My Yoga Pose of the Week

     I try to do some practice at home during the days I don't go to a class.  I play around with a lot of inversions and sometimes it ends up in a cool pose but most of the time I end up on the floor!  I am trying to strengthen my core and my balance.  This week I am really working on my pigeon pose.  I love it!  It is a wonderful pose for those of us who sit most of the day at work or at school and have tight hips.  You can control the stretch yourself by sinking into or lifting up in the pose.  When in class and doing this pose, a good hands-on instructor can make all the difference, it really helps to have some pressure pushing and sinking your hips further than you think you can go.  I am a long way from having my leg parallel with the mat, but I still enjoy the stretch I get.  I also love going into King Pigeon with my arms bound around my back leg.  Not only does this deepen my hip opener but it also helps my shoulders, which are extremely tight and limited in their motion.

My Pigeon Pose:

My King Pigeon Pose:

I have a lot of room to improve, but I enjoy the journey of getting stronger and seeing what my body is capable of doing.