The popular and familiar yoga pose, Triangle (Trikonasa in Sanskrit), is one of the most difficult, strong, and stable poses among all.
Its three triangle shapes that you form from-- first with our legs and the floor, second, underneath the side of the body with the arm and front leg, and the third, connecting the top hand and two feet—are also the most mythical symbols of the trinity in nature, in spirituality, and in religions.
Triangle pose represents many sacred trinities in our world as well, such as the trinity of body, mind and spirit; that of earth, space and heavens; that of birth, life and deaths; and the Christian trinity of God as the Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
The Hindu trinity is of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. They are respectively the creator, preserver and destroyer of the universe. The trinity represents the Divine in its three fold nature and function. Each aspect of the trinity contains and includes the other. According to Puranas;
“A powerful demon named Mahishasura had wreaking havoc upon the gods and goddesses in the heaven, threatening to overthrow them. He managed to distract them constantly from their duties, turning their attention instead toward worldly and unlasting pleasures. Mahishasura’s depravity was distressing Shiva, Brahma, and Vishnu, the sacred trinity in charge. In an effort to overcome Mahishasura’s debauchery, the sacred trinity brought their energy together to create the great goddess, Mahamaya (means, great illusion).
A fierce warrior, Mahamaya and her trusty lion lunged at the evil demon. The wily Mahishasura transformed into different creatures to try to defeat them. Though his shape changed, his evil intensity stayed the same, and it became a formidable fight. Mahamaya’s lion swiped at Mahishasura’s chest, weakening him a bit. Mahamaya drew one of her endless supply of arrows and cry out and fall to the round. She promptly stood on top of him and used her scimitar to cut off his head, ending his evil reign. Having defeated the demon, Mahamaya restored light and grace to the heavens and to those who lived there.”
In this myth, the evil Mahishasura symbolizes the many distractions in our lives that pull us apart in many different directions. We are constantly running around, busy all the time, but unable to stay focus on one things or accomplish what is more important in life.
And the goddess Mahamaya symbolizes the triangle pose, the three gunas (Tamas, Rajas, and Sattva) or qualities that compose our bodies and minds.
Tamas guna, which arises from Shiva, is the quality of inertia or unconsciousness. It causes indifference and can have a destructive energy. Rajas guna, which comes from Brahma, is the quality of passion and creativity, which provides the creative energy we need for manifesting things. Sattva guna, from Vishnu, is the quality of lightness and consciousness, which is necessary to sustain harmonious living and maintain our enlightened awareness. These gunas come together to create maya, the world of illusion that we experience through our senses.
One of the aims of yoga practice is to invite as much clarity (sattva) in our lives as possible, while avoiding ignorance (tamas) and agitation (rajas). For that, we need the lion like fierceness and focus. The shape of a triangle is just that; groundedness, courage, precision and focus.
In my growing up years, I used to be quietly rebellious and feel sour with almost everything, anyone around me. A bit angular disposition in nature, you could say. But since doing Yoga, I got much softer over the years and rounder at the corners of my personality. Wiser, too! Now, I became more like a triangle; solid and stable at the foundation, while my views are always set to somewhere in the middle atop. I rarely lose my composure now, though still far away from full enlightenment.
The triangle pose also represent the Time. The past, future, and present moments are, like the Trikonasana, the trinity well rolled into one continuum. Whichever way you turn it around, they are of equal length. They can’t be separated because each depends on the others for existence and balance. And yet, we are so easy to over look this simple truth. We are constantly occupied with the past and future, while seldom lives in the present. So is it any wonder that we often feel as though we are missing out something important in life? That is why, I feel so liberating and yet grounded whenever I come into the triangle pose. I am at peace with the way I have lived thus far and where I am at for now, while looking forward to the years ahead, to more learning, growing and expanding experiences.
The practice of yoga aims to reach a state of pure goodness, in which all dualities are united in absolute harmony. All dualistic views about good and bad, pure and evil, right and wrong, etc, they are like the veils of goddess maya (illusion), preventing to see the truth behind, so that we can reside solely in our divine nature. In Triangle pose, we meditate on our solid foundation, reflecting what we need in order to live a more sattvic life so that we could leave the world of maya behind in times to come.
Thus, next time when you do the triangle pose, why don’t you press both feet (past and future) more firmly on the ground while relaxing your head to gaze upon your finger tips above (present)? Then you are entering into the realm of fullest possibility in your life’s manifesto. You will see, in instant, all limitation you have imposed upon yourself disappears, like the Mahishasura, in the brilliant lights of the goddess Mahamaya and rejoice the sweet victory …
