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Nata means dancer and raja is the word for lord or king. Shiva is the King of Dancers. This pose reveals Shiva's attributes. Shiva represents transformation or change. He represents movement as in the process of creation, preservation and dissolution. He represents the dance of our lives, the changes, illnesses, relationships, the emotions, etc. Shiva is the divine dancer who animates the universe; he dances the cosmos into and out of existence. We can experience movement within Natarajasana. When we hold the hand to the foot we create a complete circle of birth, life and death. Through the dynamism of this pose, we experience expansion, growth, the ability to change to become open hearted, courageous and fearless. In this graceful, elegant pose we feel as though we're dancing. Shiva is also the deity of stillness, meditation, calmness, introspection and peace. Practicing this pose provides an opportunity to find the stillness within the motion. Because it's such a challenging balance, one must cultivate a quiet and focused mind. In order to remain still and balanced we must be completely present. Natarajasana is a balance between stillness and motion. The stillness speaks of peace and poise that lies within us all at the center. The intense motion is an intimation of the fury and ferocity, the vigor, which fills this universe. It's the idea that in the middle of this wild dance of the universe we discover stillness. In the midst of his wild dance, Shiva's head is balanced and still, his expression, calm and serene, he's in perfect equipoise. So, in this pose we stand strong and tall, balanced, poised and serene. Because it's a standing pose, we become strong, increase our stamina, and learn alignment. The backbend expands our hearts and opens up to our true nature. It teaches us who we really are; it reminds us that we are Shiva. Begin by standing in tadasana strong and stable and still. Place your feet together with big toes touching and heels slightly apart. Bend your right knee, reach back with your right hand and take hold of the foot. Exhale and press the heel toward the seat. Keep the knees as close together as possible. By lengthening the right knee to the floor and dropping the tailbone down, you will feel the stretch in the front of the thigh. Work to flatten out the whole front of the upper thigh, meaning there is no crease in the hips. Take several breaths in the position to stretch this area. Feel the left foot firmly rooted to the earth, pressing down especially in the entire inner edge of that foot. This is your grounding, the place to connect to the stillness, the place from which upward movement can come. Shiva represents that upward movement, he represents our higher self, our higher consciousness and to know and become Shiva we must begin with this firm grounding. So, ground the entire surface of that foot and work to maintain a very straight standing leg. Lift up just above the knee-cap, and engage the quadricep muscles. Draw the navel toward the spine. Inhale and raise your left arm up and on a diagonal. Keep the arm very long, extending fully through the fingertips. Fold the first finger into the thumb as a representation of our smaller self, surrendering to higher self, Shiva. Take your right ankle with your right hand and slowly and steadily on an inhale begin to draw the right foot up and away from the body, eventually bringing the right thigh parallel to the earth. The right shoulder will begin to draw back, resist this temptation; bring the shoulder forward. As you raise the right leg, try not to let the right hip come up. Breathe several deep breaths here. Allow this deep backbend to work the entire spine. The lower back will naturally most of the bend because it's the most flexible, but think of breathing space between each vertebrae lengthening it to prevent crunching the lower back. Stretch the spine's front as well as the back; feel the chest expand, but don't allow the ribs to jut out too far. Lift the chest upward and feel the expansion. Allow yourself to feel the confidence of an expanded chest. Feel your heart open, let Shiva in. Feel the opposition of the right hand reaching back as the left arm reaches forward. Continue to breathe and gaze toward the fingers of the raised arm. If you find yourself losing your balance and falling out of the pose, that's perfectly fine. Shiva represents change, so when we fall, we are allowing for the continuous fluctuations of the body and mind. Don't fight them, just ease your focus back to the practice and try again. Again ground your left foot down and make sure to keep your standing leg very straight. Trust your strength, balance and grace, find the peace in the knowledge that you are divine. Release after several breaths.
For beginners: ...Or... Lie on the floor on your abdomen. Stretch the left arm forward, fingertips reaching long in front of you. Bend the right knee and reach back with the right arm and take hold of the right ankle. On an inhale lift the left arm and draw the right heel away, causing the right thigh to lift off the floor as in Dhanurasana (bow pose). The navel presses into the floor as does the left thigh. Try not to let the right hip lift too high off the floor, instead the movement stems from the thigh. Relax the shoulders. Breathe several breaths here, then release.
For advanced students:
With strap: Benefits:
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