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Common Yoga Cues Explained

Writer's picture: LauraLaura

Updated: Aug 12, 2022


Ever been in a yoga class and heard the instructor tell you to "breathe into your hips" or take a "soft gaze"and respectfully thought... "eh??" Yeah you're not alone. Yoga can feel chock full of weird cues that might not make sense, especially to a newcomer. So here's a breakdown of cues often used that might leave you wondering exactly what on earth they mean.


Lets start with taking a "soft gaze". This is actually one of my favourite cues to offer, as its a great alternative to closing the eyes fully. Essentially, it means to soften off the eyelids - relaxing them as best as you can, letting the gaze fall unfocussed past the tip of the nose. Also make sure to relax the face - especially around the eye area. What this does is give you the ability to focus on other senses or sensations, just like closing the eyes does. However a soft gaze provides the opportunity to avoid the unsettling feeling of closing one of the senses off entirely. This option is particularly good for those who have anxiety, depression or struggle to focus on keeping the eyes closed generally. Always remember your practice is your own, there's no need to do anything that makes you uncomfortable - and closing the eyes fully can be a very uncomfortable, sometimes upsetting experience for some.

Now let's talk about the phrase "breathe into [body part]" when it doesn't relate to the lungs or stomach. The two places you can usually feel the breath working. This cue is part sensation part visualisation. Obviously it's not possible to breathe air directly into your hips or hamstrings but by being asked to do so, you bring your attention to the area of the body being challenged by the asana pose you're in. By bringing attention to this body part and pairing it with the breath you can bring a sense of ease to the pose. By deepening the breath (merely by focussing on it) there can be an immense release of tension, enabling you to deepen the pose if it feels right. If you have a visual mind, you may be able to visualise the area expanding with the breath and stretching as well as feel it happen. Deepening the stretch and breath simultaneously, helping you to enjoy your practice.


"Root down into the ground" or "root down through your sit bones/feet" often springs up in many a yoga class but what exactly does it mean. If your brain doesn't work in a visual way this can be really difficult to translate into a bodily experience. By asking students to root down into something, what we're asking is you anchor your weight and attention down towards the earth and usually to whatever balance point we're using in that particular pose. For example the feet, sit bones (bum) or simply the mat. This is to ensure a stable base to work from as well as provide the grounding sensation of connection to the earth or body.


Often paired with the root down cue is the "lift up" cue for the opposite parts of the body. So while your teacher may cue you to root down through the feet in Tadasana (mountain pose) they may ask you to "lift up"through the front body. This is to ensure good alignment and posture, as well as a good flow of energy. If we were to ground down through both sides or all parts of the body, all we would do is create a very heavy feeling - best suited to savasana or supta badha konasana. However the "lift up" cue is useful in creating an energetic balance with grounding energy. Encouraging heart opening, throat opening, and energy to be used throughout the practice. So what does this look like practically? Let's take Tadasana as our example. Lifting up through the front body would mean engaging the thighs to pull the kneecaps up, pulling up through the inner arches of the feet, bringing the navel in and up to the spine, opening the heart and throat by having head over heart, heart over pelvis. Also by extending the crown of the head to the sky. Creating energetic lift.


"Press into all ten toes/fingertips." You may have heard your instructor cite this often but remain a little unsure why we yoga teachers swear by it. While the context of the pose is most important in deciphering this cue. It often relates to how and where our weight is distributed. By pressing into all ten fingertips in poses such as plank and downward facing dog, we are ensuring that pressure is being taken off of the wrists. A particularly vulnerable joint and often injured by poor alignment. The same goes for the toes or "all 4 corners of the feet" this again ensures the weight is distributed evenly and safely - preventing injury.


While in plank or bidalasana (table top) you may have heard "Dome through the upper back". This again is an alignment cue designed to strengthen the chest and shoulders as well as keep weight off of the wrists and spine. By engaging the muscles in our upper back, chest and shoulders to raise the upper back up a little and separate the shoulder blades, we are avoiding dumping weight down the front body towards the mat - avoiding pressure on the wrists, elbows, shoulders and spine.


There are countless cues used in yoga so if you have any that leave you confused feel free to comment them or ask what they mean. Every person is different so the way people's minds work are inevitably going to be different as well. Visualisation and kinaesthetic cues can work really well for some people, while leaving others a bit lost and wondering what on earth they mean. Just like visual and audio cues are some people's bread and butter but can leave others totally stumped. Don't be afraid to advocate for yourself and ask if you get confused over cues - yoga teachers are here to teach and guide!


By Laura Carey


If you'd like to work with me one on one to deepen your yoga practice feel free to contact me or visit my website for more information.

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