Downward Dog with Foot Finger Facing

1. Start on your hands and knees with your wrists directly under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.

2. Spread your fingers wide and press firmly through your palms and knuckles.

3. Exhale as you tuck your toes and lift your knees off the floor. Lengthen your spine, bringing your body into an upside-down "V" shape.

4. **Press the floor away from you as you lift through your pelvis. **As you do this, try to straighten your legs and lower your heels toward the ground. It's okay if your heels don't touch the ground.

5. Ensure your head is between your arms, and gaze back at your feet.

6. Keep your shoulders wide and make sure the shoulder blades are drawn down your back.

7. Take deep breaths while you hold the position, focusing on creating length in your spine and flexibility in your legs.

8. To exit the pose, lower your knees to the floor on an exhale.

Remember to move into the pose carefully, and don't push your body past its limits; it's more important to keep the integrity of the pose than to achieve the "perfect" shape.

---