Uttihita hastapadasana: Raised hand-foot pose

I love this pose simply because it is a pose of pure strength and balance, two of my weak points. The strength is needed in the supporting leg (on the ground) and balance needed  when u lift up the other leg. To hold the lifted leg straight and out, u need to straigthen the standing leg by locking the knee, making all the muscles in the legs firm. Then u must firm up the lifted leg, ensure u are not bending at the knee. All these locks are subtle, but when u put them in place these can dislodge your balance. It is about being steady while actually acting -- stillness in motion... sheer poetry in a pose:)

So, because this pose challenges me everytime I do it, I love its message when I get it right..  And its message? It is as lover would say to u, those nice things that some other woman may need whispered into her ear by some man, to make her feel good -- I have no need of those any more,  because every pose whispers something special to me:) Something more definite, something more truthful than a man can ever say to any woman , then, that is a high ... Swatmarama who wrote Hatha yoga pradipika was named right-- one whose soul plays with itself:) That is what good yoga does to you --
So, one more pose, one more high, another zone, no one needed, just u, effortlessly being and growing ...
Happy sadhana!