Karen chose The Arlington’s historic lobby to demonstrate Fallen Angel Pose. Photo by Fred Padilla.
[Contributor’s note: In 2025, we’ve celebrated 12 years as The Yoga Place. Each month, we’ve chosen a local business that has exhibited “stay power” as the site for our featured pose. The Arlington Hotel is the location of our final pose in this series.
By Karen Watson Reeves
This month marks three in a row that I have done a “fallen” pose. After contributing 91 poses/articles to The Springs Magazine, I have pretty much submitted the greatest hits of yoga poses and am searching out more obscure ones. I have to emphasize that I cannot do many poses like they look on Instagram or in Yoga Journal. But that is part of the beauty of yoga: we all look different; we have different capabilities and strengths; we try new things, even when it’s hard; we are challenged and grow.
I love how one of my yoga gurus described this posture (Katherine Budig, as quoted in Yoga Journal, September 27, 2010): “Take a moment to imagine you were just up in the heavens when you lost your balance on a fluffy cloud. You’ve plunged headfirst toward the ground, but your wings are still reaching toward the sky where you were just enjoying your day.”
When I critique my pose, my wing is not lifting up toward the sky so much. But it was my best effort! And I still received benefits from my attempt, including stronger arms, shoulders, core, and wrists. Additionally, a greater sense of balance and body awareness is improved, and there is increased flexibility in the spine, back, and torso.
There are also mental and emotional benefits, including a boost of self-confidence and sense of achievement, particularly because this was the first try at this pose post hip surgery. A great deal of concentration is required, which helps to build mental discipline and resilience. The practitioner learns control and awareness of the body, both entering and exiting the pose. Fallen Angel is an arm balance that combines a twist, a forward bend, and an inversion, so it also has the benefits of all these features.
So, whether the yoga pose you attempt is categorized as a “fallen” one, or you just fall out of a yoga pose (and we all do!), I say the moral of the story is give it a try! If you are a newbie to yoga, no one will ask you to start with Fallen Angel! And even if your proverbial angel falls, do not worry! Your halo will stay in place.
Wishing everyone an angelic December and holiday season.
{The historic Arlington Hotel, hosting guests since 1875, is located at 239 Central Avenue.}
Karen Watson Reeves has called Hot Springs home since 2006. Owner of The Yoga Place, at 301 Whittington Avenue, she became a registered yoga/children’s yoga teacher in 2011. When not on the mat, Karen enjoys the beautiful outdoors of the National Park, especially from her bicycle. Please find more information about her studio and her schedule of classes at www.theyogaplacehs.com.
