Yoga Pose of the Week

Hanumanasana

 When I'm teaching a class, this is my favorite pose to explain the Sanskrit name. Many of the names for yoga poses are based on Hindu deities; in this case, Hanuman, the monkey god. In an act of love and devotion, Hanuman made a literal leap of faith across an impossible distance from the southern tip of India to Sri Lanka to save the brother of Hanuman's guru. The leap could only be accomplished because of the depth of Hanuman's devotion.

Have you ever heard stories about people performing impossible feats of strength to save someone they love? A mother lifting a car to free her trapped child from underneath, a person running in to a fire to save a friend; love is an incredibly powerful force.

Hanuman made this leap of faith because his love for his guru was so strong. His leap is remembered forever in this pose- one leg forward, one leg back. An impossible leap- made possible.

Now, since we all know that yoga is not a religion (and that is a post for another day!), what can non-Hindus take from this story? What I choose to do is to imagine the story but substitute myself for the guru. Hear me out-

In every asana that we practice, we are seeking to uncover our own deepest truths. We seek to find our purest selves. So if you think about it this way, practicing Hanumanasana requires great faith in ourselves and devotion to our practice. When you trust yourself fully, anything is possible.

Step-by-step instructions:

1. Begin in a low lunge, left knee down on the mat. Slowly pull your hips back until the right leg is straight and the toes point up towards the sky.
2. Begin to ease your right heel forward, left knee back, allowing the pelvis to descend down towards the mat.
3. Make sure that your right toes continue to point straight upwards, and the right kneecap should be directly up as well.
4. The left leg should be extended directly back behind you, not off to the side. The center of the left kneecap should be against the mat. 
5. Take your time! This is not a pose to rush, and doing so has definite potential for injury. Make sure that the hamstrings have been adequately warmed, as well as the groins and hip flexors.
6. If you find that your pelvis does not make it down to the mat, you can use a bolster or rolled up blanket under your pelvis to give you support. Start with it a little higher than you need it to be in order to let your body fully relax into the support of the bolster. As you can see in the photo above, I could not completely straighten my front leg so I used the natural propping of the hill in order to make my hips higher than my feet!
7. You can bring your arms up overhead, or to Anjali mudra (prayer pose) at your heart, or simply keep your hands on the mat for support.

Avoid practicing Hanumanasana if you have a hamstring or groin injury.

A fun and challenging way to deepen this pose is to bend the back knee to bring the back foot in towards your head and reach overhead to grab it. 

What do you think about the story behind Hanumanasana? Where do you make leaps of faith in your life, or your practice?

Namaste.