Hanuman is the monkey god who represents devotion, service, faith, and fearlessness. Hanuman is the faithful devotee of Lord Ram. When the two met for the first time they instantly connected, Hanuman promised he would never leave Ram’s side, and Ram trusted him completely.
Ram’s wife, Sita, was known for her beauty and heavenly qualities. It was not long before she was kidnapped by the evil demon Ravana, and taken to his island kingdom of Lanka. Ram had to lead his troops to protect his land so he sent Hanuman in his place to rescue Sita. Hanuman had no idea how he would do it, but he knew he must. His love and devotion for Ram was enough for him to overcome any fears he had about his own abilities. When he reached the coast, with his unwavering faith, he gathered up enough energy to propel himself into the air and soar over the sea toward Lanka. He found Sita and promised her that Ram would soon rescue her. Ram eventually brought the war to Ravana’s doorstep, defeated the demon, and Sita was saved.
Hanumanasana, split pose, represents the monkey god leaping over the ocean toward his destiny. He let his faith and devotion for Ram fuel his bravery and fearlessness allowing him to overcome any obstacles that came in his way.
Practicing hanumanasana represents taking a leap toward our own destiny. As we have devotion to our own heart, we take a leap of faith to pursue our dreams. Hanumanasana presents us with difficulty and challenge, but in service of our heart we work through the threshold of not giving up when times get tough. We persevere in service to ourselves and to the things we want in life.
Just like Hanuman did not know how he would complete the task of finding Sita, you do not always know where the road may lead, all you know is that you have to go. With devotion to your dreams, faith in yourself, and service to your heart, you take the leap of faith and you will land exactly where you need to be.
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