The Eagle Pose

The Eagle Pose is a standing balance pose that requires and develops focus, strength, and serenity. Using your breath and your gaze in this posture will help calm your mind and release distractions, allowing for quiet poise and stability in the pose.

In Hindu mythology, the garuda or eagle was the vehicle of the Hindu god Vishnu and is depicted flying in the sky carrying him and his wife Laksmi. This marks a precedent regarding the inner strength that posture requires since the garuda bird is also identified with the fire of the sun’s rays that consumed everything.

The Eagle Pose or Garudasana will help you with the following:

• Strengthens and stretches ankles and calves.
• Stretches thighs, hips, shoulders, and upper back.
• Improve your sense of balance.
• Improves the ability to concentrate.
• Helps eliminate sciatica and rheumatism of the legs and arms.
• It is recommended to prevent cramps of the calf muscles.

The Eagle Pose also serves to stimulate digestion, regulate kidney function, and relieve constipation. In addition, like all balance postures (in this case the balance is performed on one leg), the eagle pose serves to improve our ability to concentrate.

Be comfortable on Earth before attempting to fly

To master this pose you must also ride in the wind, or in any case ride the energy of this challenging pose and overcome the resistance felt by bending your body in opposite directions while still being balanced on one leg.

The vision of the eagle

Garuda symbolizes strength, power, determination, service, and perfect alignment with the essential in oneself, with our deepest seed or the divine, in order to save humanity. By performing this posture, you can feel and revive the power and determination, and concentration that its execution requires, focusing on seeking balance and harmony not only to improve your own well-being but to put it at the service of other living beings. By practicing this posture with that attitude, you not only work on the strength and focus of attention but also open your heart to the world.

Eagle Pose Step by Step

To perform the eagle pose we must follow the following steps:

1. First, stand up.
2. Now, slightly bend your knees and, lifting your left foot, balance yourself on your right foot.
3. Cross your left thigh over your right.
4. Point the toes of your left foot toward the ground and try to hook the top of your foot behind your right calf while still balancing on that foot.
5. Stretch your arms forward while keeping them parallel to the ground.
6. Cross your arms in front of your torso. Your right arm should be placed on top of the left.
7. Bend your elbows and raise your forearms perpendicular to the ground. When placing the hands in this way, the backs of the hands should be facing each other.
8. Face the palms of your hands and force one over the other. When facing the palms of the hands, the thumb of the right hand should pass in front of the little finger of the left hand.
9. When you have assumed the previous position with your hands, press as much as possible on each other, raise your elbows, and stretch your fingers towards the ceiling.

Recommendations

• Avoid this pose if you have a knee injury, you could try to do the position of the arms instead.
• Remember to go one step at a time.
• If you have difficulty maintaining your balance, the foot to hook, you place it either on a block or on the ground. You can also go to the wall for support.
• In asanas like this one, which require more concentration and balance, we must prioritize the connection between attention, the physical body, and the energy behind the respiratory movements.

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