YOGA
Warrior's Strength
The Tribune, May 20, 2006, Chandigarh, India
Jyoti Subramanian
The attitude of a warrior is an important aspect of a yogi's mental make up. When Arjuna, sat shaking and weak unable to lift his weapons to battle the evil forces aligned against him, and Krishna inspired him to do his duty as warrior by revealing to him the complete concept of yoga. As the wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita unfolded, Arjuna dropped his despondency and rose to fight and win the war of Mahabharata to truly earn the title of 'warrior'.
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The series of Virabhadrasanas in hatha yoga attempt to bring this attitude of fearlessness with detachment in the practitioner. These asanas are named after the fierce warrior Virabhadra who was created from a matted lock of Shiva's hair to annihilate Daksha, to avenge the self-immolation of Shiva's beloved wife Sati. Though simple to perform, they are surprising in their results in the physical, emotional, and mental bodies. Warrior in yoga does not only mean a fearless fighter, the word also has within it the seed of compassion, love, and surrender!
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Standing tall
Stand straight with feet together, heel to toe touching. Allow the hands to hang lose by the side of the body. Now as you inhale raise your hands up towards the ceiling. Keep the hands parallel to each other and stretch upwards towards the ceiling. Maintain the stretch while you breathe normally. Feel the stretch extending down towards the feet on both sides. Keep this stretch for two to three minutes. Then bring your hands down as you exhale. |
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The asanas are performed in standing position. The legs are rooted to the ground giving strength and drawing nourishing energy from the bowels of the earth. The thigh muscle, which gives us the power to face difficult situations in life unwaveringly, is used to support the whole body during this asana. The first chakra, the muladhar, is activated and balanced, removing all fears and insecurities.
The hands are stretched up in prayer and eyes turned upward, giving wings to spiritual aspirations. As the hands are pressed together a perfect unification of the male and female energies in the body is achieved- a balance between the right and the left brain. The vishuddhi chakra, at the base of the throat, is activated to enhance creative talent as the neck elongates to gaze at the outstretched hands.
The chest is lifted as the back is gently bent backwards, symbolising the opening of the heart chakra and an attitude of surrender. In the physical body, all major muscle groups are elongated and stretched giving exquisite poise to the whole body. The heart and the lungs get a fresh inflow of oxygen. The posture creates space in the pelvic region allowing the organs here to release their toxins and rejuvenate. |
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