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Eagle Yoga Posture Garudasana Uplifts your Mood and Can Shift Depression
Teresa Keast
Garudasana frees the energy of change in the heart
The Eagle is a powerful posture that has the potential to transform through its actions on releasing energy blockages especially around the solar plexus/diaphragm area of the physical body. This is associated with the Manipura Chakra in the subtle body. These energy blockages arise from unexpressed emotions especially anger and frustration and when we feel we cannot express our true Self. If allowed to accumulate these blocked energies will eventually depress the flow of both subtle and physical energy in the body resulting in Depression and an inability to ignite the will to make positive changes in our life.
The Eagle transforms by activating and shifting the energy up into the Heart Chakra, Anahata. This cultivates the quality of truthfulness with oneself and others. The power of the will energy is restored and transformation begins.
Physically the Eagle improves the shoulder, leg and hip and back flexibility, strength and mobility and restores good balance and co-ordination. There is improved circulation to the sexual organs and the kidneys.
Emotionally we feel lighter, happier, with more vitality and a bubbly feeling of well being. Mentally there is renewed purpose with a return of the ability to focus and concentrate the mind and the will. We are able to make the required changes in our life.
The Eagle in nature has a powerful ability with its single pointed vision to see its prey and focus all of its energies and physically capability on capturing that prey and achieving its goal. It flies with effortless grace executing wonderful aerial manoeuvres that leave us in awe of this magnificent creature.
Before you practice Garudasana ensure you are warmed up.
Begin by making the Eagles beak. Cross the left upper arm over the right and turn the palms clockwise to meet each other. If this is difficult you can simply place the back of the hands together or adopt a praying hands position.
If your balance is not good or you have hip or knee problems cross the right leg over the left and placing the foot on the floor, then bend forward at the waist to come down onto your perch focusing on a single non moving point on the floor with a slight contraction of the lower stomach muscles. If your balance and joints are good you can cross the right thigh over the left wrapping the right foot around the left calf muscle, ensuring the hips remain facing forwards, the knees are bent and the spine is as straight as possible and then come down onto your perch. See figure one into figure two above.
In the perch you concentrate all your energies into the solar plexus region. Once there has been a sense of stillness in the posture you can move into the flight phase where you untuck your right leg and unfold your arms and extend both laterally to the side to land. Ensure this is a positive move with a stamp of the right foot as it is this stamp that shifts the blocked energies to open the heart. See figure three above.
Repeat with the right arm crossed over the left forming a beak and the left leg crossed over or wrapped around the right. The posture can be held whilst lying on the floor or sitting on the end of a chair then gradually releasing, straightening and unfolding the body if the standing posture is too difficult.
The flight phase...landing with purpose
If you want more challenge in the perch stage you can untuck the top leg and slowly extend it backwards whilst extending the arms forwards while still holding the beak position and lower the head to a horizontal position. Ideally you want to form a straight line from the fingers to the toes allowing energy to flow. Then continue with the flight phase as before.
Practiced regularly the Eagle brings great clarity and insight a sense of joy and aligns us with our Higher Truth and Purpose. It is one of my favourite postures as when I teach it in class people become elated, light, free and full of joy and it transforms the whole class with only three or four repetitions. Pure magic.
Namaste
Teresa
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