Karen Watson Reeves demonstrates Hero Pose in front of Lauray’s The Diamond Center. Photo by Fred Padilla.
By Karen Watson Reeves
[Contributor’s note: 2025 columns will feature locally established businesses of over 12 years as the setting for the yoga pose.]
I can only speak for myself, but by the time February arrives, I am done with gloomy, dark, damp, dreary, and COLD winter. I am anticipating the thaw of spring and the coming of color and sparkly, sunny, shimmery things. So, sitting and breathing and meditating can help keep me in the moment and remind me that winter too shall pass.
Hero Pose is often used as a seated meditation pose, but it is not for the faint of heart or painful of knees. It looks deceptively simple, but many intense things are happening in this posture.
Placing the knees together strengthens the muscles around the thigh to the feet. The muscles of the hips are stretched and strengthened. As the pose is held, the spine is lengthened.
Keeping the spine upright brings greater focus of posture and improves mental focus for breathwork and meditation. Practicing the pose with the knees and ankles flexed brings good stretching of the quadriceps.
Do be mindful of your knees as you attempt and practice this pose. Sitting on a block or blanket can help.
Even if diamonds are not your best friend, probably you appreciate colorful, pretty, lovely sights to behold. Hero Pose gives you a chance to be your own hero by focusing on your inner strength. And you might just be someone else’s hero if you stroll into Lauray’s for a little something sparkly and shimmery.
{Lauray’s The Diamond Center is located at 402 Central Avenue in downtown Hot Springs and is celebrating its 100th anniversary!}
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. Please find more information about her studio and her schedule of classes at www.theyogaplacehs.com.
