Strike A Pose

My favorite yoga pose is Eka Pada Rajakapotasana, which translates to One-legged King Pigeon Pose. A friend of mine said it's my million-dollar-pose, because if there was a yoga contest, the moment I do that pose, all the other contestants would fold. Lately, however, I am having difficulty doing it, let alone holding it for many breaths.

I am not a yoga newbie, but I do seem to have lost a lot of my flexibility because I haven't been practicing regularly. To be honest, its health benefits as complementary to my HIV treatment are just secondary to me. My real goal is to find the limits of my body and to push it under the guidance of the instructor. I want to achieve a greater range of motion. To me, being able to do a pose such as the King Pigeon and hold it for extended periods is exhilarating. I would like to one day be able to do a full leg split. If you think I am doing yoga for all the wrong reasons, spare me the sermon. I've heard it all, I've read the book by B.K.S. Iyengar, and I know what I am doing.


Now I've set my sights on another yoga pose: Parivrtta Surya Yantrasana, or the Compass Pose. It's got such beautiful lines. Notice how my favorite poses point the head skyward. I think it reflects my longing for greater heights and movement freedom. Being stifled by something like HIV, I look to art for emancipation. Plus, the poses look kick-ass.