Garudasana or Eagle Pose Importance and Benefits

Garudasana is also known as Eagle Pose; the bird represents strength and power across many cultures of the world. This pose is also known for balancing and building the strength of the body. In this pose, legs are intertwined like an eagle; it works on the whole body of any yogi. Improvement in the blood circulation and calmness of the mind is the effect of the eagle pose, with regular performance.

Joint mobility is also increased with this asana. In this pose, one leg is in a standing position and the other is intertwined with the first one. The same position is seen with the hands and the arms. It means it is working on both the upper and lower bodies of any performer.

What is Garudasana or Eagle Pose?

The word “Garuda” comes from the Sanskrit word means eagle, and “Aasana” is pose. It collectively forms the garudasana word, meaning eagle pose. According to ancient yogic texts, the pose builds self-determination and strength in the thought perspective.

It is not mentioned in the classical hatha yoga texts like Hatha Yoga Pradipika and Shiv Samhita, but it was acknowledged by BKS Iyengar and T. Krishnamacharya. Modern classical yoga texts mentioned this pose, not in the ancient Vedic texts.

How to Perform Garudasana Pose?

Engaging the core in any yoga asana is the key to flexibility. It is not necessary that at the beginning, a practitioner hooks their leg on another. You can also use the support of the wall or a little hanging support in the beginning practice of this pose. Here is a start-to-end way of performing this pose in the right way:

• Come into the Tadasana position, with straight spine, hands by your side.
• Bend your knees in such a position that it looks like you are sitting on an invisible chair.
• Now start hooking your right leg on the left thigh.
• Your right foot should be behind your calf muscles.
• Now extend both your arms forward.
• Now, cross your left arm over the right arm.
• You can bend your elbows and try to join your palms in a greeting position.
•  If you are unable to join your hands, then place the back of your hands together.
• You have to lift your eyebrows to the height of your shoulders, and draw your forearms away from your face.
• With your spine straight, you have to maintain the same position for 15 to 30 seconds.
• Repeat on either side in the same pattern.
• After doing it, slowly unwind your leg and arm come into tadasana position again.

Read Also:- Advanced Yoga Poses for Strength, Flexibility, and Balance

Benefits of Eagle Pose or Garudasana

Like other poses in yoga, there are several benefits of the Garudasan or eagle pose too. Eagle position yoga helps in improving the concentration and focus of the practitioner. Other benefits are related to leg cramps or muscle strength. Here are the related benefits of the garudasana or eagle pose: 

1. Improves Body Balance

Garudasana is a practice where you stand on one leg and balance your body. This helps people who have lost balance or stability.

2. Improves Focus

When you do the Eagle Pose you need to concentrate and pay attention or you will lose balance. As you are in this posture you become aware. Feel calm both physically and mentally.

3. Enhances Flexibility

Our body has joints and muscles so we need to be flexible for movement. The Eagle Pose helps make your body flexible and ready for situations. It also sharpens your reflexes. Improves flexibility.

4. Relieves Stress

The Eagle Pose helps reduce stress in your body. Many people need to relax their muscles and untwist their knots because they are stressed and tight. You need to practice this yoga to see the benefits.

5. Treats Sciatica

Sciatica is pain in your back, hips and legs. This happens when the lower back nerve is compressed from sitting for long periods. The Eagle Pose helps relieve sciatica by loosening your back.

6. Strengthens Your Legs

In this yoga your body weight is on one leg. This affects your leg bones, the tibia and fibula. If you want to strengthen your legs this posture can help.

7. Elongates Arms and Thighs

Your legs and arms help you move around. They need exercise to stay strong. When you straighten your position and balance you also stretch your arms and thighs.

8. Improves Blood Circulation

The Eagle Pose involves twisting and stretching which improves blood circulation. It helps with muscle spasms and pains. This posture should be part of your workout, for activities.

Some Valuable Advice on Practising Garudasana

While you practice Garudasana here are a things to know:-

• Always warm up before doing Garudasana. You should do some kind of warm-up to get ready for the Garudasana.
• You can cross your legs. Use your bigger toe to push against the floor. This helps to keep you straight. You do not have to hook your leg onto the one.
• Make sure your hands are pressed flat together.If wrapping your arms makes you feel awkward just cross your shoulders. Breathe normally while you are in this pose. Do not hold your breath when you do Garudasana.
• Stop doing Garudasana if you feel dizzy or get pain. Do Garudasana on your stomach. You should wait at least 4 to 6 hours after eating before doing Garudasana. You must do Garudasana after an hour of eating.

Contraindications of the Garudasana

Apart from many benefits, there are some contraindications of the Eagle pose or Garudasana. Garudasan gives stretch to both the upper limb and the lower limb of the body, and this is the reason to avoid it in the injury or any painful condition:

• In case of any joint injury or painful condition of the shoulder, arms and knee, you should avoid garudasana.
• If your balance is weak at the start, youn take ca the help of any support, don’t be so independent in starting.
• People with sciatica and vertigo shoumld copletely avoid this pose.

Conclusion

Garudasana, or eagle pose, is a complex pose that is performed after increasing the flexibility of the body. It increases the strength of the muscles of the forelimbs and the hindlimbs. It is better to perform this pose with the assistance of the master. It increases blood circulation in the limbs and also cures pain in them. Contraindications are injury, in fopt, pregnancy, vertigo and knee pain. For more, you can contact Pratham Yoga School.