Taking flight into Kakasana

After 11 months into yoga, I did my first unassisted crow pose (kakasana) just 72 hours ago on 9th August 2017.Β 

A valuable piece of advice I learnt that very day about this particular asana, is that although kakasana may be a form of hand-stand, our upper limbs are not the only ones working while the rest of our body remains in limbo. To be a bird and take flight, one would require a combination of core strength, flexibility and a mind rid of basophobia.

It would be hard for me to put down in words how to discover that precinct moment when your body is in total equilibrium as you move your upper body forward and lift your feet off the ground to balance on your arms. Because this is a moment of discovery and it can only be felt or experienced – no description will ever do it justice.

However, I sincerely hope that you (the reader) will one day experience the same euphoria as I did when you begin to fly (if you haven’t already done so) with this step-by-step sequence that worked wonders for me:

  • Stand in Tadasana with feet shoulder-width apart.
  • From there, fold forward into Uttanasana with palms placed in between both feet. Remain here for a few breaths.
  • Bend your knees and have them well-tucked into your axilla region with elbows slightly bent.
  • Adjust the distance between your palms if need be.
  • Lift both heels up, so that only your palms and toes are on the mat at this point.
  • Block out any existing fear of falling/failure. BREATH…
  • Crunch your abdominal muscles and protract your shoulders. Work that core!
  • Lift up one foot while simultaneously moving your upper torso forward (eyes looking at a focal point ahead, not staring downwards).
  • The ball is in your court now. Lift up the remaining foot and take flight.

It took me almost a year to finally get it right, though I do need to work on remaining in that pose for more than a mere 5 seconds. Then again… what is that frequently used hashtag on Instagram for yoga? πŸ™‚

#practiceandalliscoming

 

Here’s to spreading our wings and releasing any inhibitions,

Namaste.

 

Kimberly L. (12th August 2017, 200hr YTT).