Virabhadrasana III - Warrior III
(veer-uh-buh-DRAHS-uh-nuh)
Virbhadrasana is a fierce warrior, an incarnation of Shiva, described as having a thousand heads, a thousand eyes, and a thousand feet and who conquers this pose with strength, grace and balance. As with any balance pose, staying present, listening to the subtle movements of the body, and practicing often is key to finding your best expression.
Balance comes with understanding and embracing opposites.Within this pose, experiment with reaching forward as far as you can with your fingers and back with your toes. What you may find in the center is your ultimate place of unwavering balance.
Benefits
Strengthens and stretches the inner and back legs and the spine
Tones the abdominal organs
Calms the brain
Relieves mild backache
Relieves fatigue, mild depression and anxiety
Directions
Start in Tadasana (Mountain Pose), and fold forward into Uttasana.
On your next inhale step your left leg back to high lunge.
Shifting your weight to your right leg, inhale and start to lift your left foot off the ground keeping your hips parallel with the floor.
Then start by lifting each hand a few inches off the floor, alternating for a few breaths.
When you are ready, take both hands to your hips, reach forward through your chest and start to reach your hands forward as well to the full expression of the pose.
Modifications
Practice on all fours, alternating lift arms
Variations
Stretch your arms out to the sides, like the wings of an airplane
From Warrior I shift weight forward and lift back leg up
Bring extend knee and elbows together and extend back out, make it a flow.
Take yoga mudra behind back
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