Sanskrit: Agnistambhasana Western Term: Double Pigeon or Fire log
Asana
Origin of Word
Agni = fire; stambh = pole; column; log
Type of Asana: Seated
Asana
Another photo by the wonderful Christine Sears :)
How To:
1.
Sitting up tall on your mat, inhale as you stack
your right shin on top of your left shin. Try to align your right ankle
directly over your left knee. Exhale grounding your hips into the earth.
2.
There are many arm variations that you can do in
this asana. Today’s blog, we will focus on a shoulder opener for both arms
called gomukasana (“cow face”) arms. Inhale
as you bring your right arm out to the side and bend your right elbow to reach
your right fingertips down your back. Press your left hand down on your right
elbow to encourage the energy down and help open the right shoulder. Reach your
left arm out to the side and bend your left elbow to reach your left fingertips
up your back, trying to connect both fingertips together.
3.
Exhale keeping a flat back as your hinge from
your hips over your legs. Feel both elbows reaching to the back of the room to
increase the shoulder opening. Stay in flat back for 3 breaths before rounding
your back and dropping both hands forward. You’re welcome to stack both hands
in fists (for more height) or flat on the ground (to drop your head lower) as
your round and release your head and neck. Make sure to keep weight in your
sits bones. Stay for 3-5 breaths until you’ve found the climax in the asana
before rolling up through center and switching sides (for legs and arms).
Body Points:
*feel earthy in your hips, keeping weighted and dropping
your energy down
*simultaneously lengthen your spine when seated up tall,
feeling the energy reaching upward
*listen to your shoulders! Find your edge. It’s important to
not only improve and push yourself, but also to know when to back off.
Emphasized Body Parts: hips, groin, shoulders
Mental Achievements:
the earthy element in this pose encourages your body to relieve stress
An aid for beginners:
kramas are the various levels for a
certain asana (pose). The krama of any pose should be approached
with love and respect for your body on that specific day that you practice, for
we are constantly changing. For any given pose, there are various levels of
advancement. This krama that I offer
is for those who are newer to the pose or looking for a more lunar variation:
-If you find it difficult to sit up straight with your
shoulders over your hips, place a folded blanket or block (depending on
severity) under your hips.
-Help release your hips by gripping your thighs at your hip
crease and using your hands to encourage rotation outward before folding over
the legs.
Chakra: Muladhara or 1st chakra found
in the base of your spine. It is symbolized by a four-petaled red lotus. This
chakra is similar to a root. When you gain consciousness of your first chakra,
you can build your life upon a solid foundation.
-the bija mantra
or “seed sound” to repeat while in a 1st chakra yoga asana is “lam” in order to unlock the secrets of
the earth.
Ancient Sanskrit
Proverb: “Regular exercise gives you good health, longevity, strength, and
happiness. Health is the biggest wealth. It is the key to every success.”
In Ayurveda, the season of spring is a kapha or earthy time.
Element: earth
Alternative Uses:
this asana is used in not only Yoga
classes but also various fitness classes like BarSculpt. In BarSculpt, fire log
pose with gomukasana arms is a pose
that we use to open our shoulders after strengthening your front and back body
of your arms.
*Be cautious and make
sure a Yoga teacher is present while doing this pose if you suffer from lower
back injury or knee injury
Sources:
http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/2477.
Viewed 5/23/13.
http://morethanasana.wordpress.com/2012/08/14/swadisthana-sacral-chakra-yogic-practice/.
Viewed 5/23/13.
http://www.tulaa7.com/chakra1-red.html.
Viewed 5/23/13.
