Urdhva dhanurasana or Wheel Pose

Sanskrit: urdhva dhanurasana                        Western Term: full wheel

Origin of Word

Urdhva = upward; dhanura = a bow

Type of Asana: backbend

How To:

1.     Lie on your back with both soles of the feet down and close towards the hips.

2.     Inhale to begin to lift the hips and chest up towards bridge pose. Bring the palms of the hands down, so the fingers face towards the back of the room.

3.     Press into your hands to lift up on to the top of your head (making sure not to crunch in your neck). While resting on your head with the hips up, plug the shoulder blades on to the back. Make sure all ten toes are facing forward with the thighs pulling in towards one another (without bringing the legs together).

4.     Press into your hands and lengthen the arms completely. Expand in the heart. Stay up for 5 to 7 breaths.

Body Points:            

*keep the legs straight until the very last moment; thighs stretching toward the hips

*keep strength in the arms, making sure the shoulder blades stay coming in towards one another on the back

*back of the thighs stay firm, yearning in towards one another

 Emphasized Body Parts: strengthens the arms, legs, abdomen, spine, AND gives you a boost of energy that may just be better than coffee. Also stimulates the thyroid and pituitary. Very theraputic for asthma, back pain, infertility, and osteoporosis.

Mental Achievements: improves respiration, energizes the nervous system, and counteracts depression with a powerful back arch. Helps to open your heart to love.

An aid for beginners: kramas or levels of a pose give us yogis with various levels options. For any given pose, there are various levels of difficulty. This krama that I offer is for beginners to the pose:

-       The knees and feet tend to splay as you lift into this pose, which compresses the lower back. In the beginning position, loop and secure a strap around your thighs, just above the knees, to hold the thighs at hip width and parallel to each other. To keep the feet from turning out, place a block between them, with the bases of the big toes pressing the ends of the block. As you go up, press the feet into the block.

For Advanced Yogis:

-once in the pose, lift your heels away from the floor pressing your tailbone toward the ceiling, and walk the feet closer to the hands. With the heels lifted, pump your heart towards the back of the room helping to deepen your backbend.

Chakra: heart chakra, 4^th chakra, symbolized by a twelve-petaled green lotus

It is located over the heart and lungs. Connecting to this chakra helps your heart soften and become more apt to embrace others.

Seed sound or bija mantra “yam” à repeat this word while in your 4^th chakra pose to help feel the power of love

Ancient Sanskirt Proverb: “It is called friendship, when seeing someone, or touching them, or hearing them, or talking to them, touches your heart. Otherwise it is just an acquaintance…”

Element: air

Favorite Tunes for the Pose: Michael Franti & Spearhead’s song, “Say Hey (I Love You)”

*DO NOT DO WHEEL IF: back injury, carpal tunnel syndrome, diarrhea, headache, heart problems, and high or low blood pressure

Full wheel energizes you and burns fuel. So, enjoy this healthy meal after an intense practice of wheel pose.

Ingredients:  1 ½ cups all purpose-flour, 1/3 cup vegetable oil, 1 cup white sugar, ¼ cup cacoa posder, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tsp distilled white vinegar, 1 tsp baking soda, ½ tsp salt, 1 cup water

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 9x5 “ loaf pan

2. Sift flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt together. Add oil, vanilla, vinegar, and water. Mix together until smooth.

3. Pour into prepared pan and bake at 35-degrees for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.

*This blog is dedicated to Dee Christian Farrell who requested more information on wheel pose and who I’m sure will ROCK this pose in the near future.*

Sources:

http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/473. Viewed 12/10/12.

http://tulaa7.com/chakra4-green.html. Viewed 12/10/12.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/vegan-chocolate-cake/detail.aspx. Viewed 12/13/12.