Garudasana

Garudasana

--- the Eagle Pose

Basic Form

- Note – you may want to practice the legs and arms separately at first, to become familiar with each – then put it all together in the full pose.

Stand in Tadasana.

Bend both knees deeply and shift your weight to your left foot.

With your next exhalation, cross your right leg over your left and wrap it around the left leg, hooking your toes on the inside of your left calf muscle. Keep your left knee bent deeply to accomplish this. If you cannot hook your toes on the calf, then touch the tips of your toes to the floor; this will help you keep your balance as well.

Keep your thighs squeezing together and turn the tops of your thighs inward as you sink a little lower, bringing an arch into your lower back. Then do a small ‘Cat Tilt’ with your pelvis, scooping your tailbone down toward your heels and forward into your body. This will shift your weight back toward your heels and you will feel your thighs working more strongly.

Cross your left arm over the right at the elbows.

- When the right leg crosses over the left leg, the left arm crosses over the right, and vice versa. Always the opposite leg and arm are on top.

Bend the elbows, pointing your fingertips up toward the ceiling. Bring your right fingertips around to place them in the palm of your left hand at the root of the thumb.

- Some alternative hand positions are:

- take the hands back to back,

- hold the left thumb with the right hand, or

- hold a belt between the hands.

- Your main concern is to ‘lock’ the arms at the elbows to make the stretch to the shoulders effective.

Move your hands away from your face until your forearms are vertical. Then inhale and lift your elbows until they are level with your shoulders.

With your next exhalation, keep your heart lifted and broaden your shoulders away from your ears, stretching the tops of the shoulders

Keep your eyes soft and looking forward, your breath smooth and soft.

-- Doug Keller

-- more poses --