Crow pose ( KAKASANA )

"There is freedom waiting for you on the breezes of the sky, and you ask, what if I fall? But oh my darling, what if you fly?" - Erin Hanson

I came across this quote at the time of my 200 hrs Teacher Training from CorePower a few years ago. I was to teach the section of the sequence involving KAKASANA along with Core work. It's poetic, yes! What resonated with me was the underlying tone of VIRYA (courage) and SHRADHA (Faith) - taking that Leap of Faith!!!

I'll talk about that same theme here but in context to Patanjali's Yoga Sutra 1.20 -

" sraddha-virya-smrti-samadhi-prajna-purvaka itaresam "

Essentially, this Sutra translates as :

"For those who are not born in a natural state of Yoga, they must cultivate the traits of faith, which will give the courage to be able to create an extraordinary life with remembrance of the overcoming of past obstacles, resulting in the most explicit wisdom."

Along with these five above qualities is required unfailing effort towards the goal with undying enthusiasm and positivity. It makes the journey towards the goal go by faster.

intent

So what is the purpose of inversions in our yoga practice? Perhaps, I could list a few physical benefits of the same, that comes to mind right now. However, for me, inversions serve symbolic to overcoming obstacles in life, building resistance with patience and perseverance, building mental power and achieving triumph, establishing 'mind over matter,' and feeling confident in doing something that may have initially spurred fear.

well-being

Crow pose is an advanced inversion, and an Arm balance pose that we practice in Yoga requires a strong core and shoulder strength. Besides that, Crow Pose fosters concentration and focus on the present. In the subtle body, Kakasana stimulates and brings harmony and balance to Root Chakra( Muladhara), Sacral Chakra ( svadhistana), and Solar Plexus (Manipura ) chakra. On a mental level, this pose renders, making you feel more confident, grounded, and powerful.

key ingredient

The key ingredient to practicing this pose is gazing forward, shifting your weight forward ; having faith that you are very close to the earth, and if you fall, earth is here to support you. Isn't Crow Pose so analogous to life then? We stumble and fall, then we gather up the strength to pick up the broken pieces of our soul and keep moving forward.

It's a prudent choice to use props, such as blocks and blankets for support when initially trying to practice KAKASANA. It may have taken me some time and practice to fly my Crow. Now, KAKASANA serves as a gentle reminder of my journey of overcoming fears and inhibitions with wisdom, courage, and faith, leaving me more confident and robust about myself.