Move of the month
Meet the yoga position that’ll leave you feeling free as a bird physically and mentally
WHY WE LOVE IT: That yoga is a good form of physical release is no secret, but certain positions have been shown to relieve emotional tension, too. On a muscular level, pigeon pose ‘lengthens your hip flexors and works your hip rotator muscles’, says Jaime Hepburn, founder of The Yoga Library. Plus, it’s established in the yogi world that you hold emotions in your hips, so you’re essentially letting them go in the pose. ‘The tightness in your hips traps old trauma and negative feelings; the release can be cathartic,’ says Hepburn. Sceptical? Consider how your jaw tightens when you’re stressed – it’s the same logic.
STEP 1
BEGINNERS, find yourself a block or a pillow to prop up your hips; pros, prepare to stretch.
STEP 2
START in downward dog, then slide your left leg forwards, resting your left hand on top of your left knee, your right hand on the arch of your left foot, with your left shin as parallel to the front edge of your mat as possible and your hips square.
STEP 3
LOWER your right leg and hip down to the floor, pressing the top of your foot into the ground. Inhale to straighten your spine, exhale to rela
