Lion Pose

How to do Lion Pose

1. 1Kneel on the floor and cross your right ankle over the front of your left ankle, pointing your toes straight back.
2. 2Sit back onto your heels so that your perineum rests comfortably on the top heel.
3. 3Press your palms firmly down against your knees, spreading your fingers wide like unsheathed lion claws.
4. 4Draw your shoulder blades down your back, broaden across your collarbones, and lengthen your spine tall.
5. 5Inhale deeply through your nose while lifting and opening your chest.
6. 6Open your mouth wide, stretch your tongue downward toward your chin as far as possible, and gaze upward toward the center of your forehead.
7. 7Exhale forcefully with an audible 'ha' sound originating from the depth of your belly, contracting your abdominal wall.
8. 8Retract your tongue, soften your gaze, switch the cross of your ankles, and repeat the sequence.

Benefits

• Relieves tension and tightness across the jaw, facial muscles, and neck.
• Stimulates the platysma muscle and tones the anterior throat tissues.
• Stretches the ankles, Achilles tendons, and tops of the feet.
• Opens the chest and improves posture through spinal extension.
• Encourages diaphragmatic engagement and vigorous clearing of the respiratory passages.

Common mistakes and cues

• Shrugging the shoulders

  Keep your shoulder blades drawing firmly down your back rather than letting them creep toward your ears during the roar.

• Hesitant exhalation

  Commit fully to the forceful 'ha' sound rather than holding back your breath or vocal power.

• Collapsing the spine

  Maintain an upright, proud chest and extended spine instead of rounding forward as you exhale.

• Straining the neck

  Avoid overarching the back of your neck when directing your gaze upward toward your brow.

Modifications and props

• Virasana base

  Sit on a yoga block placed between your feet in Hero Pose if crossing the ankles creates ankle or knee discomfort.

• Chair seating

  Sit tall at the front edge of a sturdy chair with feet flat on the floor to practice the facial and breath release without floor pressure.

• Fingers turned backward

  Turn your hands on your knees so your fingers point toward your hips to add a deep wrist and forearm stretch.

• Gaze to nose tip

  Focus your eyes on the tip of your nose instead of between the eyebrows if looking upward triggers dizziness or eye strain.

Cautions

• Knee or ankle injuries

  Avoid deep ankle-crossing variations if you have acute knee pain or ankle sprains, choosing a block or chair instead.

• Vocal cord irritation

  Tone down the forceful vocalization to a gentle, silent breath if dealing with active laryngitis or throat inflammation.

• Eye strain or glaucoma

  Refrain from extreme upward eye gazing if you have elevated intraocular pressure, retinal vulnerability, or eye strain.

If you are working with an injury, pregnancy or a medical condition, check with a qualified professional before practising this pose.

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