Yoga|PracticeDhanurasana:Arjuna’sBowAlannaKaivalya,Ph.D.5min.Oneofthemostgratifyingchallengesofhathayogaislearninghowourworkonthematcanbeappliedtoanyactionwetakeindailylife.Inordertoactconsciously—whetherinasanapractice,professionalendeavors,orinterpersonalrelationships—wehavetocarefullyexaminewhatwedoandhowwedoit.WecanlooktotheBhagavadGitaforwisdomontheyogaofaction,orkarmayoga,whichguidesustoapproachourworldlyworkwithone-pointedfocus,courage,andaspiritofselflessness.Arjuna,thedespondentwarriorherooftheGita,facesamoraldilemmaandacrisisoffaithashesurveysthebattlefieldbeforehim—thesiteofanimpendingwarwithhiskinsmenandthesymbolicfieldofdharma,orrightliving.TheconflictedarcherturnstoKrishna,hisdivinecharioteer,forcounsel.Krishnabeginsbyteachingthatitisimperativetoactinordertofulfillourdharmainthisworld.Butourveryactions,bothgreatandsmall,willbindusunlesswe approacheachdeedasaformofservice—anofferingtosomethinghigherthanourselves.Thekeytotransformingourdailyactivities,aswellasourlife’swork,intoaspiritualpracticeistocontinuallyletgoofattachmenttothefruitsofourefforts.AsKrishnainstructsintheGita:“Selfishactionimprisonstheworld.Actselflessly,withoutanythoughtofpersonalprofit”(3.9).“Everyselflessact,Arjuna,isbornfromBrahman,theeternal,infiniteGodhead.Brahmanispresentineveryactofservice”(3.15;translationbyEknathEaswaran).Inthisway,wesurrenderourindividualegotohigherConsciousness,alwayskeepingthegreatergoaloflifeinsightasbothatargetandaguide.Dhanurasanaencouragesapowerfulstretchalongthefrontofthebodyandadeepopeningattheheartcenter,whichhelpsyoucultivateanattitudeoffearlessnessandgrace.Thechallengingbackbenddhanurasana,orbowpose,offersanopportunitytoembodytheselflessspiritoftheinnerwarriorandapplytheseteachingsinyourpractice.Resemblinganarcher’sbow,thispostureencouragesapowerfulstretchalongthefrontofthebodyandadeepopeningattheheartcenter,helpingyoucultivateanattitudeoffearlessnessandgraceasyousetouttopursueyourdharmaandofferupthefruitsofyouractions.Inanticipationofdhanurasana,t