Release the back, shoulders, and neck and open the heart chakra in Standing Yoga Seal Pose…

Standing Yoga Seal Pose (Dandayamana Mudrasana) – also known as Standing Seal Pose or Standing Yoga Mudra Pose – offers a great stretch for the arms, shoulders, chest, legs, and upper back, and is a good pose for those who spend a lot of time sitting at a computer. It helps loosen up tight muscles in the upper back and neck, and is also believed to improve mental functions and harmonize the heart and mind.

This beginner-level pose is thought to help open the Heart chakra, and is a good one to include in any heart-chakra-focused sequences.

To modify the pose, you may hold a yoga strap between your hands, or move your feet further apart. Or, for more of a challenge, place your feet closer together.

Those with high blood pressure, headaches, or recent injury to the legs, back, neck, or shoulders should avoid this pose.

How to Do Standing Yoga Seal Pose:

1. From Mountain pose, step the legs 3-4 feet apart into Five Pointed Star. Inhale the arms behind you and interlace the fingers together. Draw the shoulder blades towards each other and lift the chest and gaze up towards the ceiling.

2. Exhale and hinge at the hips coming forward with the chest, reaching the arms up and forward. Let the head hang relaxed from the neck.

3. Keep the arms and legs straight. If you feel the weight back in the heels try and shift your weight forward slightly.

4. Breathe and hold for 4-8 breaths.

5. To release: keep the shoulder blades squeezed together as you inhale back up, taking a deep breath into the belly and chest. Exhale and release the arms.

Read more at YogaBasics.com…

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