Using Pigeon Pose or Ek Pada Rajkapotasana in yoga to balance your Sacral Chakra, Christi Silbaugh, Alek Parkinson, and Brit Labonte teach us how during the JuneOYourChakras yoga challenge.
Day 4 – Sacral Chakra through Pigeon Pose
by Brit Labonte and Christi Silbaugh
Here is our desire for nurturing, nourishment, warmth, and touch. Denying these desires causes serious imbalances in life. Overindulgences also will cause imbalances.
Open – feelings are released with liberty, and expressed without being overly emotional. You are open to affinity, and can be passionate and outgoing.
Closed – Tendency to be insensitive, or indifferent, and not very emotionally open.
Overactive – Can be described as overly sensitive and very emotional, may also be promiscuous.
The energy of the Sacral Chakra is also referred to as the seat of emotions. Everything that you experience in your relationships with others, from love all the way to hate, is concentrated in this chakra. It therefore has a lot of influence over your relationships, and how you react to and deal with other people in your life.
When balanced, you’re able to express yourself and understand the needs of others so that your relationships can improve. And because this is the seat of your sexuality as well, when it is balanced, you find that your romantic relationships become more loving and honest.
A great way to open and surrender your Sacral Chakra or Svadhisthana (Sanskrit) is through One Legged Pigeon Pose. In Sanskrit this is known as Ek Pada Rajkapotasana. Broken down Ek = One. Pada = Leg. Rajkapot = King of Pigeons. And of course Asana = Pose.
This pose will remove all the blockages of the second chakra, it also stretches the chest, shoulders, legs, arms, and the core. It creates a harmonious environment for all organs. This variation regulates the energy by directing it from thighs to deep abdomen centre.
Here’s How to Rock it:
1) Come on to your hands and knees in a table top position.
2) Slide right knee up between hands so outer right leg is resting on the mat. Make sure left hip is always pointing down toward the mat. If hip begins to raise up or if knee feels stressed, draw your right foot back in toward your body. If hips are more open, inch right foot away.
People who are very flexible should try to get the shin parallel to the top of the mat, but this takes years to accomplish so don’t be too demanding of yourself.
3) Centre yourself so your weight is even. Slide back knee away until right buttock reaches the floor or as low as possible. Remember to breathe. The longer you stay in this pose, the more you allow your hips to settle in and open up.
Remember to always repeat on the other side.
As with any exercise program you must know yourself and understand your own health before attempting.
Photo Credits:
Feature Photo: Pigeon Pose Outdoors by Brit Labonte @Brit_Labonte on Instagram
Pigeon Pose in the Grass by Lauren Martin @Lalamalie_sukhino_yogi on Instagram
Pigeon Pose under the Palm Trees by Christi Silbaugh @momwhatsfordinner on Instagram
The Sacral chakra is so important to our well-being. Thanks for providing this info for everybody.