Tree Yoga · The original pose reference
Pigeon Pose
See this pose in the original book ↗From the original book
The practice.
Start in tabletop position, facing the tree. The head should only be a few inches away from the trunk. Bring the left knee towards the left wrist, and then sweep the leg across the body to the right. You do not need to bring the left foot all the way up to the right wrist, but it should be headed in that direction. Make sure the hips are squared up towards the trunk, and find a vertical spine. Melt the hips straight down to the ground. To go deeper, fold the upper body down over the left leg and reach for the tree — grabbing on to the trunk. Stay for several breaths, and then practice on the other side. For the other side, just flip the setup. From tabletop position, bring the right knee to the right wrist, and then sweep the leg across the body to the left. Find a vertical position first, with the hips squared up to the tree. Then, if you want to go deeper, fold down over the right leg. It may feel good to do a few breaths in downward-facing dog in between each side.
Original book text by Alex Julian. Line wrapping and page breaks have been normalized for reading on the web. Personal accounts and energetic interpretations remain part of the original text.
Make the practice fit you.
This is a reference entry, not a required step in a beginner course. Use a comfortable range, keep breathing naturally, and stop if a movement hurts. Inversions and suspended exercises need appropriate instruction and equipment; a tree is not a certified anchor.
Explore the gentle introductory lesson →Keep exploring