Dysfunctional family dynamics tend to magnify around the holidays, when expectations run high. But you can use your spiritual practice to change your patterns and experience more joy this holiday season.

FORGIVE FAMILY

At holiday time, as people reunite with their relatives, difficult issues often arise -even for those who have been cultivating inner peace through a yogic lifestyle. Spiritual teacher Ram Dass has humorously observed that anyone who thinks they're enlightened should spend time with family.

Instead of expecting that going home for the holidays will destroy your peaceful mind-set and send you into a spiritual tailspin, consider your family an extension of your yoga and meditation practice, a new way to experience compassion, nonjudgment, nonattachment, and gratefulness. Just don't expect to be perfect.

Medical pioneers like Dr. John E. Sarno, author of the revolutionary book Healing Back Pain,  have researched and helped thousands of patients overcome their back conditions without surgery or dangerous drugs. As he and several other doctors agree, a large part of back related injuries are directly related to stress and other psychological factors.

As the holidays grow closer and the thought of spending money, being with family and traveling becomes more of a reality, notice how your back feels lately. Has it been speaking to you lately? Does it feel a bit tweaky?

Here are 5 poses that will systematically stretch all the intrinsic muscles of your back, plus a passive backbend that will bring your front and back body into balance. Practice on an empty stomach and only go as far as you feel comfortable. Take 8 breaths in each pose and/or side.

Practice them regularly before the back muscles feel severely tense.