Consider yourself lucky if you have access to both a patch of earth and the slightest tinge of a green thumb. Now is prime time for hours spent in the garden, digging and planting, weeding and seeding. As fun and gratifying as getting your hands in the dirt can be, the constant bending and stooping can wreak havoc on your body.

Again – yoga to the rescue! Apply some of the following yoga principles to your gardening this year to reduce some of the negative effects of an otherwise enjoyable practice.

-Set a solid foundation. Whether you are standing upright or bent over, protect your back and major joints by maintaining core alignment. Keep the entire foot firmly planted on the earth, knees slightly bent, and constantly lengthen your spine. Keeping the navel gently pulling toward the spine will protect the low back and keep the core engaged.

-Regularly counter-stretch. Anytime we hold the body in one position for a length of time tension starts to develop. Frequently reversing the direction of energy will help dissipate this tension before it becomes pain. So after long squats, straighten and stretch the legs; if the shoulders are hunched, press the chest through, and reach your arms up and back after long periods reaching forward and down.

-Garden mindfully. Rather than zoning out, consciously focus your intention. Consider the parallel between gardening and yoga in that both help us to become aware of our connection to all things. Both represent a commitment to taking care of yourself, and of intentionally involving yourself in the process of creation. Bring a meditative quality into your gardening by envisioning qualities you would like to cultivate in yourself as you plant new life – then watch everything blossom.

-Back bend, back bend, back bend. Most time gardening is spent in any number of versions of forward fold, which can be helpful in reversing the normal flow of energy in our bodies and reducing stress by stimulating the adrenals, but of course need to be countered by opening the front body. Stand up often, place the hands on the low back, and lift the heart to the sky as the head gently falls back.

-Warm up or cool down with some asana. Check out this site for some easy yoga poses especially helpful for gardeners and start to incorporate some of them into your pre or post gardening ritual as time allows.

And of course, most importantly – enjoy! Be sure to pause and check in that your awareness is on what you are doing, and that the garden is, in fact, where you want to be. Love your plants and your body and they will all love you right back.