Love it or leave it, pigeon pose is admittedly not for everyone. A pose left for later in your asana practice as it requires a fair amount of preparation to take this where you can comfortably find the posture but also find comfort and remain for a good amount of time...like 3 minutes or so!
Associated with the energy of our second chakra, Svadhisthana which is linked to the water element, our hips should be fluid and move gracefully. It is the Right of the sacral chakra to FEEL, and after 3 minutes you will.
If you find that your hip area is tight, restricted or if there is down right pain there is a very good reason for that, not just on a physical level. We tend to store emotional baggage here, kinda like the basement where you throw things you THINK you will need sometime in the future. The dust builds up, you may have forgotten about the item in storage and years later go down and find that s**t is still there! Time to clean house, is it spring yet?
If you have not already started a journal, now is the time to have it by your side. Be prepared for whatever comes up in your mind as you rest in Pigeon and write it down. Chances are you were thinking of someone, a particular event, conversation, situation, relationship, whatever that you need to discharge from the subconscious.
In addition, the breath will help you ease the mind and body, now is the time to begin a strong ujjayi breath as the energies at 2nd (hips) and 4th (throat) chakras are intimately connected. Visualize pent up emotions, experiences that are no longer needed, leaving your body, dissipating into the Earth, out through the breath, out through the whole of your body.
Leave the posture just as mindfully as you entered, a down dog or three-legged dog might be one of the few options to counter your time spent in this pose.
Peace and blessings to all!
Looking for some WD40 to help you along the way, here is my playlist for exploring hips. Be prepared to, move, flow, release, and give yourself permission to enjoy. Now there is a though.
Please Note: If this or any yoga pose caused direct pain, numbness or just does not feel right to you, please stop. Your yoga practice should never hurt, seek advice from a qualified instructor or a medical practitioner.