Create miracles in your life with Sagittarius-inspired yoga | Om Yoga Magazine

Like an archer drawing back the string of her bow with her eye on the target, yoga teaches us to set our intention. When we practice yoga, we consciously direct our intention toward a chosen object. Even though our mind wanders in all directions, we continue to bring our attention back to a fixed point, such as the flow of the breath, sensations in the body, or whatever we have been focusing on during that session. This concentrated narrowing of our attention leads to an expanded, spatial state of consciousness.

Sagittarius is a mutable, positive fire sign, ruled by Jupiter. The symbol is the centaur, with bow and arrow. In Rome, the constellation Sagittarius was associated with Diana, the goddess of the bow. Sagittarius colors are purple and deep blue. Keywords are broad, deep and free range.

Sagittarius inspires us to learn more about the skills and discipline of archery, some of which are similar to the skills we cultivate in yoga, such as balancing effort (sthira) and relaxation (sukha). It can be fun to choose asanas inspired by archery imagery. Try combining the arm movements of drawing your bow and releasing an arrow with familiar poses such as the Lunge Pose (Anajaneyasana) and warrior pose (Virabhadrasana). Or explore the tightness of the archer’s bow through Bow Pose (Dhanurasana). In the Sagittarius exercise in my Yoga through the stars book, the affirmation we use is: My intention is clear and opportunities arise.

The fire of Sagittarius is the purifying, blue fire at the heart of the flame. In the Northern Hemisphere, the dates of Sagittarius correspond with the entry of winter, so this blue flame image, when introduced into a meditation, can be a way to bring light into the darkness.

The rule of Jupiter gives the sign a jovial, cheerful appearance. The breathing and smiling meditationadapted from mine Yoga through the stars book, reflects the cheerful, optimistic nature of this sign.

The breathing and smiling meditation

Find a comfortable position, sitting or lying down. Become aware of the natural flow of breathing. Imagine something or someone that makes you laugh. Maybe it’s one of your children, or a grandchild, or pet, or best friend. Let your lips relax into a smile; notice how a smile relaxes your facial muscles. Imagine the smile spreading through your body; your eyes smile; the back of your throat laughs; the smile spreads across your chest; your stomach laughs. If a part of your body needs rest, imagine that part of your body relaxing and smiling.