Filed under: Happiness, Health, Fitness, Fit Yoga
One of my very favourite poses to do when I’m on my yoga mat is Virabhadrasana II (Warrior II). The pose at first glance may look like a piece of cake, but just like many yoga poses, there’s a lot more going on in the body than you might think. Warrior II strengthens the legs and ankles, the groin, chest, lungs and shoulders, and it stimulates the abdominal organs.
The definition of a warrior is one who is engaged in or experienced in battle, which makes one wonder how Warrior II end up being a name for a yoga pose when yoga is all about non-violence? But, upon further reflection, it’s actually quite fitting as the pose teaches us to not only be warriors on our mats, but off our mats too. Let me explain.
The warrior series (Warrior I, II, III) reminds me of the Warrior Arjuna and the great teachings of the Bhagavad Gita; a sacred Hindu scripture that portrays the dialogue between Arjuna and the Lord Krishna on the battlefield. It is a beautiful story that offers life lessons of courage and finding our inner center.
A warrior is one who exemplifies courage. In the Bhagavad Gita, in order for Arjuna to win the battle, he first and foremost must have faith. We learn that in order to accomplish anything of significance in life, we must have faith in ourselves. The battle in the Bhagavad Gita represents our inner struggles, and as warriors, we must have the courage to persevere through any challenges we face. We must keep our hearts open, and our faith strong, as we can not reap the benefits of yoga if we are forcing or holding tension in a pose, as much as we can not truly be happy if we are submitting to our fears.
Continue reading Warrior II: A Yoga Pose to Keep You Grounded and Give You Courage