Dr. Ronald Steiner
Virañcyāsana A1: Posture of Virañcya
Mythology: Virañcya is an epithet of Brahmā. Mythologically, Brahmā embodies the creative impulse: from the unformed, form arises; from possibility, a world emerges. This quality fits as an image for a posture that can initially seem very complex: You bring order to complexity by bundling breath, alignment, and concentration so that something still unstable—something “in the making”—becomes steady.
In the traditional count: Begin directly from the hold in “Downward-Facing Dog” of the previous sequence.
Vinyāsa 7 – Inhalation, exhalation, inhalation:
From “Downward-Facing Dog,” push off as you inhale. Glide forward and up into a balance on the hands. During the exhalation, keep your legs firmly together and draw them straight through between the arms. Finally, inhale into a seated staff pose with the legs extended.
Vinyāsa 8 – Exhalation, inhalation, 5 breaths:
As you exhale, fold your left leg into Half Lotus. Inhale and bring your right leg over the right upper arm and then behind your head. Complete the posture by bringing your hands together in front of the heart. Stay here until the fifth exhalation.
Tip: As in Pūrṇa Matsyendrāsana: first touch your navel with the heel of the left leg before placing the foot into Lotus. This helps you position the foot high in the groin, and the movement of the right leg does not create extra leverage on the left knee joint. Then press the top of the left foot from the inside against the base of the right thigh: this stabilizes the left knee and simultaneously creates space in the right hip joint. In this way, you can often place the right leg behind the head surprisingly easily.
In the traditional count: From here, the vinyāsa continues directly into the next posture.
Effect: Virañcyāsana A1 primarily demands hip external rotation, hip flexion, and clean knee/ankle alignment in Lotus. When built properly, it trains concentration and body control. But be careful: without adequate preparation, the load quickly ends up in the knee or the lower back
Fotograf: Richard Pilnick - www.richardpilnick.com
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