Pincha Mayurasana (Feathered Peacock Pose): Basics, Steps, Benefits & More
Pincha Mayurasana is an advance level forearm standing pose that imitating a peacock spanning its feather out. In this whole body weight is supported on forearms.
Pincha Mayurasana Basics
Sanskrit Pronunciation | Pincha Mayurasana (PIN-chuh my-YUR-AH-sah-nah) |
Meaning | Pincha = feathered Mayur = Peacock Asana = pose |
Pose Type | Inversion stretching |
Pose Level | Advanced pose |
Style of yoga | Hatha Yoga |
Other Names | Forearm balance pose, Forearm Stand, Elbow Balance |
Stretches | The chest and shoulders |
Strengthening | The forearms |
Duration | 30 second to 3 minutes |
Meaning
Pincha Mayurasana is known as the Feathered Peacock pose. This asana looks beautiful, showy pose, that needs both skill and patience to perfect.
Pincha Mayurasana is a Sanskrit name to the asana, this translated as ‘Pincha’ means ‘Feather’, ‘Mayur’ means ‘Peacock’, and ‘Asana’ means ‘Pose’. In this way, Being in this asana practice resembles a dancing Peacock .
This forearm stand is a balancing inversion. It strengthens your shoulders, arms, core, and back, and stretches the chest and shoulders. It provides an excellent stretch to the upper and middle body.
Practice Guide for Pincha Mayurasana
Pincha Mayurasana is a advanced level balancing inversion yoga pose that requires careful attention to detail. This guide provides practitioners with a systematic breakdown of the pose, offering clear instructions on body positioning, alignment, and breathing techniques.
First, prepare yourself as you warm up with the preparatory poses.
Preparatory Pose
- Gomukhasana (Cow Face Pose)
- Adho Mukha Vrksasana (Handstand Pose)
- Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend)
- Prasarita Padottanasana
- Supta Virasana
Steps To Do Pincha Mayurasana (Feathered Peacock Pose)
- To enter Pincha Mayurasana, first of all, you need to perform Adho Mukha Svanasana, with facing the wall and your palms, forearms on the floor and parallel to each other at shoulder width.
- Lift the hips and walk towards the arms as much as you can.
- Press down through your forearms and engage your hands by pressing down with the fingertips.
- Now lift up your right leg and try to lift the left leg also from the floor. This action will push your lower body off the floor.
- Transfer your body weight to the upper body Or feel the weight in your upper body.
- Once up in the pose, keep pressing into the forearms and palms and keep your head off the floor.
- Make sure your shoulders are away from your ears.
- In this position, you can touch the wall with the feet or keep them perpendicular.
- Maintain energy in your legs by internally rotating the inner thighs.
- Breathe deeply, stay in the final position for a few seconds or you feel as comfortable and release gently.
- To come out from this position, lower one foot, followed by the other stay into Dolphin pose, bend your knees and rest in Balasana (Child’s Pose) for a few breaths.
Tips
- Use a wall for support and practice kicking up into the pose until you feel comfortable balancing without support.
- Work on shoulder and core strength regularly to improve stability in the pose.
- Avoid practicing Pincha Mayurasana if you have any wrist, shoulder, or neck injuries.
Follow-Up Poses
Benefits of Pincha Mayurasana
Strengthens Upper Body: Pincha Mayurasana builds strength in the arms, shoulders, and upper back, helping to improve posture and stability.
Improves Balance: Practicing balancing in Pincha Mayurasana enhances proprioception and balance skills.
Boosts Confidence: Mastering advanced poses like Pincha Mayurasana can increase self-confidence and mental resilience.
Stimulates Circulation: Inversions like Pincha Mayurasana promote blood circulation and lymphatic drainage.
Calms the Mind: Being inverted can have a calming effect on the mind, reducing stress and anxiety.
Improves Focus and Concentration: Holding challenging poses requires concentration and mental focus, improving cognitive function over time.
Precautions
Practicing Pincha Mayurasana in the morning is often recommended by experts due to several reasons, including better digestion and higher energy levels. However, if practicing in the morning isn’t feasible for some reason, practicing in the evening can still be beneficial.
It’s important to maintain a gap of 3-5 hours between your last meal and your yoga practice, regardless of whether you’re practicing in the morning or evening. This allows for proper digestion and prevents discomfort during your practice.
So, while morning practice may be ideal for many, if it doesn’t fit into your schedule, practicing in the evening with a proper gap after your last meal can still provide numerous benefits for your body and mind.
- People who suffer from migraines avoid this pose, due to the potential pressure in the shoulders.
- It is best to avoid this asana if you suffering from high blood pressure.
- Avoid practicing this asana cervical issues and shoulders, neck or back injury.
- Diabetes, hypertension patient must be avoided Picha Mayurasana.
Conclusion
To practice Pincha Mayurasana always start with a gentle warm-up sequence to prepare your body, focusing on stretching the shoulders, wrists, core, and legs.
It is an excellent asana that effective make physical body framework strong and work up on the subtle aspects of the body.