Butterfly Pose is a gentle seated posture that promotes flexibility in the hips and inner thighs while encouraging relaxation. Learn how to practice this pose and explore its benefits for both body and mind.
The winter months are known for their alignment with yin energy in the philosophies of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). It is a season to reflect, turn inward, and prioritise renewal and restoration. Baddha Konasana, or butterfly pose, is a seated yin posture that relaxes the outside of the glutes, relieving tightness; it also lengthens the muscles along the insides of the thighs and the groin area, which is where the kidney meridian travels according to TCM. This organ is also associated with winter and our water element – embodying both flexibility and force.
Here’s how to get into the pose:
- Carefully lower down to a seated position. Place a cushion or blanket underneath your sitting bones to elevate your hips for greater comfort, if needed.
- Now, visualise a thread passing through your body and up through the crown of your head to create length and lightness in your upper body. Take a few breaths here.
- Softly hold your ankles or shins, then bring the soles of your feet together and draw your heels in towards your groin.
- As you exhale, gently allow your knees to open outwards and down towards the ground – like the wings of a butterfly.
- Avoid pushing down on your knees – they don’t need to reach the floor, just to the point where a gentle elongation is felt along the insides of the thighs.
- Cushions or blankets can be placed beneath the outside of your thighs, if more support is needed.
- If you like, you may fold forward until you feel your body’s first point of resistance (a feeling of stretch or tension) and allow yourself to relax into the fold. It can be helpful to rest your forehead or chest on a bolster or block in order to find a sense of release and ease. Take a few slow breaths here.
- To exit the pose, inhale and slowly roll yourself back up to your seat, then gently extend each leg.
As with all forms of movement, take care to move within the limits of your body and stop immediately if you experience any pain. Do not attempt if you have any medical or physical conditions which may be aggravated.
This article was originally published under the title Float Like a Butterfly in Issue 40 – A Little Abundance. You can purchase previous issues and enjoy more enchanting content here.
