Would you like more balance in your life?
Do you want more strength in your core and arms?
Are you looking for a good handstand prep?
Crow Pose is the perfect pose if you’re looking for more stability and grounding in your life. You are literally balancing and holding YOURSELF upright. There is a lot of power and strength found in that action.
It is named crow pose because when performed accurately, that’s exactly what it looks like. But I am always curious about WHY the original yogis named the poses the way they did. Was it simply because of how the poses look visually? Or were there deeper meanings?
Given what I DO know about yoga, my guess has always been that there was a deeper meaning in the naming convention!
So we will explore all of that and more.
In Sanskrit काकासन
Kak=”crow”
Asana=”pose”
Other names: Bakāsana (crane pose) बकासन
Level of Difficulty: Intermediate
Prep Pose: The only way to really feel what it’s like to balance in Crow is to use props first #Tips.
Background
1st of all, in honor of the name of this great pose, here are some crow (the animal) facts. Some people think crows are creepy, but they’re actually pretty amazing.
- They have highly tuned communication skills. They are intelligent enough to tell other crows which humans are nice and which are mean.
- They never forget a face.
- They mate for life.
- The whole crew helps to protect and feed offspring.
- Crows are emotional creatures who show empathy towards friends and malice towards enemies (yes they can distinguish the difference!).
- Hello….Game of Thrones 😉
So it’s pretty awesome to be able to do an asana in honor of such a smart and resourceful creature!
Symbolism
Intelligence, resourcefulness, communication, empathy, commitment and strength in community.
Why do we love Crow?
Kakasana is an awesome pose to begin building confidence in balancing poses. You can start feel the sensation of balancing on your hands. This is an important and learned sensation. The wrist strength built in Kakasana can help you on your journey to inversions as well.
- Balance (grounding)
- Strength
Breath |
Position |
Sensation |
|---|---|---|
| Inhale/Exhale | Come into a squat. Knees wide. Heels together. | Relaxed. Confident. Condition yourself. |
| Inhale | Palms come to the ground. Lift hips high (particularly if you have a big butt Julie Peters). Stand on toes. Knees come to upper triceps | Prepared. Oriented. |
| Exhale | Lean forward until you’re balanced on your hands and the toes come up naturally. Jason Crandell | Aligned.Balanced |
| Inhale/Exhale | Only when balanced: pull up through the core. Round the back. | Strength. Integrity of breath. |
| Inhale/Exhale | Gaze and sternum directed outwards. | Focus. Calm. Relaxed. |
| Exhale | Stay extended for as long you can breathe naturally. Release the feet to the ground. | Strong. Accomplished. |
Benefits |
|---|
| Strengthens arms, shoulders, abs, inner thighs and wrists |
| Promotes a feeling of grounding and confidence |
| Awakens the 1st Chakra (Muladhara) |
| Lengthens any compression in the spine (i.e from sitting all day) |
| Preparation for inversions |
| Opens the groin |
- Place a block under your feet and a pillow in front of you when you’re a beginner Yoga International. Having the block under your feet is a way to FEEL what its like to be in this pose. That is key. You have to know what you’re aiming for. The pillow in front of you is for reassurance. Because you will fall. We all do. So better to hit something soft!
- As you’re leaning forward, it will feel like you’re going TOO FAR. Your brain will say “no more.” That’s your cue to lean forward even more.
- After I started to use the block and felt my hands supporting my entire body, I finally understood! My butt weighs WAY MORE than my head so I need to compensate and help my hands by leaning forward.
- This sounds dumb but I really didn’t get the BALANCING part of this at first. You have to find the happy medium between too forward and too backwards on the HANDS is key.
- As in all balancing poses, the breath and relaxation are key. You are going to have a damn hard time trying to force an asana into fruition. Relax. Enjoy. Build strength.
And adapt your flight pattern when necessary by being resourceful and using props. And like the crow, communicate and show empathy with YOURSELF! Allow yourself to be a beginner and then fly.
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