Magical Monday: Strike a Pose!

Body language says a lot to the world, but did you know that the way you carry yourself speaks to your own psyche, as well? Years ago, I was inspired to start paying close attention to my ritual and meditative postures thanks to an article in SageWoman Magazine that spoke of using the postures of ancient sculpture (specifically the Snake Goddess sculptures of Crete) as a way to enter trance states, and ever since I started experimenting with postures from ancient Egyptian artwork, I’ve felt a deeper, quicker connection to Isis and magic in general.

But there’s more to the magic of pose and posture than just in a ritual setting. In her fascinating TED talk, Amy Cuddy discusses the effect “power poses” have on our brain chemistry. Essentially, we can change our outlook simply by paying close attention to the way we hold our bodies for a few minutes each day.

As we roll into another week, I encourage you to strike a pose for two minutes this morning. Plant your feet a bit wider than your hips, place your hands on your hips, tip your head back, and stand up straight. Or, if you’d rather, sit in a chair and kick your feet out, stretching your arms back behind you and clasping your fingers behind your head. Strike a pose that makes you feel open, abundant, and powerful, and breathe into that feeling.

Now step into your day and remember that you are as powerful as you feel.