Navaratri, a nine-day celebration honouring Goddess Durga in her nine manifestations, encourages us to recognise the feminine divinity inside each of us.
This period of devotion to the creative energy, Shakti, is a reminder that in addition to being compassionate nurturers, we are warriors who embody fierce strength, abundant wisdom, and endless forgiveness.
Navaratri is hence a good time to add the Goddess Pose or Utkata Konasana meaning Fierce Angle Pose to your daily yoga practice or Sadhana.
Goddess Pose or Utkata Konasana
Utkata Konasana is an energising yogic squat that stimulates the respiratory and cardiovascular systems, boosts the muscles of the legs and glutes, widens and strengthens the hips and pelvis, opens the chest and lengthens the spine.
Through this posture, you can access the powerful feminine energy that makes you strong, creative, and balanced.
Steps to get into Goddess Pose or Utkata Konasana:
- Stand erect with the hands freely by the sides
- Take the feet about 3 feet apart. Turn your feet outwards with the toes pointing away from the body and the heels pointing towards the body
- Now bend your knees till the thighs become parallel to the ground like a wide squat
- Bring both your palms together in the Namaskar mudra and place it in front of the chest (Variations include placing the hands parallel to the ground with the palms facing upwards)
- Roll your shoulder out and backwards, expand the chest forward and gaze forward
- Breathe normally and deeply in this position. During exhalation, contract the abdomen and press the lower back down and feel the pressure on the thighs
- Maintain this position for as long as you are comfortable
- To release the pose, straighten the knees and raise yourself up and bring the feet closer. Then lower your hands down
Benefits:
- A deep external hip opener that strengthens the calves, quadriceps, glutes, and core
- Expands the uterus before pregnancy and helps during pregnancy
- Helps open the chest and shoulders, expand the lungs, and improve respiration
- Massages the organs in the abdomen – particularly the kidneys, the ovaries, urinary system and the prostate gland
- Reduces arthritis and sciatica
- Improve fertility and the functioning of the reproductive organs
- Relieves menstrual pain and cramps
- Energizes the body, improves posture, relieves stress, and gives a general sense of well-being
- Builds confidence, increases awareness, and improves focus
- Activates Manipura Chakra, Svadhisthana Chakra and Muladhara Chakra. As a result, the flow of Prana through the body improves, removing all blockages and maintaining a healthy balance of mind and body
Contraindications:
- Do not practise if suffering from shoulder, hip, ankle, and knee injuries
- Avoid in case of high blood pressure, severe arthritis, migraine, or vertigo issues.
When you perform the Goddess Pose, become aware of your fierce feminine side, and bring forth the victorious and intense energy of the Goddess!
Let us celebrate this Navaratri by acknowledging our inner power, connecting to our sacred feminine energy, and choosing to embody and honour the Goddess within each one of us.