Yoga Poses and Benefits: Warrior III/Balancing Staff Pose
This posture really gets the heart pumping and the lungs opening, building a deeper connection and stronger relationships within the body and, by default, in your “off the mat” life. This posture is especially helpful with strengthening your most important relationship – your relationship with YOU. Practice this posture to peel away the layers of fear and self doubt and reveal your true, confident, calm nature and strong self!
Warrior III/Balancing Staff Pose
Virabhadrasana/Tuladandasana
Instructions:
- Start in Tadasana. Lift your arms overhead bring the palms together and interlace your fingers. Release the index fingers and cross your thumbs, bringing your palms flat, arms straight throughout.
- Step forward a couple of feet with the right foot, shifting the weight into the right leg at this point. Toes of the left foot are pointed and you can lift the left toes off the mat to check that the weight is in the right leg.
- Hinge at the hips and bring the upper body down and left leg up keeping the entire body in a straight line until it is parallel with the floor.
- Look down through (not over) your arms at the floor about 5 feet in front of you. Flatten the upper body and keep the arms straight.
- Continue to lift the leg and lower the upper body, stretching your arms and legs apart in opposite directions.
- Avoid the temptation to flare out the lower ribs and arch the back. Draw the lower abdominals in and up and do the same with the lower ribs - in and up – creating even more length and a feeling of spaciousness in the upper body. Deep ujjayi breaths all the way up to the collarbone will also help facilitate space and strength.
- Keep the standing leg straight and notice that you might need to bring the left hip down so that the hips and shoulders are parallel with the floor.
Benefits:
- Improves balance and concentration.
- Stretches and strengthens muscles of the thighs and hamstrings, as well as the back muscles, shoulders and arms.
- Opens the chest bringing benefits to the lungs and cardio-vascular system.
For some this posture is a favorite and for others, well, not so much. What are your experiences with Balancing Staff Pose? I would love to hear them. Also, please feel free to post any questions or comments below.
And here’s to you!
With love,
Strike A Yoga Pose: Warrior II Basics and Benefits
Warrior II Pose - Virabhadrasana II
By channeling your inner warrior in asana practice, this posture can bring focus, strength and courage into your life helping you to overcome the challenges of ego and pride.
Yes, shaky thighs and all …
Virabhadra Symbolism
Creation of the Hindu Lord, Shiva, images and mythology portray Virabhadra as having raging, fiery hair and three burning eyes. He wore a garland of skulls and wielded terrible weapons in each of his one thousand arms. However, he was not simply a murderous demon. Just as Shiva and destruction are an important part of the Hindu Trilogy (Brahma/Creator, Vishnu/Sustainer, and Shiva/Destroyer), Virabhadra, the Great Warrior, symbolizes that within ourselves which has the power to overcome the prideful ego (symbolized in stories by king Daksha) for the sake of the heart (symbolized by Sati, Daksha’s daughter and first wife of Lord Shiva). Thus, Virabhadra destroys in order to save.
Here is the Wikipedia article where you can read more about the Origin of Virabhadra.
Warrior II Pose Instructions:
- Start in Tadasana. Lift your arms over head and bring your hands in prayer position. Step 4-5 ft to the right bringing your arms parallel to the floor, palms facing down. Heels are in line from the side and feet are parallel to each other at this point. Scoop your tailbone under slightly, bringing your hips into a neutral position. Arms move back, chest lifted out in front, shoulders roll down and imagine them sliding down your back.
- Pivot on the right heel 90 degrees (heels still in the same line). Bend the right knee until the right underside of the thigh is parallel with the floor and continue to sit down, softening in the hips until you have a 90 degree angle with the right shin and thigh. The knee might have a tendency to move inward and if this is the case, soften your right inner thigh and you can use the right hand to externally rotate the right thigh so that the knee is centered directly over the right ankle.
- Your weight should be evenly distributed in both feet and you want to make sure, especially, that you have the outside edge of your left foot in contact with the mat and some weight in that area as well.
- If your upper body begins to lean forward, draw the left arm back in order to bring the upper body centered over your hips.
- Shift your eye gaze to look out over you right arm across the right middle finger.
Benefits:
- Increases the strength and flexibility of the legs, ankles and feet.
- Therapeutic for flat feet, sciatica, backaches and osteoporosis.
- Stretches the groin, hip muscles and connective tissue of the hips.
- Opens the chest, lungs and shoulders.
- Builds stamina.
Virabhadrasana II
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Lots of love,
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