Goddess Twist
| Sanskrit Name: | Utkatakonasana |
|---|---|
| Similar Pose Names: | Utkata Konasana, Fierce Angle, Victory Squat |
| Category: | Standing |
| Share on: |
|
Yoga Lesson Planner
Pilates Lesson Planner
| Category: | Yoga Lesson Planner |
|---|---|
| Sub Category: | Standing |
| Types: | Balance, Hip Opener, Standing, Strengthen |
| Anatomy: | Hamstrings, Hips, Lower Back, Psoas, Wrists & Arms |
| Chakras: | Base, Sacral Centre, Solar Plexus Centre |
| Drishti: | Tip Of Nose |
| Dosha: | Kapha, Pitta |
Stand tall. Arms by sides. Step feet out wide. Turn toes out slightly. Bend knees and lower hips into a squat. Thighs parallel to floor, but not into a deep squat. Tuck tailbone. Press hips forwards. Draw thighs back. Knees in line with toes. Soften shoulders. Gaze softly. Hands on thighs. Twist upper body to right. Gaze behind shoulder. Hold. Switch.
Hip & chest opener. Strengthens thighs, buttocks, hamstrings. Ease back pain. Detoxify body. Stimulate digestion & circulation.
A) If squat is difficult sit on front edge of chair. B) Come onto tiptoes. C) Hands resting on thighs in Aakash Mudra (join and press tip of third finger with a tip of thumb). D) Raise up on toes and cross arms. Gaze down at mat. E) Goddess with a twist. F) Back against a wall. G) Gentle Goddess (don't lower into full squat). H) Raise arms overhead. I) Raise arms parallel to the mat with palms facing away and fingers pointed up. J) Goddess pose with eagle arms (arms interlocked).
Knee, leg or shoulder injury.
Click here for lots of FREE downloadable Yoga lesson plans.
Click here for lots of FREE downloadable Pilates lesson plans.
- New year's day 2017
- Beginners, 45 min, April 2019
- Cavendish 30 Apr 19
- Mixed Ability - copy
- Gentle intro
- Ask Genie2
- LESSON 1 10 WEEK LESSON PLAN - Beginner 23.7.17
- Chelsie Saturday
- Flow: Water
- Week 1: Hatha Yoga Beginners
- Sheri class 2
- Ask Genie6
- Element Fire - part one
- Nov 2016
- Yoga Series 6 Week Beginner - July
- 2016 Week 47
- Beginners Course - Twists
- Ask Genie1
- Ask Genie4
- Week 28 2017
- LESSON 1 10 WEEK LESSON PLAN - Beginner 23.7.17
- 2017 Week 10
- WLC
- Laugardagstími
- Laugardagstími 20. janúar
- Yoga Warrior 23. janúar
- Ask Genie2
- Ask Genie1
- 1-2-1: session One
- Fire log pose
- Sunningdale
- Fire log pose
- WLC 1
- Beginners Course - Twists
- Beginners Course - Twists
- Beginners Course - Twists
- Fire log pose
- WLC 3
- Beginner Yoga Foundational
- Week 8 2017
- Ask Genie1
- Dragon dance
- Beginner Yoga Foundational
- Beginners Course - Twists
- spring warrior
- Wringing out from the rain-twist
- restart and renew
- Ask Genie2
- A Journey To Self
- Self care
- chronic pain
- chronic pain
- Slow Flow Tuesday
- another 3
- Week 18 2017
- Friday 5 May
- Twists Focus
- Twists Focus - Copy
- chronic pain - copy -
- chronic pain - copy -
- Holy Yoga 7/17/17
- Ask Genie1
- Yoga Reset and Stretch
- Week 6 core and Mantra
- ebb an flow
- June 2017 6 week course mat
- International Yoga Day - Outdoor sequence at Canisius College
- Flow: Water
- International Yoga Day - Outdoor sequence at Canisius College
- Wringing out from the rain-twist
- International Yoga Day - Outdoor sequence at Canisius College
- flow like bonnie
- Final Assessment
- International Yoga Day - Outdoor sequence at Canisius College
- Core Activation and Body Strengthen
- YTT twisting
- LESSON 1 10 WEEK LESSON PLAN - Beginner 6.8.2017
- Yoga for Cyclists
- 6th Chakra: Vision
- Dragon dance
- LESSON 1 10 WEEK LESSON PLAN - Beginner 23.7.17
- YGR demo
- LESSON 1 10 WEEK LESSON PLAN - Beginner 23.7.17
- LESSON 2
- Emotional Healing
- Element Fire - part two
- Nightly yoga Class
- Nightly yoga Class
- Twisty Tuesday Class
- 5, deep stretching and release, bw
- Core Strength Vinyasa
- Core Strength Vinyasa 2
- Substitute teacher plan
- Beginners Class: Revolved Twist Peak Pose
- Week 47 2017
- Hatha Class Thusday
- Beginners Course - Twists
- Yoga for Cyclists
- April 10
- Finding Balance:Half moon
Tips On Teaching Goddess Pose
Teach The Sanskrit Meaning
Utkata knoasana, means powerful angle, which describes the position of the legs and hips. It is a pose that strengthens the feminine and helps you connect to the hara, a space just beneath and behind your navel that is said to be your energetic centre (centre of your being).
Goddess Of Compassion Yoga Class Theme
If Goddess Pose is the peak pose for your class, invoke the power of Tara to your students, the Hindu Goddess Of Compassion. Focusing on “compassion” as a class theme will help your students be more at peace with themselves and others. For example, you could ask your students to practice self-compassion by becoming aware of their inner critic. For example you could ask your students to silently say, “I’m useless” and replace that inner sentence with, “You is good. You is kind. You is important” (which is a sentence a character says in a Hollywood film). Saying silently “you is” instead of “I am” add a bit of humour which is always good. The “You is good. You is kind. You is important” is my go to inner sentence whenever I become aware of being overly critical of myself.
The Arm Of Compassion: Teach Your Students How To Visualise Putting Themselves Literally In Someone Else’s Shoes
We’ve all heard the saying: “Put yourself in their shoes”. It’s a great saying. And here’s how to teach your students to apply the philosophy of that saying into their lives. Ask your students to find a partner. Place your partner’s shoes on the front of your mat and sit facing the shoes. Close your eyes and see yourself wearing those shoes. Open your eyes and gaze at your partner for 30 seconds. Close your eyes and imagine you are your partner. Look down and see yourself in their shoes. As you let the inner scene play out, become aware of the compassion you feel for your partner now that you’re in their shoes.
The Art Of Compassion: Teach How Turn Labels Into Imaginary Paper Planes That Fly Away
All experienced Yogis know the power of letting go. Instead of hanging onto dualistic judgments that label everything as “right” or “wrong,” “good” or “bad?” What if, instead, your students could just trust that life is a challenging game and everyone is doing the best to play it. Ask your students to impose a dualistic judgement on themselves (e.g. “I’m a bad person”). Ask them to imagine making a paper plane from that piece of A4 paper, like they did as a kid. See themselves whispering that judgement to the pilot, and then releasing the plane (and judgement). See it flying away. See it getting further and further away. Releasing judgment of others starts with letting go of self-judgments
The Art Of Compassion: Practice Presence
Ask your students to visualise being fully present with everyone they encounter. Ask them to close their eyes and see themselves with their phone in hand being approached by a friend. Ask them to see themselves putting their phone away, and engaging fully with their friend. Ask them to see themselves making eye contact with that friend. Ask them to notice the body language of that friend. When you are truly present, your presence will be experienced as compassion by those around you.
The Art Of Compassion: Openness Yoga Class Theme
Tell your students that Goddess Pose opens the hips, hamstrings, and heart. And when you physically open up, you also open up emotionally. When you open up emotionally, you become more compassionate and less judgemental. Judging is natural. It’s an evolutionary adaption to judge (e.g. we have to judge if the sabre toothed tiger is going to attack). But it’s not an evolutionary advantage to have a habit of judging yourself or others negatively.
