|
| |
Eka
Pada Rajakapotasana / The One Leg Pigeon Pose
Eka= One
Pada= leg or foot Raja= Royal
Kapota= Dove or Pigeon Asana= pose
(Imitating the kings puffed
pigeon chest.)
Benefits
- Rejuvenates the lumbar and dorsal regions of the spine, the pubic region,
and the urinary system.
- The Endocrine glands receive a fresh supply of blood
- The neck and the shoulders are made to work to their maximum, removing any
stiffness
- The thyroids, parathyroids, adrenals and gonads receive a rich supply of
blood in this increases one's vitality.
- This and the other poses in this sequence are recommended for disorders of
the urinary system and for controlling sexual desire.
Contraindications/Cautions
- Headache
- Serious back injury
- Students with neck injuries should keep their head in a neutral position by looking down at the floor; they might also support the forehead on a thickly folded blanket.
See photos of entire sequence building up to
full pose...
A skillful teacher once
described a familiar upper-body configuration as the “catcher’s mitt”
posture—rounded upper back, shoulders rolled in and pulled up, sunken chest—the
perfect shape for catching fast balls, and holding onto them. It’s a protective
stance, an attempt to protect ourselves emotionally. The problem is that it
doesn’t work. In exchange for momentary protection against the unpleasant, we
become enslaved to mental attitudes and physical stances that sap our strength
and drain our vitality. As yogis, we understand that clinging to
anything—pleasant or unpleasant—keeps us out of the flow of grace. We are
striving to be open and fluid and spontaneous in our response to life, accepting
whatever comes our way and letting it go when the time is over—in short,
welcoming the flow rather than resisting it.
The pigeon pose is the reverse of the catcher’s mitt; in this posture, the chest
is pressed open and expanded, the shoulders are rolled back and down, and the
heart and throat are exposed. Kapotasana is in direct opposition to the forward
and inward movements of the shoulders and chest required by many of our daily
activities. And because of this, it is invigorating, refreshing, and
stimulating. It improves circulation through the spine, chest, and pelvis, and
it increases flexibility in the hips, shoulders, and chest. Properly done, it
rejuvenates the dorsal and lumbar spine. The deep stretch in the pelvis
balances and cleanses all the organs of the abdomen, including the gonads and
adrenal glands. The opening of the shoulders, chest, and neck also affects the
thyroid and parathyroid glands.
Backbends are done properly only when the thighs, buttocks and deep pelvic
muscles provide a strong foundation. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the
one-legged version of the pigeon pose. Therefore we’ll begin our study of
kapotasana with an intense stretch to the deep pelvic muscles and the tops of
the thighs to prepare us for positioning our legs properly in the pose.
A note of caution—these preparations and the
posture itself are best done in the course of a planned sequence of postures,
and they are more effective when the body is warm and the spine flexible.
(Practicing any demanding backward-bending posture without the support of the
other postures in a well-designed asana practice is likely to be
counterproductive.)
The Lunge (Monkey Pose)
The lunge is one of the positions in the classic sun salutation sequence (surya
namaskara). It’s an important stretch for the groin, thighs, and deep pelvic
muscles, and it is helpful for maintaining proper pelvic alignment. Those who
spend a great deal of time sitting on a chair need to practice this pose
regularly, as it opens the legs and pelvis in the opposite direction.
Begin on your hands and knees. Bring one leg forward, foot flat on the floor,
toes in line with the fingertips. Stretch the back leg out behind you, lowering
the pelvis to the floor between the legs
(Fig. 1a). Keep the front knee centered over the foot and directly above
the ankle. The angle in the knee is about 90 degrees and it should turn neither
out nor in. Keep the top of the back foot long on the floor, and consider
lengthening the whole front of the back leg and thigh to the floor, as if you
were doing the splits. Deeply relax in the pelvis and along the top of the
thigh.
To deepen the stretch, straighten the upper torso over the pelvis, without
lifting the pelvis, keeping the fingers near the floor beside the hips
(Fig. 1b). Lift the chest, drop the shoulders, and sink toward the
floor, lengthening the thighs away from each other. Now you can bend the back
knee and draw the heel toward the body with your hand on the ankle or toes
(Fig. 1c). Keep the chest and pelvis facing forward and the pelvis and
shoulders down. This variation challenges your balance and intensifies the
stretch to the thigh. Release by bringing the hands back to the floor near the
foot, shifting your pelvis back and returning to the hands and knees. Repeat on
the opposite side.
Preparing for the Pigeon
Now that we’ve stretched the top of the thighs, the groin, and the deep pelvic
muscles, let’s turn our attention to the outer hip. Unlike many backbends,
kapotasana requires hip flexibility similar to that required for the sitting
postures. In fact, the first step of the pigeon posture is such a deep stretch
for the hip that it is a useful preparation for padmasana (the lotus pose) and other cross-legged sitting postures.
Begin on your hands and knees. Bring the left knee forward and to the floor so
that the left heel is near the front of the right hip. Extend the right leg
behind you as you lower the pelvis to the floor, shifting your weight forward
onto the forearms. The top of the right thigh and outer left thigh and leg are
on the floor. Keep both thighs down and the pelvis square to the front by
drawing the right hip forward and down. Keep the center line of the right leg
and the top of the foot on the floor. Press the right and left sides of the
pelvis equally to the floor (keeping the back of the pelvis level) to bring the
left heel to the right side of the abdomen. Extend through the entire length of
the spine. You should feel a stretch in the hip joint and perhaps in the left
thigh.
Avoid any strain or discomfort in the knees by adjusting the leg position
slightly, supporting your weight on the forearms, or placing a cushion or folded
blanket under the left hip and/or right thigh. The cushions may help you relax
if you find the stretch too intense to enjoy. Sink into the pose and let the
breath be full and deep. Let go of any holding, and surrender to the deep
opening.
If you need to advance the stretch, extend the spine forward and bring the chest
to the floor. Opening the left knee joint by moving the left foot away from
the pelvis (so the thigh and lower leg form a right angle) will also intensify
the stretch in the hip. To intensify the stretch in the back leg, turn the back
toes under, lift the thigh, and press the heel away from the body to lengthen
the front of the leg. Then lower the straight leg to the floor and release the
toes in order to rest the top of the foot on the floor. Be sure to keep the
pelvis pressed into the floor and the back of the pelvis level. Release by
returning to the hands and knees. Then sit back into the child’s pose for a few
moments. Repeat on the other side.
Kapotasana
When you are comfortable in the preparation we just did you’re ready for kapotasana. Start in the same position as for
the preparation: left knee forward and bent so the left heel is near the right
groin, right leg straight out behind you with its entire length on the floor.
Keep the pelvis and chest facing directly forward as you walk your hands in
toward the body. Drop the pelvis as you straighten the spine up and center the
torso over the pelvis. Rest the hands on the left leg, or on the floor beside
the hips. Press down through the hands, pulling the shoulders down,
lifting the chest, and pressing up through the top of the head. As the chest and
spine lift, the pelvis sinks, and the thighs stretch away from each other.
Now begin to lengthen the whole front side of the body by extending the front of
the spine up and pressing the chest up and forward. Keep the shoulders down and move the hands down and back
beside the hips as you curve the torso up and back. Press the shoulder blades
into the back and down. Extend up and back in an even curve to avoid crunching
the lower back. Keep the torso centered over the left leg by squaring the
shoulders and hips to the front and lifting evenly through the left and right
sides of the torso. Lift the chest away from the pelvis, and let the breath open
and expand the body. Avoid hunching the shoulders. Keep the elbows slightly bent
if straightening the arms pushes the shoulders up. Press through the arms and
hands as a way to help lift the upper spine.
In the next stage of kapotasana, bend the back knee and catch hold of the ankle
with the hand on the same side, creating an additional stretch in the thigh and pelvis and
opening the shoulder. Intensify the stretch, pressing the heel toward the
buttock, toes to ribs. Again keep the pelvis and chest centered, the pelvis down and
the chest and spine lifted. Avoid pulling the knee out of alignment either by
shifting the thigh to the side or by pressing the foot to the inside or outside.
There should be no strain in the knee.
The shoulders are most intensely opened by reaching over the top of the head to
hold the foot. If you are unable to do this, simply bend the back leg and reach
up over the shoulder to grab the toes, pointing the elbow up.
If you can’t reach over the top of the head and find the foot, reach back with
the right arm, elbow bent, and inner edge of the arm pressing up and out so that
you can grasp the toes (or just the big toe) from the outside edge of the foot.
The thumb is on the sole of the foot, the fingers on the top of the foot. Roll the elbow out as the chest and shoulder open. Finally, point the elbow straight up and center the torso as
before. If you can’t quite roll the elbow up, try using a strap
around the foot, sliding your hand up the strap until you can comfortably roll
the elbow up. Then work the hand down the strap toward the foot as the shoulder
and chest open.
When you are stable in this position (with or without the strap), reach the left
arm up overhead and grab the toes (or strap). Then use both arms to draw the
foot closer to the head, curving the upper spine to bring the top of the head to
the sole of the foot. Breathe and enjoy the opening. Release gently, first one hand
and then the other, straightening the torso before coming forward. Rest your
back in the child’s pose for a few breaths and then repeat on the other side.
Kapotasana is a strenuous posture, demanding great flexibility in the entire
length of the spine, as well as in the hips and shoulders. You are likely to
meet resistance. Patience and persistence should prevail. Work with care,
intelligent sensitivity, and joy—every day becoming a bit more fully surrendered
to the flow of energy in the posture, tasting the thrill of being vibrant,
empty, free, without resistance. The words of the Tao Te Ching may help:
Preparatory Poses
Subsequent Poses
|
House
of YOGA