This is a wonderful pose for gaining courage and lightening your emotional load; the facial expressions involved are guaranteed to boost your mood, especially if you perform this pose in front of a mirror.
Kneel on the floor; keep your knees about shoulder-width apart.
Sit back on your heels; your calves should be flat on the floor.
Spread the knees apart a little further; only move them as far as is comfortable.
Straighten and lengthen the back and shoulders; sit up tall.
Without rounding the shoulders, place your hands loosely on your knees.
Inhale and lean forward slightly without compromising your straight spine.
(Here’s the fun part) While leaning forward, stretch your mouth and jaw open as wide as possible. Extend your tongue and cross your eyes by looking at the tip of your nose; also tense and straighten your fingers out from their resting place on the knees.
Hold this position for one breath and then relax; lean back and let your fingers drop back to your knees. Close the mouth and eyes.
Repeat this posture at least three times with a short break in between each repetition.
Benefits: It seems very silly, but this is a legitimate yoga asana. The Lion is a great pose for loosening up the muscles of a clenched or tight jaw. All the muscles of the face are used; each repetition causes tension to melt away. For a little variation, if you’re alone or not easily embarrassed, try roaring or yelling as you contort the facial muscles.