The old, the young, the physically challenged, the flexibility-impaired.

Dev, a Fairfield instructor who teaches at the Madisonville Recreation Center and Butler Tech Vocational School, offers herself as an example: In spite of arthritis, osteoporosis, diabetes and three herniated discs, she's been teaching the ancient mind-body practice since 1975. She also teaches sessions of what she calls "CCY" or cautious and caring yoga for seniors and people with physical limitations. "Most of those poses can be done from a chair," she says.

Here are five simple yoga poses to ease just about anybody into the practice, touted for its physical, spiritual and mental benefits:

Easy pose, or partial lotus

How to: Seated on the floor, cross the legs and bring the feet directly under the knees. Rest the hands (shown in praying position here) facing up, on the knees. Press the hipbones into the floor and raise the top of the head toward the ceiling to stretch the spine. Drop the shoulders and press the chest toward the front of the room. Relax the jaw, face and belly. Breathe deeply from the belly.

Benefits: Good for meditation, readies the body for exercise. Opens the spine and promotes groundedness and inner calm.

Life Conquers All

How to: Stand with the arms outstretched toward the heavens and gaze up. Alternating hands, draw good energy from the sun into the body at the heart center. Next, bring the hands to the heart center and, alternating hands with palms out, push negative energy away from the body. Finally, bend at the waist with the head toward the knees. Keep the back straight and rest the hands on the thighs. Flex the body and take deep, belly-pushing breaths in and out.

Benefits: Good for greeting the new day with positive energy and calm.