I love it because Pigeon was the first yoga pose I “got” & everything about it – from coming into, settling into & moving out of – fills me with deep contentment & gratification. Coming into pigeon from down dog, I feel lightness & exhilaration. As I settle into the pigeon stretch, I feel rooted to the earth, connected & strong. Leaning into the pose, the muscle release for me always feels wonderful & deeply satisfying. Moving out of pigeon (either back to Down Dog or into Child Pose) releases all kinds of crazy endorphins for me. I love this pose! I always have. Since I fell in love with Pigeon, I’ve been curious to learn that it seems people either love it or hate – I’ve yet to find anyone who feels neutral about Pigeon J So where do you weigh in?
Something new I learned researching Pigeon is that many consider it “the” classic hip opener. It stretches, aligns & strengthens the pelvis while energizing the second or sacral (orange) chakra. According to Yoga Journal, benefits of Pigeon also include stimulating the abdominal organs & opening the shoulders & chest. Also according to YJ, Pigeon is just the first of “four, increasingly difficult Pigeon poses”. I didn’t know that & plan to have some fun exploring the variations over the next week.
Seester, I both love and hate it. love it b/c I know I need it (hello, tight hips!) but hate it b/c my mind wanders verrrry easily and I lose focus. One of my intentions for my practice in the New Year is to stay present in the moment during class and pigeon is a perfect pose for that. And I love putting the block under the butt cheek to help. Makes it so much better. :) Loves to you for writing our first blog post! :)
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