Meaning behind the pose: Urdvha Dhanurasana (also known as Upward Bow Pose)

Social media is full of impressive yoga poses that, let's be honest, often resemble the shapes of pretzels. It's often hard to imagine how your body could resemble any of these poses - or asanas - but with practice and patience, you can achieve thisFlexibility and stretchesyou desire while at the same time avoiding injury. What's important is that you don't put too much pressure on yourself to replicatethe poses we see on Instagrambut to take advantage of the rejuvenating effects these poses have on the body when performed well over time. Sometimes this means practicing for months, if not years.

When it comes to aspirational yoga poses,Urdvha Dhanurasanaor “upward bow pose” as it is translated, is up there, along with handstands and Hanumanasana, also known as the splits. These poses are often the stars of the show, attracting non-yogis to the mat with the promise of allowing them to bend and balance in whole new ways, and encouraging experienced yoga practitioners to maintain a practice that makes these asanas accessible. Urdvha Dhanurasna is part of the traditional Ashtanga yoga primary sequence (in which the pose is often referred to as “Chakrasana,” which literally means “wheel pose”). It is a challenging pose that requires both strength and flexibilityPatience and preparationalso.A physical yoga practice offers us the opportunity to get to know our body in a different light and on a deeper level. It offers us a sense of inner and outer strength and empowerment and it also offers us many life lessons. If you've ever pushed yourself too hard into a pose or attempted a challenging pose without preparing your body first, you know that patience, humility, and non-attachment to the outcome are just a few of the keys to being able to practice challenging yoga poses comfortably and safely. Read on for five tips for working toward Urdvha Dhanurasna:

Just start

To be confident in a challenging backbend, we must first become comfortable in relatively accessible postures. Practice postures such as Bridge Pose, Cobra, Upward-Facing Dog, Virasana, Deep Lunges, and Ustrasana (Camel Pose), as well as supported Reclined Virasana. All of this will help get your body and mind used to backbends and the challenge of opening tight hip flexors and pectoral muscles. Include these postures regularly in your practice and use props wherever you need them. Supporting a block or pad under the back can work like magic to open up the chest and heart space.

Consistency is key

A yoga practice once a week is a wonderful thing, but very often we notice the real benefits when we match it with a meditation practice or physical sequence. While it's not necessary to practice physical yoga poses every day (meditation and simply practicing being present and peaceful in the world are forms of yoga!), if you can practice working toward one asana, aim for three on three. Five times a week your body begins to adapt and change. How we spend most of our day can also have an impact. If you want to work toward a back bend, make sure you keep your chest open and your spine elevated throughout the day rather than hunching over your laptop. If your hip flexors tend to be tight, sit on the floor to work, use bolsters to support you, or take a coffee break instead of sitting down for long periods of time.

Do the prep work

Practice and prepare confidently for backbends with props like a(link removed)or a(link removed)to expand and support.

Preparation is key for any challenging pose. Apart from remaining consistent, we can incorporate some specifics to open and prepare the body for Urdvha Dhanuarasna. If you want to prepare a sequence to approach such a “peak pose,” consider which parts of the body need to be lengthened or released and which parts need to be strengthened or stabilized. This pose requires the wrists, shoulders, chest, abdomen, hip flexors, and thighs to be lengthened, while the spine must be mobilized to create an even, spacious arch, and the legs, arms, and spinal muscles must be lengthened strongly. Be sure to warm up your wrists, practice with the help of props if necessary, and think about the poses you can include in your sequence as you work toward Urdvha Dhanuarasana (note: they were mentioned in Tip 1!).

Breathe and be calm

Our breath always communicates with our nervous system. When we breathe short and shallow, it signals to the body and brain that something is wrong and we experience a stress response. When we are stressed, our muscles are more tense and any position we are in is considered unsafe. However, being able to breathe in a calm, slow rhythm is like telling our nervous system that everything is fine and the posture we are in is a safe place. As you practice your backbends, be sure to pay attention to your breathing, especially as you move into more challenging postures.

Practice non-attachment

While the spiritual text of theYoga Sutrasfocuses primarily on the functioning of the mind and the path toSamadhior 'bliss', there are many verses that can provide guidance on how we practice physically too. Verse 1.2 speaks ofAbhyasaandVairagya,A concept that teaches us to focus on the moment and not on what we could achieve from it.Abhyasarefers to a consistent and careful practice that we commit to even in difficult times.Vairagyarefers to “non-attachment” and can even be translated as “dispassion,” meaning that whether our practice is fruitful or not should not be our only concern. When we focus too much on the end goal, we miss the opportunity to be present for the journey and all we learn along the way. Don't get caught up in the end result, just enjoy your practice and be consistent.

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