A Poem for Humble Warrior

"To be humble is to open the fortress I have built around my heart and to release the prisoners of war that have been waiting patiently to be liberated from my muscles and bones." - Corie Feiner

Intention

After a month of traveling with my family in our Westy van, I humbly return to these pages and to sharing my yoga poems with you.

On the road we practiced yoga outside anywhere we could . This photo is not of Humble Warrior, but I wanted to share my yoga on the road experience with you.

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Behind the Poem

I love to hear the story behind the movie, behind the business, behind the product, or behind any book or work of art I see. What is the creator’s intentions? What is their inspiration? What is their struggle? In so many ways, every day is full of origin stories, heroes journeys, set backs and progress… we just don’t always see it until later down the road.

When writing Humble Warrior, I really had to think, what is it to be humble? I was amazed by how it seemed simple, yet elusive. I stood in Humble Warrior over and over again working to embody a strong warrior stance and yet a surrender-like bow at the same time.

If you are not familiar with Humble Warrior, here is a brief definition from tummee.com—

Humble Warrior by Lindsay Satchell

Baddha Virabhadrasana (Humble Warrior Pose)… is a forward bend with the hands in a baddha (lock). It is derived from the Sanskrit words, 'Baddha', 'Veera' and 'Bhadra' meaning bound, warrior and friend respectively. It is also referred to as the Bound Warrior Pose or the Humble Warrior pose, since it is a grounding pose with the hands in a bind.

On a spiritual level, it helps to draw the focus inwards, teaches students to surrender to the higher power or the divine...

Here is the poem I hope you can carry with you into your day—

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Humble Warrior

By Corie Feiner



To be humble is to be of this earth with its soil, 
water, and air along with its need to crack and shake
and break and burn and grow over and over again.  

To be humble is to stand in a way I have never stood before, 
to bind my arms behind my back as I bow as close
to the ground as I can, humble knowing

we have all won and lost so many battles and that one day, 
we will learn to stop fighting everything including 
ourselves, and that we will hold our legs steady even 
if they shake as we face everything we have ever feared 
and say, I am soil, I am dust, I am me, I am you. 

To be humble is to open the fortress I have built around 
my heart and to release the prisoners of war that have been 
waiting patiently to be liberated from my muscles and bones. 

I was taught to stand up for what I believe in, but maybe 
it is time to hold my legs strong and like a tree in a storm
to bow my head in reverence for all that is 
and all that is to come. 

 


* Sanskrit Name: Baddha Virabhadrasana

What does it mean to you to be humble to you?

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Audio for Paid Subscribers

For my dear paid subscribers, you can listen to me reading Humble Warrior by clicking here.

(This week, I shared two versions of the poem, one “poetic” and one “slam-ish.” I would love, love, love to hear what you think of both versions!)

For my other dear free subscribers, consider upgrading to paid. But if that is not in your script right now, no worries, I am grateful for you all!