The pigeon pose has several benefits. Primarily it stretches your thigh muscles, groin muscles, and back.

You can come into the pose any number of ways depending on your flow and/or practice, but it’s especially common to achieve pigeon pose through the downward dog.

Basic pigeon pose (without downward dog, beginning on right side):
1. Begin sitting in the “z” position, legs flat on the ground and bent so that the bottom of your right foot is atop your left knee. Your legs should form a casual “z” on the floor.

2. Gently stretch your left leg out behind you and curl your right leg beneath your pelvis. Turn to the right so that you’re facing in the same direction your right knee is pointing.

3. Ensure your left leg is straight along the ground, top of the foot on the floor.

4. Ensure your right foot is tucked beneath your left hip, and shift your weight slowly to the left. Allow your right foot to support the weight of your left hip as you ground yourself. There should be no discomfort. Balance and support by placing your hands flat on the ground on either side of your thigh or hips.

5. Make sure you’re sitting up straight. Lift and open your chest, shoulders dropping back. To increase the stretch in your chest, very gently press your shoulder blades together and arch your neck back slightly, creating a subtle upper back bend. This does not need to be a dramatic movement; a little stretch goes a long way!

Hold the position and breathe into the stretch. Recover by uncurling your right leg and, using your hands for leverage, either moving into downward dog before doing the pigeon pose on the left side, or move directly into the pigeon pose on the left side.

Deeper modification (only if it’s comfortable):
1. Move into the pigeon pose on the right side.

2. From a position sitting up straight, slowly roll forward until your chest is over your right knee.

3. Place your head on the floor (use a support such as a rolled blanket or a block under your forehead if your neck hurts, or if you can’t fully reach) and stretch your arms out in front of you, flat against the floor.

Hold and breathe into the stretch. The feeling in the thigh and groin is very different in this modification, so if you have tight hamstrings or sensitive groin muscles, proceed very carefully. Remember, respect your edge - only go as far as feels right!

The award acceptance involves nominating 7 of our favorite blogs for this same award. So we happily pass along the award to:

Everything Yoga
Om Shanti: A Yoga Blog
Yoga Journal
My Yoga Online
Yoga Journal - Teacher Tells All
Ayurveda and Yoga Blog
Yoga Today Blog

We’d like to thank these blogs for their great contributions in educating, promoting, and enlightening yogi and the yoga curious everywhere!

For the nominated blogs, read on for instructions about accepting the award.

If you decide to accept this award and pay it forward, please perform the following tasks:

1. Put the logo on your blog.

2. Add a link to the person who awarded you.

3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs.

4. Add links to those blogs on yours.

5. Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs.

Swami Jnaneshvara Bharati, aka Swami J, has a great series of videos about the usage of mantra & how to make the most of the practice. While some of the concepts may be a bit hard to follow at first, Swami J is a fountain of wisdom on all things Yoga, so bear with him and you’ll emerge enlightened!

Your whole being as an ear for mantra in yoga meditation:

More videos & writing about how to best use mantra can be found here.

You don’t have to look far in Yoga and New Age shops to find meditation cushions - and a lot of them, in every possible shape, size, and color. Why are there so many? Because they work. They’re a wonderful way to keep your spine aligned and take pressure off your sit bones while you meditate or practice Pranayama.

Usually they’re filled with buckwheat or some other material that settles into the unique shape of your body, while still providing a lift. Often they’re not just round cushions or square pillows, but wedges, blocks, or other types of support that go just under your bottom and lift your tail bone naturally. Some of them are even inflatable, allowing you to put in just the right amount of air for your needs.

If you can’t find a meditation cushion, there are other options - options you have in your house every day. A thick, rolled towel or folded blanket placed in the gap between your bottom and the floor serves the purpose. As soon as you can feel the pressure lifted from your sit bones and your spine lift straight without effort, you know you’ve got the right height for you.

Of course, your meditation support should always be comfortable and never cause any pain. Your back and thighs should not be stretched unduly as this will only lead to muscle pain. If you feel your legs going numb as you sit in a cross-legged position then the cushion’s height needs to be adjusted, or the firmness (or lack of firmness) is not good for you.

The most typical meditation cushion, usually round, is called a Zafu cushion. A Zafu cushion can be used with or without a large pillow beneath it (resembling a dog bed) to help comfort your legs as you sit cross legged or sit back on your heels. However, you may find a Zafu cushion doesn’t tickle your fancy or feel most comfortable; as I said before, there are plenty of options, so do a little research and - if at all possible - try them out in the shop before you buy.

The same rules of comfort and words of warning apply to a blanket or towel. The whole point is to help you sit for longer periods without the distraction of bodily distress, so don’t try to “tough it out” if a support doesn’t immediately feel good. Just move on to another option, you’ll find what works for you! The less you have to focus on the physical sensations in your body, the more focused you can be on your meditation or your breathing. Good luck & Namaste!

Please check it out: http://hubpages.com/hub/Celebrities-and-yoga

It’s written in Norwegian, but use this link to translate it: Click here

This seated forward bend Yoga Mutra is a great way to round out the end of your practice. As with any forward bend, it engages the nervous system – cooling, stimulating, and bringing you back to awareness.

1. Sit comfortably in a seated position, usually cross-legged, but do what works best for you. If you’re uncomfortable in a cross-legged position, try the Z position (sole of one foot against the knee of another, legs forming a Z shape with both legs bent and flat upon the ground) or place cushioning under your hips. A folded blanket is a simple solution that will give your tailbone a little lift.

2. Clasp your hands behind your back, being careful not to extend beyond your comfort zone. If you have greater flexibility in your arms, you can straighten your elbows so that your arms are straight behind you with hands firmly clasped. Alternatively, you can intertwine your arms by clasping your elbows (arms folded, one hand clasping the other arm’s elbow). If neither of these works for you, holding your wrists is also an option. Always work with what feels best for you and remember, some days we’re more flexible than others!

3. Slowly and mindfully roll forward. There is no rush and there is no need to force yourself to bend all the way down. If you’re very flexible, your head may touch the floor. But it’s not a competition, and you should never wrench your back bending forward too far; the purpose of a forward bend is to be a good stretch, not torture! If you find you are less flexible, focus more on bringing your torso forward than bringing your head/neck/shoulders down.

4. Keep your arms secure behind your back. If you are clasping your hands and straightening your elbows, raise your arms slowly up your back towards your head. If you’re very flexible your hands may come over your head, but that is not something you should force. Find the edge of your comfort and back off when you cross the line!

5. Hold for a few moments as you breathe deeply, slowly inhaling, holding, and exhaling in equal counts (such as count of 5 on inhale, same on hold, and same on exhale). Remain in the posture as long as you feel is necessary to stretch your body in a satisfying but not distressing way. Cleanse yourself with your breath. Relax.

6. Come out of the posture as slowly and mindfully as you came into it. Sit up tall. If you find there is any discomfort in your shoulders or upper back, do a couple slow, light shoulder rolls. If you feel any dizziness or pressure in your head and neck, ask your doctor before performing a seated forward bend again.

You may find this is a wonderful compliment to the “winding down” portion of your yoga flow. Doing this at the end of your seated time, just prior to any stretches you do flat on your back, can help put the seal on your seated work and transition well into the final postures of your practice.

As always, consult your doctor if you have any back injuries or concerns. I find a chiropractor is a wonderful compliment to yoga; the naturopathic mindset of a chiropractor and the emphasis on alignment is quite in sync with many yoga principles. When in doubt, demonstrate a posture to your chiropractor in the office (gently) so that he/she can tell you right away if it’s good for your unique body. And if you’re pregnant, take special care with how you perform yoga. Always ask your physician; he or she will be able to tell you what kind of movements are helpful or harmful to both mother and child during that special yet challenging time!

For more information about Yoga Mudras, check out this informative video from ExpertVillage.com.

The pictures will give you the idea. We have written about those exercises here on Train Yoga.

(A healthy yoga foot has, at rest, toes that are a bit more spread apart. This means you have more purchase for balancing positions! A normal foot tends to have toes squished close together, sometimes dramatically, almost as if in the shape of a shoe. Women in particular suffer this from high heels.)

You cannot neglect your feet in your yoga practice. Your feet and ankles support you in so many postures. It’s also easy to strain your feet and ankles during yoga, so you need to know exercises to help rehabilitate and strengthen them, too!

Here’s a great 3 minute video with yoga for your feet - also good for those who suffer from arthritis.

And if you’d really like to fix your foot’s formation, check out the original toe stretcher, Yoga Toes.

My recommended routine for those with time to spend and willingness to make a little investment:

• buy a pair of Yoga Toes toe stretchers
• buy a Homedics foot spa, which is like a Jacuzzi for your feet - they make several models, I’ve been satisfied with every one I’ve tried
• buy bath salt with a fragrance you like
• buy a foot moisturizing lotion or creme with a scent that pleases you - often there are great choices in the Dr. Scholl’s aisle at shops like Walmart
• buy a pair of sleep socks that you can wear once you’ve given your feet a goodnight massage, to help trap in the lotion’s moisture

1. When you’re ready to treat your feet well, pop on the Yoga Toes toe stretchers and keep them on while you work, do chores, or anything else that involves standing and movement.
2. Fire up the foot spa with nice hot water. Sprinkle in some of the bath salts to give a gentle aromatherapeutic twist to the soak. (You may find bath salts are more satisfying than bubbles - bubbles also tend to overflow and make a mess, and are harder to clean afterwards.) Stay in the foot spa as long as you need, enjoying any combination of bubbles, heat, and massaging vibrations.
3. Dry your feet gently with a towel and allow to air dry a couple minutes more. Your skin is soft after a soak so you should protect it if you aren’t doing your foot soak as part of a nighttime routine. A good solution is to put on a pair of flip-flops (which don’t squish your feet) before you get up and walk around. The tender soles of your feet will be safe.
4. If you’re going to bed, generously rub your feet down with the lotion or creme you suggested. Rub and massage, squeeze gently, and release any points of tension or pain you’re feeling. If you’re super dedicated, pick up a book on reflexology and do some basic pressure point work!
5. When done, pop on the sleep socks and climb into bed!

Repeat this daily and you will see a positive impact both aesthetically (which is a confidence issue for some women) and for yoga use.

Whether using my suggestions or something else, give your feet some love and see how well they treat you the next time you’re deep into the dancer Nataraja asana!

Namaste!

Sometimes it’s all those things, but let’s face it: we live in real life and very few of us can achieve a state where we’re really free from distractions, empty of all thought, and solid as stone as we focus on our body during practice.

Ideally we all find peace in yoga, but there’s so much more available to us. There’s love, light, joy, and even laughter to be found lurking in each asana. Sometimes you cry for no reason. Sometimes you laugh out loud. If you are in the moment and mindful of the experience then whatever happens, happens.

Laughter Yoga, demonstrated briefly in this John Cleese video I posted recently, captures the essence of this concept. A full range of emotions blends well with yoga to enhance our mind/body/spirit connection. While Laughter Yoga is a branch of yoga led by certified Laughter Yoga instructors, you don’t have to find a class to understand how laughter and yoga work together.

Next time you’re doing a carefree yoga routine (nothing so challenging that it requires total focus), try thinking of something funny when you’re feeling relaxed and living in the moment. Or simply fake it – make yourself laugh and see if your body catches up. Often when you pretend to laugh you end up laughing for real from the silliness of it all. (And whether it’s real laughter or fake, you’re still working your abs. Bonus!)

Don’t be afraid to laugh at your body, too. If you fall over, think of it like a blooper reel. Laugh it up. If your digestive system becomes, shall we say, stimulated by your practice, laugh it up. If you’ve forgotten to distraction-proof your environment and the land line, mobile phone, fax machine, and e-mail notifications all go off simultaneously while you’re attempting a complicated handstand, instead of feeling frustrated, laugh it up. (Be sure you’ve abandoned the handstand before you have a laugh!)

Another great source of lightheartedness in yoga is pets. Cat and dog owners know that yoga is often an exciting time for four legged friends. You’re down on the ground – their territory – doing funky things that seem to bring you pleasure. It’s very common for intelligent cats to imitate the postures their owners assume. My cat imitates my yoga, and often I don’t realize it until I happen to look over and notice she’s doing her best to mimic me. It always makes me laugh.

We usually do Savasana together after my practice. I stretch out on my back and try to concentrate on guided meditation while she stretches out alongside me and tries to figure out what the heck we’re doing. (But mom’s doing it, so it must be good.) The other day she started getting fidgety, and decided to roll from side to side a few times. In order to do so, she had to find purchase with her back feet and push off, giving herself momentum to roll around.

I was caught up in the meditation and not paying my cat much mind. I’d just gotten to the point where I was meant to imagine I was light as a cloud…and then my cat kicked me upside the head as she pushed off to roll over again. That brought me back to reality with a giggle. As I tried to regain composure and focus again, every new image was met with a kick upside the head. My laughter grew and spurred her on, so she was wriggling like a worm and I was getting a kitty foot in my face every time. Meanwhile in the background the instructor’s voice continued to compare me to a cloud, when really I was just a punching bag for a cat kickboxing exercise.

I couldn’t really get it together after that. I sat up to do a seated meditation but every time I tried to imagine a field of energy surrounding me, I’d notice my cat running circles around that field’s perimeter. I had to give up and cuddle her, and the laughter I’d enjoyed was so much fun – and exactly what I’d needed. It was a release that neither the Savasana or the guided meditation would have provided. On that day, I needed a plain old laugh.

So don’t obsess over keeping it serious. Make it whatever works for you, and as a fellow human being, laughter and joy should work for you a lot of the time. Smile and laugh it up!