By Allison Ray Jeraci
Yoga International
A long and healthy life is one of yoga’s oft-touted benefits. Many of us come to the practice (at least in part) because we want to build strength and flexibility, preserve joint mobility, gain focus, and maintain mental clarity—all of which play key roles in keeping us healthy and vibrant.
Bakasana, or crane pose—sometimes referred to as crow pose, though technically crow, or kakasana, is practiced with bent arms, while crane is practiced with straight arms—and its preps help to engender all of the wonderful results so typical of yoga practice (i.e., mental clarity, focus, strength, and flexibility). The mental and physical progress we see with consistent practice of the pose reminds us of our innate strength and vitality as living beings.