Asana: Audio, Yoga Class with Mantra Use, & peak pose benies
Peak Pose
This months Peak Pose is Dragon Pose, or Anjaneyasana.
We will be using the pictured variations of this shape.
Symbolism:
Dragons are a symbol of inner light and seeing ones true self. The dragon heart is confident and warm which is exactly what our mantra, "I bring light, I give light" is meant to bring out of us.
How:
- From a forward fold step your left foot to the back of your mat.
- Put your back knee down on the earth.
- Lunge your hips and lower ribs forward to create a hip stretch.
- Push your hands into the back of your hips and lift your ribs up to increase the backbend and heart opening effects, or simply lift your arms up over your head.
- To take pressure out of your back knee you can either keep your front foot flat on the floor and push the top of your back foot, or tuck your toes (as pictures) and press into them.
Benefits:
- Stretches the flexor (frontal hip) and quadracep (thigh) of the back leg.
- Compresses the internal workings of the hip joint in the front leg.
- Opens the chest wall and frot of the shoulders.
- Lifts the ribs for bigger breaths, which calm the nervous system and invigorate the body.
- Safely compresses the lumbar to stretch the muscles of the abdomen.
- Increases flexibility in the middle back.
- Advancing variations where the top of the foot is flat on the floor and the back knee is lifted up will strengthen all the muscles in the legs to support the bones and joints in the back and knee.
Go Deeper:
Pictured is a form of Lizard Pose, Utthan Pristhasana.
Lizard is a variation of Dragon Pose that externally rotates the hip a little more for a gluteal stretch, and might include a twist to help the obliques in the abdomen. The foot grab is optional and adds to the stretch in all directions.
The twist, like any other twist, is great for digestion, and also to release the back after a back bend/ heart opener - which are key when attempting to open our hearts to light with a mantra like the one we are using this month. "I bring light, I give light"