In Yoga diaryIn the Archives series, we share a curated collection of articles originally published in back issues dating back to 1975. These stories offer a glimpse into how yoga has been interpreted, written about, and practiced over the years. This article first appeared in the January-February 1985 issue Yoga diary. You can find more of our archives here.
Bakasana (Crane Pose) requires strength and balance and teaches the basics of all other arm balances. Obviously forearm and arm strength is important; the triceps (back of the upper arm) must be active to support full extension of the elbow joint. But the core muscles also have to work. The abdominal muscles play a key role in supporting the arms.
Most students try this position by just pushing down with their arms. But if attention is paid to ‘hollowing out’ the abdomen, to drawing in and lifting with the abdominal muscles, the torso is lifted and the arms and shoulders do not have to do more than their share of the asana. This is an important key to all types of arm balances.
Another important key is using the muscles of the inner thigh (adductor). This powerful muscle group should be used in Bakasana to bring the entire lower limb into and up onto the arms. By using the adductors properly, the work done by the arms and abdominal muscles is reduced.
Bakasana is therefore both a ‘pushing’ and a ‘pulling’ posture. The entire arm pushes down while the abdominal muscles pull up and the adductors pull in and up to relieve the body weight on the arms. This approach can be extended to other similar arm balances. The work of the torso and legs makes the posture lighter, freer and yet more stable.
This idea of ​​lightness and ease is important in the practice of asana. Too often, yoga practice has to be forced or postponed; the asana is imposed on the body by sheer will. But even in an asana that requires a lot of strength, such as Bakasana, you can have a sense of ease, a feeling that you are “revealing” or “letting go” of the asana from within.
The entire yoga philosophy is based on the existence of a perfected consciousness in every individual. The practice of yoga is about removing the physical, emotional and mental barriers to that perfection. Nothing can be done to achieve that perfection; you can only let go of the roadblocks that stand in your way. Therefore, when practicing an asana, rather than aiming for and imposing an abstract form on the body, you allow the asana to express itself from within. As this happens, the body, breath and mind come into harmony, and one becomes the asana rather than practicing it.
The purpose of repeating an asana is not only to perfect the physical form, but also to experience the spirit of the pose. This spirit or essence then brings perfection into the physical form.
Bakasana, like all asanas, requires concentration, practice and discipline. But these alone are not enough. Bakasana also requires letting go, a lightness and letting go, which enables and creates both the lift and balance of the pose. When the form of Bakasana and its essence meet, the asana is an expression of wholeness and freedom.
How to practice Bakasana pose
Before attempting the pose, place a folded blanket on the floor in front of the hands to serve as a cushion in case you fall forward.
To practice Bakasana, squat and open the knees wide, keeping the feet on the floor. Place your hands firmly on the floor at shoulder width apart. All 10 fingers should point straight forward and touch the floor with firm and even contact.
Bring the torso between the thighs as far forward as possible by rotating the pelvis forward. Do not try to bend the spine without also tilting the pelvis so that the sit bones rise.
Bend the elbows and slide them under the shins so that the elbows point back and not out. This can be done one at a time or at the same time, whichever is easiest, but exhaling will make either approach easier.
Try to get the knees as high as possible over the back of the shoulders. Gradually straighten the elbows, remembering to exhale and lift with the legs and abdomen. The upper back should look rounded, as shown in Figure 2.
Try to keep the feet together and the toes straight, not as shown in Figure 3. Also note the incorrect flatness of the back in this photo.
Hold the pose for several breaths. Come down, rest and repeat.
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