warrior / virabhadrasana

a series of standing poses. promoting self awareness and mental navigation. vira:hero bhadra:friend asana:pose

how to:

warrior I

  • from downward facing dog, step your right foot to your right thumb

  • pivot your left foot down, toes facing out toward the top left corner of the mat

  • you may need to shorten and/or widen your stance for increased stability, and to create space to allow your hips to square

  • raise your arms forward and up over your head

  • keep your right leg bent, aiming for a ninety degree angle, track the right knee in line with the right big toe

  • have both hip points square to the front of your mat, place emphasis in the outer edge of your left foot, inwardly rotate your left leg

  • relax your shoulders, breathe

  • repeat on your left side

warrior II

  • from warrior I (on the right leg), open your entire torso, chest and hips, to the left side of your mat

  • adjust your right heel to be in line with the arch of your left foot

  • your left arm will come directly behind you, in line with your shoulder, your right arm will be directly in front of you, palms face down towards the mat

  • square your shoulders over your hips, and gently tilt your pelvis slightly forward

  • keep your right knee bent over your right heel, continue to track your right knee over your right big toe, your left leg will be straight, continue placing emphasis on the outer edge of your foot

  • repeat on your left side

warrior III

  • stand in tadasana, big toes together, slight space between heels, palms by side facing forward

  • shift your weight into your left foot

  • keeping the top half of your body and your right leg in one straight line, pivot your chest forward, hands by your side

  • parallel your torso and right leg to the floor, flex your right foot as though you are pressing it up against a wall behind you

  • arm options

    • place two blocks below your hands, on the floor, for supported warrior III

    • keep hands by side, next to hips

    • for classic alignment, arms will reach forward, biceps by ears

    • prayer, or reverse prayer for kicks and giggles

  • repeat on your left side

physical benefits: power poses :) if the virabhadrasana family were a wine it would be full bodied, mild to high in tannins, and finished with a nice balance, like a cabernet sauvignon, loved for its high concentration and age worthiness. yes, that just happened.

  • warrior I a super energetic pose, strengthening the shoulders, arms, legs, ankles, and back, stretches the arms, legs, shoulders, neck, belly, groins and ankles, great for circulation and respiratory health

  • warrior II takes up a lot of space, strengthens the legs, and opens the hips and chest, develops endurance and stamina

  • warrior III as a balancing pose, your stabilizers will work hard, as well as your core - responsible for holding your spine, you’ll also feel the heat in the supporting leg, particularly the hamstrings and gluteus

origin/resonance: So we have this princess, Sita, and her dad, King Dashka, threw her a party to name a suitor. King Dashka didn’t invite her fav dude, Shiva, because he wasn’t well dressed, yada yada. Shiva crashed the party, and Sita named him her suitor…wait, is this Aladdin? The King threw another party, but didn’t invite his rebellious daughter, Sita, and her man, Shiva. Sita crashed, was ridiculed, and decided to jump into a fire. Shiva, being the bad A that he is, took a lock of hair, threw it to the ground, and out sprung the fearsome warrior, Virabhadra. Virabhadra sprung from the dirt with his arms up (warrior I), drew his sword with outstretched arms (warrior II) in order to decapitate King Dashka, then he places the Kings head on a stake with outstretched arms in front of him (warrior III). Sita was upset with Shiva’s actions, and in response, Shiva replaced King Dashka’s head with that of a goat. The King was happy to be alive again. All was forgiven.

Yoga is a peaceful practice, however the most iconic yoga poses are the warriors. We all have little battles in every day life…Cindy Lauper…anyhow, whenever our ideals are tested or questioned, we all have to decide if and how we defend our principles. When we enter defense mode, it’s important to recognize the trigger, and how we respond. How do we approach the situation, and how do we handle the aftermath of the battle. How do we keep as many people as dignified, and with their heads as possible?

Warrior I Virabhadra emerges from the dirt with arms up in ablaze, ready to avenge. In warrior I we are holding space, it is an absolute power pose, we are making ourselves known. Our hands are up, we have the answer and we’re ready to be called on. The inward rotation of the back leg, keeping the entire back foot on the floor, and keeping the hips square, requires a lot of our mental attention to perfect the physical. All of this attention to the body demands focus on composure, knowing what we are made of, and how we need to manipulate our stance to better present ourselves. Again, think of the triggers that bring us to warrior I.

Warrior II Take aim, and take up space in warrior II. That’s what Virabhadra did before he decapitated the King. This iconic, expansive pose builds endurance. Feel the burn in that front quad. oh. my. goodness. The front arm, gaze, fixation, energy is directly ahead of us, with nothing to stop us. We set our goal, and we prepare ourselves to achieve. We gain strength and stamina in order to drive home our point. In this pose it’s important to remember the goal of this battle. Remember to keep your head, and to help others keep theirs.

Warrior III The battle is over, and it’s time to reflect on what took place. This is a balancing pose. How well did we prepare for the battle? Are we okay with the outcome? Can we forgive those who questioned our ideals? Can we overcome our anger and show compassion?

Lydia Binford