A Brief Guide To Goddess Pose | A Powerful Pose

by | Nov 6, 2021 | Yoga

Goddess Pose (Utkata konasana):

Name: Goddess Pose

Sanskrit: Utkata konasana

Pronunciation: OOT-KAH-TUH CONE-AHS-UH-NUH

Pose Level: Goddess Pose is a beginner-level yoga pose

Goddess Pose (Utkata konasana)

Anatomy involved:

  • Legs (Quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings)
  • Hips
  • Pelvic
  • Glutes
  • Knees
  • Calves
  • Core

Benefits:

  • Firstly, Goddess pose is a great pose for opening the hips
  • Strengthens the lower body.
  • Opens the chest.
  • Helps stimulate multiple system within the body. Opens the chest for better respiratory support.
  • Grounding posture with emphasis on awareness & focus.
  • Helps increase flexibility in the hips, groin, making poses that support meditative practices easier to accomplish.
  • May contribute to better body alignment and posture.
  • Helps promote warmth to the body | Core energy.

Step-By-Step Goddess Pose:

  • Begin standing tall with your hands together in prayer.
  • Then, begin to deeply breathe in and out a few times.
  • On an exhale spread the feet wide, more then hip width, toes pointed outward.
  • Next, bring your hands to the waist and tuck the pelvis to where your tailbone goes downward, chest upward.
  • Then, relax the knees, they should be slightly bent, not stiff or rigid.
  • Focus on spreading the weight evenly between the feet.
  • Begin to lower the hips, feeling an emphasis in the lower body
  • Now, bring the arms up and out wide. Then, bend at the elbow, 90 degrees on exhale.

Related Article: What is the Meaning of Pranayama: Pranayama Breathing Techniques

Pose Modifications:

Variations can be made to Goddess pose to make it more or less challenging.

One option is to lessen your squat. This will put less pressure on the quads and hips which may want to rotate inward with a deeper stretch.

Another option to helps with balance is to perform it against a wall.

Finally, are you looking for more of a challenge? Try Goddess pose on your toes. Alternatively, your could add a deeper squat, or both.

Contraindications:

Take precaution if suffering from any recent trauma or injury to the legs or hips. In addition, due to the shoulder movement, you may want to use caution if recent shoulder injury.

Poses Commonly Transitioned To:

Frog Pose I

Poses Commonly Transitioned From

Chair Pose (Utkatasana), Warrior I (Virabhadrasana), Garland Pose (Malasana), Standing Forward Fold Pose (Uttanasana)

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