Lord of the Dance Pose comes from the Sanskrit word "natarajasana "with nata meaning   dance, raja meaning lord or king and asana meaning pose. 

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Natarajasana is a balancing asana that requires strength, flexibility and mental control. It involves the use of muscles of the back, shoulders, arms, hips and legs as well as requires a lot of concentration to maintain the balance. 

 

This asana requires stillness along with the effort of the many muscles involved. As it requires some hip flexibility you might find that it is easier to perform this asana on one side than the other. 

 

It is good to focus on one point to maintain the balance and hold it only for as long as it is comfortable for you without overdoing it. Remember to keep the knee in and avoid letting it go out to the side. It's also important not to lean forward too much in the pose. Rather, extend through the spine and kick up the back leg with the help of the arm. 

 

Benefits:

 

• Strengthens the back, shoulders, arms, hips and legs

• Opens up chest and shoulders

• Tones up the abdomen

• Improves concentration and coordination

• Helps develop a sense of balance

• Improves body posture

 

Contraindications:

 

•  People suffering from high blood pressure

•  Knee injuries

•  Sciatica or hernia

 

This pose is a great reminder to keep our heart open and to keep calmness and inner peace to maintain balance and stability. 

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This is one of my favourite poses as it brings a lot of stillness into my mind while the body is challenged.