The Elegant Klutz: Utkata Konasana or "Goddess Pose"

Sanskrit: Utkata Konasana Western Term: Goddess or Victory Squat

English Translation: Fierce Angle Pose

Type of Asana: Standing Pose and a fierce pose that connects to your femininity.

How To:

1. Stand at the top of your mat in tadasana or “mountain pose.”

2. Step open to the right, opening your legs about three feet apart. Turn your heels in, keeping your feet parallel.

3. Bend your knees into a wide-legged squat until your legs are parallel to the ground. Knees should stay directly over your ankles for knee safety.

4. Lift your arms up, bending your elbows into goal-post arms with wrists over elbows in line with the shoulders. Open your palms away from you.

5. Stay here for about 30 seconds to a minute.

Body Points:

*draw your tailbone slightly toward your pubis to maintain length in your spine, bringing attention to your core

*spread your toes and root through the four corners of your feet

*draw your shoulder blades in lightly and feel the expanse in your ribcage, chest, collarbones, and belly

Emphasized Body Parts: strengthens lower body, activates the core, releases breath in abdomen and helps to integrate the upper and lower energy centers of the body.

February 14th is getting closer. Connect to your inner boop with 2nd chakra poses ;)

Mental Achievements: learning to balance and integrate the pairs of opposites- will and surrender, strength and softness, activity and receptivity. This balance of opposites can inspire growth toward wholeness within.

An aid for beginners: kramas or levels of a pose give us yogis with various levels options. For any given pose, there are various levels of difficulty. This krama that I offer is for beginners to the pose:

-If this feels like a lot of pressure, stay for only 3 breaths at first. Then come back up to tadasana (mountain pose) before returning back down to Goddess Pose for another 3 breaths.

-This is a DEEP hip opener. Lying on the floor in supta baddha konasana (see pic above) keep the pelvis heavy and let the knees drop down lower to the ground furthering the stretch in the hips.

Chakra: svadhisthana, the 2^nd chakra which is symbolized by an orange six-petaled lotus. It is located in your lower abdomen and pelvis.

This chakra will get you in touch with your sensuality. The bija mantra or “seed sound” of the 2^nd chakra is “vam.” A mantra you can repeat in a 2^nd chakra pose like Goddess Pose to connect to your sensuality and experience pleasure.

Ancient Sanskirt Proverb: “Hunger, thirst, and desire are like a man’s wives. They do not desert a man throughout his life. Of them, desire is the most faithful. Others leave at least temporarily after eating and drinking.”