SkiptocontentBlogHomeYogaSequencesYogaAnatomyTeachingAdviceYogaPosesMenuBlogHomeYogaSequencesYogaAnatomyTeachingAdviceYogaPosesSearchYogaPoseNotebook:Natarajasana(KingDancerPose)JasonCrandellThisiswherethesubheadgoeswherewetalkabouthowyouneedtodoyourresearchandtwootherthings Ifyou’vespenttimepracticingwithme,youknowthatIliketoorganizeposturesintocategories.Sorry,I’maVirgo.I’malsofromtheMidwestwhichiswhyI’mapologizingforsomethingIdon’tneedtoapologizefor.Inmydefense,Patanjaliwasanorganizerandlistmaker.SowastheBuddha.I’mingoodcompany.Naturajasanafallsintothebackbendingcategoryinwhichthearmsarereachingoverheadandholdingthefoot/feet.NotablemembersofthisfamilyincludetheOne-LeggedKingofPigeonpostures(EkaPadaRajakapotasanapostures),theridiculouslydifficultarmbalancenamedKapinjalasana,andHand-to-FootBoatPose(PadangusthasanaDhanurasana).So,yeah,thisposegroupisdifficult.Writingassomeonewithamortal’sbodywhocan’tdirectlyholdmyfootinANYofthesepostures,Iamthankfulthatthey’reallhighlyaccessiblewithastrap.Infact,thesearemyfavoritebackbendstopractice,andI’mconvincedthatIfeeleverybitasgoodintheseposturesassomeonewhocanholdtheirfootwithoutastrap(or,atleast,that’swhatItellmyselfwhileIcrymyselftosleep).SeealsoBackbends:WhenandWhytoEngageYourGlutesOneThingtoKnowAboutNatarajasanaThisentirefamilyischallenging,butNatarajasana’sdifficultlystandsout.Infact,ahighlyskilledandcapablestudentinmyrecentworkshopinCopenhagenaskedmewhyshewasn’tabletodoNatarajasana,eventhoughshehaddeepbackbends.Thisishowtheconversationwent(withafewembellishmentshereforyourentertainment):Student:Whycan’tIholdmyfootinNatarajasana,whenIcanholdmyfootinsimilarpostureslikePigeonPose?Me:You’renotspiritualitypureenoughandtheonlywaytoburnthenecessarysamskarasistoprovideyourteacherwithsignificantcashdonations.Student:No.Me:OK.There’sanotherreason,andit’ssimple.IfyouhavetheflexibilitytoholdyourfootinPigeonPose,youprobablyhavetheflexibilitytoholdyourfootinNatarajasana.Thechallengeisthatit’smuchmoredifficulttoaccessyourflexibilityin