MAN ON THE MAT with Ravi Dixit
Tandavasana (The Dance of Shiva)
This pose is inspired by Lord Shiva’s Tandava; the divine cosmic dance that represents the rhythm of the universe. In Hindu philosophy, Tandava is not just movement; it is creation, preservation, and dissolution happening all at once
BENEFITS
- Enhances focus and mental stability; maintaining this pose requires concentration, inner calm, and a meditative state of mind.
- Improves balance & coordination; holding the pose challenges your stability, enhancing neuromuscular coordination and awareness of body position.
- Calms the nervous system.
- Strengthens the legs, thighs and glutes and opens the hips.
COMMON MISTAKES & HELPFUL TIPS
It’s easy to lose your balance in this pose while twisting, this often comes from not being grounded or not bending the standing leg. To stay steady in this asana, take the following steps:
- Start with a strong base: spread your toes, press evenly through the heel, ball, and toes of the feet.
- Engage the core: draw your belly slightly in and up, so your spine feels long.
- Bend both knees slightly, not too deep.
- Lift the right leg up in front of you and then slowly twist to the left side.
- Once you’ve found your balance, place the left arm across the body in line with the right thigh.
- Place the right arm on the left wrist and make a jnana mudra with your hand.
- Once both legs and arms are in position, bend the standing knee a bit further.
- Keep your eyes focused on one point.
AWARENESS
- Imagine yourself as Shiva in balance, with the earth solid beneath you, the sky vast above, your body becoming a bridge between stability and flow, feeling both strength and grace in the posture.
- The focus in this pose is on Drishti; keep your gaze on a still point in front at eye level or slightly above, and on the Jnana Mudra, which enhances concentration.
- Tandavasana reminds us that endings are beginnings, just as Shiva’s dance clears the old to make space for the new.
Ravi Dixit is an Indian yoga teacher and founder of Ravi Yoga Retreat, living between London and Goa. He is passionate about making traditional yoga understandable for everyone.
Visit: ravi.yoga or connect on Instagram @raviyoga_goa
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