Yoga 2.0: Ground and Lengthen With Dandasana (Staff Pose) at the Wall

On the surface level, Dandasana (Staff Pose) is a really simple yoga posture. It doesn’t look like much from the outside—it just seems like you’re seated on the floor with straight legs. But there’s quite a lot going on inside in this position.

Dandasana is a powerful asana that helps improve posture, strengthen the lower back, and simply bring awareness to the back, body, and legs.

Try This Dandasana (Staff Pose) Variation at the Wall to Lengthen and Strengthen Your Back as You Ground Your Seat  

You’ll need your yoga mat, clear wall space, a yoga block, and a thick blanket for this variation.

1. Place Your Mat Against the Wall

   To start, slide your mat against the wall, with the short edge touching the wall. Fold your blanket into a rectangle and place it over the mat for extra cushioning for your seat.

2. Come to Sit Against the Wall

   Come to sit on top of your mat and blanket with your back to the wall. Make sure your block is within arm’s reach. Bend your knees and plant your feet on the floor, roughly hip-distance apart.

3. Slide Your Block Behind Your Pelvis

   

   Slide forward slightly away from the wall so you can place your block between you and the wall. You can arrange your block either on its lowest or medium setting. Place the long edge of the block directly on your sacrum (the triangular-shaped bone at the back of your pelvis, which is directly below your lower back and right above your tailbone). Let the block touch the flattest part of your pelvis.

4. Tip Your Pelvis Forward Slightly

   Ever so slightly, tip your hips forward toward the top of your mat and then lift and lengthen your spine. Press your sacrum back into the block and toward the wall as you extend the crown of your head toward the sky.

5. Catch Hold Behind Your Knees and Pull Back Slightly

   Take your hands to hold behind your knees and, without movement, gently pull your elbows back toward the wall behind you to draw the tips of your shoulder blades toward each other. Let this subtle action create even more opening across your chest.

6. Option to Straighten Your Legs in Staff Pose (Dandasana)

   

   You have the option to stay as you are or the option to extend your legs forward toward the top of your mat as you work your knees toward straight. Feel free to keep as much of a bend in your knees as you’d like.

   Activate your legs. Energetically, draw them in toward each other and toward the midline of your mat. Flex your ankles and press out through your heels and the balls of your feet. Spread and flare your toes. Send energy out through your feet and feel engagement across your legs.

   If you work your legs toward straight, slide your hands up to hold behind your thighs and gently pull back against them to again broaden across your chest and slightly draw your shoulder blades toward each other. Hold onto your inner thighs so that you can ever so slightly help to create internal rotation in your thighs.

7. Option to Plant Your Palms to the Floor

   If you feel comfortable as you are, you have the option to plant your hands to the floor behind your hips so that the heels of your hands touch the wall and your fingers point forward toward your feet.

   Press your elbows back against the wall and draw your shoulder blades toward each other to broaden across your whole chest. Slightly draw your head back toward the wall to stack your ears over your shoulders.

8. Deepen Your Breath

   In your final position, pause and hold as you deepen your breath to expand your lungs in this lengthened position and fill your whole body with deep breaths. Hold for a few long, deep breaths before slowly releasing the shape. 

Break Away From Your Habitual Posture With This Dandasana Variation—Staff Pose at the Wall

We spend many days in a rounded spinal position, hunched over a computer or a phone, or just lounging on the couch. Dandasana (Staff Pose) helps to draw us out of this habitual shape to create length across the whole back body and openness across the chest. 

This Dandasana variation at the wall is especially helpful for bringing awareness and length to the back, body, and chest. So give it a try and notice if anything shifts in your awareness or posture.

Video Tutorial  Dandasana (Staff Pose) Practiced at the Wall