I’ll never forget the first time I truly began working toward Full Cobra Pose. Up until then, Cobra was just something we did in vinyasa—press your hands down, lift your chest, then move on. But the deeper I trained toward Full Cobra, the more I realized how much was hidden inside that simple shape.

Suddenly, the way I taught basic Cobra completely changed. I could see the alignment, the strength, the mobility it was meant to build—not just as a backbend on its own, but as the foundation for deeper poses still to come.

That’s when it clicked for me: every pose is a doorway.

If we only see the “beginner version,” we’re missing the bigger picture. But when we explore where that posture leads, it transforms not just our own practice, but the way we teach.

Seeing Beyond the Pose in Front of You

When you’re new to Downward Dog, it feels like the goal is just getting your heels closer to the floor or stretching your hamstrings. But the more you practice, the more you realize it’s preparing you for so much more:

• It’s a doorway into Handstand prep, when you shift forward and feel the stacking of shoulders over wrists.

• It’s a doorway into arm balance strength, building the press and stability you’ll need later.

• It’s a doorway into spinal traction, creating space that supports deeper backbends.

What once felt like an end point becomes a passageway into new territory.

Why Advancing Matters

It’s easy to stay where things feel familiar, but advancing your practice isn’t about collecting advanced shapes—it’s about uncovering layers of depth in the poses you already know.

When you’ve worked toward Forearm Balance, you look back at Dolphin Pose and see more than “shoulder work”—you see the exact building blocks of the inversion.

When you’ve you've worked for King Pigeon Pose, Crescent Lunge suddenly shifts from a simple stretch to a foundation for safe, powerful backbends.

Progression transforms your relationship to the whole practice.

Teaching From the Doorway

As teachers, this is essential. If I’ve never stepped into what a pose develops into, I can’t fully convey its potential. But when I’ve advanced in my own body, I can teach differently:

• I know where the posture can take you.

• I know the common challenges and the breakthroughs.

• And I can guide you through the doorway, no matter what room you’re ready to step into.

This doesn’t mean pushing students to rush forward—it means teaching every pose with the depth and perspective that only lived experience provides.

Walking Through the Door

So instead of asking “Should I advance?”, the real question becomes:
“What doorway is this pose opening for me right now?”

Every posture has a threshold. Step through it. Explore what’s waiting on the other side. Let your practice evolve—not for the sake of harder poses, but for the richness it brings to everything you already do.

Because in yoga, no pose is the final destination. Every pose is a doorway.

Ready to Practice This in Real Time?

Inside the Tori G. Yoga Online Studio, you’ll move beyond tips and into real transformation. Our classes don’t just stretch you—they strengthen your foundation, refine your technique, and support you in evolving your practice with purpose.

Expect:

• Weekly livestream classes.
• A huge on-demand classes library.
• A proven path to progress—no guesswork, no fluff.
• Individual coaching through 1-to-1 sessions and monthly Live Q&A Sessions. 

Start your 7-day free trial today and discover how stable, strong, and free your body can truly feel.

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