Flying Pigeon

This week is a busy one as we hunker down and get our preparations made for the holidays since we'll be traveling for a few weeks! With all the moving and fluttering about I'm focusing my classes this week on happy hips and a bit of balance (I'm about to spend 24 hours in a car and spend the holidays with family, phew). 

Flying pigeon is a challenging pose for me and it definitely has a dominant side in my body. I've got very open hips, so for me this posture is all about making sure that I stay fully engaged from fingertips to toes. Breathing through the steps and taking my time to make sure that I am fully warmed up before trying a full expression. This posture also challenges my wrists which have started to give me more trouble over the last year, between eleven years working on a computer and a regular ashtanga practice. 

What I love most about this posture is the moment that you find your balance. Perhaps the back foot lifts off the ground, but really when you are looking ahead, your hands are firmly planted into the ground and you can feel where your body can hold itself steady. We spend so much of our lives looking for the balance in life, and how special to find it in asana as well.

This class is roughly 65 minutes long allowing for a 5 minute savana which I strongly recommend taking after working so hard.

Warm Up:
Cow facing pose > Figure 4 > Table Top (Cat/Cow 5 breaths) > Down Dog > Rag Doll
Sun A
Sun B (I teach this with crescent instead of warrior 1, as I have had several students have a hard time with their knees and I find this allows them to focus on their balance. Opening up to warrior 2 from crescent is also a much easier transition in my opinion)
Forearm plank hold 30 seconds > Side forearm plank hold 30 second > forearm plank one breath > Side forearm plank hold 30 seconds (you'll be on your wrists later, but you want your core warm)
Krama 1:
Down Dog > Knee to same side elbow > Warrior 2 > Extended side angle > Warrior 2 > Triangle > Reverse Triangle > Flow (each side, holding each pose for 3-5 breaths)
Krama 2:
Eagle > Warrior 3 > Wide leg fold > Warrior 2 > Flow > Eagle other side > Warrior 3 > Wide leg fold with bind > Warrior 2 > Flow
Krama 3:
Locust for 5 breaths > Plank > Chaturanga push up > 3 legged dog > Crescent lunge > Crescent swoosh (coming across the body) x3 > Revolved crescent
Prep for peak: 
Chair > Figure 4 > Chair > Exhale forward fold > inhale ½ lift come to Squat > Crane/Crow > Flow > Pigeon > Quad stretch > 3 legged dog > Flip dog > DD
Peak:
Chair >Figure 4 > fold and stay or come into > Eka Pada Galavasana - Flying Pigeon
Cool Down:
Childs pose > Slow flow to seated > Seated wide leg forward fold > Seated forward fold > Bridge > Spinal Twist > Laying > Savasana