Bird Poses

Once you have flown
you will walk the earth
with your eyes turned skyward,
for there you have been,
and there you long to return.

- Leonardo da Vinci

The bird poses in yoga such as eagle, crane, crow, pigeon, bird of paradise teach us to soar above our limitations.These poses are perfect for tight hips because it stretches the hip rotators (the buttocks area) and the hip flexors (the long muscles that run along the front of your thighs and pelvis). Be aware that you might taste some bitterness before getting to the pose's sweet spot.
One way to achieve effortless flight is enagaging mulabandha in these challenging poses. In Sanskrit, "mula" means root; "bandha" means a lock or binding. Not only physically but also in more subtle ways, mulabandha is a technique for containing and channeling the energy associated with the mula-dhara ("root place") chakra. Located at the tip of the spine, muladhara chakra represents the stage of consciousness where basic survival needs dominate.
"Mula" also refers to the root of all action, and the root of any action is a thought. As we begin to refine our thoughts - restricting and binding the intentions behind our action - the actions themselves become refined. In yoga practice we bind our body and mind, restricting our impulses into the orderly channels of ethics, individual responsibility, and right action. While performing bird poses, as we escape the pull of gravity, we learn to use more refined means to soar effortlessly.