Warrior Pose

Vii-ra-bha-draa-sa-na

Vira = hero; bhadra = kind, gracious, happy,

blessed

Instructions

From tadasana, step your left foot directly to the left so your feet are a little more than one leg's

length apart. Open your left hip to turn the foot out 90⁰; make sure that your left knee points in the same direction as the left toes. The pelvis remains facing forward if possible; however, it's more important to align the left knee and toes, which may mean allowing the right side of the pelvis to rotate forward somewhat. In that case, turn your right foot in enough to align your right knee and toes. Align your feet so that a line from the second toe through the heel of your left foot will intersect the middle of the instep of your right foot.

Inhale as you bring your arms up to horizontal, rolling the palms to face up and lengthening out through the fingertips. Exhale and relax your shoulders, keeping arms horizontal. Inhale and lengthen through your spine, then exhale and bend your left knee, bringing it over your left ankle into a sideways lunge, chest still facing forward. Keep your hips level, spine vertical, and shoulders relaxed down away from your ears.

Inhale and lengthen your neck and glide your chin in, then exhale and rotate your head to look out over your extended left arm.

Breathe smoothly and naturally as you hold the pose. Keep your spine long, shoulders soft, and lower jaw relaxed. Mentally affirm, "I joyfully manifest the power of God!" To exit, inhale and straighten your left knee as you rotate your head back to center. Once upright, turn both feet forward and stretch open through chest and shoulders. On the exhalation, release your arms to your sides, and step your feet back into tadasana.