A yoga teacher's cue to set the shoulder blades down and on the back is as much about alignment safety and correctness as it is about creating a habit to 'relax' the shoulders. Throughout our day, we all have the tendency to tense the shoulders and the neck. This creates stiffness and tightness that takes time to undo and can set you up for injury ~ especially when you suddenly want to move your body, arms, head, neck, back in a yoga practice. So the shoulder cue might seem constant, but most of us need the reminder again and again. Our effort to remember will allow this 'relaxation' to become second nature, with the hope that even at our computer, or driving, or in a tough situation, we can keep tension at bay. These little nuisance knots can nag at you more than you think, more than physically. So heed the teacher's advice as more than alignment revision, but on a nervous system release. Relax your shoulders.
