You’ve promised yourself many times that you’ll start doing yoga to reap the rewards of a serene mind and a lean, limber body. But somehow your vow never gets fulfilled. Here, VIVmag gives you the basics so that when you are ready, you’ll know how to begin and feel confident when you strike that first pose.

Follow Sara Ivanhoe (pictured), a recognized yoga expert, video and television personality, as well Yoga Works instructor in Los Angeles, as she introduces you to the Sun Salutation, a movement series (known as a vinyasa) that you will see performed in virtually every yoga class. We provide you with the Sanskrit name for each pose, along with its reputed benefits and a quote from Ivanhoe. Master this series and you will have many of the most common poses incorporated in your new yoga vocabulary, and you’ll be ready to hit the mat with confidence!

Click here to get started!

Tags: Alternative medicine, Entertainment/Culture, Exercise, Human behavior, Human Interest, Los Angeles, Meditation, Mind-body interventions, Sara Ivanhoe, Surya Namaskara, Vinyāsa, Yoga, Yoga series