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Dhanurasana

Sandra Anderson

In dhanurasana we stretch the front of the body open by drawing the feet up

behind us, and this creates energy that floods the body when we release the pose.

This feeling that we are awakening a flush of power through the body only comeswhen the subtle dynamics of the pose are worked correctly, and when the bow is drawn

eenly through the torso. As in other backbends, if the bend in the bow comes only in

the lower back, much of the power of the posture is lost!and the arrow falls flat, far

short of the target.

To aoid this problem, and to train the body to work properly in this and other

backbends, start with the rudiments of the posture in the form of a series of half bows.

"ot only are the ariation a good preparation for the full ersion, they can also replace it

if you are bit stiff or e#perience lower back problems. These ariations are one$legged,

so they can be used to ad%ust imbalances if strength and fle#ibility are noticeably different

from one side of the pelis to the other. As most of us are at least slightly asymmetrical

in the pelis, you may benefit from the ariations een if you are well$practiced,especially on days when you are particularly tense or after a long hiatus from your

regular practice.

Dhanurasana is one of best postures for stimulating the nael center and

alleiating digestie disorders. It strongly affects the lier, pancreas, kidneys,

reproductie organs, and eliminatie organs. &hen properly done, the nael center

becomes the center of attention in this pose as the upper and lower torso lift away from it

and the weight of the body presses the abdomen into the floor.

Half bows

1A

'ecause stressing the lower back is the most common pitfall of all back$bends, it can be

particularly problematic in the bow pose when the tendency to strong$armyour way into the

posture takes oer. If you tug on the feet with the hands to lift the legs and bend in the lumbar

spine instead of smoothly lengthening through the upper spine and thighs, you are initing

problems. It is important to keep the focus of the bend distributed through the length of the spine

instead of allowing it to concentrate in the lower back. This dynamic can be most easily

e#perienced by first working with the thighs on the floor.

(ie face$down on the floor, feet together and e#tended straight back. Aoid rolling the

feet in or out. )old the left arm under the face so the elbow is directly in front of the shoulder

and the forearm is s*uare to the chest. +ress into the forearm to draw the chest and head forward

and up. )eel the upper spine lengthening and the chest opening so that only the lower ribs rest onthe floor. "ow bend the right knee and point the foot toward the ceiling. eep the front of the

hipbones and the pubic bone pressed firmly into the floor, the thighs s*uarely on the floor and the

shin perpendicular to the floor. eep the straight leg reaching away from the pelis and s*uare to

the floor.

-each back with the right hand and grasp the ankle. S*uare the shoulders to the front,

broaden through the front chest, and draw the shoulder blades down. At the same time, lengthen

the right thigh.

eep the knees together or slightly apart and the foot straight. "otice as you lengthen the

thigh that the foot pulls against the hand, further opening the shoulders and chest, and the lower

back stays long as the arch of the backbend moes up the torso. This is the feeling youll want in

all the ersions of dhanurasana!a feeling of e#tension and opening through the entire front side

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of the body, from the knee to the to of the head. It is achieed by stretching down and back with

the legs and up from the center of the chest.

1b

"ow release your hold on the ankle and fold the right arm in front of you. Then

reach behind and across the body with the left hand and grasp the right ankle. Agains*uare the upper body to the front, and lengthen and s*uare both thighs and feet. /ne of

the common problems in dhanurasana is that the knees are spread too wide. 0ou will

find it easier to keep the knee aligned properly and the lower back broad in this opposite$

hand$to$foot ersion. It is easy to pull on the knee at an angle which strains the %oint, so

in all ariations make sure you feel no pain in the %oint. -epeat these two ariations with

the left knee fle#ed.

1c

"e#t try holding the ankle with both hands. This ariation will help you with the

alignment in the lower body and accentuate the opening in the chest. )rom either of the

aboe positions, lift the chest and bring the other hand to the ankle. +ull the shoulderblades down and lift the sternum as you press the ankle into the hands by lengthening the

front of the thigh.

2a

"ow that we understand how to lengthen the thigh and the front of the body in the

bow, we are ready to intensify the pose by lifting the thigh. Try each of the following

ariations on both sides!same$side$hand$to$foot, and both$hands$to$one foot.

-emember to keep the thigh lenghtening away from the center of the body een as it lifts.

This will translate into pressing the ankle into the hand, drawing the arms back, and

opening the shoulders and chest. At the same time, lift the chest and head up and then

back.

eep the following in mind1 the knees are hip$width apart or slightly wider, the

leg on the floor is strongly e#tended, both thighs are directly parallel to the floor, the feet

are at right angles to the shin 2not rolled in or out3, the shoulders are pulled down, and

there is no pain in the knee or in the lower back.

'y now you are probably feeling the need for a counterpose to release the effort

of backbending. 4ome into the childs pose for a few minutes or roll onto your back and

draw the knees into the chest. The downward$facing$dog pose is also a good counterpose

if it is comfortable for you. &hen the back is rela#ed and rested, try the full bow pose.

3a dhanurasana

/nce again start face$down on the floor. +ress the pelis into the floor and the

lower back into the body. (engthen the thighs as you bend the knees. eep the knees

about hip$width apart and the thighs on the floor.

Then draw the shoulders down and back and lift the head and chest. -each back

with the hands and grasp the ankles. If necessary turn the torso to one side to catch hold

of the ankle. Then s*uare the torso to the front and make sure the thighs are long and

e#tending straight out from the hips 2)ig. 5a3. Stay here for a few breaths, consciously

widening the lower back, pressing the front of the pelis into the floor, and lifting the ribs

away from the abdomen, which is also pressed into the floor.

"otice as you work to draw the legs out of the pelis that the ankles press into the

hands, drawing the shoulders back and lifting the chest. "ow draw the bow more taut bylifting the thighs and pushing the feet up 2)ig. 5b3.

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Inhale and lift the chest, then lift the legs a little higher as you e#hale. Inhale and

lift the chest more. 4ontinue lifting and breathing. (ift from the inner thighs to keep the

knees in proper alignment. Take the head back to look at the ceiling only if you can do

so without discomfort in the neck and without scrunching the shoulders. 6old as long as

you can fee the pose growing, then e#hale and gently release.

3c

/nce you are comfortable in the basic bow posture, you many want to play with a

few other options. Try holding opposite ankles with the hands 2)ig.5c3. 7etting into this

ariation is a bit awkward. eep the legs actie and the feet moing away from each

other once you catch hold of the ankles. /therwise you end up with the ankles crossed

instead of the wrists.

The ariation has the adantage of bringing the legs closer together, opening the

lower back, and correcting any tendency to slay the legs out and compress the lower

back. It also intensifies the stretch to the shoulders, so if you find the knees and lower

back are problems for you, practice this handhold and notice the satisfying realignment in

the pelis and legs.

4a b

As mentioned earlier, dhanurasana is an e#cellent posture for stimulating the

nael center and alleiating digestie disorders. &ith the weight of the body pressing the

abdomen into the floor, the breath massages the abdominal organs!the inhalation tends

to lift the torso as the diaphragm presses into the floor.

0ou can emphasi8e this effect by taking a deep breath as you draw the legs up and

back. &ith a deep e#halation the chest drops down and the pelis lifts slightly. The net

effect is a gentle rocking along the length of the abdomen. As you inhale, the torso lifts

and the pubic bone presses into the floor 2)ig 9a3: as you e#hale, the legs and pelis lift

and the base of the ribs and upper abdomen press into the floor 2)ig. 9b3. (et the

moement be drien entirely by the breath. It may be ery subtle, especially if you are a

bit stiff. Aoid pulling on the feet or throwing the head forward. The lower back and

knees should remain comfortable.

4c

A way to massage the abdomen in a different direction is to roll from side to side

in the posture. Inhale and lift, and roll gently first to the right, e#hale back to center, then

inhale and roll to the left 2)ig. 9c3. 0ou can also hold the pose while you take a few

breaths on your side, en%oying the breath which is now unrestricted by the floor. Again

make sure you maintain the dynamics of lengthening and e#pansion to keep the lowerback from becoming compressed.

&ith regular practice, dhanurasana will soon become a faorite in your arsenal or

postures!one of the best for transforming inertia and sloth into itality and for shooting

an arrow at the target of e*uanimity.