Day 9 : Flow & the story behind Virabhadrasana

Date: October 9th 
Day :  9

Finally breaking my hatha run with a Flow class. Finally some vinyasas. I'm always very very very excited about a flow class, but it actually does cross my mind once when I'm sweating and about to pass out, "Why Nayana Why this extra enthusiasm!" Haha. But thankfully, it's only a fleeting thought and only when I am confronted with an asana that I don't know. Otherwise flow classes are quite entertaining in the sense that you don't have a chance to be distracted. Because each class is different, you mind is so focused on the asanas that it doesn't have time to wander, unlike a Hatha class, where is it SO easy to be distracted. The toughest part is infact being completely present in the class and leaving aside all thoughts about how the day went etc etc etc.

The flow class yesterday was particularly tough. The class was almost full and we did a lot of twisting and arm strengthening asanas. Stretching is actually the best thing to do early in the morning and Michelle makes it a nice and entertaining class actually. In fact today we had Monica practice with us. She was at the studio for a private class that ended up being cancelled and decided to join the flow. If it was me, i think I would have gone back home and slept. haha. No actually, I think I would have joined the class too. :)

I don't know what pose to pick from the flow class actually. Maybe I should tall about the Virabhadrasana, also more famously known as the Warrior Pose. There are many different variations of this asana. Often referred to as Warrior I, Warrrior II and Warrior III. They are all AWESOME exercises for your thighs and calves and your legs in general actually. Ok let's talk about a brief history of the warrior poses (sources are stories from some yogis, the lovely wikipedia and other material). The story is about how the mighty God Shiva from Hindu mythology created a warrior called : Vira (Hero) -Bhadra (Friend) who goes on to destruct a king and a kingdom using the three poses : Virabhadra I, II and III. The story begins with Shivas wife Sati going for a yagna (a ritual of offerings) that her father, King Daksha, had organised. She and her husband were not invited to the yagna, since the King did not like Shiva, even though he was the supreme ruler of the universe. She tried convincing Shiva to go anyway, but he wouldn't so she went alone. 

On reaching there, the King publicly humiliated and insulted Sati. She tried defending her husband but eventually let go off wanting to argue with her father. Not being able to withstand the insults, she resolved internally to break all ties with the family and vowed to her father, "You've given me this body, I no longer wish to be associated with it". Closing her eyes and thinking of Shiva, she sat on the ground in a meditative asana. Going deep within herself she began to increase her own inner fire through yogic exercises until her body burst into flames. 

When Shiva heard of Sati's death he was devastated. He pulled out a tuft of his hair and threw it on the ground and from the earth grew a warrior called Virabhadra. He is ordered to go to the yagna and destroy Daksha and all those assembled. With swords in his hands virabhadra arrives at the yagna thrusting his way up from the earth. And that is Virabharasana I. After arriving thus and visible to all guests, he then sights his opponent Daksha  and that is Virabhadrasana II. Moving swiftly and precisely he takes the sword and cuts off Daksha's head and that is Virabhadrasana III.  The three variations are shown below : 



The rest of the story is : Shiva arrives at the scene of the destruction and struck by the enormity and violence of what he had done, he absorbs Virabhadra into his own body and becomes Hare, the ravisher. Filled with sorrow and compassion, he revives Daksha with a goat's head and later Sati is also reborn.

Here's the brief how to :

1. starting from Tadasana
2. The arms stretched up, palms touching
3. Inhaling spread the legs sideways by jumping or stepping, creating a gap of 2/3rd body height
4. Exhaling turn the trunk facing to the left while rotating the left foot 90 degrees so it faces forward and the right foot so it points slightly to the right
5. Bend the left knee till the thigh is parallel to the floor, avoid extending the bent knee past the ankle and keeping the other leg straight
6. Stretch the right leg with the knee locked 
7. The head, chest and left knee and left food should be aligned facing forward
8. The head should be bent back and up with the eyes facing the hands.
9. Hold the asana from one to four breaths.
10. Return to Step 4 repeat on the other side
11. Finally return to Tadasana

The drishti has to be on your tips or palms of the hand all the time, and is called Hastagrahe drishti.

So yes, I found the story very interesting and it actually makes sense to understand the history behind an asana and in some way will affect your practice and make it better. And maybe actually feel like a warrior, not in a violent way though :)

My evening hatha class was with Anton and was very nice as well. Post which I had A HUGE and hearty french meal at Bistro Du Sommelier, with of course a LOT of wine! Not the kind of thing I should be talking about in a yoga blog, or the kind of food i should be eating at the course of my journey ! haha.

With the food in my tummy, time to get prepared for the next Hom class tomorrow.

Namaste