Day Two:
Supta Kapotasana
or reclining pigeon pose.
You may know this pose by the name figure four or eye of the needle. Your left leg crosses and the ankle rests with the foot flexed at the knee or thigh of the right leg. You reach with arms or a belt to draw the right thigh closer. This action often causes the shoulders to grip and the jaw to tighten.
Today, offer yourself a softer version of this beneficial pose.
HOW TO: Lie down on your back, press you feet into the wall and lift your hips. Lengthen your left leg up and externally rotate. Place the ankle onto the right thigh and slowly lower your hips.
Arms remain at your sides so your body can relax as your hip flexors soften and your left piriformis muscle receives a good stretch.
Offer your controlled breathing practice of inhale, pause your breath, exhale and remain for 5 minutes before switching sides.
Modifications: If your hips are tight and you feel an unease in the pose, please adjust by moving the body further away from the wall. Balance evenly on the sacrum to feel the whole lower pelvis on the floor. If being on the floor is not comfortable, try this pose in a chair. If traveling, this is a great version of the pose to offer after a long car ride or while waiting at the airport.
Benefits: This pose will ease tight piriformis muscles as well as the muscles around the sacrum, the low back and glutes. It is a wonderful complement to both the athlete who needs a good stretch after working out and the person behind the desk or the wheel of car.