Bird of Paradise

Find proper alignment in Pigeon Pose, then practice it often, and those stiff, tight hips will start to feel open again.

By Jason Crandell

Instead of leaning forward, walk your hands back and lower both sides of your pelvis toward the floor. As your pelvis releases, be sure your hips don't lean to the right. You'll know this is happening if your left hip lifts higher than your right. You need to keep your hips as level as possible to get the full effects of the pose and to keep your lower back safely aligned. If you're not able to lower the hips evenly (join the club!), sit on a folded blanket or a block before starting the pose.

As your hips continue to settle, press your fingertips firmly into the floor and lengthen the sides of your waist to help keep your lower back long and free from strain. Using your arms this way allows you to modify the intensity of the stretch.

Fold Into the Stretch
Walk your hands forward, inhale deeply as you lengthen your torso, and exhale as you fold forward, lowering your elbows to the floor (pictured right). Again, use your arms to adjust the weight you release into your hips. If the stretch feels too intense, lift away from the floor and use your arms to support more of your weight. If you have space to spare in your hips, lower your torso and let your weight settle onto the floor.

As you come into the second version of the pose, you might feel sensations shift from your back leg to your outer front hip and buttock. The sensations that flood your hips might feel great or slightly unnerving—or a combination of the two. In any case, it's important to refine your alignment again to ensure that you're peeling away layers of tension rather than stressing any of your joints.

Start by making sure your hips are level. If you were meticulous about this in the first stage, you are probably in good shape. If not, then any imbalance will increase as you come forward. So if necessary, place a folded blanket under your right buttock so your pelvis isn't off kilter.

Look at your front thigh. Make sure it's parallel to the sides of the mat and that your front foot is directly beneath your back hip. Breathe into the sensations rumbling in your hips. Observe the reactions in your mind and try to let go of them by relaxing your eyes, jaw, and throat. Continue to breathe into your hips and allow your belly to melt toward the floor. Feel your hips and your mind soften as you allow waves of feelings to wash over you.

After 5 to 10 breaths in the forward bend, inhale to come back up. Press down through your fingertips as you lift your hips away from the floor and transition all the way to Downward Dog. Take five deep breaths and observe how your hips feel—lighter? clearer? achy? There's no need to attach any meaning to the sensations. No need to worry or judge yourself. Strong as these sensations are, they'll soon morph into different feelings as you switch to your second side.

Jason Crandell teaches yoga in San Francisco and around the country. You can contact him at www.jasonyoga.com.

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