I was recently asked what my favourite yoga pose is.... I had to think long and hard about this.... Ultimately it came down to where can I completely let go, feel my breath, my body, and be me. Easy answer: Supta buddha konasana or reclined butterfly pose.
How to:
Perform
Baddha Konasana (butterfly pose). Exhale and lower your back torso toward the floor, first leaning on your hands. Once you are leaning back on your forearms, use your hands to spread the back of your pelvis and release your lower back and upper buttocks through your tailbone. Bring your torso all the way to the floor, supporting your head and neck on a blanket roll or bolster if needed.
Benefits:
Stimulates abdominal organs, ovaries and prostate gland, bladder, and kidneys
Stimulates the heart and improves general circulation
Stretches the inner thighs, groins, and knees
Helps relieve mild depression, anxiety, and fatigue
Soothes menstrual discomfort and sciatica
Helps relieve the symptoms of menopause
Therapeutic for flat feet, high blood pressure, infertility, and asthma
Traditional texts say that Baddha Konasana destroys disease and gets rid of fatigue.
Contraindications:
- Groin or knee injury: Only perform this pose with blanket or block support under the outer thighs, avoid leaving the knees hanging.
- low back injury: if using a bolster along the length of spine, you may wish to lift your hips with the use of a foam block to decrease the arch in the low spine.
- Pregnancy: avoid reclining, but please enjoy the benefits of butterfly pose!
** how to make it super restorative? BOLSTER UP!! Lay a bolster down your mat- as your recline the bolster will support the length of your spine, including your head.
Other blissful options?: a lavendar eye pillow
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| Reclined butterfly, refine with a bolster and lavendar eye pillow to bliss out even more! |
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| Reclined butterfly + bolster - dog is an optional, but optimal accessory... |
There are a variety of bolsters you can use - the type of bolster that is optimal for you really depends on how open your back is, so try out a few different types. Go check out my friends at Halfmoon (
www.halfmoon.bz) for all the different models - check all the beautiful fabrics and patterns they have to choose from too!
