Nataraja asana

Posture:		Nataraja-asana The King of the Dance Pose
Translation:		The Sanskrit word nata means dancer and raja means king. Nataraja is another name for Shiva, the Lord of the Dance, whose cosmic dance is the creation and destruction of the world.
Pronunciation:		nah-tah-raj-ah-sa-na
Difficulty:		(3)

The Lord of the Dance Posture (Nataraja-asana) Instruction:

1		Stand with the feet together and the arms by your sides (see the tad-asana).
2		Inhale and bend the right leg backward grasping the left foot with your left hand while simultaneously extending the right arm straight out in front.
3		Continue raising the right arm upward until it is about 45 degrees from the floor while lifting the left leg as high as possible with the left arm.
4		Hold the posture while breathing gently through the nostrils. Keep your gaze fixed slightly above the horizon.
5		Remain in the nataraja-asana for about one minute then return slowly to a standing position. Repeat by reversing directions 2-4.