by Baxter As promised last time (see A Literal Pain in the Neck), I want to look at a more specific cause of neck pain today and talk about ways to approach it with your yoga practice. And as in “life imitates art,” I was on a red-eye flight last week, and despite my use of the neck pillow and good sleeping alignment, my four-hour plane nap left me with a very stiff and sore neck. In all likelihood, the source of my discomfort was my neck muscles suffering a mild strain from the unnatural immobility I placed them in. Muscle strain and spasm is probably the most common source of neck pain in all ages, young and old. But although it holds the number one spot, the good news is that it is also the one that is most likely to resolve quickly, especially if addressed appropriately. You can bet your bottom dollar I was doing some of the exercises described below the next day! Now here comes an overarching principle that will likely apply to other causes of neck pain we will cover down the...