The Goddess Pose: How To Do the Goddess Pose Effectively
Yoga sequences are made up of several different asanas or poses, and each pose has its benefits, challenges, alignment principles, and adjustments. Understanding and executing each pose correctly within a sequence is vital to get the most out of your practice and keeping your body safe and healthy.
The Goddess Pose is a common standing pose in yoga that instructors often use as part of a flow. This guide will cover how to do the Goddess Pose step-by-step, its benefits, and some optional adjustments.
What Is the Goddess Pose?
The Goddess Pose, or Utkata Konasana, is a powerful asana that helps build strength and balance throughout the body and mind when done correctly and with intention. In Hindu mythology, the Goddess, Kali, is often pictured in a victorious stance with her arms extended out and her feet planted firmly in a squat. Hence the name "Goddess Pose."
If you prefer a gender-neutral term for the goddess pose, you can refer to it as a celestial being pose. Either way, it is an empowering pose that helps to ground and center your practice.
So how exactly do you execute it?
How To Do The Goddess Pose
Step 1: Set Your Feet
Start in a standing position and place your hand on your waistline and your feet a little further than hip-width apart. Turn your toes slightly to a 45-degree angle and keep your feet firmly rooted into the ground.
Step 2: Lower Your Body
Without leaning forward at the hips, exhale and slowly begin to bend at the knees while ensuring your kneecaps are aligned with your toes. Lower as far down as you feel comfortable into a squat keeping your chest tall and your back in a neutral position.
Step 3: Raise Your Arms
Place your arms out to the side at shoulder level bending the elbow at a 90-degree angle, forming somewhat of an L-shape. Make sure your chest stays lifted and keep your fingers separated and pointed up towards the sky.
Step 4: Sink Into Your Pose and Breath
Stay here for 3 to 5 breaths, inhaling and exhaling fully. Focus on breathing to relax your body and sink deeper into the pose.
Step 5: Come Up and Out of the Pose
When ready, inhale and press firmly into your feet to return to the starting position. Keep your body firmly aligned, going up the same way you went down.
Goddess Pose Adjustments
One of the many remarkable things about yoga is that it can and should be adjusted to fit your personal needs and body so anyone can do it. If you are new to the Goddess Pose, or if it feels too intense for your body for reasons like injuries or sore muscles, you can try a few of the following adjustments.
Basic Adjustments
First and foremost, listen to what your body is telling you in the pose. This could mean not sinking too deep into the squat or taking the arms higher or lower.
To make the pose more challenging, you can sink deeper into your squat or practice pulsating squats to feel the burn. You can also rise onto your toes for a more advanced Goddess Pose.
Using Props
For balance and support, you can use a wall or a chair. To use the wall, stand with your back facing the wall and follow the steps above. While doing this, you can press your arms and head against the wall to build even more strength.
If you want to use a chair for support, you can rest your body fully on the seat with the rest of your body in the exact alignment as described above. This is an excellent option if you feel discomfort in the hips, knees, or lower back.
You can apply the squatting technique or rise onto your toes to challenge yourself while using props. These adjustments will help you build the strength and confidence to perform the Goddess Pose in its full expression if that is your goal.
Benefits of the Goddess Pose
The Goddess yoga pose is an excellent posture to build strength throughout the body and provides the foundation for other challenging poses. Here are some of the benefits of the Goddess Pose:
Improves balance and coordination
Strengthens legs, glutes, pelvic floor, core, and shoulders
Increases flexibility and mobility in the hips, shoulders, and legs
Improves blood flow
Stimulates digestion
Promotes relaxation and stress relief
Enhances focus and concentration
As you can see, there are many benefits to performing the goddess yoga pose. With practice, you'll build strength and confidence in your body and feel more connected to your divine feminine energy, which is essential to balance in all humans.
Goddess Pose Alignment Cues
It is essential to keep a few key alignment cues in mind to get the most out of your Goddess Pose and keep your body safe.
Below the Waist:
Make sure your feet are firmly rooted and your toes are spread evenly
Evenly distribute weight throughout all corners of the foot
Keep your knees stacked over your ankles and toes, so they are not caving inward or outward
Lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor if you can comfortably sink that low
Above the Waist:
Lift your chest to the sky
Engage your core by gently drawing your belly button in towards your spine
Draw your shoulder blades down and together on the back to stay in a neutral position
Keep your spine long and straight
Place your palms facing forward, and fingers evenly spread
Lift your gaze
Breathing Cues:
Breathe in and out while holding the pose for an extended period
Breath out when lower into your squat and in when rising from your squat
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Remember that yoga is a personal practice, and you should keep it at a level that feels comfortable for you. If any part of the pose feels too intense or causes discomfort, please feel free to adjust it to fit your specific needs. This is especially important if you are a beginner and don't want to push your body too hard.
Working with a certified yoga instructor can also help you develop your practice safely and effectively so you can master the alignment of the goddess yoga pose.
Here at Yoga For All Humans, we believe that yoga should be accessible for ALL humans. We provide a wide variety of yoga classes so you can be sure you will find one that suits your goals. Book a class today and consider signing up for a membership for full access to our comprehensive class library.
Author - Derek Haigler
Founder of Yoga for All Humans