Each of us, every day, is to fight endless battles… battles big and small, important or not: every choice we make is the result of an inner conflict. The ring of boxing is a metaphor for life: when you are on the square thought must scurry to make the right decision, it’s a evasive action or attack to the opponent. That’s why the Warrior’s poses are very useful both for those who practice yoga, both to those who love to train in a boxing gym.
Generally speaking we can say that the three positions of the Warrior, Virabhadrasana, improve both physical and mental strength, giving a deep centering through the concentration needed to maintain the position in balance. The mind becomes calm and serene, perhaps flustered, it stops for a moment (or two :-P) thanks to the effort that the whole body turns, improving coordination and balance.
But… Where the origins of this pose are? Vira Bhadra was a hero, expression of strength, power and rage. The hero was born from a gesture due to the anger of the god Shiva, who threw in the Ganges a hair. The warrior was made to declare war on the King of the mountains, who disn’t inviteì God to a party. According to legend, Parvati, which has become account of kinship, unveiled in Vira Bhadra to be his mother and him, enraged, tries to destroy Shiva. His partner, worried about the fate of the world, the pulverized.
Legend aside, when you perform any of the Warrior poses you will immediately realize the potential of our body: focused to keep balance, you feel the fire that burns, muscles ìready to leave, mind is alert and focused on the goal. Why not run it just like warming up before stepping into the ring?
We see, then, how do you run Virabhadrasana I: standing, at the location of the mountain, with an exhalation and a long step takes one leg back, keeping your pelvis aligned (if you have a mat the basin will remain aligned with the short side of the mat) and with the toes pointing in the direction of gaze.
At this point, breathing, your hands get up and stretch towards the sky, with the fingers to the ground or by joining the palms and intertwining thumbs.
The power is expressed through the legs: the knee of the front leg flexes forming an angle of ninety degrees, the shank is perpendicular to the ground and the thigh parallel to the floor. The back leg remains flat and with muscles ready to shoot.
The shoulders are opened, expanding the rib cage and leaving the lungs breathing space; the arms can be moved with a slightly arching back slightly, inspiro, the spine. Obviously the weight must not be transferred from excessively on the vertebrae and it is good then do this position accompanied by someone who can fix a poor posture.
Now we have to stay a few breath into position and repeat the operation by reversing the position of the legs!
Ready to face the day (or the ring?)
