Learning the Shivanata Arm Positions

The Dance of Shiva (also called "Shiva Nata") is a movement practice that improves coordination and body awareness, equalizes mobility between left and right sides of the body. It also trains the brain.

Basic Positions

Shivanata has 8 basic positions for each arm, four vertical and four horizontal.

In the horizontal positions the palm faces horizontally upwards. The horizontal shivanata hand positions are called 1, 2, 3 and 4.

In the other four positions the palm faces vertically outwards. The Vertical hand positions are called A, B, C and D.

The important thing about these hand positions (both for brain training and improving coordination) is that they are all easy define and easy to distinguish from each other.

Position 1

Position 1

In Hand Position 1 your elbow is at shoulder height and is bent 90 degrees. Your wrist should also be bent ninety degrees so that your palm is horizontal.

Ooops, that's not quite the way it looks in the picture!

As you can see my elbow is a little higher than my shoulder and my forearm is less than vertical. But at least I'm smilling!

When doing shivanata hand position 1, try pushing your shoulder forward slightly with respect to your ribcage. Try to lift your chest as well.

You can make your neck feel longer by pulling your head back and up and your chin slightly in. This may make it easier for you to lift your chest.

Overall, work at making your ribcage and shoulder feel open.

Position 2

In Position 2 your hand is just above your belly button but your finger tips do not cross your body's center line.

Well, my middle finger does, but just a little. This is more important when both hands are in position 2. When practicing the movements with one arm at a time it doesn't matter if you cross your own center line.

Point your elbow straight out to the side. You may notice that your shoulder rolls forwards slightly when you do so. That's fine. Try keeping your chest open.

Position 3

In Position 3 try to make your forearm vertical and keep your hand at belly button height. Again just like me in the picture!

As you can see my elbow is nearly straight and I have to roll my shoulder forwards a lot to do this position.

This position can be a little bit uncomfortable. Try to relax your palm and fingers while making them horizontal at the same time. Also remember, when you are doing the dance you don't actually hold the positions, or if you do then it is only briefly while you figure out where you are going next.

For this position you may find it helpful to drop your chest slightly.

Position 4

Finally, in position 4 have your hand at the same height as in position 1, or a little higher. Position your hand so that your finger tips are over your head without crossing your center line. For all other positions you can look at your hand easily. For this position, even if using a mirror, try to feel when your palm is horizontal.

Notice that my elbow is bent at 90 degrees. My upper arm is actually at about 45 degrees and my forearm is at 45 degrees in the opposite direction.

Here again try to lengthen your neck and lift your chest

Practice the shivanata horizontal arm positions one arm at a time by starting in position 1. Keeping your palm horizontal (or try to) move your hand slowly through all four positions so that you finish back at postion 1:

1, 2, 3, 4, 1.

Do one arm and then the other.

Some of these movements are difficult. Try keeping your hand horizontal between positions 3 and 4. It's impossible. However you can make it less impossible by rolling your upper arm forwards and reaching your shoulder blade forwards at the same time. Don't worry if you can't get it perfect. For now, focus on point your finger tips in or out as the position dictates. And keep your hand as flat as currently possible. By practicing you'll improve flexibility and control.

After you've practiced one arm at a time, you can then play with using both arms at the same time.

Start with your arms in position 1-1, then move through all positions and finish back at 1-1. Think of the first digit as the position of your left arm and the second digit as that of your right.

1-1, 2-2, 3-3, 4-4, 1-1.

You might want to rest before learning the verticals.

Position A

Position A

In position A the whole arm reaches forwards with the elbow straight.

The wrist and fingers are all straight so that the fingers point straight ahead.

You can see in the picture that in this position the elbow points outwards becasue the forearm is internally rotated . (Contrast with position C in which the elbow is inwards.)

Position B

In this position, bend your elbow so that your finger point towards your chest.
As you can see in the picture my fingers are actually pointing down. You can bend your wrist to get your fingers to point back or you can try moving your shoulder forwards so that your whole arm moves forwards relative to your ribcage. This may then give you the room to point your fingers at your chest while keeping your wrist straight.

Position C

This position is like position A except the elbow points inwards. Well actually, the elbow points down and in.

You can see that in this position it can be quite difficult to make the palm face outwards. Do the best that you can. You might try bending the elbow and pulling it back slightly as I am doing.

Try moving your shoulder forwards. This may give you more room to rotate your arm externally.

Position D

This is the only position that is behind the back. As with position 4, try to feel your hand in this position and make it feel like it is facing outwards.

You can use a mirror to check.

As with the shivanata horizontal arm positions you can practice moving through the vertical arm positions one arm at a time.

Starting from position A, move through all positions and return to position A while keeping your palm facing outwards.

a, b, c, d, a

Your arm will describe a big circle and a little one. The big circle or spiral is from position C, through to A. The little circle is from A to C.

When moving from D to A lift your shoulder. Keep your neck long as you do so.

Once you are familiar with moving through the shivanata vertical arm positions one arm at a time, try doing them with both arms at the same time starting at a-a and fininshing at the same place:

a-a, b-b, c-c, d-d, a-a.

Here again, think of the left digit as the position of your left arm and the right digit as the position of your right arm.