What defines you? How do we limit ourselves to a definition of the way things should be, or judgments of the way things are? We find so often that our mat is a mirror, a place to reflect how we experience the practice of living. Asana is a great tool of discovery and reflection. When we are pushed to the edge of what is comfortable in our bodies, we have a human tendency to define our experience. Good or bad, hard or easy, intense or gentle, these dichotomies by definition limit us. In yoga, we seek to move beyond definition to a place where we can experience the good and the bad, the difficult and the easeful simultaneously. After all, yoga essentially means “union,” right? In Pavritta Janu Sirsasana (revolved head to knee pose), we stretch ourselves to the limit of how we define ourselves physically. At the same time, we work to maintain a powerful connection to our root and core. As we practice this pose, we often find that the limits we had placed on ourselves dissolve, and we are able to move beyond physical and mental definitions.

Traditionally birds like the crane and the crow were thought to be messengers from the gods. When the first Dalai Lama was born, it was said that he was visited by black crows. And through the ability to fly, these birds transcend the heaviness of a mortal existence and live in the expanse between this finite world and the next. Cranes are symbols of loyalty and communication, and in many traditions are thought to bridge the gap between the earth and the heavens.

Whether you know Bakasana as the crane or the crow, its effect is one of transcendence. Rising above our perceived limitations and taking off in flight. Bakasana is a pose that requires strength and focus and the ability to trust. The initial approach to this asana is often one of trepidation. Just like a baby bird that has all of the tools for flight, but doubts their strength and ability, Bakasana can often bring up doubts and fears. “What if I fall flat on my face? What if I’m not strong enough to hold myself?”