Utkatasana

Chair Pose (literally/ Powerful Pose)

Ut-ka-taa-sa-na Utkata = powerful, mighty

From tadasana, turn your palms forward. On an inhalation, bring your arms forward and up to horizontal as you come up onto the balls of your feet. Retaining your breath, bend your knees and come down as though sitting onto the edge of a chair or high stool, lowering your heels almost to the floor. Then exhale and continue breathing naturally, keeping your spine long straight, shoulders soft. Bend forward very slightly from your hips and shift your pelvis slightly backward. Breathe smoothly and naturally as you hold the pose and affirm mentally, "My body is no burden; it is light as air." To enter the second phase of the pose, inhale, then on the exhalation settle down into a full squat on your heels, palms up at the junction of your thighs and abdomen, balancing on the balls of your feet. Keep your torso vertical, the tops of your thighs horizontal, and your knees pointing directly forward. Hold as long as is comfortable, continuing the affirmation.

To exit, release your arms to your sides and, on an inhalation, sweep them forward and up, palms upward, drawing yourself fully upright and stretching tall, coming up high on the balls of your feet once again. On the exhalation, circle your arms down to your sides and return to tadasana.