Yoga

The fundamental asana Virabhadrasana II harnesses the archetypal spirit of the warrior. In fact, many martial arts also contain some variation of the warrior pose. Remember that the greatest warriors combine power with compassion that flows from the heart.

Consciously expanding the chest stimulates the organs of the thorax, including the heart and lungs. This action illuminates the heart chakra—the energetic source of our emotions. In this Scientific Key, we illustrate some simple steps for opening the chest in Virabhadrasana II.