Eagle Pose (Garudasana)
Eagle Pose is a standing balance where one leg wraps around the other and one arm wraps around the other, while you sit low on the standing leg. Garuda is the great eagle of Indian stories and asana means posture. It asks for balance and focus, and the arm wrap stretches the space between the shoulder blades.
At a glance
- Sanskrit name
- Garudasana
- Pronunciation
- gah-roo-DAHS-uh-nuh. Four short syllables, with the weight on DAHS.
- Family
- Balances
- Practised in
- Vinyasa yoga
- In pregnancy
- Adapt
- After birth
- Adapt
Eagle Pose ties you in a knot and then asks you to stand still. It is one of the best balances for a busy mind, because there is no room to think about anything else.
In Vinyasa at home, balance work included, I usually teach it straight after Utkatasana, the chair shape, since the low seat is the same.
The arm wrap on its own is one of my favourite stretches for the upper back, and it works at a desk. You will find the leg version among the standing balances, one card each.
How to do Eagle Pose
Stand tall and bend both knees a little, as if beginning to sit in a chair.
Shift your weight onto the left foot. Lift the right leg and cross the right thigh over the left, as high up the thigh as it goes.
Point the right toes down. If they reach, hook the right foot behind the left calf; if not, rest the toes on the floor beside the left foot.
Reach the arms forward, cross the left arm over the right at the elbows, bend both elbows and bring the palms toward each other.
Lift the elbows to shoulder height and draw them a little away from your face. Sit lower and stay for five breaths.
Unwind slowly, stand on both feet and repeat on the other side, with the opposite leg and arm on top.
My cues
- Sit as if into a low chair. The lower you sit, the steadier the balance.
- Squeeze the legs toward the midline, as if they were one leg.
- Breathe into the back between the shoulder blades, where the arm wrap opens most.
Modifications
- Kickstand foot: rest the toes of the crossed leg on the floor instead of hooking the calf.
- Arms only: if the legs or balance are not happy, sit on a chair and do just the arm wrap, or hold opposite shoulders in a hug.
- Stand with your back near a wall in case you wobble.
In pregnancy. Adapt. Skip the leg wrap and the deep knee bend as balance shifts, and keep the arm wrap, seated or standing beside a wall. Check with your OB or midwife before you start.
After birth. Adapt. After your doctor or midwife clears you, start with the arms only or the kickstand foot near a wall. The arm wrap is a welcome stretch after hours of carrying and feeding.
Common mistakes
- Standing tall with straight legs, which makes the balance much harder. Sit lower.
- Forcing the foot to hook behind the calf and twisting the knee to get it there.
- Letting the shoulders hunch up toward the ears in the arm wrap.
Pairs well with
- Tree PoseVrksasana
- Chair PoseUtkatasana
- Mountain PoseTadasana