Empower Your Inner Warrior

The Bhagavad Gita, the best known of all the Hindu scriptures, teaches that if we wish to find the peace of yoga, we must be prepared to fight the battle of life. In theory this is great advice, but what do you do on those days when you don’t feel brave, life seems scary, and you just want to hide under the duvet?

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I'd suggest that a great way to find the courage to come out from under the duvet is to tap into the wisdom of yoga inspired by the zodiac sign Aries. It’s the perfect way to empower your Inner Warrior, reignite your fiery energy, and reconnect with your assertive, courageous and confident self.

I’m Jilly Shipway, author of the Yoga by the Stars book, and I’ve developed a method of creating yoga practices that are inspired by specific zodiac signs but are designed to be used by everyone. So, remember, you don’t have to be an Arian to benefit from the Aries-inspired yoga that I'll be sharing with you in this article.

For astrologers the cycle of the twelve signs of the zodiac begins with Aries (March 20–April 19). It’s the ignition key of the year. In the Northern Hemisphere it corresponds with the beginning of spring. The Aries glyph (symbol) represents the ram’s horns. Traditionally ram’s horns were used to blow away the old year to make room for the new. This is a time of new beginnings, which makes Aries a great place to start our zodiac yoga exploration.

Aries is ruled by the warlike planet Mars. Its element is fire and its colour red. In the Aries-inspired yoga practice in the Yoga by the Stars book, we use poses such as the Warrior Pose (Virabhadrasana) to build up strength and courage. We fire up our intentions by chanting the seed mantra Ram, associated with the solar plexus chakra (manipura), and the development of personal power. At the same time as we fire up our courage, we also connect to our loving self with the affirmation: I am filled with love and courage.

Yoga inspired by Aries puts fire in your belly. It ignites a creative spark within. We are fired up and we live our life with passion. We love, we care, and we are prepared to fight for what we believe in. We are spiritual warriors, both on and off the mat.

The parts of the body associated with Aries are the head and the adrenals. The mental energy required to assert ourselves and take action can lead to restless, agitated states of mind, with adrenalin pumping through our system. It’s the same energy we see in the headstrong ram of Aries. Our challenge is to use this surge of energy to achieve our goals while at the same time not getting swept away or overwhelmed by it. We can use yoga’s relaxing and restorative practices to help ride this wave of energy, calm a restless, overactive mind, and stay grounded and connected to the earth beneath our feet.

Zodiac Yoga Inspired by Aries.

Some things are worth fighting for, and yoga is one of them. Your first warrior act might be to fight for the time and space to practice. To defend your right to take some time for yourself. And to fiercely guard that precious time.

Below are some Aries-Inspired Meditation Questions, adapted from my Yoga by the Stars book, to help you to connect with your inner warrior. You could integrate the questions into your journaling practice, turn them over in your head on a meditative walk, meditate upon a question whilst staying in a yoga pose, or simply read them through before bed and trust that your subconscious mind will come up with some insightful answers whilst you sleep.

What qualities would I possess if I were a spiritual warrior?
What do I consider worth fighting for in my life?
Which yoga poses help me build courage?
How might my meditation practice assist me in developing the qualities that would help me to live more courageously?
How would my life be different if I were able to say no and mean it?
What would I like to welcome into my life and say yes to?

Yoga perhaps conjures up for you an image of relaxation and escapism. However, yoga isn’t simply an abstract concept of “love”, it is also a force that inspires you to stand up and fight for what you believe in. It gives you the strength to persist, the armour to protect you from life’s blows, and the inner wisdom of the warrior. You can discover more about the amazing connection between astrology and yoga on my website, www.yogabythestars.com

OK, it’s time to come out from under the duvet now!