Many advanced yoga poses seem scary because we don’t think about how to work up to them. Sure, there’s the rare beginner who, thanks to natural flexibility, can easily try these tough poses—but that’s not the norm. For most of us, it’s about trusting the process.

Thinking about your fear

Yoga isn’t just about poses. It helps you look at how you act and think in daily life. Notice which poses scare you, and ask yourself:

• Why does this pose frighten me?
• What can I do to make it easier?
• What can this fear teach me?

Keeping these questions in mind as you practice can help you move beyond your comfort zone—not just toward a tough pose, but one that truly intimidates you.

Here are 5 poses that might seem scary at first but, with practice, could become essential in your routine.

1. Savasana
   Savasana (or final resting pose) is surprisingly hard to master. It won’t test your hip flexibility like pigeon pose or your arm strength like crow pose, but it demands a calm mind, a relaxed body, and full focus on the present. It takes time to get right. Some students are so afraid of savasana that they leave class early to skip it.
2. Kurmasana
   Kurmasana (Tortoise Pose) gives a deep stretch in the hips and shoulders and needs proper warm-up first. But the real challenge isn’t the physical stretch—it’s the inward focus it requires.
3. Astavakrasana
   Astavakrasana (Eight-Angle Pose) makes it look like your legs are floating to one side. Like crow pose, it needs arm and wrist strength, but also knowing how to engage the right muscles to stay balanced and lifted. To get into it, take it step by step. With practice, what seems impossible at first can become doable.
4. Bakasana
   Bakasana (Crow Pose) is often the first arm balance yogis try. While it looks impossible, it’s really about shifting your weight to stay balanced and using your core and mula bandha (root lock) to lift up. The hardest fear to beat here is trusting you won’t fall face-first. To ease that fear, work up to crow slowly, and place a blanket or soft surface under you—just in case. (The only thing that might get hurt is your pride.)
5. Svarga Dvijasana
   Svarga Dvijasana (Bird of Paradise Pose) isn’t everyone’s idea of paradise. It mixes a deep hip opener with a bind, shoulder stretch, and one-legged balance that tests your focus. You need a warm body and a calm mind to try it. Like all poses, it takes time to build a strong foundation. Don’t worry about how you look—focus on how it feels. Where do you feel steady? Where’s the struggle? Notice without judging. Remember, yoga is personal, and your best is yours alone.

Face your fear and grow

Trying scary yoga poses pushes you out of your comfort zone and helps you grow. Every pose has a lesson. Go slow, build up, and meet your fear head-on. You might find that how you handle tough poses reflects how you handle challenges in life, too.