Eka Pada Rajakapotasana

Eka: one
Pada: foot/leg
Raja: king
Kapota: pigeon/dove
Asana: Pose

One-Legged King Pigeon Posture
Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Did you know?
This pose got its name because a yogi in this pose looks like a pigeon or dove with a puffed up chest.

Here is me in eka pada rajakapotasana...




How To:
Start in dandasana. Bend your right knee and bring your shin parallel to the front of mat. The right thigh can angle out slightly. Slide your left leg back and straighten the knee to extend, making sure your back leg is in line with the body and your foot is not turned out or in. Check if your hips are level, the outside of your right buttock should touch the mat. Then place both hands on either side of your hips and push away as you lengthen your lower back by pressing your tailbone down, then lift to open up the chest and hold. Once you have mastered the preliminary pose, bend the left knee to raise your left foot and grasp the foot, one hand at a time. When you are ready, raise both arms over your head to take the foot and without crunching your back, bring the foot as close as possible to your head and hold. Lower the foot to the ground and extend your right leg, followed by swinging your left leg over to the front next to your right leg and come back to dandasana. This pose can be repeated on the other side using the opposite leg formation.

Modifications:
Position your right foot under your torso so that the outside of your right shin rests on the mat. If the outside of your right front-leg hip cannot descend on to the mat, place a block or thickly folded blanket under it. If you are not able to grasp the back foot directly, loop a strap around the ball of your foot and tighten, then use the strap to pull your foot off the ground and slowly walk your hands down the strap toward the foot.

Benefits/Effects:
This pose gives you the benefits of stretching the thighs, back, groins, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and neck. It helps open your hips, shoulders, and chest. It also strengthens, tones, and stimulates the spine, especially in working the flexibility of your backbend. Other positive effects are that this pose is therapeutic for those with urinary disorders and good for those with asthma. If this pose is not done correctly, you may hurt your back or knee, or even dislocate your shoulder, and maybe tight hips will give you a problem, so listen to your body.

Awareness:
You should bring your awareness to yourself on the mat, and try to release all tension in mind and body. Think about Ahimsa, being gentle to yourself, so only go as far as you can without feeling pain in the pose. You should let the breath flow and focus on letting go in the full posture. When attempting this pose, remember to be patient with your muscles, never overwork your body, and take each step slowly because you should not be performing this pose in a hurry. The goal is to feel (re)aligned, balanced, and as relaxed as you can be.

Other Versions:

Another attempt by me...


References:
http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/863

http://www.yoga.com/ydc/enlighten/enlighten_document.asp?ID=334&section=9&cat=0

http://www.yandara.com/resources/poses/eka_pada_rajakapotasana.htm

Images taken from:
http://stablepoint.org/seated_images/eka-pada-rajakapotasana.jpg

http://www.yogatime.co.il/site/pic/eka%20pada%20rajakapotasana.jpg