Feature Posture

Dandayamana-Dhanurasana


What does Dandayamana-Dhanurasana mean?
In Sanskrit, it means Standing Bow Pulling.

Posture number 5, the beautiful bows you may see in class; students using their body like a bow strung and drawn by an archer. This posture is the perfect example of the tourniquet effect in yoga, because it transfers the circulation from one side of the body to the other, and then equalizes it-circulating fresh blood to each internal organ and gland to keep them healthy. When doing this posture, half the body is fed with 5 to 10 times more blood, nutrients, and oxygen than needed.

This posture firms the abdominal wall and upper thighs, and tightens upper arms, hips and buttocks. In addition, it increases the size and elasticity of the rib cage and the lungs. It also improves the flexibility and strength of the lower spine and of most of the body's muscles. Standing bow also helps to develop balance and improves flexibility in the hip joints and shoulder joints. This posture encourages breath awareness and control.

Finally, like balancing stick, bringing the heart down parallel to the floor results in opening the four chambers of the heart as well as the coronary arteries that supply oxygenated blood to the heart muscle. However this is done more gradually than balancing stick; therefore, as the effect is not as intense as the latter posture, it can be sustained for a longer period, unlike balancing stick which requires a burst of energy and is completed very quickly.

*The most important component as for all postures is the form and the set up. In the beginning, be patient, you need to work on a solid foundation. Lock your knee, level your hips, and then drop your raised knee toward the floor. In addition, you must stay in control; use the power of your kick to do the work.

• When did you attend Teacher Training?
  I completed my training spring 1999.

• What are your hobbies and do you have any related education?
  I play piano, love to read, love practicing yoga, enjoy traveling to near and far destinations, love to cook, and have a great passion for learning.

• What is your favorite posture and why? Least favorite posture?
  Most favorite: I love standing head to knee and standing bow pose because they are fun and feel so good in my body.
  
  Least favorite: Rabbit would be my least favorite. But I really love all the postures. After a while it doesn't matter whether you like or dislike a posture, you just do it because you know all the life renewing benefits that come with it.

• What was your most memorable class and teacher?
  Bikram, Bikram, and Bikram! I love that man! During my teacher training we had Bikram teach us everyday. It is not like that anymore because he is so busy traveling around the world. We were very lucky for all that time with him-it was a great foundation for my teaching and practice.

• When did you attend Teacher Training?
  Fall 2000.

• What is your favorite posture and why? Least favorite posture?
  Most favorite: Toe Stand with sound effects is my favorite.
  
  Least favorite: My least favorite would be the 1st part of Awkward.

• What was your most memorable class and teacher?
  The yoga expo that took place September 2003 at the LA convention Centre that Bikram taught with 5000 people.

• What else do you do? Any other comments you would like to add?
  I was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan and then moved to Vancouver when I was 21 years old. Since then, I have become a Canadian citizen and I really love Vancouver; its paradise compared to Detroit. I love eating at my favorite restaurants such as Tojo's, Nat's, BBQs and kicking back and relaxing in the sunshine. Other than yoga, I am an actor and musician. I play the guitar and am a songwriter. I've been working really hard on this record "Strummin" that will be for sale this month at my studios.

Jessica Chang is 16 years old and had recently competed in the 5th Western yoga championships and won second place in the female youth division.

• What is your home studio?
  Kits.

• When did you start practicing Bikram Yoga? How often do you attend class?
  2 years ago and have been doing it almost everyday.

• What benefits have you noticed in yourself that you believe are a result of your practicing yoga?
  Well... I was a very inflexible person that I couldn't touch my fingertips to my toes. I remember when I was little, I would bend forward and get stuck half way and I would be swinging my arms while my sister was doing full locust beside me (she did ballet). But now I'm the most flexible person in my family!
  
  They found out that I have scoliosis when I was 9, so I have been wearing a back brace ever since. It's horrible. I couldn't participate in a lot of sports because I have to keep my back straight at all time and I couldn't run because I couldn't breathe deep enough in my brace. After doing yoga, I learned how to breathe deeper everyday. One day, I jogged 2k without stopping and I was really proud of myself. Umm... These are just some benefits that I've noticed. You can actually write a whole essay on this question.

Contact us at one of our 3 studios: Cambie @ 604.876.YOGA - Alberni @ 604.662.7722 - West Broadway @ 604.742.3830