What is the cue for Mountain Pose in this sequence?

What is the cue for Mountain Pose in this sequence?

• A. Look Up
• B. Relax Your Shoulders
• C. Bend Your Knees
• D. Lift Your Shoulders

Answer: (B)

In Mountain Pose, the aim is a tall, grounded stance with ease. Relaxing your shoulders is the best cue because it directly releases tension that often creeps into this pose—shoulders that sit up toward the ears can pull the neck forward and disrupt the spine’s length. When you soften and drop the shoulders away from the ears, the shoulder blades settle naturally on the back, the chest can open, and the neck stays long. This creates a stable, balanced foundation for the breath and for the pose as a whole. Looking up would tilt the head and compress the neck; bending the knees would shorten the stance and compromise stability; lifting the shoulders would keep unnecessary tension in the upper body. So, relaxing the shoulders aligns you with the true form of Mountain Pose.

In Mountain Pose, the aim is a tall, grounded stance with ease. Relaxing your shoulders is the best cue because it directly releases tension that often creeps into this pose—shoulders that sit up toward the ears can pull the neck forward and disrupt the spine’s length. When you soften and drop the shoulders away from the ears, the shoulder blades settle naturally on the back, the chest can open, and the neck stays long. This creates a stable, balanced foundation for the breath and for the pose as a whole.

Looking up would tilt the head and compress the neck; bending the knees would shorten the stance and compromise stability; lifting the shoulders would keep unnecessary tension in the upper body. So, relaxing the shoulders aligns you with the true form of Mountain Pose.