For Beginners: Virabhadrasana I

This powerful standing pose develops strength and stamina, warms and invigorates the body, strengthens the leg, spine, and shoulder muscles and nurtures flexibility in the feet, legs, hips, and shoulders.

By Claudia Cummins

Go Deeper
As you repeat Virabhadrasana I on the second side, invite your mind to move beyond the sum of your body parts to infuse the pose with deeper fullness and integrity. After you've mindfully and methodically positioned yourself in a well-aligned Warrior I, encourage your awareness to fully seep into every cell of your body, from the heels right on up through the fingertips. Encourage your warrior to be elegant and expressive rather than mechanical and controlled.

Trace an imaginary line from deep in your belly all the way down through each leg and enjoy the sense of presence and steadiness this cultivates. Trace another line from that same place deep in the belly upward through the fingertips and soak up the possibility this evokes. Extend your energy outward in all directions, filling your whole body with abundance and vitality.

Without sacrificing even an ounce of your inner vibrancy and strength, soften the contours of your skin so there's room for the breath to both support and enliven the pose. On an inhalation, pull the breath deep into your body as if you have lungs in your heels. On an exhalation, invite your spine to extend upward as your breath sweeps out through the tips of your fingers.

Now invite Virabhadrasana I to be an expression of something greater than yourself. Let it be an opportunity for grace and harmony to reveal themselves through your body. Grow as spacious as possible, absorbing the beauty and exhilaration of the moment.

Enjoy the magnificent strength and presence this posture evokes. The broad stance of your legs grounds you, providing feelings of earthiness and embodiment. The upward sweep of your spine invites you to reach with inspiration toward the sky. You are both grounded and uplifted, living firmly in the present moment while reaching gracefully toward the beauty and transformation that lies ahead.

Claudia Cummins lives, writes, and teaches yoga in Mansfield, Ohio. A selection of her essays can be found at www.claudiacummins.com.

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