If we had to quickly answer this question, the first answer we can give is yes. All people can initiate themselves in the practice of meditation. There are no physical or biological impediments that prevent our predisposition to start. However, there are many factors that we recommend taking into account and that we invite you to know in this article.

Bakasana or raven pose is one of the asanas preferred by us. It is a pose that requires moderate arm strength in its initial stage, and as it progresses, the arm strength will intensify. Many beginning yoga students fear that the crow pose is “too much for them”, this is usually a product of the fear that this pose generates in beginning students.

It is important to start trying bakasana little by little, with slow and measured movements, knowing the limits of each one. One can also take precautions so that fear is not so limiting, which we will see below.

Without a doubt, the practice of bakasana within a yoga routine is a beautiful experience. It allows a joint work of arms, abs and back, strengthening the entire upper trunk, and is also the gateway to other asanas of jumping jacks and more advanced arms.

Bakasana meditation pose step by step

• Start in Malasana, with your feet apart and your knees wider than your hips.
• Place your hands on the floor, palms flat, fingers extended, and facing forward. Like I’m in the downward facing dog.
• Press your hands firmly against the floor.
• Keeping your elbows bent, lift your hips.
• Place your knees at the back of your arms, as high and as close to your armpits as possible. Alternative: squeeze the outer arms with the knees.
• Hug your knees, exhale, and round your upper back/waist, using abdominal strength.
• Pressing in and up, bring the weight forward so that the elbows end almost on the wrist, which will be bent at 90 degrees.
• Inhale and raise one of your feet. If possible, bring the other one to meet you. And if you can a little more, put heels together with thumbs.
• Maintain the position for 5/12 breaths, always pressing the floor with your hands and feeling the abdominal force.
• Exhale and return to squatting position.

Throughout the performance of Bakasana, it is important to respect the rhythms and times of each one, not to rush a movement and to stop when the personal limit is reached. It is a difficult pose, but with time, it is possible and very rewarding.

Bakasana benefits

• Increases strength in arms, wrists and shoulders
• Strengthens inner thighs, abdominals and sacrum
• Stretches the upper back
• Open the groin

Over time and when you can perform this asana in a complete and sustained way, you will see how it is one of the postures that help you feel strong and gain confidence in using arms for any other yoga posture.

Bakasana variations

Over time, you can lift your heels even higher to rest on your buttocks. Try stretching your arms (until they are straight) and bringing your knees higher. The raven pose is a gateway to other asanas that use the arms and arm hops.

Tips for beginners

It is normal for a beginner yoga student or someone who has never tried the crow pose, to be afraid of falling forward with their face to the ground. We recommend resting a cushion on the floor, facing your face. Likely, you will not use it, but it will give you additional security to perform bakasana.

You can initially perform the crow pose by taking only one foot off the ground. It is necessary to gain strength in arms, wrists and upper body. We recommend the practice of chaturanga.

Precautions

Before starting this asana, make sure your wrists are properly aligned. Once started, it will be difficult for you to correct your position. It may happen initially, and until you get used to bakasana, you feel a little pain in your arms, right where you rest your knees. This pain should lessen as you perfect this pose. If it does not decrease, check with your instructor.

The popularity of yoga has grown exponentially in the last decade. It is proper to say that yoga has contributed to the happiness of the people who practice it, whatever the style. Today, we want to talk to you very especially about one of the most recognized asanas or yoga positions. The pose “downward facing dog,” or as its name in Sanskrit indicates, adho mukha svanasana.

The meaning of the Sanskrit word adho means “downwards,” Mukha means “head,” and svana means “dog.” It is an integral pose for any yoga practice. It is about making a replica of the forward-leaning of a dog, hence the name of the “downward facing dog” pose. As part of the traditional sun salutation sequence, this asana or pose can be done independently or even as a resting pose. For both experienced yogis and yoga beginners, they can find different ways to perform this popular yoga pose, downward-facing dog.

Step by step instructions for Adho Mukha

We can understand those who feel an aversion to the inverted V and consider this pose a kind of punishment or torture, especially when it comes to practicing it at rest. However, many of these reasons lies in the incorrect performance of the posture. Below we will mention step by step how you should practice the adho mukha posture and take full advantage of its energy.

Get on the floor on your hands and knees

Tuck your knees slightly below your hips and place your hands forward of your shoulders. Open the palms of your hands; the index fingers should be slightly parallel. Emphasize pressing against the canvas, index finger and thumb.

Fix your toes on the floor

Exhale and lift your knees off the floor. In the first attempt, you should keep your knees slightly bent and your heels lifted off the floor. Lengthen the coccyx at the back of the pelvis and press lightly towards the pubis. Against this resistance, lift the glute completely towards the ceiling, and from the inner ankles, try to level the balls of the feet towards the groin.

Then, on an exhale, push up on your upper thighs and fully stretch your heels until trying to touch the ground. Look back and if you can see your heels, turn slightly outward, as far as you cannot see them anymore.

Straighten your knees, but make sure not to block them. Firms the outer thighs and rotates them slightly inward.

Limits the front of the pelvis

Firm the outer arms and actively press the bases of the index fingers into the ground. As you press down through your wrists, you will feel the energy rush up to activate your arms and cause you to slightly rotate your forearms inward toward each other.

Firm your shoulder blades against your back, then widen and draw them toward your tailbone to stabilize your posture.

Keep your head firmly between your arms without letting it hang. The neck is part of the spine, so it must follow the same natural line. Ideally, you should try to hold the Adho Mukha Svanasana position for at least 1 to 3 minutes. Then, to rest, bend your knees to the floor with an exhale and assume the child’s pose.

Benefits of the Downward Facing Dog Pose (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

• This pose overflows with energy and rejuvenates you
• Contributes to the stretching of the spine
• Strengthens the muscles that are responsible for increasing lung capacity
• It promotes the development of strength throughout the body, especially in the arms, shoulders, legs and feet.
• Helps tone muscles
• Increases circulation to the brain
• Calms the mind and helps relieve headaches
• Improves insomnia problems
• Eliminate tiredness and fatigue
• Calm anxiety and control depression

In addition to learning to obtain a perfect alignment of your body through the downward facing dog posture. This is extremely important for your anatomy. It is also very likely that you will end up loving this pose once you reach its perfection and begin to perceive all its benefits. Go ahead and practice this powerful yoga pose correctly and make it part of your daily exercise routine.