asanas

5 Minute Asana Practice to Cultivate Confidence

asanas Stand in Tadasana (mountain pose). Take a moment to locate your breath. Breathe deeply through the nose, with intention, for the entire sequence.

On an exhalation, step your feet 3 ½- to 4-feet apart. Raise your arms parallel to the floor and reach them actively out to the sides, shoulder blades wide, palms down.

Turn your right foot in slightly to the right and your left foot to the left 90 degrees. Align your left heel with your right heel. Exhale and bend your left knee over your left ankle, so that your shin is perpendicular to the floor.

Stretch your arms away from the space between your shoulder blades, parallel to the floor. Keep the sides of your torso equally long and your shoulders directly over your pelvis. Press your tailbone slightly toward your pubis. Turn your head to the left and look out over your fingers. This is Warrior II posture—the posture of power. This posture activates the male energy: the action-oriented, courageous and external confidence.

Next, maintaining the position of your legs, lift your left hand up above your head, as your right hand moves down along your extended right leg. Taking your gaze upward toward your fingers, come into a slight backbend. This is Exalted Warrior—the posture of acknowledgment. Accept it all as it comes, and maintain your power.

From here, release your arms, square your hips, and stand in an even, wide-legged pose. Come into a deep squat with your knees above your ankles. Extend your arms out to the side, bending at the elbow, with your fingers pointed to the ceiling and bring them to a ninety- degree angle. Look to the horizon. This is the Goddess. She ignites your feminine intuition, your trust in the universe… your nurturing, internal confidence.

Come back to center in a wide-legged pose and switch legs, turning your right foot out 90 degrees, as you take Warrior II to the right side.

Move into Exalted Warrior on the right side, followed by Goddess once more.

Come back to Tadasana. Feel the power of the universe within you.

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