Many of the postures in yoga are inspired by animal poses. “Eka pada” meaning “one leg” and “baka dhyanasana” meaning “meditating crane”. The essence of this pose derives from the crane’s concentration when catching fish. It is a stimulating balancing pose. The main characteristic is to raise the lower body while balancing on slightly bent arms, and finally extending one leg. It is a somewhat challenging posture, which requires a great amount of concentration to hold. Procedure • Squat on the floor with your feet apart. Balance on the toes and place your hands flat on the floor directly in front of your feet. • Keeping your elbows bent, gradually start to transfer your weight to your hands, adjusting the knees so that the inside of your knees touch the outside of your upper arms, getting them as close as possible to your armpits. • Stabilise your position and transfer your weight completely to the arms, lifting your feet off the floor, bringing them together behind you. Keep your focus on the tip of your nose, or on any one point. Before exploring the next stage, try and hold this position for at least a few breaths. • Maintaining your balance, shift most of your weight to the right arm and slowly stretch the left leg straight out behind you. • Keep the breath inside if holding for a short time, or maintain normal breathing if holding for longer. Hold the posture for as long as possible. • Draw your left leg back in to rest on the upper left arm. While exhaling, slowly lower the feet to the floor. Repeat with the right leg extended. Benefits • Anatomically this posture strengthens the arms and the wrists, along with the abdomen and the legs. • It also gives a good stretch to the upper back. • It improves balance on both the physical and the mental level, and when practised regularly, brings balance to the left and right brain. Caution Not to be attempted by people with high blood pressure, heart disease or cerebral thrombosis.