Butterfly Pose

Butterfly pose (Badhakonasana) – I invite you to approach this pose with a sense of playfulness. Don’t worry about where your knees land! If your knees are fairly high as you enter the pose, sit on a folded blanket to raise your hips a few inches. You will still enjoy a nice stretch and the calming effects of this pose.

Benefits: Releases tension in the hips and low back. Stretches the hips, knees and groin muscles. Balances the kidney meridian where fear and anxiety are held, therefore creating a sense of well-being. Releases tension in the neck and upper body if you choose to fold forward.

How to: Sit on the floor (or with your bottom on a blanket stack) with the soles of the feet pressed together and knees dropped outward. Press into the sit bones equally and lift through the crown of the head to sit tall. Gently stretch the knees toward the floor, resisting the urge to pull forcefully on the feet. Hold this pose for 5-10 breath cycles.

For a deeper stretch, reach the hands out on the floor in front of you, hinge at the hips and lean the body forward. Relax your head and shoulders – let them hang and be heavy here. And we breathe… 5-10 breath cycles, feeling the body lift slightly on the inhale, then sink and relax with each exhale.

Mantra: “I release fear and anxiety with every exhale.”