Unlocking the Benefits of Side Crow and Kundalini Yoga’s Twist with Breath of Fire
Side Crow or Parsva Bakasana is a yoga pose that requires balance, strength, and concentration. It is a powerful arm balance that targets the core and builds strength in the arms, shoulders, and wrists. In addition to the physical benefits, Side Crow is also a great way to cultivate mental focus and inner peace. This pose is often taught in intermediate to advanced yoga classes, but with consistent practice and dedication, anyone can learn to fly in Side Crow.
One of the main benefits of Side Crow is that it requires strong core muscles to maintain balance. As you lean forward and lift your legs off the ground, your abdominal muscles engage to keep your torso stable. This strengthens the muscles of the abdomen and lower back, improving posture and reducing the risk of injury. It also helps to tone the muscles of the hips and thighs, creating a lean, strong lower body.
Another benefit of Side Crow is that it requires strong arms and shoulders to support the weight of the body. As you lift your legs off the ground, your arms work to hold your body in place. This helps to build strength in the shoulders, biceps, and triceps, as well as the muscles of the upper back. Regular practice of Side Crow can help to build upper body strength and tone the muscles of the arms and shoulders.
In addition to the physical benefits, Side Crow also helps to cultivate mental focus and inner peace. As you balance on your arms and lift your legs off the ground, you must remain calm and centered to stay in the pose. This requires a great deal of concentration and focus, which can help to quiet the mind and reduce stress and anxiety.
To get into Side Crow, start in a low squat with your feet hip-width apart and your hands on the ground in front of you. Place your hands shoulder-width apart and spread your fingers wide. Lean forward and place your knees on the back of your upper arms, just above the elbows. Engage your core muscles and lift your feet off the ground, keeping your toes pointed. Hold the pose for several breaths, then release and repeat on the other side.
Side Crow is a challenging pose that requires practice and patience to master. If you are new to yoga or have never tried Side Crow before, it is important to work with a qualified yoga teacher who can help you learn the proper alignment and technique. With consistent practice, you can build strength and confidence in Side Crow and enjoy the many benefits that this powerful pose has to offer.
Core Work and Twist:
Core work is an important part of any yoga practice, as it helps to strengthen the muscles of the abdomen and lower back. When combined with twists, core work can help to improve digestion and relieve stress and tension in the body.
One effective core and twist sequence is the Kundalini cross-legged sitting twist with breath of fire. This sequence starts in a comfortable seated position with the legs crossed and the hands resting on the knees. Begin by taking several deep breaths, inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth.
Skull Radiance or Breath of Fire/Kapalabhati is another pranayama technique that can help you prepare for Side Crow. This rapid style of pranayama creates an internal rhythmic massage that stimulates the circulation of cerebral fluid and influences the compression and decompression in the spine and brain. It heats the nasal passages and sinuses, clearing away excess mucus, helping build up resistance to colds and respiratory disorders.
After warming up your body, you can move into the Side Crow pose sequence. Begin with a Chair/Utkatasana pose, then lie on your back and do some bicycle crunches. Move into Boat/Navasana, hold for five breaths, then cross your legs and lift your butt off the floor for one breath. Move into Boat/Navasana twisting, holding for five breaths on each side. Return to Chair/Utkatasana and then move into a standing forward fold/Uttanasana. From here, move into a one-legged dog pose to Plank, exhaling and twisting three times. Move into Downward Dog/Adho Mukha Svanasana and then lunge forward, moving into Warrior 2/Virabhadrasana and Side angle pose/Utthita Parsvakonasana. Finish this round with a vinyasa and repeat on the other side.
In Round 2, after Warrior 2, add Triangle/Trikonasana with a little crunch and windmill arms, standing twisted Crescent lunge/Parivrtta Ashtachandrasana. Bring one arm behind the back and the other up for a low twisting Prayer Lunge/Parivṛtta Aṅjaneyāsana. Step forward with your leg forward into twisting Chair/Parivṛtta Utkaṭāsana and move into Side Crow/Parsva Bakasana. Finish this round with a vinyasa and repeat on the other side.
In Round 3, repeat the flow until twisting Prayer Chair. Then, grab your feet and stand tall into a revolved hand to big toe pose. Move into Standing split/Urdhva Prasarita Eka Padasana, handstand hop, and standing split. Finish this round with a vinyasa and repeat on the other side. Finally, move into Pigeon pose/Kapotasana.
In addition to the physical benefits of Side Crow and the warm-up sequences, it is also important to focus on the mental benefits of yoga. Train your eyes to see the bright side of everything and think positively. Your beliefs become your thoughts, your thoughts become your words, your words become your actions, your actions become your habits, your habits become your values, and your values become your destiny.
Chanting the ONG NAMO mantra can also be beneficial for your yoga practice. This mantra means “I bow to the Creative Wisdom, I bow to the Divine Teacher within.” It connects you to the universal insights of the community of Kundalini teachers and students, also known as the golden chain. By chanting this mantra, we tap into the wisdom and power of the universe and connect with the divine teacher within ourselves. The ONG NAMO mantra, also known as the Adi Mantra, is a powerful tool for spiritual growth and transformation.
In Kundalini yoga, chanting mantras is an essential practice. Mantras are repetitive sounds or words that are believed to have a transformative effect on the mind and body. They are often chanted in Sanskrit, an ancient language that is considered sacred in the yogic tradition.
The ONG NAMO mantra is one of the most commonly used mantras in Kundalini yoga. It is chanted at the beginning of each class as a way to connect with the divine and to honor the lineage of Kundalini yoga teachers who came before us. By chanting this mantra, we acknowledge our own inner teacher and our connection to the universal wisdom that is available to us all.
The mantra itself has a powerful vibration that can help to calm the mind and awaken the spirit. It is composed of two parts: ONG NAMO and Guru Dev Namo. ONG NAMO means “I bow to the Creative Wisdom,” while Guru Dev Namo means “I bow to the Divine Teacher within.” Together, these words express our reverence for the infinite wisdom of the universe and our recognition of the divine teacher that resides within each of us.
Chanting the ONG NAMO mantra can have many benefits. It can help to clear the mind and improve focus, making it a useful tool for meditation and concentration. It can also help to reduce stress and anxiety, promote feelings of peace and well-being, and increase our sense of connection to the world around us.
In addition to chanting the ONG NAMO mantra, Kundalini yoga also incorporates a variety of other practices that can help to support physical, mental, and spiritual health. One of these practices is Side Crow, also known as Parsva Bakasana.
Side Crow is a challenging arm balance pose that requires strength, balance, and focus. It involves balancing on one arm while twisting the torso and legs to the side. This pose is great for building core strength, improving balance, and developing arm and shoulder stability.
To get into Side Crow, begin in a low squat with your feet hip-width apart. Place your hands on the floor in front of you and press your palms into the ground. Lift your hips up and shift your weight forward, bringing your knees onto the back of your upper arms. Slowly shift your weight onto your hands and lift your feet off the ground. Once you are balanced, twist your torso and legs to the side, looking over your shoulder. Hold the pose for several breaths, then release and repeat on the other side.
In addition to Side Crow, Kundalini yoga also incorporates a variety of other practices that can help to support physical, mental, and spiritual health. These include breath work, meditation, and a variety of other yoga poses.
Overall, practicing Kundalini yoga can be a powerful way to promote health and well-being in all areas of your life. By chanting the ONG NAMO mantra and practicing poses like Side Crow, you can tap into the wisdom and power of the universe and connect with the divine teacher within yourself.
Natarajasana, also known as Dancer Pose, is a beautiful and powerful asana that requires both back bending and balancing. It can elicit fear because of the openness and bravery it requires, but it also provides an opportunity to let go of fear and embrace freedom. Shiva, the king dancer, also known as Nataraja, teaches us that everything born must also die, and that destruction clears the path for rebirth. By riding the wave of change and paying attention to the rhythm of the dance, we can liberate ourselves from suffering.
Stretches the entire front body: Bow Pose is a deep backbend that stretches the entire front body, including the chest, abdomen, hip flexors, and thighs.
The psoas muscle is one of the most important muscles in the human body, as it initiates all of our movements and plays a key role in our core strength. This deep core muscle runs from the middle of the spine to the inner thigh and is closely linked to our fight or flight response, which is built into our bodies to respond to stress. As a result, the psoas muscle tends to become short and tight, leading to pain and discomfort in the lower back and hips. However, opening up through the psoas muscle can help release fear and tension and move us into a state of love and relaxation. When we release tension in the psoas muscle, we can experience a sense of freedom and lightness, which can help us accomplish the impossible and overcome our fears.
The story goes that Hanuman was born to Anjana and Kesari, who were celestial beings in the form of monkeys. As a child, Hanuman was mischievous and playful, but he also possessed extraordinary strength and intelligence. He was a quick learner, and his curiosity led him to explore the world around him. One day, Hanuman saw the sun rising in the sky and mistook it for a fruit. He leaped up into the sky to grab it, but soon realized that the sun was too hot to touch. Undeterred, he continued his journey, and eventually landed on a mountain where he met the sage Matanga. The sage was impressed by Hanuman’s devotion and strength, and taught him the art of yoga and meditation. Over time, Hanuman became a skilled yogi and a devoted servant of Lord Rama. He played a key role in the Ramayana, helping Rama rescue his wife Sita from the demon king Ravana. Hanuman’s bravery, loyalty, and agility made him a beloved figure in Hindu mythology, and he is worshipped as a symbol of strength and devotion.
If you’re looking for yoga classes to improve your physical, mental, and emotional health, then you may be interested in reading this article. As a yoga teacher, I have prepared several lesson plans for yoga teacher training that I am willing to share with you. The following 18 lesson plans are designed to build on each other, from gentle classes to more advanced poses and sequencing.
Classical Sun Salutations with lunge and variations will follow the Tree pose. This will involve adding a twist in the lunge, twist with prayer pose hands, lunge to half split. These variations will help you build strength, balance, and flexibility.
After standing poses, you will move onto Yin poses. These poses are held for a longer duration, allowing you to relax into the pose and focus on your breath. Low Squat/ Malasana, Butterfly/ Baddha Konasana, Bridge pose/ Setu Bandha Sarvangasana, Reclining Figure 4 pose/ Supta eka pada galavasana, and Lying spinal twist/ Supta Matsyendrasana are all Yin poses that will be incorporated into this class. These poses will help you release tension in your hips, lower back, and glutes.