This month in our classes we are focusing on the one-legged balancing pose called Warrior III.  Thus far, we’ve explored it really from a physical point of view: what the hips are doing, how we might use our feet to help us find balance, how we might balance the work in our core muscles. But one thing that I also think is important is knowing the story behind these poses. So many of the poses we play around with in yoga have incredible mythological stories, that bring them to life in a whole new way.  And the stories, like any good story, can have an impact on our day-to-day living. 

So, here’s a story about the warrior poses that I learned that I thought I’d share with you – it’s got all the makings of a good story: love, hate, family discord, revenge… – so grab a cup of tea and read on.

First off, the Warrior poses (I, II, III)  in Sanskrit are called Virabhadrasana, named after the warrior, Virabhadra (vira=hero, bhadra=friend).

The story begins when the goddess Sati marries Lord Shiva against her father’s wishes.  Her father, Daksha, didn’t approve of the wild and earthy Shiva – he felt he was not refined enough for his daughter.  Nevertheless, Sati married him.  As a result, Dhaksha was quite angry with his daughter and chose not to invite her or Shiva to a party he was throwing.  Sati decided to go anyway and confront him.

As with all mythological stories there are some variations, and in one version, it is said that Daksha told Sati that she was not invited so she should leave.  In another, it is said that Daksha and his guests all made fun of Shiva. In both scenarios, Sati became so enraged with her father that she sat and meditated to increase her inner fire, and she burst into flame.

When Shiva learned that Sati had died, he got so angry that he tore out a dreadlock of his hair and threw it on the ground.  That dreadlock turned into Virabhadra – the warrior who grew out of the earth and killed Sati’s father and all the people at the party. After Shiva saw the destruction and had time to reflect, he felt remorseful, and Sati’s father and the other party-goers were brought back to life.

• Warrior I is said to represent Virbhadra growing out of the earth
• Warrior II is said to represent Virabhadra drawing his sword
• Warrior III is said to represent Virabhadra killing Sati’s father Daksha

These myths become symbolic in part to help us reflect on the challenges that we face in our own lives and how we navigate them.  When do we need to call on the strength, courage, and fearlessness of a warrior to face our challenges and when do we need to cultivate compassion and peace?

 The yogi is really a warrior against his own ignorance,” says Richard Rosen of the Piedmont Yoga studio. “I speculate that Virabhadrasana I is about rising up out of your own limitations.”

So the next time you step onto your mat, it might be fun to consider what it means to you to be a warrior; the qualities of a warrior that you would like to embody;  how you can work with your limitations rather than against them and without attachment to the outcome...and see how it impacts your practice.

Email me and let me know!

Check out my classes here and let's move together!