In yoga we learn to listen in on our body and feel it, to hold a posture for several breaths, and breathe into the muscles that are being worked. While yoga builds strength over time it is not about straining to push ourselves to the limit, but rather about finding that perfect balance between ease and effort. The best thing I recently became aware of was my yoga teacher's suggestion to notice those particular muscles that do the work during a specific asana or posture, and then to relax all the other muscles that are not involved (especially the facial muscles, which are usually not involved, yet tense up with all the other muscles). This takes a conscious effort because we tend to tense all the muscles indiscriminately. But it is quite a revelation to be able to let go of the strain in most of your body and then precisely concentrate on where the effort actually needs to happen. Instead of being all over the place it takes a lot less effort.

More focus, less effort - and not only in yoga.