It’s Appreciate a Dragon Day!

Woohoo! I’m so excited about this one! Anyone who comes to my yin classes knows that dragon is my favorite pose. (Shameless self-promotion: Come see me at one of the three locations where I teach yin.) I love, love, love it because my hips are tight, tight, tight and this gets into them in lots of different directions.

So think of your favorite dragon and dive into this pose.

Dragon How To:

Getting into the Pose:

• Come into low lunge with front knee over the ankle and back knee on the floor

Variations:

• Baby dragon: hands frame front foot and torso in line with/on top of forward thigh
• Dragon flying high: arms or hands rest on front thigh, chest lifted (intensifies stretch on hips)
• Dragon flying low: Bring both hands inside foot, can come down to elbows
• Twisted dragon: From dragon flying low, push knee to the side and rotate the chest to the sky
• Winged dragon: arms inside, gently rock to outside foot a few times before holding the knee out

Modifications:

• Support the knee and shin if back leg at 90 degrees
• Advanced: lift back knee

Benefits:

• Stretches groin, ankles, hip flexors & quads
• Frees the pelvis
• Can help with sciatica

Meridians & Organs Affected:

• Stomach, spleen, liver, gall bladder, kidneys

Joints Affected:

• Hips and ankles
• Lower back (when in back bending positions)

Coming Out:

• Move back knee forward and step into down dog

Counterposes:

• Down dog
• Child’s pose
• Half splits

Sources: Paul Grilley, Yin Yoga: Outline of a Quiet Practice; Biff Mithoefer, The Yin Yoga Kit: The Practic of Quiet Power; and Bernie Clark, The Complete Guide to Yin Yoga: The Philosophy & Practice of Yin Yoga

Peace,

Debra