Kapotasana – Pigeon Pose

By Author: shivayogaashram
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Kapotasana is derived from Sanskrit words “Kapot” means “Pigeon” and “asana” means “pose”. Whenever the name of the bird Pigeon comes up, a beautiful white bird comes to mind. The bird supposedly flies with all the freedom. In yogic sense, the spine is compared to a Pigeon. You can endow it with freedom of movement, by giving it the right practice. Kapotasana is basically a deep back-bending asana.

It is basically a hip opener asana that helps in opening up the hip joints. You can also meditate in a better manner, when you have mastered the pose. Moreover, the pose can be quite challenging for beginners. If you master the pose, by practicing it, you will get a lot of flexibility and added energy.

How To Do It?
You can start doing the asana from Camel pose or Ushtrasana.
Inhale and lift the lower part of your belly upwards. Thereafter, you have to stabilize the lower back and then exhale.
Now, you have to inhale, while taking your hands upwards, towards the ceiling. You have to squeeze the shoulders a bit, and take the hands backwards.
Bend your back further, while ...
... inhaling.
Move the head backwards as well, while squeezing the shoulders.
Hold the pose for some time.
Inhale and press your feet into the floor, and also allow the arms to reach the floor.
Keep moving backwards.
Try to touch both the heels with your hands.
Clasp the heels.
Now, squeeze the elbows and thrust the hips forward.
While doing this, exhale and bend the elbows and fix them on the floor.
Hold the position in the Purna Kapotasana.
Then relax, and do the counter pose, while coming up slowly, and do Balasana.

Benefits
You will gain a lot of physical as well as spiritual benefits from the regular practice of Kapotasana.
When you practice this asana, the flow of blood increases through the spine. So, in the course of time, your spine will become healthy and strong. The spine also gets elongated.
The regular practice of this asana also strengthens the abdominal muscles.
When you practice this asana, the chest expands, and the diaphragm is lifted up. This helps to keep the heart hearty and healthy.
When you do this asana, you will feel an intense stretch in the thighs. It massages the same and also removes all the stiffness.
When you practice the Kapotasana on a regular basis, it expands the chest and increases the flow of ‘Prana’.
The ‘Prana’ is able to flow to the Crown chakra, thus bringing about an improvement of mood and making you happy.
You will slowly find that your back pain is getting better.
You will be able to focus inwards, and calm your mind as well.
Its practice also stimulates the Thymus gland, thus improving immunity.
It also helps in removing Sciatica, Piles, and Colitis.
It also prepares you for seater postures that involve backbends.
You can also get rid of visceral fat, if you practice this posture on a regular basis.
The Pigeon posture works the muscles of the groin area, lower back, thighs, piriformis, and the psoas muscles. The psoas muscle is vital for the posture. This muscle is present in the lower lumbar region. The Pigeon yoga pose stretches the psoas muscles and also strengthens it. The Piriformis muscle is located deep inside the buttocks, and connects the lower spine with the upper thigh bone. It helps in hip rotation. The muscles are also responsible for turning the leg, and moving the foot outward.

Contraindications
If you have any recent deep injury, in your spine, neck, shoulders, chest, core muscles, thighs, back, or ankles, then you must not do this asana.
If you suffer from hypertension, insomnia, migraine, or headache, then you must not do this asana.
Women who are expecting, or having their menstrual cycles, must avoid doing this asana.
If you have recently undergone any surgery, then also you must avoid this asana. Those who have just undergone hip replacement, must also abstain from doing this asana.
All those who have weak wrists, must also avoid this posture or do it extremely carefully.
Those who have knee injuries must not do this asana.
Tips That Help In Doing Pigeon Pose
You have to ensure to keep your back leg in a neutral position. It should not rotate towards the outer side. The hips should be square for this very reason, with the toes tucked under the thigh.
You can also use padding and props under the hips, if they are rotating outwards.
Always warm up, before performing this posture.
You also need to keep your shins parallel, to avoid injuring your knees.

Modifications and Variations
If you are an experienced yoga practitioner, then you can engage in variations that are at a higher level. On the other hand, if you are a beginner, you can try the subtle versions of the pose.

If you are a beginner trying this pose, you must use padding like blankets or a cushion underneath the buttocks. It is important for you to distribute the weight of your body, on the two hips. Otherwise, you are likely to put excess stress on the knees.
If you are an advanced yoga practitioner, you can make the pose challenging. The one-legged Pigeon pose variation is good. You can also do the King Pigeon pose.
There are many different variations of the Pigeon pose, like:

Classic Pigeon Pose
Resting Pigeon Pose
One-legged Pigeon Pose
King Pigeon Pose

Preparatory Poses That Will Assist You In Doing The Pose
There are a few postures that you can do, before you actually start out with the actual Pigeon pose. They are Butterfly pose, Cat and Cow pose, and the Child’s Pose.

Conclusion
You should definitely try the Pigeon pose, if you have tight hips and lower back pain. It will help you to alleviate the discomfort to a huge extent. You should start practicing the asana under trained experts initially. After you have achieved a certain level of expertise, you can do it freely on your own.

Read More :- https://shivayogaashram.wordpress.com/2024/01/10/kapotasana-pigeon-pose/