Act Like A Warrior

Isn't it interesting that yoga has an image of peace and love, hippies and pacifists, yet many of the poses are versions of WARRIOR. What does it mean to embody the energy of the warrior? Hatha yoga is literally translated as “the yoga of force”. So why do we avoid this fierceness? We become lazy and lose our energy. Anger turned inward can become depression. So what to do with this vibrant passion? Assume the position.

When I am in Warrior 1, I am head on, hips squared, allowing the strength of my legs to ground me. I am planted, and prepared. Ready for anything. I am also extending arms up, like I am wielding a weapon from the Universe.

In Warrior 2, I am open, my gaze is fixed and pointed. I am alert and relaxed, confident and focused. The gazing point is down the center of my hand, just past my fingertips, and they say when the gaze is still, the mind is still. My aim is clear.

In Warrior 3, I must stay balanced, so my gaze must remain focused and my mind must be clear. Focused on the breath. What gives me balance is my extension, and there is a grace in this position that is dependent upon a line of energy reaching out through the crown of my head, and out through my heel. Dynamic energy, two opposing forces. Yoga teaches me a lot about the balance of the mind and body, and gives me the strength to go to war with the parts of myself that no longer serve: judgement, laziness, etc. Remember, being physical is in and of itself a daily battle, so embody and embrace the Warrior within you.