The wrong and right of the side crow pose

The wrong way: hip too high, face hanging low

The right way: hip aligned with shoulder, lower, more difficult

So `u think u can do yoga'? Hey, imagine having a show like that! A lot of fluidly flexible people will win, but will that be yoga? I recall, while assisting at the attc, I was asked to do one class for the vacationers towards the end of the month. Just one class. I was asked to be assisted by someone. Well, the someone who is rather good in yoga refused to assist me !! So, does being good in the yoga pose makes the person a yogi? Your guess:) Flexibility of the body does not always seem to transfer to the mind!

So, though I love the body-aspect of yoga I hope and pray I never lose the message of it...

So, for the side crow. The top pose, where u see the hip raised high, is usually the way a beginner negotiates the pose. Later, when u get used to the huge wrenching pain at the wrist (happens because the pose pinches  that nerve passing through the carpel tunnel... the same nerve they crucified Christ on, when they nailed him to the cross), then you can learn to lower the hips so that the challenge is more, and you get a sense of being balanced. This takes a long while.... but worth the effort even though the first one may be held longer because it is a bit easier.
The difference is somewhat as between the basic crow and a more advanced variation of the same. Will blog more on that later.

Happy sadhana!