BHARADVAJASANA
A seated pose dedicated to one of the great seven sages or rishis (accomplished or enlightened beings) from the epic story of the Mahabharata.
Stage 1
Let’s start with a textbook pose:
Sit with back erect and legs straight out in front of you as in DANDASANA bend both knees so they point to the right while taking the feet to the left. Scoop up the left ankle with the sole of the right foot as shown.
Raise the left arm up, exhale and twist the trunk to the right, bring down the left-hand palm to the floor.
Take the right hand behind you to clasp the left arm and look over the left shoulder.
Maintain the pose, breathe normally and consider the ‘balance’ in the pose
On an inhalation return to the first position and repeat to the left side.
Stage 2 Bharadvajasana
Now let’s strip it back a bit:
Sit with your right side about 50cm from a wall. Now find and ground both sit bones, therefore take a block and/or blanket and ensure both buttocks have contact with the support particularly the left one.
Next see that you can really lift the spine from so it feels erect and turn on the left sit bonelike a spinning top, taking both hands to the wall.
Lengthening the diaphragm up from the belly, open up both sides of the waist and expand the chest.
Ensure the shoulders stay down away from the ears as you do this.
Maintaining this lift take the left palm onto the right thigh and draw yourself further into the twist.
Pause here, then take the right hand behind the waist and reach for the left arm, you may need a belt to help catch and clasp here
Finally look over the right shoulder, maintain the pose, breath normally for 1 minute and reconsider the ‘balance’ in the pose.
Revisit each stage to release the pose then repeat on the left side.
Stage 3
To progress let’s return to STEP 1 but scoop the right foot up onto the sole of the left foot, you may still need some support from a blanket or block to level-up the right sitting bone.
BENEFITS of Bharadvajasana 1
This pose tones the complete spine including the neck joints and muscles. Massages and stimulates circulation to the abdominal organs, especially the kidneys, endocrine glands, adrenals, pancreas, larynx, heart and gonads.
Therefore, it is generally good for urinary disorders, digestive complications, diabetes and arthritis.
Any questions you may have in practising this please ask your teacher.
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