I want to start practicing hatha yoga. My body is extremely unflexible, especially when it comes to touching my toes and keeping my legs straight. Does anyone have any tips, exercises, streches, beginners asanas, or anything that can help me strech out? Working with asanas is supposed to be a step along the path to light, but all it causes me is pain so far. I know it is hard for everyone at first, but this is absurd. My body will not strech. 
erm… I’m no expert but my mum does yoga. I tried it a couple of times and I remember all over these yoga books they said, “Don’t strain.” So erm, yeah. And they say that after a little while you’ll see an improvement in flexibility. I don’t know if it works, but there you go. My mum is still doing yoga, so it must do something.