Summary
The Crane Pose or Bakasana stems from the ancient tradition of hatha yoga and represents grace, power, and concentration as cultivated by the crane. Although arm balances have changed over the years, Bakasana represents strength and spirituality.
The pose demands strong arms, a good core, a sense of balance, and the mental readiness to conquer fear. From a crouch, you push up your body with your arms and core, steady and deliberate.
Consider warming up fully before trying this pose to avoid injury. The Crane pose is an intermediate-level pose that builds strength and flexibility and also activates the solar plexus chakra.
History of Crane Pose
Bakasana is based on traditional yoga practice (Hatha Yoga) and stands in a long line of historical and textual references to earlier Sanskrit texts. The pose itself is a variant of an older arm balance. As is typical, many postures in yoga practice embody symbolic and philosophical meaning.
Symbolism: The crane bird in many cultures is viewed as a symbol of grace, strength, and balance. Cranes are referenced in Hindu mythology as sacred birds and a divine messenger. The crane’s ability to balance on one leg or to fly represents mental clarity and focus qualities developed through practices of Bakasana.
Asana Evolution: Bakasana represents a modern adaptation of ancient yogic practices that focused on balance, bodily strength, and awareness of spirit embodied in relationship to asanas or postures. Arm balances in texts may not be prominent in earlier writing; however, the Asanas surrounding the earlier-mentioned Kakasana and Bakasana are recent developments, at least in any recognizable form of Asanas we currently learn advanced Asanas.
Rishikesh Yog Kendra is a yoga center in Rishikesh that offers Yoga Alliance certified yoga courses in Rishikesh, like 200-hour yoga teacher training in Rishikesh, which is a 24-day residential yoga course in Rishikesh, and other such yoga teacher training courses from 100 to 500 hours yoga ttc in Rishikesh.
How to perform the Crane Pose
Before you slide into the physical shape of Bakasana, it’s crucial to be in the proper headspace first. Now, this is a position that instinctively brings on fear and doubt because it destabilizes your control in new ways. The biggest impediment for many of the women I have worked with is not simply a strength issue, but fear of falling forward. To start, adopt a spirit of curiosity and self-trust. It’s helpful to place a pillow or blanket in front of you for safety.
The Crane Pose is an arm balance in yoga that takes strength, focus, and coordination. To get into it, start in a squat (Malasana) with hands to the floor, shoulder-width apart, fingers splayed wide. Raise your hips and place your knees up high on the upper arms, close to the armpits, bend the elbows slightly, and start to lean your weight forward into your arms and hands, keeping your gaze forward, not down. At that forward position, choose one of your feet to lift, then select the other, and draw your heels to your seat as you lift. Squeeze the thighs in and press the hands into the mat in order to stay lifted. Hold for a few breath cycles, keeping steady breathing, and then slowly lower the feet back to the mat.
Precautions
Bakasana places a lot of weight on the wrists and shoulders. Move into the pose with caution if you have wrist pain, carpal tunnel, or injuries to the shoulders. Make sure you are warmed up and have built shoulder stability first. If you have lower back issues, be sure to establish firm core engagement to support the spine and not arch or collapse.
A neutral neck position is key to avoiding strain. If you have had neck issues or high blood pressure, you need to be mindful of that. If you suffer from glaucoma or have eye issues. Check with your doctor before practicing a pose that may have pressure changes.
The Benefits of The Crane Pose
Bakasana is not simply an arm balance, it is a full body integration that cultivates strength, coordination, and awareness within the body. Physically, the pose develops strength in the arms, wrists, shoulders, and the core, while also improving hip mobility and balance. The hands and arms begin to cultivate fine control from the shifting of weight, and the core works very hard to lift and stabilize everything in the body.
Mentally, Bakasana is an opportunity to directly confront fears and feel a sense of accomplishment or confidence. The nature of this pose has you leaning forward and trusting your balance to get past hesitation. You learn the value of effort, patience, and focus. Your concentration is heightened each time you enter the pose, as you cultivate courage to address fears with calmness and ease.
Energetically, Bakasana stimulates the solar plexus chakra, or Manipura, which ignites a cycle of inwardly-focused power, will, and transformation. The pose itself has an element of rising up, both physically and spiritually, as you draw energy in and up through your core.
Lastly, Bakasana promotes a sense of patience and playfulness. Mastering this pose can take time, allowing space for more persevering and playful energy to grow. Bakasana is a wonderful reminder that when we lean into discomfort, we can tap into our strength and experience lightness and hopefulness.
Join Rishikesh Yog Kendra
If you are planning to learn yoga and are looking for a Yoga center in Rishikesh. Join us at Rishikesh Yog Kendra for Yoga teacher training in Rishikesh and learn the Crane Pose and much more.
Rishikesh Yog Kendra provides short yoga alliance certified courses, including:
- Aerial Yoga in Rishikesh
- Pre and Postnatal Yoga Teacher Training in Rishikesh
- Sound healing teacher training course
Final Thoughts
While Bakasana may appear difficult to most, balancing on your hands is only part of what you can get out of it. It is an entire body exercise that allows you to cultivate strength, concentration, and most importantly, confidence- physically and mentally. This pose is designed to inspire trust and patience in yourself and is rooted in old yoga history that shows you that it is ok to fall- falling is part of learning. Whether today is your first attempt or you have been refining Bakasana for years, it is a success that invites fun and allows you to be physically and mentally empowered in your yoga practice.