Yoga journal hatha sequence full#

This is the moment of the tale that most yogis hear about, because the pose Hanumanasana is named for Hanuman’s bold leap. Hanuman, from the depth of his devotion to Ram, taps into an inner power that allows him to grow to many times his normal size and leap across the ocean to Lanka in a single bound. When his prayers go unanswered, he falls into an agonizing depression. Realizing that they must cross the ocean to find her, Ram beseeches the gods to dry up the ocean or to make it part for him. After fruitlessly scouring the landscape, they at last learn that Sita was seen flying south in the sky chariot of the demon god Ravana. Hanuman soon offers both his allegiance and his assistance to Ram in the quest to find Sita.

That Hanuman recognizes the godliness in Ram is our first clue that Hanuman is tuned in, able to perceive something greater than appearances. While Ram’s origins are indeed godly, his divinity is not something he wears on his shirtsleeve, and many characters he meets treat him as they would any other prince. There are many versions of the story, but in one common telling, Hanuman meets Ram and immediately discerns the prince’s divine nature. Ram is searching for her all over India, unaware that she has actually been spirited away to the island of Lanka (modern-day Sri Lanka). At this point in the tale, Lord Rama (or just Ram) has been banished from his kingdom, and his wife, Queen Sita, has been abducted by demons. We meet Hanuman in the fourth kanda, or book, of the Ramayana. It is a spiritual teaching story par excellence. And the unfolding dramas provide a magnificent backdrop for the protagonist, Lord Rama (a human incarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu and the prince of a vast kingdom), to model divine behavior, deliver philosophical discourses, and test his mettle when confronted by the most provocative and dire of events. Good translations of it read like literary novels, with such compelling action that you’ll find it hard to put down. It’s a rapturous tale-an epic love story filled with outrageous characters, dramatic plot twists, and all manner of magic and superhuman feats. To get to this fertile ground, you need to acquaint yourself with the legend of Hanuman, which is told through one of India’s most celebrated texts, the Ramayana. It offers an opportunity for you to consider what your practice, and indeed your very life, is devoted to and offered in service of. When you practice this posture, which resembles the great flying leap across the ocean that Hanuman once made, with an understanding of what he represents, the pose can become an exploration of your own devotion and commitment to service. Hanuman, who takes the form of a monkey, is known as the embodiment of devotion and service. Perhaps not coincidentally, these are among the very attributes that students of yoga revere in Hanuman, the Hindu deity for whom the pose is named. Yes, Hanumanasana is quite a stretch for most of us, demanding intense effort and heartfelt dedication. The pose requires keeping your pelvis balanced while your front leg moves straight forward into deep flexion and your back leg goes directly back into deep extension, which means that both your hamstrings and your hip flexors need to be open. Yet, he says, he loves it despite its being so difficult. Hanumanasana isn’t an easy pose, says Noah Maze, a well-known yoga teacher who makes everything look effortless.

Yoga journal hatha sequence full#

But whether or not you ever arrive in a full split with your pelvis rooted to the ground and your heart rising majestically upward, you will find power in practicing Hanumanasana. It’s a challenging asana and can be frustratingly awkward. If, when you see people slide into the splits, you think that they must be members of a different species, you might shy away from Hanumanasana (Monkey God Pose). Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members!