Seated Yoga Pose To Strengthen The Body And Mind : Goddess Pose
Let’s take a look at a full body chair yoga pose that strengthens the whole body and the mind- Goddess Pose or Utkata Konasana. This is a wonderful pose to incorporate into our yoga routines. The name Utkata Konasana is derived from the Sanskrit words Utkata (powerful or fierce), Kona (Angle), and Asana (posture).
Goddess Pose engages many different muscle in the upper and lower body- thus also requiring us to engage the core and lengthen the spine. Even though we are not bearing weight through our lower body, we must engage the muscles in the hips, thighs, and ankles to maintain the posture. Our upper body is also very much in play here as we engage the upper body muscles and open through the chest. Throughout all that, our mind is working to stay focused and connect to our breath.
If you would like some more ideas for simple full body chair yoga poses or videos that incorporate the Goddess Pose, take a look at some links at the end of the post.
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I love full body chair yoga poses because it requires us to focus on all of the moving parts- plus our posture and our breath. Remember that all poses will not look the same on every body. These full body poses are a good reminder to not compare ourselves to others- both in yoga and in life. Focus more on how it feels and not the shape that it takes. We always start the pose with an intention- but the form that it takes is not as important. Good reminder for our daily lives here as well.
We tap into both our Root Chakras and Sacral Chakras here also. If you are interested in learning more about that, you can take a look at the Chair Yoga and Chakra series staring with the Root Chakra. It has all sorts of tips and simple practices that we can incorporate into our daily lives to find more balance and joy- plus some ideas for further exploration.
There are so many benefits to chair yoga and the research in ongoing. You may also be interested in this research article regarding the benefits of chair yoga: Effect of Chair Yoga Therapy on Functional Fitness and Daily Life Activities among Older Female Adults with Knee Osteoarthritis in Taiwan: A Quasi-Experimental Study
Keep reading for how we can practice this wonderful full body chair yoga pose. Then, try out a yoga sequence where we incorporate the Goddess Pose. Plus, take a look at some more beginner seated yoga poses that engage the whole body. As always, it is recommended to speak with your healthcare provider before starting this or any exercise program. Always stop this or any exercise if you experience pain, dizziness, or shortness of breath. Always do what is right for you today.
How Do We Practice This Full Body Chair Yoga Pose?
- Begin seated with a long spine- you may sit all the way back in the chair or scoot forward a few inches
- Arms are by your sides with palms facing forward, chest is open, and shoulders relaxed down
- Feet are planted firmly on the ground with ankles in line with the knees as best you can
- Bring some awareness to the breath and engage the core
- Ground down through one foot and inhale as you lift the opposite foot up, exhale as you place it out to the side
- Option to rotate the hip and point the toes out to the side of the room
- Repeat with the opposite leg
- Inhale as you raise the arms out to the sides and up to shoulder height
- Exhale as you bend the elbows into Cactus Arms
- Keep the spine long and the chest broad
- Stay here for 1-3 breath cycles as you feel the chest and hips open and the sense of grounding through the feet and pelvis
- On an exhale, straighten the elbows and gently release the arms back by your side as you walk the feet back to center
- Repeat 1-3 times are as desired
How Can We Adapt This Pose?
If your hips have significant tightness, only open the hips as far as is comfortable and eliminate the rotation (toes pointing out to the sides)
Only raise the arms as high as is comfortable- keep the shoulders down away from the ears (do not force or strain)
Practice with just the arms and then just the legs, then combine them when you are ready
How Can We Use This Grounding Pose?
We can hold the pose for our desired length of time to help us engage the whole body- including the core
We can open and close the arms in the pose- exhale to bring the palms together or towards one another and then inhale to open them back out to Cactus Arms
We can hold the arms and move the legs back in and then out to further engage the core
This is a great pose for visualizing ourselves standing in this powerful pose as we repeat a mantra such as ” I Am Strong”
Remember to always do what is right for you today
Want More Chair Yoga Poses To Strengthen The Whole Body?
You may be interested in these other full body chair yoga poses:
Or, try these chair yoga videos where we incorporate full body chair yoga poses and the Goddess Pose:
Chair Yoga Gentle Heart Opener
Visit The Peaceful Chair Etsy Shop for health and wellness related printable pages and more
You can check out The Peaceful Chair YouTube Channel for more seated chair yoga videos
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Namaste!
Disclaimer: The Peaceful Chair and thepeacefulchair.com strongly recommends that you consult with your physician before starting this or any exercise program.The information provided on this website is for informational purposes only and is not to be used in place of medical advice or information from your healthcare provider. Neither The Peaceful Chair, the peacefulchair.com, nor any of its contributors shall be held liable for any improper or incorrect use of the information described and/or contained herein and assumes no responsibility for anyone’s use of the information contained in any links, videos, or any content on this website.
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