For Beginners: Virabhadrasana II

Warrior Pose can teach you how to act with wisdom, courage, and unwavering focus.

By Shiva Rea

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Over two millennia ago, one of the most essential teachings of yoga was given on a battlefield, of all places. As recounted in the Bhagavad Gita, Arjuna, the consummate warrior, becomes paralyzed with doubt and fear just as he is about to be called to action. Luckily for him, his chariot driver happens to be none other than the god Krishna, who proceeds to reveal to Arjuna the teachings of yoga to liberate him from his confusion.

In my favorite translation of the Gita, by the late scholar/teacher Eknath Easwaran (Nilgiri Press, 1985), Krishna defines yoga as "wisdom in action"—yogah karmasu kausalam (II.50). He guides Arjuna to reflect upon the source of his actions and find his internal center, where he is free from the fluctuations of the mind.

Many centuries later Mahatma Gandhi would take these teachings of the Gita as guiding principles for his life.

Gandhi saw the battlefield as a metaphor for our internal conflicts and Arjuna as the archetypal warrior within—one who sees through illusions to the truth and is able to act with courage and unwavering focus. Perhaps as a beginning yoga student, you have already encountered a glimpse of this warrior spirit in the standing pose Virabhadrasana II (or Vira II for short). In the deep lunge and open arms of this Warrior Pose variation, there is a challenging intensity—a marked contrast to the images of yoga as a passive practice intended for relaxation.

You may ask, "Why is there a Warrior Pose, when yoga is a practice of nonviolence?"

As a strong pose, Virabhadrasana II can teach modern yogis a lot about the dynamics of bringing wisdom into the actions of our everyday lives. It is a powerful pose, no doubt, but as you explore the pose's alignment and inner attitude, the heart of the peaceful warrior begins to reveal itself.

Finding Center

As we go about our daily lives, we often speak of feeling "off-centered" or of needing to "get centered." Being "centered" is a feeling of being balanced and at ease on all levels—physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually.

It is the clear space of awareness from which the wise action within any moment can be found.

To find your center in Virabhadrasana II—the place where your energy is distributed evenly, without bias—start by grounding yourself within Tadasana (Mountain Pose). The training of a spiritual warrior begins here as you let go of any external distractions and bring your awareness to your core.

When you feel your mind settle within the relaxed steadiness of Tadasana, then prepare to begin Virabhadrasana II. Consciously step your feet apart in a wide stance (4 to 5 feet), with your heels aligned parallel to one another. Pivot your left foot out to a 90-degree angle and pivot your right foot in to a 45-degree angle. Plant your feet like roots, connecting through all of the corners of your feet while lifting through the arches.

To focus on the leg work of Virabhadrasana II first, keep your arms relaxed at your sides. Slowly bend your left knee until it comes directly over your ankle. Now explore the feeling of your weight. Is all of your weight in your front leg? Lunge deeper into your left leg and then shift your weight into your back leg to feel the extremes, and then try to find the balance point.

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