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Kapotasana ( sa, कपोतासन;
File:Sritattvanidhi pose called Kapotasana.jpg, The
Kapotasana ( sa, कपोतासन; IAST
The International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration (IAST) is a transliteration scheme that allows the lossless romanisation of Indic scripts as employed by Sanskrit and related Indic languages. It is based on a scheme that emerged during ...
: ''Kapotāsana'') or Pigeon Pose is a kneeling back-bending asana
An asana is a body posture, originally and still a general term for a sitting meditation pose,Verse 46, chapter II, "Patanjali Yoga sutras" by Swami Prabhavananda, published by the Sri Ramakrishna Math p. 111 and later extended in hatha yoga ...
in modern yoga as exercise.
Asanas based on One-legged King Pigeon pose, Rajakapotasana, are also sometimes called "Pigeon".
Etymology and origins
The name comes from the Sanskrit words ''kapota'' (कपोत) meaning "pigeon" and ''asana'' (आसन) meaning "posture" or "seat". A different (standing) pose is given the name Kapotasana in the 19th century '' Sritattvanidhi''. The modern pose is described in the 20th century in ''Light on Yoga
''Light on Yoga: Yoga Dipika'' (Sanskrit: योग दीपिका, "Yoga Dīpikā") is a 1966 book on the Iyengar Yoga style of modern yoga as exercise by B. K. S. Iyengar, first published in English. It describes more than 200 yoga postur ...
''.
Asanas based on King Pigeon pose or Rajakapotasana are sometimes called Pigeon; for example, '' Yoga Journal'' describes a reclining (prone) variation of Eka Pada Rajakapotasana, One-Legged King Pigeon pose, as Pigeon.
standing pose
The standing asanas are the yoga poses or asanas with one or both feet on the ground, and the body more or less upright. They are among the most distinctive features of modern yoga as exercise. Until the 20th century there were very few of these, ...
named "Kapotasana" in the 19th century '' Sritattvanidhi''
File:Raja-Kapotasana Yoga-Asana Nina-Mel.jpg, Rajakapotasana, King Pigeon pose, is sometimes abbreviated to "Pigeon".
Description
A pose from the Ashtanga tradition, Kapotasana is an advanced asana which resembles Chakrasana, or Wheel Pose. The shins and forearms are on the ground, the front body stretched upwards in the air. The pose is reached by going into a backbend with knees on the ground. It requires flexibility to bring the head back until it reaches the ground. Kapotasana helps to open up the chest, and strengthens the back and groin. It opens and increases the flexibility of the hips, at the same time strengthening the back, and stretching the thighs and the groin. In Iyengar Yoga, practitioners begin by lying inSupta Virasana
Virasana ( sa, वीरासन; IAST: ''vīrāsana'') or Hero Pose is a kneeling asana in modern yoga as exercise. Medieval hatha yoga texts describe a cross-legged meditation asana under the same name. Supta Virasana is the reclining form ...
, bending the arms and placing the arms beside the head. They then press the hands, exhale and raise the hips and trunk. The crown of the head can be placed on the floor, and hands can be walked towards the feet by raising the trunk higher.
See also
* List of asanasReferences
Sources
* {{Yoga as exercise Backbend asanas