Goddess! The epithet is as elusive as it is empowering. Who are they, the amazing wunderkind, who stand strong and unperturbed in the face of life’s myriad challenges, keeping in tune with her nature and emotional vein, be a voice of intuition over sophistication, an anchor of support for her family and friends, the mother, the nurturer, and nevertheless, the dreamer, adventurer, the leader? Do they never cry? You can find the answers right within yourself on tapping into the reservoir of immense feminine energy. Step onto your mat and let yoga take its course in blossoming the latent goddess in you. Unleash your Kali in rhythm with the four following postures–

The Goddess Pose Or the Fiery Angle Pose

A riveting posture, the Goddess will help you engage deeply to your core, igniting the fiery drive of feminine energy which is believed to be accumulated in the lowermost ‘chakra’ in our body- or energy circle at the root chakra of the Muladhara. Technically, a wide-legged squat, the Goddess will have you leg-bending at 90-degrees and the hips can’t drop even as the tension climaxes. The challenge gets real when you have to hold the hips at the level of your knees and the torso still strapping straight. You will now need all of your core energy and the goddess attitude to unleash magnificent strength from within. While the idea is to experience your inner strength get assured of your great resilience and endurance, be careful not to push beyond the mark of sustainability on the first go. Here is how the Goddess Posture is done–
 
  1. Come to stand on your mat in the Mountain Pose. Bring your arms to the sides and the hands resting easily on the hips.
  2. Rotate right and open your feet wide open, the top of your toes pointing to the corners of your mat. Now, start bending the knees on top of your toes.
  3. The hips bend into a squat. Take this bend nice and slow and feel your thighs and hamstrings growing taut. Maintain your thighs parallel with the floor.
  4. Make your palms face down and bring your arms shoulder high. Now turn your thumbs up towards the ceiling and raise them forming 90 degrees at your elbows.
  5. Keep your gaze soft and to the horizon. Also, tuck your tailbone, aligning it with your spine and the shoulder mid-point. Alignment for the knees is to keep them in line with your toes.
  6. Hold up to ten breaths. Release. Come back in the Mountain Pose.

Wild Thing (Camatkarasana)

Wild Thing, the Sanskrit name of the pose that means “ecstatic unfolding of an enraptured heart”, is a stance for freedom. Playful, flamboyant and full of verve, this pose can be a real treat. A super chest-opener, effective flexor for the hips, and strength building to the shoulder and upper back, this pose should be your tonic at all times of stress, depression, and crossroads of challenges in life.  Here’s how it’s done–
 
  1. Fold out on your mat in Downward Dog.
  2. Roll to the right, shifting your body’s weight on your right foot and bend sideways with the weight placed upon your right hand as it touches the ground.
  3. Lift up with a deep inhale, your hips going up. Stay unrelentingly strong on the bipod of your right hand and feet with the weight distributed effectively. Next, step back on your left foot and bend with the knee just partially flexed.
  4. Bounce back, curling your upper back in a sweep of the shoulders. Raise the hips even higher and explore the pliancy of your back, with the right foot still solidly planted on the ground.
  5. Extend your left arm to the back in a stance of freedom and keep breathing. Hold still for 5-10 breaths before switching to the right side.
 

Pose Of the Dancer

Dedicated to the guardian deity of performing arts, the Nataraja, this pose works for the creatively insatiable. Foraying into inner balance and expansion, the pose will make you lift through your chest, opening your heart to all the good energies in the world, a stolidly stationed leg to hold you through an exacting backbend and a fluid temperament in moving between stances. Here is how to go about the Dance–
  1. Begin in the Mountain Pose. Align your elbows to your hips. Fold the right knee and take hold of the inside of your right foot.
  2. Get your balance right and find our focal point for an intense gaze.
  3. Lengthen through your spine on each inhale and feel the oxygen surge through your body. On the exhale, throw your right foot into the clasp of your right hand. At this point, your torso should lower. Have your left hand reach out to your front. Your hips are now leveled, your left hand thrown back and finding support from the ground and your spine absolutely stretched.
  4. Hold for five breaths and repeat on the other side.
 

The Warrior Pose

Our goddess sequence is going to remain incomplete without one variation of the Warrior. The Warrior 2 Pose spells full ignition of inner power, stamina, and focus needed to hit right on the mark as you want in life. See how to be fearless as the Warrior–
  1. Come to stand in Tadasana. Move your feet apart with a light spring and open up your shoulder blades wide and have your palms facing down.
  2. Turn your feet each in its own direction, the right foot goes right and the left goes left. Now, there are 90 degrees formed at each. Have your heels aligned, your thighs firmed up and start to exhale as you bend your left knee over the left ankle.
  3. Spread your arms wide on both sides, aligning them to your shoulder-line and twist slightly to one direction, now your chest opened to eternity, your spine stronger than ever, and the shoulders pumped rock solid.
Evolve with your goddess-like aura and keep shining in your own light!  
Bipin Baloni
Bipin Baloni

Bipin Baloni is a passionate Yogi, Yoga Teacher and a Traveller in India. He provides Yoga Teacher Training in India. He loves writing and reading books related to yoga, health, nature and the Himalayas.