Virabhadrasana 1

Not that you did not already know,  but it is cold out there campers!  Why not warm up with Virabhadrasana 1 (Warrior 1). 

One of my teachers is back from Pune and the first class I took from her was standing pose week.  Now,  if you have taken an Iyengar class you know that you have to be able to endure the aches and pains of holding your arms up a long time.  I always tell students if you cannt hold your arms up in standing poses,  how else will you ever be able to do the more difficult poses like Adho Mukha Vrksasana or Chaturanga Dandasana?  We did Virabhadrasana 1.  Not just once, but twice,  actually 4 times if you count going into Vira III right afterwards!  I really was not sure how I was going to hold up. My arms were shaking, my belly was shaking from trying as hard as possible to keep that pesky tailbone in and down.  She even came over and smacked my thoracic and took my head back, classic move after being in India for a month.  After we were done with the pose,  I thought to myself, I did it.  I am still alive.  I am still breathing,  my neck is ok, my back is ok.   This pose can teach you so many lessons about yourself.  Are you willing to do the grunt work to make the pose feel better?  Are you going to give up halfway because you think your arms cannot even bear one more minute of this?  I will give you this challenge today,  go do the pose 2 times. Take a timer in with you.  Start at 30 seconds on each side, do not come out.  Notice what happens in your body. Does your mind give first or your body.  After a couple weeks of doing this for 30 seconds add on time until you get up to a minute on each side.  You will not be cold anymore,  but you will be stronger not just physically but mentally.  Afterwards give yourself the gift of legs up the wall and a savasana.