As we age there is a sense of something being taken away, something that we once had being lost to us. In a word that might be ‘youth’. And with youth comes vitality, strength, beauty.
The changing body
In perimenopause, we feel our bodies differently. Joints may ache, our skin thins and wrinkles and fine lines appear on our face, and auto-immune conditions may present. All of these are happening to me.
So I thought, damn that. I’m not going to let my bones wither away, my skin become lacklustre, my health decline. So, among other things, I took myself off to a personal trainer and I have reinvigorated my personal yoga practices, of which breathwork is so beneficial to me.
Feel powerful and strong
My personal trainer has me doing what I thought I would not be able to do at this stage of life and I feel strong, powerful, beautiful and capable. This work with my trainer combined with a yoga asana to build my focus, stamina and radiance is a game changer for me. I’m experiencing the lightness and vitality of my younger self. Perhaps she has always been there waiting for me to lure her out again.
Accessing the lightness, strength and vitality within is spilling over into all parts of my life. I am putting myself into situations I wouldn’t normally, feeling how capable I am in those situations and knowing I’ve always been capable. The younger self says so.
I want you to be a warrior too. I’m sharing here with you the yoga asana I do that builds my focus, stamina and radiance. It is called Archer Pose (picture above). It develops strength in the quadriceps and the core. The legs and knees are strengthened. The asana develops the 3rd chakra, the strength of will and courage. It can be a challenging asana, but 11 minutes of this pose on both sides you can build up to over time. You may not enjoy the posture (especially initially) but you will certainly enjoy the results.
Instructions for the Archer Pose
Bring the right foot forward so that the feet are 2-3 feet apart. The right toes face forward while the left foot comes to a 45 degree angle, with the heel back and the toes forward. The left leg stays straight and strong as the right knee bends until the thigh is almost parallel to the ground (do not let the knee go beyond the toes); tuck the tailbone.
Curl the fingers of both hands onto the palms, thumbs pulled back. As if pulling back a bow and arrow, lift the right arm up, extended forward parallel to the ground, over the right knee. The left arm, bent at the elbow, pulls back until the fist is at the left shoulder.
Chin in, chest out. Feel the stretch across the chest.
Eyes stare beyond the thumb to Infinity.
Practice for 3 minutes each side, while slowly building up to 11 minutes each side.
Benefits of the Archer Pose
- Fixing our attention on the pointed thumb develops our ability to focus.
- Letting our gaze move to the horizon and beyond opens our consciousness to the unknown. It is important to note that in Archer Pose our arrow and gaze are toward the horizon, which is the exact point where physical and non-physical realities meet.
- Keeping the soft tension across the chest opens the heart chakra.
- Archer Pose strengthens the aura and builds a golden, radiant body into a powerful presence.
Rachael Lowe.
Aging. Body Health. Mental Wellbeing. Yoga Women’s Health.
