In honor of our veterans, Karen demonstrates Upward-Facing Dog Pose at Veteran’s Memorial Park in Downtown Hot Springs. Photo by Fred Padilla.
By Karen Watson Reeves
This month I’m getting right into the physical benefits of the pose because they are significant and Upward-Facing Dog (often shortened to Up Dog) is a strong pose. Up Dog opens the chest and collarbones, counteracting the rounding of the spine that happens as we sit at a desk or slouch frequently throughout the day.
Abdominal muscles are stretched. The cervical and thoracic spine is expanded and the muscles are contracted in the lumbar spine, helping all the back muscles stretch, and become stronger. The wrists are strengthened and arms are toned. Up Dog offers a deep backbend, helping to improve posture and perhaps relieve moderate back pain.
In the mythology of yoga, there is a story about a dog that I’d like to share as quoted in the Yoga International publication. Following a battle, the five Pandava brothers, who did not choose the war, but were obliged to fight to defend their people and uphold their dharma (right conduct), set off walking toward the mountain of Heaven, led by Yudishthira, the oldest brother. A dog joins them and refuses to leave.
One by one Yudishthira’s companions fall along the way until he and the dog are the only ones to reach Heaven’s gate, where he is told that the dog cannot enter. Yudishthira argues, “This dog is devoted to me. He had many opportunities to leave, and he did not. It is wrong to abandon one who is devoted to you, one who is terrified, or one who needs your protection. We have comforted each other on this terrible journey, and as he has been loyal to me, I will not abandon him now.”
It is then revealed that the dog is an incarnation of Dharma itself, which is not just an abstract principle, but a model for embodied action.The qualities of loyalty, love, and persistence of the dog in the story are not unlike our country’s veterans, whom we celebrate in November and to whom we should be grateful every day of the year.
The setting for this month’s photo is at Veteran’s Memorial Park and the quote moved me to find a pose to use for this month’s edition. Upward-Facing Dog is a strong pose and cannot remotely be compared to the strength of our United States Veterans. Be grateful for your own strength and be grateful for our valiant veterans. We thank you for your service.
Karen Watson Reeves has called Hot Springs home since 2006. Owner of The Yoga Place, at 301 Whittington Avenue, she became a registered yoga/children’s yoga teacher in 2011. When not on the mat, Karen enjoys the beautiful outdoors of the National Park, especially from her bicycle. For more information about her studio and her schedule of classes, visit www.theyogaplacehs.com.
