In the story of Virabhadra, we recall that he came to life from the locks of Shiva's hair. In the Virabhadrasana I Pose where the arms are extended overhead, we are reminded of how this warrior sprung to life. The symbol of this great Hindu warrior is that we can be in a position to face our own obstacles and challenges.
What challenges have you faced this week? Relationship? Illness? Work stress? Car troubles? Even in the face of these obstacles, have you felt at the ready to deal and manage these obstacles? Warrior I had you poised and ready for these life events. Now it is time to take action.
The story states that Shiva ordered Virabhadra to kill all the guests at the sacrificial festival, including the other gods. Virabhadra did this. Yes, this is a gory depiction, but a reminder that sometimes facing our challenges may not always be an easy task to do. We find the warrior within and move forward.
Warrior II
In this yoga pose, our arms are extended outward - they are parallel to the earth. The extended arms represent the thousand arms of Virabhadra. Our drishti, or focus, is over the front arm. (If your left foot is forward, then your focus is over the left hand.)
Come into Virabhadrasana II. Refer to the previous blog entry on how to position your feet and legs. Feel rooted and connected into the earth with both feet. Be sure your front knee is stacked directly over your ankle to allow for proper and healthy structure of the pose as well as protection of your knee joint. Your torso remains upright and proud.
As you hold this pose (5-10 breaths), take your gaze forward over your extended arm. This aspect of the Warrior Pose represents Virabhadra as he sights Daksha at the festival, readying himself to slay Daksha, a metaphor for slaying our own ignorance and ego. See yourself standing in this warrior-confidence moving forward to conquer your battles. Be sure to repeat this posture on both sides.
We will continue the Warrior 3-Part Series in the next blog entry. Until then, Namaste.
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