Feet should be firmly planted in the ground as the fingers reach up high to the ceiling. Do not let the ears crowd the shoulders. Be sure to stack the ears, shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles. Pull the belly button into the spine and let the tailbone drop toward the floor as the pubic bone travels up. Place the biceps right next to the ears unless doing so causes the front of the ribcage to extend too far forward.

• Sharpens concentration and endurance.
• Brings awareness to entire body.
• Improves posture and alignment.
• Promotes calmness and peacefulness.

• Ribcage extending too far forward.
• Shoulders crowding the ears.
• Compression of the bones in the neck.

Do not raise the arms overhead if you have high blood pressure.

• If the arms become fatigued while they are overhead, try bending the elbows and dropping the biceps down and away from the ears. (This is sometimes referred to as “goalpost” arms or “goddess” arms.)
• If standing is not an option, this pose can be performed while seated.
• If neck pain is present, keep the gaze straight ahead rather than taking it up to the thumbs.

• Challenge yourself by pressing the palms together above the head for five or more minutes.
• Hold a strap between the hands or loop a strap around the outside of the hands and press out.
• Interlock the thumbs while they are overhead. (Be sure to switch the position of the thumbs halfway through the pose.)

• Forward Fold.
• Mountain Pose.
• Hands to Prayer Position.