YOGA: Lion and Hero Poses

Yoga’s lions and heroes


Have you ever thought of yourself as a hero? How about a lion? Both are associated with bravery, but in yoga, you don’t have to be courageous to be either…

Yoga
Lee Kennedy

Lion Pose (Simhasana)
So focused are we on our backs and our limbs, we can forget to exercise our chest and face. The Lion Pose (Simhasana) described below is a great way to relieve tension in both. An often-overlooked benefit of Simhasana is that it stimulates the platysma – a flat, thin, rectangular-shaped muscle at the front of the throat. The platysma, when contracted, pulls down on the corners of the mouth and wrinkles the skin of the neck. The Lion Pose  helps keep the platysma firm as we age. According to several sources, the pose is also useful  for people with bad breath or for those who stutter.
The Lion Pose is great for ‘clearing the air’, so to speak, and can be practiced at or near the beginning of an asana or pranayama practice. Sukhasana, the seated pose covered in my last article, can be practised before this one.

>  Kneel on the floor, crossing the front of the right ankle over the back of the left. Sit back onto the top (right) heel.
>  Press your palms firmly against your knees. Fan the palms and splay your fingers like the sharpened claws of a large feline.
>  Take a deep inhalation through the nose. Then simultaneously open your mouth wide and stretch your tongue out, curling its tip down toward the chin, open your eyes wide, contract the muscles on the front of your throat, and exhale the breath slowly out through your mouth with a distinct ‘ha’ sound. The breath should pass over the back of the throat.
>  Cast your gaze (drishti) at the spot between the eyebrows. This is called ‘mid-brow gazing’ You can roar two or three times. Then change the cross of the legs and repeat for the same number of times.

If you find the leg position described above to be uncomfortable, simply sit in Virasana (described below). If you have a knee injury you can sit on a chair.

Virasana – Hero Pose
The simple Hero Pose has many benefits. It’s wonderful for stretching out the thighs, knees and ankles, strengthening the arches, improving digestion and relieving gas, relieving the symptoms of menopause and reducing swelling of the legs during pregnancy (through second trimester). It is also therapeutic for those suffering from high blood pressure or asthma.

>  Kneel on the floor on a folded blanket with your thighs perpendicular to the floor. Bring your inner knees together. Slide your feet apart, slightly wider than your hips, with the tops of the feet flat on the floor.
>  Exhale and sit back halfway, with your torso leaning slightly forward. Wedge your thumbs into the backs of your knees and draw the skin and flesh of the calf muscles toward the heels. Then sit down between your feet.
>  If your buttocks don’t comfortably rest on the floor, raise them on a block or thick book placed between the feet.
>  Make sure both sitting bones are evenly supported. Allow a thumb’s-width space between the inner heels and the outer hips.
>  Lastly, place your hands on your thighs, palms facing down.

At first stay in this pose from 30 seconds to one minute. Gradually extend your stay up to five minutes.

Contraindications and cautions
>  Heart problems
>  Headache
Practice this pose lying back on a bolster.
>  Knee or ankle injury
Avoid this pose unless you have the assistance of an experienced teacher.

Working in this pose
Clasp your hands, extend your arms forward (perpendicular to your torso and parallel to the floor), turn the palms away from your torso (so the thumbs point to the floor), then raise the arms on an inhalation perpendicular to the floor, with the palms facing the ceiling. Stretch actively through the bases of the index fingers.

If your ankles are painful in this pose, roll up a blanket and place it underneath them before you sit back.