What are important principles for practicing yoga poses?

Breathe & Observe
Breath is the key that allows us to observe our body in yoga poses. Firstly, it provides us energy that we need to focus. Secondly, it travels inside our body acting like a sensor, allowing us to feel our inner body. So of the utmost importance is to make sure you are always breathing naturally. A yoga pose is a tool for the mind to connect with the body. If the mind is adrift, the physical effort is wasted. So it is important to focus all of your attention on observing the body - to discover and develop deeper connections with it.

Stable & Comfortable
To be able to observe, our mind needs to be in a relaxed state. If our yoga pose is not stable, the mind will be distracted by the fear of falling. If our yoga pose is not comfortable, our mind will be distracted by the physical discomfort. So to maximize our ability to observe the body through yoga poses, the postures need to be stable and comfortable.