Dandayamana Dhanurasana

Standing Bow Pose By: Divya Hatha Yoga , Jetara Tara

Dhanurasana, standing bow pose, helps develop spirit, mind and body focus, to natural and harmonic balance. This beautiful yoga pose, gracefully trains warrior determination and strength and humility in teaching forgiveness and patience. The left and right body hemispheres connect and are activated to depend upon each other for literal balance of the body, translating to metaphorical applications of “balance”, of yin and yang, polarities to rest in ideal harmony.

Standing Bow pose, improves flexibility of the spine, in the sagital plane’s range of motion, in forward and backward bending directions. A tourniquet effect, holds and builds energy, with the  ‘’squeeze and soak” yogic method and releases fresh circulation through the glandular system, to circulate fresh blood to all the organs, including the heart. The cardiovascular system is cleared and stimulated, on many levels Danurasana is heart opening and truly,“opens the heart”.

This powerful yogic pose, strengthens and lengthens the quadriceps and hamstring muscles simultaneously, while activating lower leg muscles, as the standing leg pushes away from the earth and the reaching leg stretches upward and back and the lower leg bends inward, toward the head,

In Standing Bow, the action of toes, of the standing leg, is to spread upon the Earth, while the ball of the foot, pushes off the Earth and sends energy powerfully, upward. Directing energy lines, pathways other wise known as, “Nadis”, in yoga is an important and valuable aspect of yoga for personal yogic practice development in evolution and when honored best achieves personal and desired health benefits, from practicing yoga. In Danurasana, the standing foot’s energy line is pulled straight from the center of the Earth in an upward  direction,”Upani”, to travel through the through the “Nadi Sushumna”(core). The arms reaching one lengthening forward and the other lengthening backward, create a horizontal line of energy, that opens and lengthens the chest, while the vertical energetic line lengthens the spine, mimicking an angled cross shape. While, front of the body lengthens and opens with shoulders reaching one upward and one arm reaches back, stretching holding the back foot in equal balance as the front reaching arm stretches in equal force forward.

Standing bow also opens the front hip Soas muscle to improve flexibility and improve circulation in the kidney’s, through the reaching and bow bending of the back leg.

Another benefit of this powerful asana is broadening in expansion and opening of the rib cage, this opening trains the diaphragm and lungs to best expand to their full capacity.

Danurasana is a multi faceted lovely yoga pose. As you step and awaken into this pose, please remember to allow your breath to rhythmically flow and your heart to open, from a place of fierce devotion in gentle kindness for yourself and your path in this moment.

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The path of the yogi, builds graceful strength~