Position of the Week: Dhanurasana (Bow Pose)

Benefits: This pose strecthes the entire front of your body, along with your groin, thighs, ankles, throat and hip flexors.  It strengthens your back muscles, improves your posture, and stimulates your abdomen and organs.

There is a very specific reason why this asana seemed à propos for today.  This weekend, I ate like a pig.  Really, I couldn't fathom how I kept putting food in my mouth.  The worst part of it is that Easter wasn't the culprit (though I did indulge in a tasty veggie kabob on the BBQ).  I went to an engagement party on Saturday- an engagement party for an Italian wedding.  They sure do know how to feed you!  I had never seen so much food in my life.  Tomoatoes with bocconcini, bread, garlic bread, garlic bread with cheese, garlic bread with cheese and spinach, salads, three different kinds of pastas (which I thought was the main course)...and then they brought out the pizza, the most delicious thin crust pizza I have ever tasted.  Thankfully I'm vegetarian so I didn't indulge in the sausages and veal with prosciutto.  Oh, and they had about 12 platters of desserts, I'm not even joking.  Cupcakes with custard filling, date squares, brownies, six differents kinds of cookies, chocolate, sesame sticks, cannolis stuffed with custard, cannolis stuffed with ricotta filling...I was literally in a food coma by the end of it.  There was also a whole lot of wine, too.  Needless to say, my belly got quite the beating.  I'm glad I wore a dress that was loose-fitting around the belt area.  After such a glutenous feast, I wouldn't have been able to do yoga even if I tried.

So this week, it's detox time, and what better way to detox than with healthy food and yoga poses that will buck up your digestion.  This is why Bow Pose is the winner of the week.  It will kick your organs into gear and get the digestion ball rolling.  It will make you feel fantastic and rejuvenated.  I tend to get a little sweaty in it.  I'm sure I will have food leaking out from my pores, just waiting to be liberated from my body!  So for those of you who had a savory din-din this weekend, whether Italian or not, incorporate this asana in your practice- your tummy will thank you.

Namaste,
Lady Lotus