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Release to Get Relief
Photography by Lewis Metts
I once taught yoga to a sweet, rambunctious five-year-old little boy, and it was one of the most brilliant experiences of my life. Not only was he more than willing to try yoga, but he was genuinely excited by the thought and by each new pose. He would repeat the pose names with such zest that I couldn’t help but smile. With each move came an exuberant cry of joy:
...“Downward Dog!”...
...“Upward Dog!”...
...“Ragdoll!!"...
...“DEAD BUG!!!”...
Yoga wasn’t a chore to him. It was a new experience that he embraced with wide open arms, heart and mind. He opened himself to the poses and found joy in the movements.
Put some movement in your life. Forget all the stress, all the self-inflicted sorrow and misery.
One pose that can help is Pigeon Pose. Stress is often housed in the hips, especially in women. Pigeon Pose is another hip opener that helps us let go of the tension and tightness that has built up in our hips and sacral area. This tension and tightness is not due to tight musculature only but is also due to tense and tight sacral energy. While in Pigeon many feel a wave of emotional release, as well as the physical.
To enter Pigeon Pose begin on all fours and slide the right knee forward toward your right hand. Angle your right knee at two o’clock. Slide your left leg back as far as your hips will allow being conscious to keep the left leg within the plane of the body. Keep your hips square to the floor. If you do not feel a deep stretch in the right glute, slide the right foot forward slowly toward your left hand until you feel the stretch deepen. You may stay upright on the hands with chest lifted or may bend forward at the hip to rest on forearms. As your hips release and flexibility increases, you may be able to rest on your chest with arms extended in front. Hold pose for 10 breaths to 5 minutes. Repeat with left leg.
Pigeon Pose can be an intimidating pose for someone who isn’t used to its depth, so ease into the pose toward the end of your yoga session. Pigeon is a more advanced pose and should not be done by anyone with a sacroiliac, ankle, knee or back injury. If you are prone to hip injuries or have had hip replacement surgery please discuss this pose with your physician before proceeding. In this hectic society so much emphasis is placed upon stress relief that people have forgotten that in order to get to relief we must actually release and let go of the stress we hold to so tightly. Pigeon Pose will allow you to release in order to get to relief. Utilize this pose often in your practice and you will see that the new movement in your hips has put new movement in your life.
M/Gatlianne is an Author, Yoga Instructor, Interfaith Minister and Holistic Health & Reiki Practitioner based in Athens, AL. For more information, contact her at M@Gatlianne.com or visit Gatlianne.com, DeepRiversHealing.com, or DiscoverPath.com.
