Stripped of pretense, yoga is about attuning to your breath and body while staying in conversation with the universe around you—and, in terms of the physical practice, making some cool shapes in the process.

When you explore on your mat, many yoga poses channel the free-spirited nature of childhood and the courageous, loose-limbed play that comes with being new to the human experience. Some poses teeter on that point between effort and ease. Others encourage intuitive movement, inviting you to draw yourself evermore into this present moment.

These yoga poses ask only that you come as you are—and that you stop taking it all so seriously.

5 Yoga Poses to Make Your Practice More Whimsical

Whimsy is about fun, so do whatever you need to find ease and flow in these shapes. Collect any props you might need beforehand (think blocks and a strap or belt), pause when you feel compelled, try again if you fall out of a pose, and maybe even crack a smile as you do so. 

1. Dancer Pose

(Photo: Andrew Clark)

Elegance embodied, Dancer Pose balances power and play. Catching your kicked-back leg and tipping forward like a teapot energizes your mind and body, and finding stillness here is a reminder of your unwavering potential.

Even the most awkward among us (I’m talking about me, but perhaps you can relate) becomes graceful in Dancer. Reach for a strap or a belt if you need to help reach your foot.

2. Half Moon Pose

(Photo: Andrew Clark)

Tilting into Half Moon Pose feels like surrendering to something celestial and ethereally supportive. As with Dancer, leaning into this shape makes gravity seem like more of a suggestion than a law.

I personally need to land my hand on a block to come into Half Moon safely. Others I know rely on placing their hand on chair seats or opting for low-to-the-mat modifications when approaching the pose. Find the phase of Half Moon that feels the most like you and honor that.

3. Tree Pose

(Photo: Andrew Clark)

A yoga pose that asks you to pretend to a be part of a forest? What could possibly be more whimsical than that? Tree Pose is all about stability and balance. Once you find your roots, it’s time to grow your branches.

Keeping your hands at heart center is always an option, but so is sending your arms up toward the sky, out to the sides, behind you, or some variation of your own. You’re even free to let your branches (and your trunk) sway in the wind.

4. Wheel Pose

(Photo: Andrew Clark)

There’s something about popping up into Wheel Pose that feels so inherently playful. Wheel is a shape that many of us found intuitively as children, testing our bodies and physical boundaries in grassy parks and on living room carpets.

Safely accessing this pose asks that you adequately warm up your body by practicing assorted increasingly challenging backbends, such as Puppy Pose, Cobra, Upward-Facing Dog, Camel and Dancer. When you’re ready to press up into Wheel, you’ll quickly remember the importance of seeing the world upside down from time to time.

5. Savasana

(Photo: Andrew Clark)

At first blush, Savasana feels almost too good to be true. You just have to lie down on your back and do…nothing? There’s a lot of talk a lot about how difficult shape can be, but when you get to the place where you can allow Savasana to be easy, it’s magical. Doing nothing, giving your body room to rest, and allowing your thoughts time to settle creates space for even more of the creativity and play you seek.