Sky Posture, also known as “Chun” posture, was my nemesis once—a real challenge to overcome. Within 5 minutes of holding the posture my legs shake as if they were made of Jello.
Nowadays my legs are stronger and holding the posture is manageable, but I can still feel the benefit of holding it for extended periods of time.
This posture is what’s called in Dahn Yoga a “yeon dahn” posture, or a posture that you hold while breathing that clears the stagnant ki energy in your meridian channels and builds up energy that feels bright and clear. It also helps develop your muscles and is sometimes translated into “Hold for Strength” postures in English.
Sky Posture in particular helps you clear your shoulders, chest, and back. My mind always felt more clear when I would do it and I could feel the love in my heart.
A yeon dahn posture is also a form of meditation. While you are holding it you focus on your breath or on your lower abdomen, where the energy center known as your dahn-jon is located. Whatever bodily sensations or pain you feel, or thoughts you encounter, you let them pass and keep focusing on your dahn-jon. From this process you will develop more focus and self-confidence.
Once you are able to hold most yeon dahn postures, it’s best to do it for at least 20 minutes at a time. But once you are able to do 20 minutes, you can probably go longer without much problem.
So how do you do Sky Posture?
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and the outside edges parallel to each other.
- Bend your knees at least 15 degrees.
- Bring your hands over your head with your palms facing up toward the sky. Have the tips of your fingers point toward each other, but leave a few inches distance in between them. There should also be a few inches between your hands and the top of your head.
- Bend your elbows slightly so that your arms are rounded. Relax your shoulders however.
- Keep your spine straight and long from your tailbone to the top of your neck. You may need to tuck your tailbone under a little to do this.
- Then hold this posture, being as still as possible, while focusing on your dahn-jon two inches below your navel and two inches inside your abdomen. You can start with 5 minutes and then build up from there as you are able to hold the posture longer. If any part of your body vibrates, let it do so while holding the posture.
Let me know what you feel after holding this posture. I think it is pretty amazing—a very refreshing feeling.
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