 (Advanced)Poorna Dhanurasana Full Bow Eka Pada Dhanurasana Single Leg Bow Laghu Vajrasana Little Thunderbolt Supta Vajrasana Reclined Thunderbolt Supta Vajrasana Diamond Eka Pada Rajakapotasana King Pigeon Pincha Mayurasana Feathered Peacock Vrishikisana Scorpion Shavasana Corpse Relaxation

Articles by Swami Harinanda and Yogi Karmananda are © 2026 and are licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Most images do not qualify for use under this license. The 9 Planes of Reality image is, however our own image and thus qualifies.

Some images are used under a Creative Commons License and can also be used as long as you follow their license agreement.

Music has been used with permission and may be used if you qualify and abide by the licensing requirements.

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