Exploring the Poses: The Warrior Archetype and Yoga

(all quotes are from the Four Fold Way unless noted with the author’s name)

Believing you can be perfect is the fatal imperfection,

Believing you’re invulnerable is the ultimate vulnerability.

Being a Warrior doesn’t mean winning or even succeeding.

It means risking and failing and risking again, as long as you live …

- Richard Heckler, In Search of the Warrior Spirit.

During a modern vinyasa yoga class we are taken through a series of poses known by the names of warrior.  These poses include Warrior 1, 2, 3, humble warrior, exalted warrior, reverse warrior and so on.. A colleague at work once expressed to me his lack of understanding of why yoga would have poses called “warriors” when it was supposed to be a peaceful system of movement.  My teacher, Joseph Le Page, renamed all the warrior poses Hero in his book, The Yoga Toolbox.  For me, I never had a problem with the poses being called warrior.  I thought of the disciple and duty of the samurai and the idea of exploration, journey and quest. I remember Shiva Rea in a workshop asking us to pull back our bows and stand strong in Warrior 2.  I felt like the Goddess Artemis/Diana getting reading for the hunt.  I understood warrior as a way to tap into my personal power. I have just read the book

“The Four-Fold Way: Walking the paths of Warrior, Teacher, Healer and Visionary” and the book his helped me further my thoughts about the Warrior poses and why I love them more and really enjoy their names.

Warrior Poses are strong poses that demand complete attention. As we hold longer and deeper we must chose to be present.  Sometimes my teacher will challenge us further by asking the class to close their eyes.

“I can’t believe that!” said Alice.

“Can’t you?” the queen said in a pitying tone. “Try again, try again, draw a long breath, and shut your eyes.”

Alice laughed. “There’s no use trying,” she said. “One can’t believe impossible things.”

“I daresay you haven’t had much practice,” said the queen. “When I was your age, I always did it for half an hour a day. Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.”

- Lewis Carroll

When we hold these Warrior poses over time and get stronger we realize that many things we thought were not possible can begin to become possible.  We realize that we have personal power.  “The principle that guides the Warrior is showing up and choosing to be present.” First there is presence. Then comes the lifting the arms, followed by planting the feet.  We continue by making sure the position is balanced.  And we test our stamina by holding the pose as we strive for our personal healthy alignment. “The developed Warrior shows honor and respect for all things, employs judicious communication, sets limits and boundaries, is responsible and disciplined, demonstrates right use of power . . .”

Different Warrior Poses and Variations: Warrior 1

This is a pose of discipline. We plant the back leg down with the foot at an angle, the front knee is over ankle, and the arms are up to the sky. “The word ‘disciple’ actually means ‘being a disciple unto oneself,” When we are disciples unto ourselves, we honor our own rhythm, our step-by-step nature…Discipline and responsibility are the Warrior’s tools for honoring structure and function.”

Sometimes we enter Warrior 1 from standing in Tadasana or Mountain Pose. Tadasana is a standing meditation. The pose expresses the concept I am here and I am ready. “. . . it is not uncommon in these (Shamanistic) societies for individuals to pray for long periods of time in a standing postures during vision quests…. (standing meditation) is used in martial arts, spiritual practices and the military as a way of reinforcing and coalescing the three universal powers of presence, communication, and position, which allows us to connect with the greater being who we are.””

 “The Warrior demonstrates the willingness to take a stand. This is the capacity to let others know where we stand, where we don’t stand for, and how we stand up for ourselves. Think of Surya Namaskara B when you step the leg forward from downward facing dog into a low lunge and then raise your arms and chest into  Warrior 1.  This is a big dramatic stand.  You need the flexibility to steep your leg through the strength to rise the torso up, and the commitment to lift the arms over head. My favorite variation of Warrior 1 is when we put our hands in prayer overhead thanking the divine for her help in our lives.

Warrior 2

 “. . . outwardly, he stands in physical readiness for any call to service, and inwardly, he strives to fulfill the Way . . . Within his heart he keeps to the ways of peace, but without he keeps his weapons ready for use.”

Warrior 2 is a pose about respect.  Respect comes from the Latin respicere to be willing to take a second look.  In Warrior 2, the body is facing one way but the head looks over the shoulder.  We are not stuck or limited to one particular point of view which would have the head facing in the same direction as the chest. We are multi-dimensional beings willing to face one way and look the other. “If we want to access the Warrior archetype and become effective leaders, we must be willing to look at our many real abilities rather than focus on just one or two parts of who we think we are.”

This pose is also about understanding what we want. “When we say “yes” when we mean “no” we lose personal power and become victims or martyrs.”  In Warrior 2 we align our feet, legs, arms and become stable and lastly we set our gaze.  We take responsibility for our body making it stable and secure. “Responsibility is not only the ability to respond to what comes toward us, it is also the capacity to stand behind our actions and to be responsible for all that we do or don’t do. … Our ability to respond impeccably and with integrity to the events we create brings is into the Warrior’s arena.”


Exalted Warrior/Reverse Warrior

Similar to the Bodhisattva Vow in Buddhism in which we don’t choose our personal enlightenment but instead stay on earth to help others achieve enlightenment“. . . the Warrior’s task to become visible, and through example and intention to empower and inspire others.”  The Warrior is not just working alone and taking all the credit for his/her successes.  In Exalted Warrior pose we exalt ourselves to god and bask in her presence.  But in this pose the bow is an upward bow instead of one in which we lower ourselves.  This is a bow up to heaven.  The hope is that our reverence and beauty in the pose will inspire the reverence and beauty in others.

Humble Warrior

In contrast to Exalted Warrior, in Humble Warrior we bow down low. We show ourselves as flexible and strong, with a willingness to humble ourselves.  We do not lose our strength or power through this act of humility, it is part of what gives us strength and power. We also interlace our fingers and bring our arms over head showing we are without physical weapons instead we are here to be the instrument of service.

Warrior 3

In Warrior 3 we begin to fly.  Balancing on one leg on the ground and one in the air we begin our launch. In this pose we know that impossible things can happen.  In Warrior 3 we learn to transcend the body and transcend any fear about the necessity to be grounded.  We let go over our attachment and soar towards higher and loftier goals.

Conclusion

“The archetype of the Warrior requires us to use power in an enlightened way that incorporates integrity, alignment of speech and action, honor and respect, and serves humanity fairly and justly.”

As we practice these poses, we can explore the boundaries of our body, mind and heart. We don’t have to consider the warrior as an aggressor but think of the warrior as an explorer of our internal universe.  In Warrior we plant are feet on earth as we reach for the sky.  We strive to be secure in the foundation of who we are as we invite personal growth and transformation. We reach, exalt, humble ourselves, inspire and honor. We keep our intention and sense of self as we journey through life open to all possibilities.

Yin Yoga - Root Chakra - Muladhara

Root Chakra

Text written by Crystal D'Angora, Nya Patrinos and Jennifer Kelly.  Much of Yoga Pose info is from Bernie Clark.

The root is where all things begin and is first developed during our time in the womb.  It is the source of our Earthly connection and survival, vitality and strength, our sense of belonging and trust.  The chakra is located in the physical body, at the base of the spine between the anus and the genitals.

Our physical experience of this first chakra relates to our feet, legs, tail bone, and large intestine and colon, as well as the kidneys, blood, and overall skeletal structure. The organs related to the chakra are the bones, skeletal structure, coccygeal nerve plexus, and adrenal glands.

The Sanskrit name for the root chakra is Muladhara.  Mul means Base and Adhara means support. The name reflects the purpose of the chakra which is to be our basis in physical life,

The symbol for the root chakra is four red petal lotus surrounding a circle.  Inside the circle is a downward pointing red triangle inside a yellow square. Often written inside of the triangle is the bija (seed) mantra of the chakra LAM.  The color of the root chakra is red.

Metaphorically, this is our most Primal Self; the instinctual animal parts of our being.  Our fight, flight, freeze fear responses, and our sense of being grounded and secure all function in accordance with our first chakra health or dis-ease.  The Earth element rules the root chakra.

Psychologically, the root chakra is connected to the unconscious, the places within us that are unknown and unseen.  This realm of dreams and fears is often hidden from even ourselves, and may wreak havoc when left unattended.  Anxiety disorders and OCD are associated with root chakra imbalances.

When the root chakra is in balance we feel stable, sensible, stable and secure.  When the root chakra is out of balance we are frightful, apprehensive, uncomfortable, materialistic and avaricious.

Muladhara is associated with the elephant.  The elephant is symbolic of being solid, dependable and persevering.  This elephant carries the seed sound LAM and helps us direct the energy we need to endure and thrive in our lives.

The gods that rule the root chakra are Brahma and Ganesha.  Brahma is the creator of physical reality and Ganesha is the remover of obstacles.  The goddess associated with the posture is Dakini, the gatekeeper of physical activity. Saturn is the planet that rules the chakra.

For concentration or meditation on the root chakra, visualize the red inverted triangle or yellow square, symbols of energy and solidity that can enhance inner stability, security and balance.

STANDING POSES

Lazy Dog (Downward Dog with a Chair)
Benefits: This pose strengthens the nerves and muscles in the limbs and back.  It helps to increase height by stretching muscles and ligaments, enabling growing bones to grow longer. It stimulates circulation, especially in the upper spine between the shoulders.

Symbolism: Dog is symbolic loyalty, reliability, nobleness, trustworthiness, unconditional love, friendship, fierce energy of protection and service.

Rag Doll aka Dangling aka Standing Caterpillar

Benefits:
Gentle stretch for the lower spine. Loosens the hamstrings and warms up the quadriceps
Compresses the stomach and internal organs. Builds strength in the diaphragm while providing a massage for the abdominal organs. Cures menstrual cramps

Contra-indications: Avoid if you have high blood pressure. [1] Related conditions that are a problem when blood pressure is increased include diabetes and glaucoma. If you have these conditions you may wish to avoid this pose.If you have low blood pressure, to come out of the pose, roll up to standing slowly or go into squat to avoid dizziness. If you have a bad back, bend your knees a lot! You can also rest your elbows on the thighs.If you have any lower back disorders which do not allow flexion of the spine, then do not allow the spine to round: keep the back as straight as you can and bend the knees a lot.

Symbolism: Forward bends take us into our past, giving us opportunities to resolve deep psychological issues which over time have become lodged in the joints, muscles, organs and other tissues of our bodies

Wide legged forward fold (elephant lays his trunk)

SEATED POSES

1/2 Butterfly

Benefits: Stretches the lower back without requiring loose hamstrings, Targets the ligaments along the back of the spine. Stimulates the liver and kidneys and aids digestion.

Contra-indications:Can aggravate sciatica. If you have sciatica, elevate the hips by sitting on a cushion, until the knees are below the hips, or avoid this pose entirely. Beware of hips rotating backward while seated; we want them to rotate forward. If you have any lower back disorders which do not allow flexion of the spine, then do not allow the spine to round: keep the back as straight as you can or do the reclining version. Avoid dropping the head down if the neck has suffered whiplash or has reverse curvature. Beware of any sharp pain in the knees. If you have issues in this area, tighten the top of the thigh (engage the quadriceps), which will close the joint, or bring the legs closer together. If the bent knee complains, place support under that thigh or move that foot away from the groin. If the hamstrings protest, bend the straight knee and support the thigh with a blanket or block

Butterfly

Benefits: Stretches the lower back without requiring loose hamstrings If the legs are straighter and the feet are farther away from the groin, the hamstrings will get more of a stretch. If the feet are in closer to the groin, the adductor muscles get stretched more. Good for the kidneys and prostate gland; highly recommended for people suffering from urinary problems Removes heaviness in the testicles and regulates periods, helps ovaries function properly, and makes childbirth easier

Contra-indications: Can aggravate sciatica. If you have sciatica, elevate the hips by sitting on a cushion, until the knees are below the hips, or avoid this pose entirely. Beware of hips rotating backward while seated; we want them to rotate forward If you have any lower back disorders which do not allow flexion of the spine, then do not allow the spine to round: keep the back as straight as you can or do the reclining version. Avoid dropping the head down if the neck has suffered whiplash

Symbolism; Transformation 

Caterpillar
Benefits: Stresses the ligaments along the back of the spine. Compresses the stomach organs, which helps strengthen the organs of digestion. Stimulates the kidneys. Since the heart is below the spine, the heart is massaged. Helps to cure impotency and leads to sex control

Contra-indications: Can aggravate sciatica. If you have sciatica, elevate the hips by sitting on a cushion, until the knees are below the hips, or avoid this pose entirely. Beware of hips rotating backward while seated; we want them to rotate forward.If you have any lower back disorders which do not allow flexion of the spine, then do not allow the spine to round: keep the back as straight as you can. If the hamstrings are very tight, the knees should be bent and supported by a bolster, allowing the spine to round.

Symbolism:  pure potential. Patience. Surrender. The caterpillar has the promise of new life dwelling its body. It conveys a unique level of patience as it surrenders to the process of transformation.

1/2 Monkey King or Split
Benefits: This pose improves flexibility and blood circulation in the legs and hips.  It massages the abdominal organs, tones the reproductive system and makes the pelvic area supple.

Symbolism: Devotion of Hanuman to Ram

Dragonfly
Benefits: Opens the hips, groin, and the back of thighs. Provides a gentle opening to inner knees
Stimulates the ovaries.

Contra-indications: Can aggravate sciatica. If you have this condition, elevate the hips. Beware of hips rotating backward while seated; we want them to rotate forward. If you have any lower back disorders which do not allow flexion of the spine, then do not allow the spine to round: keep the back as straight as you can. If you have any inner knee trauma or issues, bring the legs closer together or tighten the top of the legs (the quadriceps) to engage the kneecaps.

Symbolism: Transformation later in life

Snake (Trianga Mukhaekapada Paschimottanasana)Benefits:
Benefits: Opens the hips, groin, and the back of thighs. Provides a gentle opening to inner knees
Stimulates the ovaries

Contra-indications:Can aggravate sciatica. If you have this condition, elevate the hips. Beware of hips rotating backward while seated; we want them to rotate forward.
If you have any lower back disorders which do not allow flexion of the spine, then do not allow the spine to round: keep the back as straight as you can.If you have any inner knee trauma or issues, bring the legs closer together or tighten the top of the legs (the quadriceps) to engage the kneecaps.

Symbolism: Symbolic meaning, overwhelmingly and in various cultures, deals with primordial life force and usually turns our attention to gender supremacy (both male and female). Consequently, snakes span the symbolic bridge between lunar and solar associations as well as aspects between water and fire.

Angle Stretch

Benefits: Opens and strengthens the ankles, Stimulates four meridians flowing through the feet and ankles, Great counter pose for squatting or toe exercises

Contra-indications: If there is any sharp pain in the ankles, back off. Try placing a blanket or towel under the feet to cushion them. Knee issues may prevent you from sitting on the heels. Placing a rolled-up towel behind the knees may be very therapeutic, but a cushion between the thighs and calves may be required.

Symbolism:  Ankles represent flexibility, which is important as one navigates the twists and turns of Life. Stiff, painful ankles means that change is difficult for you. Maybe you are one who digs in your heels and resists moving forward. The more Life forces change upon you, the deeper you dig in. A broken ankle is a good sign to develop some flexibility in your Life. Louise Hay suggests that ankles represent mobility and direction.

Toe Squat

Benefits: Open toes and feet and strengthens ankles. Stimulates all six lines of the lower body meridians (which begin or end in the toes)

Contra-indications: Sitting on the heels may strain the knees. If ankles or toe joints are very tight, don't stay here long

Symbolism: Our feet represent our connection with Mother Earth. Sore, swollen, numb or painful feet represent the state of our relation with our Mother. Mother Earth, and our base energies. While it is legs that carry us forward into Life, it is the feet that actually make contact with the ground and can stop any advance, or at least make it difficult. In modern society with its asphalt, concrete and High Rises, we lose touch with the Earth and its energies. This may be reflected in our relationship to the one who gave birth to us. Separation can cause real pain.

Toe Reading: Toe Reading is based on the theory that your body holographically records the story of your life. This story is expressed in your feet and toes and can be “read” to reveal your history. 
Feet very accurately reflect the physical and emotional health and well-being of a person. An over simplification of this technique would be to say that well balanced people have beautiful, evenly shaped and spaced toes. The toes of people who have had more challenging lives will appear “toe-tied”, depicting the lumps and bumps, twists and turns of the personal and emotional lives they have lived up to this point in time. The ever-changing characteristics of the feet, toes and nails provide valuable clues to the inner struggles or inner resolve of their story.

For example, the angle of the toes reveal whether the person is innately shy or outgoing.  Toes that point directly ahead suggest confidence and a forthright approach to life. The “healthiest” angle for the toes is an upright, flexible position. When the toes become exhausted and weighted down, you can bet that the person is feeling the same way about their life.

LYING DOWN POSES

Cat Pulling its tail pose
Benefits:A nice counterpose to strong forward bends (such as the Snail or Caterpillar)
Mildly compresses the lower back
Opens the quadriceps and upper thighs

Contra-indications: If you have lower back issues, go gently. You may not be able to pull the foot

Symbolism: Cats themselves are quite resourceful and tend to give us messages of change, flexibility of adaptability. Often, when a cat makes an uncommon appearance in our lives it is a message for us to shake up our habitual routines and make some fresh changes in our lives, as well as be more flexible in our thinking. Cats can also be quite aloof, and this too is often a message for us to distance ourselves from people or situations. Sometimes the best cure for a problem is to step away from it - the cat inherently realizes this, and we would be wise to recognize this need as well. Lastly, the cat animal symbolism is about mystery. Unfortunately, its unpredictability has given the cat a bad name in some areas of folk lore, specifically witchcraft. When, in actuality, this is an asset that can be harnessed by us humans.

at all

1/2 happy baby pose

Benefits: A deep hip opener and one that can use arm strength, rather than letting gravity do the work. If you do pull with the arms, the arm flexion strengthens the biceps. Releases and decompresses the sacroiliac (SI) joints. Can be a compression of stomach organs

Contra-indications: This can become a mild inversion: a student may want to avoid this posture if she is in her moon cycle, or if she has very high blood pressure.

1/2 genie or saddle

Full Genie or saddle

Benefits:A deep opening in the sacral-lumbar arch. Also stretches hips flexors and quadriceps
Excellent for athletes and people who do a lot of standing or walking. Stimulates the thyroid if the neck is dropped back. If the foot is, or the feet are, beside the hips, this becomes a good internal rotation of the hip.

Contra-indications:If you have a bad back or tight sacroiliac (SI) joints
Knees can be tested too much here. Ankles can protest. Any sharp or burning pain here, you must come out

3 part Hamstring Stretch with Strap aka Flamenco Pose

Savasana