Monaz Vaniawala

“ If one is hurt by the arrows of an enemy, one is not as aggrieved as when cut by the unkind words of a relative, for such grief continues to rend one's heart day and night.” Lord Siva, Bhagavat Purana According to yogic mythology, Lord Shiva fell passionately in love with a young woman named Sati (Shakti). Sati’s father, Daksha, vehemently disapproved of their union. In defiance, Shiva and Sati wed and vowed to live together among majestic Himalayan peaks. To spite them, Daksha organized a lavish party in his palace. He invited everyone except for Sati and Shiva. Shiva was indifferent to his father-in-law’s egotistical antics; however, Sati insisted on attending the party, hoping to confront her father. When she arrived, Sati was faced with a tirade of demeaning insults from Daksha. Overwhelmed with grief and humiliation, she resolved to take her own life. In one version of the story, she threw her body into the ceremonial fire. In another version, Sati’s body burst into flames after several rounds of powerful yogic breath work. Angered by the news of his wife’s death, Shiva tore out one his dreadlocks, threw it to the ground and created Virbhadra. Virbhadra, the “asupicious hero” was a colossal being embellished with garland of skulls and snakes, a thousand arms and three eyes. Shiva ordered Virabhadra to kill Daksha and the other guests at the party. In Virbhadrasana I (Warrior I), Virabhadra arrived at the party with two swords in his hands. He sighted his target, Daksha, and prepards for attack in Virbhadrasana II (Warrior II). In Virbhadrasana III, he decapitated his opponent with his swords. Shortly after, Shiva arrives and acknowledges the ramifications of his actions. He commands Virbhadra (Reverse Warrior) to retreat back. Virbhadra bows to him in reverence (Humble Warrior) as Shiva absorbs back into his body. Shiva then he rectifies his actions by bringing everyone back to life. Although this story seems brutal, Virabhadra’s battle serves as metaphor for our emotional battles. As yogis, we often overlook negative emotions. We believe we need to eradicate them from our lives. Because eliminating hardship from our lives isn’t feasible, it’s inevitable that we will experience anger, jealousy or bitterness from time to time. All of us experience little battles throughout the day whether they be with our partners, friends, family or bosses that foster completely natural human responses. And that’s normal! We learn to accept the good, the bad and the ugly in ourselves and others. Being a “yogi” isn’t about living in a permanently blissful state of love; it’s about finding the courage to curb our ego as we navigate the complex world of human emotions. We become true warriors when we fight our battles with the proper weapons - love, forgiveness and compassion - even when they scale beyond our control. What is Warrior I Pose? Warrior 1 Pose is a standing yoga pose that helps build focus, power and stability. This foundational pose stretches the front side of the body and is great for building strength in the legs, core and back. How to do Warrior I Pose in yoga? Warrior I — Virabhadrasana I (veer-uh-buh-DRAHS-uh-nuh) — is a standing yoga pose named after a mythological Hindu warrior, Virabhadra. An incarnation of the god Shiva, Virabhadra was fierce and powerful, with a thousand arms and hair and eyes of fire. Warrior I transforms the intensity of this deity into a pose that builds focus, power, and stability. Type: Standing pose level, Level : Beginner, Style: Vinayasa Instructions- Begin in Mountain Pose (Tadasana), standing with your feet hip-distance apart and your arms at your sides. Let your thoughts settle. Focus on the present moment. Breathe deeply and evenly, calming your mind. Draw your awareness inward. Turn to the left.Exhale as you step your feet wide apart, about 4 to 5 feet.Turn your right foot out 90 degrees, so your toes are pointing to the top of the mat.Pivot your left foot inwards at a 45-degree angle.Align your front heel with the arch of your back foot. Keep your pelvis turned toward the front of your mat.Press your weight through your left heel. Then, exhale as you bend your right knee over your right ankle. Your shin should be perpendicular to the floor. Lift through the arches of your feet, while rooting down through your ankles.Reach up strongly through your arms. Broaden across your belly, lengthen the sides of your waist, and lift through your chest. Keep your palms and fingers active and reaching.You can keep your arms parallel, or press your palms together. Safety and Precautions- Do not practice the full version of the pose if you are experiencing high blood pressure or heart problems. Those with neck injuries should keep their heads in a neutral position (in step 8) — do not look up at the hands. Those with shoulder injuries should keep their raised arms parallel to each other or even wider (in step 7). Always work within your own range of limits and abilities. If you have any medical concerns, talk with your doctor before practicing yoga. Benefits of Warrior I Pose: Strengthens your shoulders, arms, legs, ankles and backOpens yours hips, chest and lungsImproves focus, balance and stabilityEncourages good circulation and respirationStretches your arms, legs, shoulders, neck, belly, groins and anklesEnergizes the entire body Tips- Warrior I requires focus on various points of alignment. There is a lot to remember to execute the pose correctly, so keep the following information in mind when practicing: Build the pose from the ground up. Work on getting the foot and leg placement first. Orient your feet, then adjust your legs. Finally, align your hips.Place your hands on your hip bones to determine whether they are squared to the front of your mat. Draw the hip of your front leg back, and the opposite hip forward.Lengthen your tailbone toward the floor, rather than dipping your pelvis forward. This allows for greater length in your lower back.Press back firmly with the top of your back thigh before bending your front knee. This helps to stabilize and root down through the outer edge of your back foot. Keep that stabilization as you bend the front knee.Keep your weight evenly across the three points of both feet: The centre of your heel, the ball of your big toe, and the ball of your baby toe. This will help keep your arches actively lifting. The way of the warrior Warrior I can be a powerful way to build concentration, balance, and focus. It creates strength in all areas of life — physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. Practising this pose regularly will help you to face the challenges of daily life with equanimity and poise. What is Warrior II Pose? Warrior II is a great pose for stretching the back and legs when they are tight due to being new to yoga. This pose prepares the practitioner to do the advanced forward bends. How to do Warrior II Pose in yoga? Warrior II — Virabhadrasana II (veer-uh-buh-DRAHS-uh-nuh) — is a standing yoga pose that enhances strength, stability, and concentration. It's named after the Hindu mythological warrior, Virabhadra, an incarnation of the god Shiva. Virabhadra was a tall, dark, and fierce deity, depicted with a thousand arms, flaming hair and eyes, and wearing a garland of skulls. Type: Standing Pose, Level: Beginner, Style: Vinayasa Instructions- Begin in Mountain Pose (Tadasana), standing with your feet hip-distance apart and your arms at your sides. Let go of distractions. Notice the quality of your breath. Draw your awareness inward, to the center of your body. Turn to the left.Exhale as you step your feet wide apart, about 4 to 5 feet. Check to ensure that your heels are aligned with each other.Turn your right foot out 90 degrees, so your toes are pointing to the top of the mat.Pivot your left foot slightly inwards. Your back toes should be at a 45-degree angle.Lift through the arches of your feet, while rooting down through your ankles.Raise your arms to the side to shoulder height, so they're parallel to the floor. Your arms should be aligned directly over your legs. With your palms facing down, reach actively from fingertip to fingertip.On an exhalation, bend your front knee. Align your knee directly over the ankle of your front foot. Your front shin should be perpendicular to the floor. Sink your hips low, eventually bringing your front thigh parallel to the floor.Make sure your front shin stays vertical. Widen your stance as needed to make sure that your knee does not move forward past your ankle. Safety and Precautions- Do not practice Warrior II if you have a recent hip, knee, or shoulder injury, or if you are experiencing diarrhoea or high blood pressure. Those with neck injuries should not turn their head to face the front hand (in step 10). Always work within your own range of limits and abilities. If you have any medical concerns, talk with your doctor before practising yoga. Benefits- Strengthens and stretches the legs and anklesStretches the groins, chest and lungs, shouldersStimulates abdominal organsRelieves backaches, especially through the second trimester of pregnancyTherapeutic for carpal tunnel syndrome, flat feet, infertility, osteoporosis, and sciaticaStretches your hips, groins and shouldersBuilds stamina and concentrationEnergizes tired limbsHelps relieve backaches, especially through your 2nd trimester Develops balance and stabilityImproves circulation and respirationTherapeutic for flat feet, sciatica, osteoporosis, carpal tunnel and infertility Tips- Practising Warrior II correctly requires concentration on various points of alignment. Keep the following information in mind when practising this pose: Work on getting the foot and leg placement first. Build the pose from the ground up.Make sure your front knee stays aligned with your front ankle. Do not allow the knee to drift to the left — this can strain the knee joint. Instead, imagine it slightly moving out toward the baby toe.Keep your focus on a single point.Envision the power of the warrior Virabhradra moving through you as you hold the pose. Find and connect with your own warrior strength! Discover your inner warrior Warrior II can be an effective way to build a feeling of inner strength and power. As you practice this pose on a regular basis, you will grow in your ability to face daily battles with ease and grace. What is Warrior III Pose? Warrior III is a balance and strength building yoga posture. It strengthens legs, develops a strong core and is adequate to be practised by experienced yoga intermediates. Virabhadrasana 3 prepares the practitioner for advanced yoga postures. It enables one to find a strong foundation and confidence to practice strenuous standing yoga postures. The Warrior sequence aims to strengthen different body parts and helps one to test his/her own physical strength, balance and coordination. Cross the old limits and set new ones with the help of Warrior 3. How to do warrior III pose in yoga? Warrior III is an intermediate balancing pose in yoga. This dynamic standing posture creates stability throughout your entire body by integrating all of the muscles throughout your core, arms, and legs. This pose, called "Virabhadrasana III" (veer-uh-buh-DRAHS-uh-nuh) in Sanskrit, is named after the mythological Hindu warrior, Virabhadra. A tall, dark, and powerful incarnation of the god Shiva, Virabhadra is depicted with a thousand heads, a thousand arms, and a thousand flaming eyes. He embodies the fierce power required of a warrior. Practicing Virabhadrasana III will enhance your own power by building inner and outer strength, stability, and concentration. Type: Standing Pose, Level: Beginner, Style: Vinayasa Instructions- Begin standing in Mountain Pose (Tadasana) with your feet hip-distance apart and your arms at your sides. Breathe smoothly and calmly, bringing your awareness to the present moment.Turn to the left and step your feet wide apart, about 4 to 5 feet. Turn your right foot out 90 degrees so your toes point to the top of the mat. Pivot your left foot inward at a 45-degree angle. Point your pelvis and torso in the same direction as your right toes are pointing.Bend your right knee over your right ankle so your shin is perpendicular to the floor. Raise your arms overhead with your palms facing each other. This is Warrior I (Virabhadrasana I).Press your weight into your right foot. Lift your left leg as you lower your torso, bringing your body parallel to the ground. Your arms, still extended, will now reach forward.Flex your left foot and reach out through your heel, as if you're pressing a wall behind you.Keep the muscles of both legs actively engaged. Straighten your standing leg as you continue to lift the left leg, but do not lock your knees.Work toward bringing your arms, torso, hips, and raised leg parallel to the floor. You may need to lower the hip of your raised leg slightly in order to bring your hips parallel to your mat.Stretch your body from your fingertips all the way through your lifted heel.Gaze at the floor a few feet in front of your body.Hold the pose for 30 seconds. To release, exhale as you softly lower your left foot back to the floor, coming again into Warrior I. Lower your arms and step forward into Mountain Pose. Repeat the pose for the same amount of time on the opposite side. Safety and Precautions- Do not practice this pose if you are experiencing high blood pressure or heart problems. Always work within your own range of limits and abilities. If you have any medical concerns, talk with your doctor before practicing yoga. Warrior III Benefits- Relieves stiffness in the neck, shoulders and back.Reduce stubborn fat from hips.Useful for people suffering from sciatica.Enhances blood circulation in the body.Tones and strengthens knees, thighs and ankles.Stimulates abdominal organs and aids digestion.Builds stamina; develops a sense of balance and coordination.Activates lower body muscles Reduces body fatImproves heart rate.This pose also enhances your ability to concentrate, keeping your mind calmly focused when faced with difficulty. Learning to hone your attention while staying serene is a key to discovering the connection between your mind, body, and spirit — the true meaning of yoga. Tips- Warrior III will lengthen and strengthen your whole body when done in correct alignment. Keep the following information in mind when practicing this pose: Do not lock or hyperextend the knee of your standing leg. Resist your standing-leg calf muscle against the shin; this micro-movement will stabilize your lower leg.Do not bring your raised leg higher than your hips or your head. Work to keep your arms, trunk, and raised leg in one line.Keep your neck relaxed, not stiff or compressed. Reach forward through the crown of your head.Keep your spine in one straight line.Strongly engage your leg muscles.Relax the toes of your standing foot.Draw your abdominal muscles in toward your spine. This will help to protect your lower back.Focus on the stretch, not on the lift! It doesn't matter how high your leg goes if you don't have correct alignment. Work toward maintaining an equal balance of energy and effort in both legs. Be a Peaceful Warrior Practising Warrior III can be challenging and rewarding on many levels. Learning to concentrate and balance requires inner strength and humility. Do not be afraid to fall! Simply try the pose again. With patience and dedication, you may discover your ability to face all challenges in life with grace and poise. Monaz Vaniawala is a Contributing Writer at Sociotab. She is an architect, urban designer, yoga motivator and influencer.

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Monaz Vaniawala

Beauty/health

How can you channelise your inner warrior to calm your mind?

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