Can you recommend a book on yoga poses? I’m looking for one that has pictures and includes English/Sanskrit names and the benefit of each pose?

There are a ton of yoga books out there.  Based on the specifics of your request, the two books I highly recommend are Journey Into Power by Baron Baptiste and Light On Yoga by B.K.S. Iyengar.  Both can be found on www.amazon.com.  

Journey Into Power provides a solid foundation for a power yoga practice.  It addresses the physical and spiritual components of yoga as well as addresses meditation, diet and other key principles to discovering your yoga practice.  Both English/Sanskrit names for poses are provided as well as alignment tips and modifications.  This book really makes yoga accessible, challenging and fun.

Light On Yoga, known as the bible of yoga, provides an overview of yoga, asana descriptions, philosophy and breathing techniques.  Since it was written back in the 60’s/70’s, the pictures are black & white and it’s a tad hard to follow but it’s definitely a good book to have on hand.

I’m bored with my home yoga practice. What do you suggest?

To keep your practice alive, always try something new when you come to your mat.  The obvious solution is getting a new yoga DVD or experimenting with poses you’ve seen in Yoga Journal.  However, to truly keep your practice exciting, learn to go deeper in your practice.  Deeper can be defined as truly being present and exploring the pose with breath or physically moving the body deeper.       Your experience each time you come to the mat should be different.  Learn to explore your yoga.  Make tiny tweaks in your Warrior I each time you do it.  For instance, take a wider stance with the legs or focus on squaring the hips forward and sinking deeper.  Or, move into Warrior I and stay for 10 breaths vs. 5.  Pick one thing in the pose and work with it.  The smallest tweaks in poses, as in life, can have a huge impact.  

How often should I do yoga?

I receive this question often and my answer is always “as often as you can.”  Seriously, even by practicing yoga as little as 15-20 minutes a day you’ll start to feel like a rockstar.  Your mind will become clearer and more focused, both on and off the mat.  Your body will become more flexible and stronger.  Your posture will improve.  The benefits are endless, but they only result from consistent practice.  Just try it and see.   

Is it true that it’s not good for a younger person to practice yoga with an elder? I’ve heard the energy flow that is somehow “shared” during the class is not good for younger if shared with older.

Age is simply a number.  Prana (breath) flows through everyone keeping the body alive and energized.  Regardless of age, prana is different for each person.  This unique energy flow and internal light (spirit) define us as ”individuals”.   On some days, your light shines bright (high energy) and on other days it’s dim.  Again, it’s independent of age.  Your energy flow is a result of what’s going on in your external and internal world. 

When practicing asanas, keep your heart open and your breath active.  Make your breath fluid and positive.  Remember when you’re on the mat, focus on YOUR energy.  When practicing yoga in a group, the energy of each individual’s spirit is shared with one another which creates a powerful sense of communal energy.   So let your energy shine and brigthen the energy of those around you.  Remember, age is simply a number.