Yoga Mythology

I have recently gotten back into yoga in order to get into better shape (I absolutely refuse to jog) and as a way to manage my stress and anxiety. While the yoga poses (asanas) aren't the only part of yoga, I thought it would be interesting to look into the mythology surrounding some of the asanas I do daily.

Virabhadra, known also as Warrior II pose, conjures up the warrior spirit. Born to Shiva, one of the most powerful Hindu gods, Virabhadra was a warrior who destroyed the ego in attempt to remind people to remain humble. Practicing this pose supposedly brings about the mind of a fearless warrior.

Matsyendra, or the Half Spinal Twist pose, symbolizes bringing the front and the back part of the body together, in other words the conscious and the subconscious. Matsyendra could have actually been a real person; he was thought to be an incarnation of the bodhisattva of compassion. In one myth he is swallowed by a fish and lives inside of it for 12 years. During this time he overhears Shiva's teachings and becomes enlightened. 

Trikonasana, or Triangle pose, is associated with "threeness" found in Hindu stories. Particularly the three gods Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva who are associated with creation, preservation and destruction. The trinity could also be the connection of mind, body and spirit that the pose helps to achieve.