Butterfly Pose

The Butterfly Pose, also known as Baddha Konasana in Sanskrit, is a seated yoga posture that gently opens the hips and stretches the inner thighs and groin. It is a calming and restorative pose that can be practised in various ways to accommodate different levels of flexibility.

How to Do Butterfly Pose (Baddha Konasana)

Starting Position:

  • Sit on your mat with your legs extended straight out in front of you.

  • Sit up tall, grounding your sit bones into the floor. You can sit on a folded blanket, cushion or block if your hips are tight or if you have difficulty sitting up straight, especially if, when seated on the floor, you feel like you are falling backwards.

Bring the Feet Together:

  • Bend your knees and bring the soles of your feet together, allowing your knees to drop out to the sides.

  • Draw your heels in towards your groin as far as is comfortable, forming a diamond shape with your legs.

  • Hold onto your feet or ankles with your hands.

Open the Hips:

  • Gently press your knees down towards the floor to deepen the stretch in your inner thighs and groin. However, avoid forcing your knees down; they should lower naturally over time with practice.

  • Engage your core slightly and lengthen through your spine, lifting the crown of your head towards the ceiling.

Forward Fold Variation (Optional):

  • For a deeper stretch, you can hinge forward from your hips, keeping your spine long.

  • Walk your hands forward on the mat, leading with your chest, in yin yoga it is ok to round the spine forward unless you have any spinal issues such as a herniated disc.

  • Stop when you feel a comfortable stretch hold, and release into the position, breathing deeply.

  • Alternative pose is half butterfly.

Hold the Pose:

  • Remain in the pose for 1 to 5 minutes, or longer if it feels comfortable. Focus on relaxing your thighs and hips with each exhale.

  • You can gently flap your legs up and down, like butterfly wings, to loosen the hips further, before relaxing into the pose fully, but this is optional.

Coming out of the Pose:

  • To release, slowly extend your legs straight out before you, gently shaking them out to relieve any tension or coming into windshield wipers.

Modifications and Variations:

  • Support for Tight Hips: If your knees are high off the ground or the stretch is intense, place blocks or cushions under your knees for support.

  • Back Support: If you struggle to sit up straight, sit with your back against a wall or on a bolster to maintain a tall spine.

  • Reclining Butterfly: For a more restorative version, lie back on a bolster or directly on the mat with your feet together and knees apart, allowing gravity to gently open your hips.

Benefits:

  • Hip Opener: Stretches the inner thighs, groin, and hips, improving flexibility and range of motion in the hip joints.

  • Lower Back Relief: Helps to relieve tension in the lower back, especially when practiced with a forward fold.

  • Calming Effect: Promotes relaxation and can help reduce stress and anxiety, primarily when held for more extended periods with deep slow breathing.

  • Stimulates Circulation: Encourages blood flow to the pelvic region, which can benefit reproductive and digestive health.

Butterfly Pose is a versatile and accessible posture for beginners and advanced practitioners alike. It’s particularly useful for those looking to open up the hips, relax the lower back, or prepare for deeper seated forward bends.

Hold time: 2 - 7 mins.

Meridians and Organs Stimulated:

  • Primarily affects the Urinary Bladder Line when folding forward.

Potential Stimulation of:

  • Sensation on the inner knees may influence the Kidney and Liver Meridian.

  • If there's slight compression or tension on the outside of the hip, it may stimulate the Gallbladder Lines.