Garudasana - The Eagle Pose

Garudasana is an advanced yoga pose. Garuda is the king of birds and the vehicle of lord Vishnu.   The word "Garuda" is usually rendered into English as the "Eagle".  Now let us see how to perform the Garudasana in a step by step manner.

Step by step practice of Garudasana

• First stand in Tadasana
• Now bend your knees slightly and lift your left foot up and balancing on your right foot, cross the left thigh over the right.
• Point your left toes towards the floor and press the foot back and then hook the top of the foot behind the lower right calf.  Balance on the right foot.
• Now stretch your arms straight forward, parallel to the floor and spread your scapulas wide across the back of your torso.  Cross the arms in front of your torso so that the right arm is above the left, then bend your elbows.  Snug the right elbow into the crook of the left, and raise the fore arms perpendicular to the floor.  The backs of your hands should be facing each other.
• Now press the right hand to the right and left hand to the left so that the palms are now facing each other.   The thumb of the right hand should pass in front of the little finger of the left.  Now press the palms together as much as possible.  Lift the elbows up, and stretch the fingers towards the ceiling.
• Stay like this for 30 seconds and then unwind the legs and arms and stand in Tadasana again.  Repeat the same thing with the legs and arms reversed.

This asana is very good for people suffering from asthma and low back ache.  Some of the benefits of the Garudasana are listed below.

• Strengthens and stretches the ankles and calves
• stretches the thighs, hips, shoulders and upper back
• Improves the concentration
• Improves sense of balance