vīrabhadrāsana I – part one

Do you have the patience to wait
till your mud settles and the water is clear?
Can you remain unmoving
till the right action arises by itself?
~Tao Te Ching [1]

vīrabhadrāsana I (warrior I pose) and other warrior poses present wonderful opportunities for us to incorporate “static” practice into our daily yoga.

“There are two ways of practicing an āsana. The dynamic practice repeats the movement into the āsana and out again in rhythm with the breath. In static practice we move into and out of the pose in the same way as with the dynamic practice, but instead of staying in continual movement with the breath, we hold the pose for a certain number of breath cycles, directing our attention toward the breath, certain areas of the body, or both, depending on the goals we have for performing that particular āsana. Dynamic movements allow the body to get used to the position gently and gradually.” [2] Then, when your body is warm, you can practice static poses for strength, stability, and focus.

Complete several rounds of sūrya namaskāra (sun salutation) as a dynamic prelude to practicing vīrabhadrāsana I. As you come into vīrabhadrāsana I, notice your body and your breath, adjust to find a strong and steady stance, soften your gaze (drishti), hold the pose, and breathe. Be the warrior waiting, steady, ready, and unmoving as you wait for the mud to settle, the water to clear, and the right action to arise of itself….

Phonetic pronunciation: veer-rah-buh-drah-suh-nuh [3]

vīrabhadrā = Name of a fierce mythical warrior
āsana = Pose

Execution of the Pose [4]
• From tadāsana, step your left foot back 4 to 4 ½ feet or 1 ½ times the length of one of your legs;
• Turn the left foot 45° forward/in;
• The heel of the right foot should be in line with the heel of the left foot;
• Bend the right knee so your leg is at 90° angle and the knee is directly over your ankle;
• Inhale bringing both arms forward, up, and overhead (next to the ears) with palms facing each other;
• Keep the shoulders relaxed;
• Lengthen the spine by lifting from the floor of the pelvis;
• Engage the lower abdominal muscles;
• Press into the outer edge of the back foot, keeping the arch active and the inner left thigh muscles firm and lifted;
• The back foot is straight and actively engaged;
• Continue to lengthen upward through the spine, and keep the chest lifted and open;
• Find your drishti and maintain your relaxed gaze and your relaxed deep, quiet, smooth breath for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or longer….
• Added option: When you are ready lift the toes of both feet and drop the midline of the body lower --- this action stabilizes the ankles and the knees even more by strengthening the muscles around them, giving added focus to correcting the alignment of these joints;
• To exit, simply straighten the front leg as you step the back leg forward, lowering the arms, into tadāsana;
• Repeat on the other side.

Benefits
• Strengthens the muscles of the feet and knees
• Stabilizes the knee and ankle joints
• Stretches the hip flexors and calf muscles
• Improves balance and concentration
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[1] Translation by Stephen Mitchell, Verse 15.

[2] T.K.V. Desikachar, The Heart of Yoga, Developing a Personal Practice (Inner Traditions International, 1995), p. 29.

[3] Stick figure instructions, pronunciation and translation provided by Mikelle Terson, Asana Learning Deck, http://www.yogablossom.com/

[4] Combined, summarized, and slightly modified from my own personal practice: Sandy Blaine, Yoga For Healthy Knees (Rodmell Press), pp. 55-56 and Olivia H. Miller, Essential Yoga, an Illustrated Guide to Over 100 Yoga Poses and Meditations (Chronicle Books, 2003), p. 64.