Warrior 2 pose (Virabhadrasana 2)
CAUTIONS: Take care if you have high blood pressure or diarrhea. It may be better to avoid this pose. If you have neck problems you may feel more comfortable keeping the head in a neutral position, rather than looking at your front middle finger.
- Start in a standing position, bring the right foot pointing forward to one short edge of the mat, and the left foot back a bit at a 45 degree angle moving forward or 90 degrees pointing to the long edge of the mat. You will have the best balance in your stance if the mid arch of the left foot is aligned with the heal of the right.
- I invite you to move the hands to the hips, pushing the right hip back slightly, and the left hip forward a bit.
- Explore bending the right knee, maintaining that it is directly over the ankle, protecting the knee joint.
- When you are ready, take a breath in, point the arms away from the body in a line at about shoulder level, so that they are parallel with the ground.
- If you would like, raise palms up and lower them once to help expand the chest, aiding in a healthier breath and better posture.
- See if it feels good in the neck to turn the head and gaze over the front middle finger.
- Now that we are in Warrior 2 Pose or Virabhadrasana 2, I invite you to either aloud or mentally say the affirmation, "I Live in Strength and Clarity as I Continue to Move Beyond My Fears!” If you have a particular situation in your life that you have been working on finding strength and clarity in, I invite you to do your best. See if you can feel the joy of living in such a way that generates positive energy through burning zeal or devout practice to all that is good and healthy.
- When you are ready to come out of the pose, do so, and move into the pose once again on the opposite side, trying to maintain it for about the same amount of time.
- Having done both sides, I invite you to come back to a standing pose, to press hands together at heart center, and say a word that means, my inner light honors your inner light, “Namaste, Thank you so much body for carrying me through this practice, ground for supporting me, for an opportunity to continue moving beyond my fears, to find strength and clarity and joy as I live in a truthful committed way, doing my best, to live in the best way that I know how!
Thank you so much, my friend, for being wonderful you! Thank you for spending some time with me here today! Whatever the day might bring your way, I pray that you have the strength and clarity to continue living in a way that welcomes joy and love into you every day! Peace, Love, and Joy to you now and always! Aaron :-)