warrior is more than a pose



This blog post was written by Elizabeth and posted on December 17, 2009 at 11:32 am

warrior pose
"Warrior is more than a pose". These are the words that Scott Anderson, lululemon athletica ambassador in Cherry Creek North, Denver, Colorado, lives by.

When I first began my yoga practice two years ago I was only focused on one simple thing: keep my balance during Warrior I and Warrior II. I also only saw my yoga teacher as an assistant, someone who could help adjust my position.

It wasn't until I started practicing yoga more frequently and listening to each teacher's story that I was able to gain a deeper understanding of what exactly yoga is and how it can influence our lives (not to mention achieving a more stable Warrior pose).

To Scott Anderson, our ambassador in Denver, Colorado, yoga means more than just holding Warrior. It means to be present in your life, your community and your world. He believes that yoga is an ongoing invitation to find something that you truly believe in and fight for it.

"Pick a fight," Scott's latest t-shirt says. Not a fistfight, a fight for something you believe in. Scott's fight is showcased through Warrior Academy, the website he founded to bring light to his belief that our lives have value when we are willing to give back and fight for a cause. Warrior Academy is also a tool to give each of our intentions a voice and share our passionate fights with each other.

Scott's ongoing fight 'off the mat' is to raise awareness and funds for Safe House Denver, an organization that helps women and children overcome domestic violence. I was lucky enough to join him on a tour of Safe House and got to see his yoga lifestyle in action beyond the studio walls.

yoga pose
Scott hosts an energetic yoga event each month to benefit Safe House Denver.

Scott is not only an amazing yoga teacher and important part of our lululemon community, but a Warrior Recruiter. He's recruited me to think about what it is I want to fight for. What am I passionate about now that I will continue to fight for in 10, 20, 30 years?

My fight: Breast cancer awareness and prevention.

What are you fighting for?

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13 Comments »


I love the idea of being a Warrior for your cause. I started running marathons a couple years ago for Team Diabetes, raising funds and awareness while promoting a healthier lifestyle that can prevent many cases of the disease.
I like the look of how Scott’s tattoos almost seem to blend in with his shirt. Very cool.

Comment by Brian — December 17, 2009 @ 1:00 pm


Scott sounds like such an amazing person… and I love his Warrior Academy! Your post really made me think about what I stand for and believe in… and what I can do to help. Thanks for the reminder! Love your post, welcome to the team!

Comment by Marisa — December 17, 2009 @ 1:16 pm


Very inspiring, and beautifully written. It really makes you think… (c:

Comment by Kates — December 17, 2009 @ 2:47 pm


Fantastic Post! I believe that being “present” in everything you do is so important, especially in a culture that is ok with constant “multitasking”. Well done, Liz!

Comment by Mel @ this girl and that guy — December 17, 2009 @ 3:19 pm


Very inspiring, couldn’t agree more.

Comment by Matt — December 17, 2009 @ 7:40 pm


Being passionate about causes, situations or events gives life value. Days pass quickly and without a passion (interest) for something, your life will slip away. Take time to smell the roses, but make certain you are helping others, which is where happiness really finds root. Well done!

Comment by Tom — December 21, 2009 @ 11:13 am


Scott has been a fantastic advocate for SafeHouse Denver. If you’re interested in learning more about the work that we do, please visit http://www.safehouse-denver.org.

Comment by Ashley — December 22, 2009 @ 9:34 am


This is why I love yoga instead of dreading it the way I sometimes do other exercise. It trains both your body AND mind to function better. I remember I was in class once and we were holding some tough pose for what felt like FOREVER. The instructor told us to say to ourselves, “I will stay in this uncomfortable position for just a little while longer.” I use that trick ALL THE TIME now, whether I’m in yoga class or a hard personal or professional situation. It really helps me stay focused and realize that nothing difficult lasts forever. After reading this post, I’ve got another way to link a yoga pose to real life. :)

Comment by Brady — December 29, 2009 @ 11:16 am


Warrior I Pose

Virabhadra’s Pose is also known as the Warrior Pose (there are three variation of Warrior, of which this is customarily numbered 1). It may seem strange to name a yoga pose after a warrior; after all, aren’t yogis known for they’re non-violent ways? But remember that one of the most revered of all the yoga texts, the Bhagavad-Gita, is the dialog between two famous and feared warriors, Krishna and Arjuna, set on a battlefield between two great armies spoiling for a fight. What’s really being commemorated in this pose’s name, and held up as an ideal for all practitioners, is the “spiritual warrior,” who bravely does battle with the universal enemy, self-ignorance (avidya), the ultimate source of all our suffering.

Step by Step

Stand in Tadasana . With an exhale, step or lightly jump your feet 31/2 to 4 feet apart. Raise your arms perpendicular to the floor (and parallel to each other), and reach actively through the little-finger sides of the hands toward the ceiling. Firm your scapulas against your back and draw them down toward the coccyx.

Turn your left foot in 45 to 60 degrees to the right and your right foot out 90 degrees to the right. Align the right heel with the left heel. Exhale and rotate your torso to the right, squaring the front of your pelvis as much as possible with the front edge of your mat. As the left hip point turns forward, press the head of the left femur back to ground the heel. Lengthen your coccyx toward the floor, and arch your upper torso back slightly.

With your left heel firmly anchored to the floor, exhale and bend your right knee over the right ankle so the shin is perpendicular to the floor. More flexible students should align their right thigh parallel to the floor.

Reach strongly through your arms, lifting the ribcage away from the pelvis. As you ground down through the back foot, feel a lift that runs up the back leg, across the belly and chest, and up into the arms. If possible, bring the palms together. Spread the palms against each other and reach a little higher through the pinky-sides of the hands. Keep your head in a neutral position, gazing forward, or tilt it back and look up at your thumbs.

Stay for 30 seconds to a minute. To come up, inhale, press the back heel firmly into the floor and reach up through the arms, straightening the right knee. Turn the feet forward and release the arms with an exhalation, or keep them extended upward for more challenge. Take a few breaths, then turn the feet to the left and repeat for the same length. When you’re finished return to Tadasana.

Comment by Ashley Alcala — December 30, 2009 @ 11:07 am


Warrior I Pose

Virabhadra’s Pose is also known as the Warrior Pose (there are three variation of Warrior, of which this is customarily numbered 1). It may seem strange to name a yoga pose after a warrior; after all, aren’t yogis known for they’re non-violent ways? But remember that one of the most revered of all the yoga texts, the Bhagavad-Gita, is the dialog between two famous and feared warriors, Krishna and Arjuna, set on a battlefield between two great armies spoiling for a fight. What’s really being commemorated in this pose’s name, and held up as an ideal for all practitioners, is the “spiritual warrior,” who bravely does battle with the universal enemy, self-ignorance (avidya), the ultimate source of all our suffering.

Step by Step

Stand in Tadasana . With an exhale, step or lightly jump your feet 31/2 to 4 feet apart. Raise your arms perpendicular to the floor (and parallel to each other), and reach actively through the little-finger sides of the hands toward the ceiling. Firm your scapulas against your back and draw them down toward the coccyx.

Turn your left foot in 45 to 60 degrees to the right and your right foot out 90 degrees to the right. Align the right heel with the left heel. Exhale and rotate your torso to the right, squaring the front of your pelvis as much as possible with the front edge of your mat. As the left hip point turns forward, press the head of the left femur back to ground the heel. Lengthen your coccyx toward the floor, and arch your upper torso back slightly.

With your left heel firmly anchored to the floor, exhale and bend your right knee over the right ankle so the shin is perpendicular to the floor. More flexible students should align their right thigh parallel to the floor.

Reach strongly through your arms, lifting the ribcage away from the pelvis. As you ground down through the back foot, feel a lift that runs up the back leg, across the belly and chest, and up into the arms. If possible, bring the palms together. Spread the palms against each other and reach a little higher through the pinky-sides of the hands. Keep your head in a neutral position, gazing forward, or tilt it back and look up at your thumbs.

Stay for 30 seconds to a minute. To come up, inhale, press the back heel firmly into the floor and reach up through the arms, straightening the right knee. Turn the feet forward and release the arms with an exhalation, or keep them extended upward for more challenge. Take a few breaths, then turn the feet to the left and repeat for the same length. When you’re finished return to Tadasana.

http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/1708

Comment by Ashley Alcala — December 30, 2009 @ 11:08 am


WARRIOR IS A HERO

(veer-AHS-anna)

vira = man, hero, chief
Step by Step

Kneel on the floor (on a folded blanket to pad your knees, shins, and feet if necessary), with your thighs perpendicular to the floor, and touch your inner knees together. Slide your feet apart, slightly wider than your hips, with the tops of the feet flat on the floor. Angle your big toes slightly in toward each other and press the top of each foot evenly on the floor.

Exhale and sit back halfway, with your torso leaning slightly forward. Wedge your thumbs into the backs of your knees and draw the skin and flesh of the calf muscles toward the heels. Then sit down between your feet.

If your buttocks don’t comfortably rest on the floor, raise them on a block or thick book placed between the feet. Make sure both sitting bones are evenly supported. Allow a thumb’s-width space between the inner heels and the outer hips. Turn your thighs inward and press the heads of the thigh bones into the floor with the bases of your palms. Then lay your hands in your lap, one on the other, palms up, or on your thighs, palms down.

Firm your shoulder blades against the back ribs and lift the top of your sternum like a proud warrior. Widen the collarbones and release the shoulder blades away from the ears. Lengthen the tailbone into the floor to anchor the back torso.

At first stay in this pose from 30 seconds to 1 minute. Gradually extend your stay up to 5 minutes. To come out, press your hands against the floor and lift your buttocks up, slightly higher than the heels. Cross your ankles underneath your buttocks, sit back over the feet and onto the floor, then stretch your legs out in front of you. It may feel good to bounce your knees up and down a few times on the floor.

http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/490

Comment by Ashley Alcala — December 30, 2009 @ 11:25 am


Great post! I am getting ready to run my first marathon in Disney on January 10th (with a half marathon the day before). I am doing it as a personal goal as I am in the midst of my mid-life crisis. I was never a runner before and just took it up 2 years ago. I write this to inspire other lulu ladies to try something that scares them. The Goofy scares and thrills me all at the same time. Wish me luck!

Comment by Diana — December 30, 2009 @ 1:40 pm


Have to say this is one awesome piece of artwork. Love the derringer slipped into the garter!!! Hats off to the lady and the artist both!

Comment by tattoos finder — April 19, 2011 @ 5:01 pm


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