The Myth of Hanuman, Remembering Divinity

Theme: Hanuman is the monkey god in Indian Mythology. He was born to Vanara parents, a race of ape like beings with human intelligence and civilization and was an incarnation of Shiva and Shakti. Shiva wanted to help Rama, the seventh Avatar of Vishnu help slay Ravana the terrible demon, so he decided to be a monkey. Shakti decided to be the tail. So Hanuman is known for being a diety of service or Seva.

He is particularly interesting because the supreme consciousness as Shiva and Shakti chooses to manifest as a supporting character to help out in the story instead of as the center of attention. So too the divine supports us every day in small ways if we tune in to become more away of those times when it reaches out to assist us.

Centering: Think about the people and moments when the world has reached out to you. Hold them to your heart. Tap into the universal (back body) and shine out through the heart.

Surya Namaskar x5 with no lunge:

Hanuman was a disciple of Surya, the sun, during his early life and he gives his energy freely to others just as the sun does. It’s said that Hanuman himself created Surya Namaskar the yoga sun salutation.

Surya Namaskar x5:
High Lunge – low cobra
Parsvottanasana – drunken cobra
Trikonasana – wide armed cobra
Iguana – feet dhanurasana
Low Lunge – ankle dhanurasana

Handstand 1 minute timed at the wall
Pincha Mayurasana 1 minute timed at the wall

Neighbors supporting hands/arms:
Vrksasana – leg out - timed one minute each side
Warrior III – timed one minute each side

Vayu the god of wind carried the seed of shiva and shakti to be born in the Vanara queen who was praying to Shiva for a son. So Hanuman also is technically a child of the wind god and has the power to fly when he is born. Just like Hanuman we support our neighbors.

Hanuman gets captured by Ravana and his demons set Hanuman's tail on fire, so he stretches his tail out so that it doesn't burn his body. Engage the toes like the flaming tail, stretch through the heal away from your body. Release after 1 minute, put out the fire.

The hero Rama rides into battle against Ravana the demon riding on the back of Hanuman.

Shoulder Stretch @ wall
Vasisthasana/ Wild Thing (level II option)

Be wild like the Vanara. Be a little wild like a monkey.

Child’s pose
Downdog, leg up and stack hips, bend knee (monkey tail over to touch neighbor behind you) then ab work knee forward to right then left elbow alternating with breath.

Standing Splits @ wall
Ardha Chandrasana

Hanuman carries a mountain from the Himalayas back to save a friend who needs special herbs atop the mountain (he doesn't remember which one is needed so he brings the whole thing). So like Hanuman, we endeavor to move mountains in the service of others.

Supta Padangusthasana
Hanumanasana

Hanuman was mischevious during his childhood so the other gods placed a curse on him so he would only be able to use his powers when reminded of them. Jambavantha reminds Hanuman of his abilities and encourages him to go and find Sita. The specific verse that is recited by Jambavantha is:

You are as powerful as the wind
You are intelligent, illustrious & an inventor
There is nothing in this world that’s too difficult for you
Whenever stuck, you are the one who can help.

Eye of Needle
Happy Baby
Savasana
Nadi Shodhana, in honor of Hanuman the mythic inventor of Pranayama

Closing: Remember that the divine is always supporting us (nishprapanchaya). I honor the teacher in each of you.

Concerns: Didn't have time for Parivrtta Ardha Chandrasana, so I'm going to do it next week. The room was very cold so we ended up doing twice as much warmup as originally planned. I'm going to start planning very vigorous workouts for the beginning of class to compensate for the cold. The ceilings are very high and the windows were open from the previous class...they must have been freezing.

Success!: Everyone I spoke with enjoyed the class. Very good feedback. They enjoyed the timed poses and the extra work. I feel like I'm making progress in designing sequences. I promised the students a flow class (where all the poses in the sequence flow concurrently uninterrupted from beginning to end). They had a previous teacher to taught Ashtanga in the same time slot so I'm going to design a similar flow sequence appropriate for the level we usually see in the class and teach that next time.