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IHanuman is the name
of a powerful monkey-faced God. He is known for his extraordinary strength
and devotion. Hanuman was the son of Vayu, the god of Wind, and Anjana.
He was the friend and devoted servant of Rama, the seventh incarnation
of Vishnu. At the time when Rama, his wife Sita, and his brother Laksmana
were in exile as hermits in the Dandaka forest, Ravana, the demon king
of Lanka (Ceylon), came to their hermitage in the disguise of a monk and
captured Sita, taking her to Lanka. In their search for Sita, the brothers
asked Sugriva, the king of the monkeys, for help. Hanuman the chief of
the army of monkeys of king Sugriva went in search of Sita.
Hanuman crossed
the sea by leaping over the straits, and found her in Ravana's palace.
He brought the news to Rama, who built a causeway of stones across the
sea to Lanka and after a harsh battle slew Ravana and rescued Sita. Laksmana
had been struck by an arrow during the battle, and it was said that the
only cure was the juice of an herb which grew in the Himalayas. With a
grand leap Hanuman crossed the sea and reached the Himalayas to bring
back with him the herb that saved the life of Laksmana.
Hanumanasana is
dedicated to Hanuman, and celebrates his amazing leaps. It is practiced
by going down on the floor with the legs spread out laterally while the
hands are folded in front of the chest. It is similar to a split.
Hanumanasana can
allow an amazing opportunity to split one's self open both physically
as well as metaphorically. It has the potential to give us an opportunity
to truly dissect what is happening in our mind, witness it. Because Hanumanasana
is a challenging pose for the majority of people, there is a tendency
for the Ego to come up in a very overt way. Thoughts of frustration, limitation,
and self-doubt tend to surface in the form of question: Why can't I do
this? Why is the person next to me able do it? What is wrong with me?
When will I be able to do it? And so forth...
Because the goal
here is so concrete, one is given an opportunity to see exactly how far
one is from the goal. We can see it in the floor, like a ruler, telling
us exactly where we are. Therefore, the pose confronts us with a reality
that is not always to our liking. In many other positions this reality
is not so clear-cut and obvious to us. By taking the position of the witness
in this pose, one can begin to practice observing thoughts, but not identifying
with them, seeing that they are just thoughts, and not getting emotionally
caught up in them. On a physical level, we have the opportunity to do
the same, to just note the fact that this body can do this much of the
pose at this point in time. By creating this type of distance, and realizing
that you can observe the thoughts or the position that your body is in,
you can begin to realize you are not the body or the mind. By gaining
true awareness that you are not the body and the mind, but that your true
Self is beyond that, you can attain yoga, enlightenment, and immortality.
In the event that
one has advanced in the pose, or it has come easily from the start, the
Ego remains something to look out for in Hanumanasana, because
pride can set in as a result of having the ability to be in full pose.
If you are advancing
in the position, let that victory be complete by allowing the blockages
of your body to open up to their fullest potential, and letting the Divine
Spirit flow freely through you. Become an open channel for the Divine
to manifest through you and out into the universe for the benefit of all.
When one is in
the full pose, one's most intimate body parts are grounded into the Earth,
which is a unique and powerful experience. Fully open, fully leaping beyond
limitation. It is an amazing feeling, and the perfect gesture is to lift
the arms up in a prayer of gratitude and awe.
Hanumanasana
Come to Downward
Facing Dog position, inhale and bring the right foot forward to a lunge
position, with palms on the floor. Lower the left knee to the floor. Keeping
the palms on the floor, on an exhale, straighten the knee of the right
leg so the foot is flexed. The hips may need to be drawn back in order
to get the front leg straightened. Once the front leg is as straight as
possible, breathing freely and evenly, begin to slide the front leg forward.
At the same time, allow the back leg to straighten and move back.
The hips are to
remain squared to the front; avoid having the left hip turn out. Bring
the leg back after staying in the position for a while. Repeat on the
other side with left leg coming forward.
Be patient. It
usually takes a long time to master this position. Once you have attained
the straight legs position, with your buttocks on the floor, raise your
hands, fold them in front of the chest, and balance. Advanced pupils may
raise the hands above the head, stretch up, put the palms together, and
balance.
In Hanumanasana
the hip flexor muscles are being stretched as well as the hamstrings.
Hanumanasana is also a back bend, when the full position is attained.
Alignment
Notes and Common Problems
1. The chest
and the hips both face forward. The tendency is to have the hips turn
out. You will get lower down this way, but it incorrect alignment. It
is better to come up higher and work on squaring the hips so that eventually
you will master coming down lower, in the correct alignment, enabling
you to attain the full benefits of the pose.
2. Shoulders should
remain as relaxed as possible.
3. Breathing fully and
allowing the breath to flow through you smoothly and evenly is extremely
important. This position is challenging for most people. Holding the breath
in this position will increase the chances of injury. If the breath becomes
uneven and not calm, do not push deeper into the pose. Stabilize the breath,
then continue to work on the pose.
4. Make sure the
back foot is pointed and is in line with the back knee (not sticking out).
5. In the advanced
variation, when hands are above the head in prayer, the arms stretch back
behind the ears. Arms are long and active, fingers together; face and
gaze are forward.
Props
One can use
a folded blanket between the buttocks and the ground for added support.
Blocks can be used underneath the hands. The back foot can be flexed and
pressing into a wall. This allows one more control over the squaring of
the hips. Blocks can be used under the feet to help slide the legs into
the split, but only if one is almost in a full split.
General
Notes
1. It is normal
for it to be easier to go deeper into the pose on one side than the other.
2.
Some days you will be able to go deeper than on other days.
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