Camel pose is a great pose to include in your home practice to strengthen your core, open the chest, shoulders and strengthen the back. This pose truly symbolizes opening our hearts to receiving and letting go of anything heavy – anger, blame, depression, resentment. It can help us physically open heart center so we can receive the positive energy of love, compassion and kindness.

Instruction:

1.  Come to your knees. Place your hands on your hips. Keep your hips over your knees, squeeze your thighs towards each other.

2.  Inhale and draw the belly in. For stronger core positioning, add a yoga block between your legs. Reach your tailbone towards your knees.

3.  On another inhale, lift your chest, squeeze your shoulder blades together allowing your rib cage to expand.

4.  Keep your chest lifted, your core engaged, your spine long as you guide your hands to the back of your glutes, like sliding them in your back pockets. For additional challenge, extend hands to the heals. You can be on flat feet or balls of the feet. Lift your gaze and hold for 5 – 10 breath cycles. To come out of the pose, bring your chin toward your chest, hands to your hips, engage your core as you come up slowly.

***Optional – Yoga blocks behind the feet instead of on the heels or on the glutes.

Contraindications:

Check with medical doctor if you have neck, shoulder or spine injury or are pregnant.