For the hundreds of yoga students I've had the pleasure of teaching to these many years, the biggest impediment to their flexibility is tight hips. Many are unable to sit cross-legged on the floor, and for others, tight hips prevents getting fully into other yoga poses. They then think they are not able to avail themselves of the far-reaching benefits of yoga. But all is not lost! This is where the wall comes in. Doing yoga against the wall allows us to reap the benefits of poses otherwise unavailable to us.
Pigeon Pose is a very beneficial hip opener. The hardest part of doing Pigeon Pose on the wall is maneuvering into position. This takes a little bit of wiggling your behind close to the wall then swinging your legs up to rest on the wall. In the beginning you many not be very close to the wall, and that is perfectly alright. You will feel a deep stretch in the glutes and hips, and that's what we're after. Even seasoned practitioners can use this pose to deepen into a surprisingly challenging version of reclining pigeon.
Breathe deeply throughout, and enjoy the deep release in your hips during Pigeon Pose on the Wall.
Other articles by Joan Miller