Question about the Dragon poses

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Katia
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Nov 21, 2012 5:46 pm

Question about the Dragon poses

Post by Katia »

Hi there,

I'm very new to Yin Yoga and I am finding it exquisitely different (& oh so complimentary) to the normal Ashtanga practices I normally do.

I'm having a couple of issues with the dragon poses, however - and this is an awkward anatomical problem that I have yet to experience in my other yang yoga practice. I have very large breasts and I don't know where to put my KNEE when I'm in Low Flying Dragon! I don't know if I should be pressing my knee into my breast (in which case my hands barely touch the floor and it's very uncomfortable) or to the side of the breast and into the armpit (in which case it's a lot more comfortable). The thing is - I don't want to be unknowingly doing damage to my knee because it's now off to the side.

I've watched countless videos on this but no one seems to have quite my problem...

Thankyou so much.
Bernie
Posts: 1293
Joined: Sat Sep 23, 2006 2:25 am
Location: Vancouver

Big breasted dragons

Post by Bernie »

We are all different and no two dragons have the exact same breast shape or size and thus there are different dragons all over the world. (Remember, these are meant to be Eastern dragons, not the mean old Western varieties: think of Darcy's Dragon, Pete's Dragon or Puff that magic marijuana smoking dragon from somewhere near Hawaii.)

Yes, you can and should modify the pose so you can do it. Here are a few options for folks like you for Baby Dragon: use blocks under your hands so you don't go so low as to squish delicate tissues. Or let the front foot and knee point a bit outward and go around the compression point. Or, place a bolster or folded blanket between your stomach and thigh. Or, don't do the Baby Dragon version: have both hands inside the front leg (Low Flying Dragon) and avoid all compression entirely.

In your case, you were asking about Low Flying Dragon and where should the knee be? The knee should be where the pose is do-able for you. Let the knee be out to the side if you find that is where it works: I am not actually sure why you feel all bound-up in this version because both arms are inside the front foot so that the knee is close to the shoulder, it is not near the breast (see the pictures). The idea of the pose is to generate sensation in the front hip and the top of the back leg (the quads and hip flexors). If you are feeling it in either or both of these two locations, then, regardless of what you look like, you are doing it right. If there is any pain in the knee, you have lost the pose and you need to adjust your posture so that there is no pain there.

I hope this helps.
Bernie
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