danda (staff/stick) + asana (pose)
A “foundation pose extraordinaire”, Staff Pose is a Beginner-friendly go-to pose many of us enter before moving on to most forward bends. With practice, yogis will see a huge improvement in their spines & posture! This is a simple pose, but there´s a lot going on: we need to be mindful about grounding our sit bones, aligning our heels & hips to each other, as well as our shoulders to each other, lengthening our spine, & ensuring that our shoulders are aligned to the pelvis & hips. Don´t stress it though: like other grounding poses, Mountain Pose for example, Staff Pose is ultimately a calming pose for the body & mind. There are variations yogis may wish to take. Yogis can lie flat on their backs with limbs extended upwards, or in the traditional expression but with arms lifted skywards or horizontally to the mat. Additionally, yogis can lift one leg at a time or rotate the arms to the side into a twist. Again, this is a pretty simple pose, but a rule of thumb is to always listen to your body & push only to your intelligent edge.
Benefits:
· stabilizes the hips & pelvis
· improves posture
· engages & strengthens the core
· stretches, tones & strengthens the upper & lower back muscles, & the chest
· tones & strengthens the legs, helping with knee pain
· aligns the spine
· opens the shoulders & the space between the shoulder blades
· creates body awareness
· helps to calm brain cells & reduce anxiety.
Remember: alignment means everything in this pose. If you find that your back overarches, or you experience any shoulder pain, raise your arms so that they´re in front of you, parallel to the mat; equally, ensure that your back isn´t rounding forward. If alignment is an issue - as it is for many of us - grab a prop!
Props: If strength, flexibility &/or balance are issues, sitting on a folded blanket or yoga block helps make Staff Pose easier & more accessible. Additionally, added support & proper alignment can be achieved by leaning against a wall, ideal for postnatal women, the elderly, & those recovering from a prolonged illness. Sitting on a yoga wedge magically provides instantaneous alignment of the spine! For post-knee surgery patients, a folded blanket or towel placed under the knees will help build their strength back up.
Modify or avoid Staff Pose if you
· have undergone spinal surgery or suffer from low back pain
· have sustained knee or ankle injuries
· have a weak core &/or suffer from weak wrists
· have tight hamstrings
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