Beginner-Advanced Yoga, Learn Dancer Pose For MindBodyGreen

Dancer pose (Natrajasana) has always been one of my favorite yoga poses representing grace incarnate. Dancer is aesthetically beautiful to the eye and amazing in how it demands both strength and flexibility in every aspect of the body, mind, and spirit. Additionally, a complex standing one-legged balance and back bend combined, dancer serves to both ground one’s being as well as to uplift it. When I first mastered dancer pose, I felt the perfect balance in my state-of-being, which in yoga, is called sattva. Sattva is the quality of existing in harmony with yourself and the world around you, when the body, mind and spirit achieve a sense of homeostasis, neither striving, nor being over-stimulated, too ambitious, inert, lackadaisical, and distracted.

There are many different stages of dancer pose for the beginner to the advanced yoga student. Practice safely and watch yourself evolve! What seems to be impossible in yoga can often prove to be possible through a devoted and consistent practice and with the guidance of a knowledgeable teacher. I hope you enjoy the video and please feel free to ask many questions.

This was originally posted for Mindbodygreen.com

Benefits of Dancer Pose

Tones the muscles of your legs and strengthens the ankle, knee and hip joints
Stretches your hip flexors
Engages and tones your calves, hamstrings and gluteus muscles
Opens your shoulders, chest, biceps and triceps
Lengthens your quads
Enables you to back bend bringing movement and mobility to your spine
Focuses your mind enhancing your ability to concentrate
Stabilizes your breath and as the intercostal and abdominal muscles begin to extend, increases your breath capacity
Grounds you psychologically and emotionally
Develops heat in your body
Uplifts your spirits