Pose of the month - Dandasana

Dandasana (staff pose) - is a foundation pose often practiced on the way into a seated twist or forward bends like Janu Sirsasana (one legged forward bend). In Light on Yoga, Dandasana is mentioned in the instructions for getting into Paripurna Navasana (boat pose)!

As adults, we don't often find ourselves sitting on the floor and when we do it can be quite an uncomfortable experience. We have become so accustomed to sitting in chairs, and at our desks... Seated poses like Dandasana teach us the correct placement of the legs and how to activate and lift the spine. 

In this pose we try to find a balance between earth and sky as we are grounding down through the legs and buttocks, while also lifting up the upper body and spine.

It's a beginners pose that can be done by anyone, to help improve their posture, strengthen the back muscles and stretch and open the shoulders and chest. 

Instructions: Sit on some height (a three-fold blanket should be enough) with your legs stretched out straight - the ankles, knees and thighs together. Pull out the flesh of the buttocks so that you are sitting directly and evenly onto the sit bones. Point the toes up and slightly back towards you. Lengthen the heels away from you and along the floor. Draw up the kneecaps and press the back of the knees down to the floor. Place your hands onto the floor beside the hips, either palms down and fingers facing forward or onto the finger tip (see photo above). Roll the shoulders back and draw the shoulder blades together and down the back. Lift the heart and sternum bone up. Lift through the spine from tailbone to the crown of the head. Keep the head and neck straight and look ahead at eye level. Stay here for at least 3 -5 breathes before moving into your next pose. 

Quick tip: you can stretch your arms up beside the ears into Urdhva Hasta Dandasana to find more length through the spine and from the hips to the armpits, through the arms and to the fingertips