Hanumansana is an advanced yoga pose dedicated to the Hindu god Hanuman. It offers a deep stretch to the lower body and represents devotion, but can also cause frustration and self-doubt. Variations are available for beginners.
Hanumansana is a yoga asana pose inspired by and dedicated to the Hindu god, Hanuman. Asana refers to any pose in which a person remains perfectly still in one position for long periods of time. It is one of the most advanced yoga positions that connects the physical with the mental and emotional.
The Hanumanasana pose is performed on the floor and resembles a straddle. One leg faces forward, with the foot pointing up, while the other leg faces behind. The arms can be placed in several positions, but the two most common are together in front of the chest or above the head in the temple position. Your chest and hips should face forward, which will also give a deeper stretch.
The Hanumanasana offers the poser a deeply balanced stretch through the lower body that many other poses cannot achieve. It naturally offers a deep stretch to the hamstrings, especially for the front leg, and a deep stretch to the lower back and groin. The position is not considered at its greatest achievement until the spine is fully stretched and lengthened, supporting the position. This creates the balance between the challenging position and the fact that no force is imposed on the body.
Variations of the Hanumanasana are available for anyone who has joint problems or simply has trouble getting into the position. A soft towel under the rear knee and front heel help relieve any pressure. Blankets tucked under the pelvis can also help beginners who have trouble getting all the way down on the floor. Half splits where only the front leg is extended and the back leg is slightly bent also help prepare beginners who want to achieve this pose.
Hanuman is a monkey-faced Hindu god who was dedicated to Lord Rama and his wife Sita. The Hanumanasana pose represents a great leap that Hanuman made coming from India to Lanka for Sita. The pose is thus called the monkey pose and it represents not only the giant leap of him, but also the great devotion of him.
Although the pose represents emotions of devotion, it is not the only emotion felt by a person attempting the pose. Often when attempting the pose for the first time, feelings of frustration and self-doubt can arise. This is usually followed by feelings of deep connection to the Inner Self, then complete relaxation and release once the pose is mastered. It may take some time to reach the final stages due to the difficulty of the Hanumanasana.
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