Feathered Peacock Yoga Pose

Pincha Mayurasana

Feathered Peacock Yoga Pose
overview

Feathered Peacock Yoga Pose is an arm balance, inversion pose that targets the shoulders and is ideal for yogis and yoginis at an advanced level.

visuddha – the throat chakra
related poses

[yoga-sharrre]

[yoga-tags]

How To Do Feathered Peacock Yoga Pose
  1. Start in the Cat Pose (Marjaryasana); you should be on your hands and knees, forearms pressed against the floor and shoulder-width apart with knees hip-width apart. Your hands should be about a foot away from a wall and your elbows directly under your shoulders. Spread your fingers in front of you, palms down, and press them into the floor. Keep your shoulders wide; using a yoga strap on your upper arms will allow you to push your shoulders out without compromising the placement of your arms.
  2. Lift your hips up and your knees off of the floor, coming to your toes. Activate your leg muscles, extending them fully. Walk your feet a few steps toward you. Exhale and extend the left leg fully upward, reaching your foot as close to the wall as possible. Keep the grounded right leg active by pushing through the length of the leg and out of the heel. Lift your pelvis up and away from your tailbone, lengthening up toward the ceiling, and try to touch your left foot or toes to the wall.
  3. Using the toes of your right foot, bounce lightly to prepare yourself to lift into the full inversion. Exhale and lift your right foot off the ground, lowering the left leg if necessary to pull the right leg up. Push up through your heels to straighten your legs toward the ceiling; completing the inversion may take some time, and hopping into the position and coming right back down may be all you can manage at first.
  4. Once both legs are fully lifted, point your toes toward the ceiling, heels touching the wall if necessary for balance. Keep your head lifted, looking down at the floor between your arms. Lengthen the spine, feeling the gentle curve of the backbend as you extend through the toes. Touching your heels to the wall will allow you to lift the weight out of your lower back.
  5. Hold this position for a few deep breaths, increasing to 30-60 seconds if possible. To come out, keep your spine long and shoulders wide so that you don’t put weight on the neck or shoulders. Exhale and remove one foot from the wall, bringing it to the ground, then follow with the other leg. Repeat, extending through the right leg, or alternate daily until you can lift both legs up in the same hop.
Notes
  • Breathe deeply through each step.
  • This position isn’t as difficult as the Handstand (Adho Mukha Vrksasana), but it’s still an advanced position. Do not attempt this pose for the first time without an instructor present, and be sure to practice near a wall for support when first starting out.
  • Do not attempt this position if you have neck, shoulder or back injury.
  • Avoid this position if you are experiencing headaches or if you are currently menstruating.
  • Avoid this position if you have high blood pressure (hypertension) or a heart condition.
Tips

A yoga strap around the forearms can be incredibly helpful in this position. Adjust the band so that you can keep your forearms shoulder-width apart while you’re pushing strongly into the band through the outsides of your arms. This will allow you to keep your shoulders and chest wide but will keep your arms in place.

Stretches & Strengthens

All Muscles: Shoulders, biceps, triceps, calves, hamstrings, abs, neck, back

Target Muscles: Biceps, triceps, shoulders

Health Benefits of Feathered Peacock Yoga Pose
  • Can relieve stress, anxiety and mild depression.
  • Improves focus and balance.

Sanskrit Name & Meaning

Sanskrit Name & Meaning

Pincha Mayurasana

(pin-cha my-your-AHS-anna)

pincha: wing
mayura: peacock, belonging to a peacock, made of peacocks’ feathers
asana: posture

History & Mythology

History & Mythology


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