Goddess Pose, or Utkata Konasana, with Margaret Kirschner at Asheville Community Yoga

Transcript

hi i'm margaret kirschner i teach therapeutic yoga and prenatal yoga at asheville community yoga asheville community yoga is a non-profit yoga center making yoga accessible to everyone regardless of ability to pay today i'd like to show you the posture called goddess posture it's also called kalyasana and devyasana and it's often presented in the krapalu style as well as the kundalini style of yoga practice so it's a very strong posture it gives great power great influence to the legs the hips and also the heart so let's begin let's step out wide on our mats with the toes turning outward and you may need to really kind of settle yourself down into your feet spreading out the toes finding your roots then bend your knees taking a look at your knees so they're not coming inward but instead they're right over the toes about the second and third toes if you glance down towards your toes you should be able to see your toes peeking out beyond your knees aim your kneecaps over toward the outer edge of your knee just a bit find your balance sink your hips down lift your heart up so you've got strong long side waist muscles and then lift your arms to about shoulder height bend your elbows and your wrists like you are a vessel a goddess holding the world turning the palms up take a big breath in and when you do lift your heart as your exhaling sink into your hips bring the elbows back and down bring the fingers together create a soft neck reach up through the top of the head sink down finding your roots your strength bringing the energy right up from the arches as though you could sit that energy through the bottoms of your feet up the insides of the legs moving through the low back and the hips spreading that nourishment wide lifting the heart as the intensity begins to build a bit welcome inhale exhale hello smile softness as the power increases next inhale raise your arms up look up if you can find your balance pressing the palms together straight down the center line pause in front of your heart spread the arms out wide another variation bring your hands down to your knees thumbs on the insides right up above the knee and the fleshy part and roll your thumbs in a circle and this is stimulating the kidney line of energy bringing up punishment revitalization let's take a big breath in adding a lion's roar on the exhale let your tongue stick out wide eyes roll up roar another time big inhale exhale lines drawer take your right shoulder dip it down towards your left foot looking behind you grounding into both feet inhale come back up exhale left shoulder over toward the opposite knee turn your face you're looking back inhale back up one more time sweep the arms out inhale up as though you're bringing down energy right into the center of your being pause in front of your heart and straighten the knees release the hands bring your feet back and together again goddess thank you