After sitting in front of a computer or behind the wheel of our cars for countless hours on end, we all tend to find ourselves with more forward rounded posture.  The collarbones congest, the heart collapses, we slouch, the upper back rounds, the chin juts forward.  The spine moves away from it's natural state of beautiful neutral curves and regalness.  A pose that we can explore to remind the body and spine of what it feels like to be in this natural and neutral state is Prone Mountian.  Since the body is prone, the spine is not able to round forward nor is the chin able to jut forward as the earth is beneath preventing this from happening.  This pose is also a great way to bring breath into the tight upper back.  Throughout the day, notice if you are slouching or feeling achey in the upper back.  Take a short break and do this wonderfully benenficial pose.  

Lie on your belly, tops of the feet resting on the earth, toes slightly turned toward each other.  Rest your palms on the earth with the wrists almost under the elbows.  Let your armpits breath.  Avoid squeezing the arms towards the ribs or pressing the hands into the floor.  Bring your breastbone as close to the earth as possible.  Melt your heart into the earth.  Turn your head so you are gazing at the earth, the crown(top) of your head looking towards the wall in front of you.  The tip of the nose just barely hovering above the earth.  The chin ever so slightly tucks in towards the chest.  Keep your legs and glutes relaxed.  

Connect with the earth beneath you.  Feel the relationship your body has with the earth.  Relax the roof of your mouth, releasing the tongue and inviting a spacious quality between the upper teeth.  Breath.  Commit to your exhale to let the inhale arise with less effort.  Bring your awareness to  your upper back, between your shoulderblades.  Invite the breath to come here.  Feel how the upper back receives your breath.  It may feel like there is resisitance for the breath to enter this area of the body at first.  Stay with it and keep your awareness on the upper back.  Feel how the armpits breath, the side of your rib cages breaths, the heart space breaths.  Stay here in prone mountain for 5-8 minutes.  Slowly release the pose and come up to a seated position.  Observe what you feel.  What effect has the pose had on your body, mind and breath?