Bound Angle Pose | Baddha Konasana

Cue music and LeVar! 

“Butterfly in the Sky…” It’s true I had butterflies on the mind when I sat down to write this. (Better there than in my belly.) And, yes, it is true that I went to YouTube and listened to the Reading Rainbow theme song before I could settle in to write this. OKAY? IT'S GOOD! IT WARMS MY HEART AND REALLY DOES MAKE ME WANT TO READ OUTSIDE ON A BLANKET.

Whew, now to business! It’s a beautiful day here in Austin, TX. I woke up like a yogi today. At dawn. Such. A. Beautiful. Time of day. So quiet and still. I practiced our foundational pose for the week. It was a nice check in for me and my body. I noticed one of my butt cheeks was sore from rehearsal and that my hips were feeling tight. I checked in with my head and neck noticing that the cider I drank last night sure did give me a headache this morning. I dove into the pose to stretch out my back. It felt awesome. After that, I rocked back for just a few breaths reclined in the pose. Then I got on my feet to open the windows and start my day!

It was the only pose I did, (okay, I did a little forward fold before I sat down) and it was all I needed to check in with my body and stretch out before I sat at my computer with a cup of coffee. Yes, yogis drink coffee too.

Bound Angle pose is both soothing and grounding to me. It can have both the Yin and the Yang. I love that in my practice. Finding -and then balancing those two qualities. (More on this later, I promise.)

Yoga can be so dang therapeutic. Marry a full breath practice to your asana practice and you are on the path to a happy healthy you. Don’t forget to breathe in your butterfly. Concentrate on the sound of your breath to keep you out of your head and in tune with the sensations in your body.  This pose has a diverse list of therapeutic benefits (see below) as well as a slew of ways to recline it for a more restorative practice (see my video). I read that in the sacred texts it says that BK (Baddha Konasana ya’ll, not Burger King) is practiced to destroy disease and rid fatigue in the body. It can really take the edge off. It is even said that this pose can relieve symptoms of depression and anxiety as well as sooth particular lady discomforts. If you are preggers, incorporate this pose into your pre-natal practice regularly as it is said that a regular practice of this asana well into pregnancy can help ease childbirth.

Practice it at home or maybe before your cardio. Practice it in your bed or while you watch your stories. Pregnant ladies- practice this! So yummy and plenty of belly room! If you have a toddler pick them up and practice this pose with them in your lap, flap your leg wings and sing, “Fly like a butterfly, Fly like a butterfly, Fly like a butterfly, in the sky!”

Note to parents: I have a TON of butterfly related games and exercises for toddlers and for elementary age kids. Have you ever played Butterfly Bowling? You should.

Macho men, practice this too.

Benefits:

• Opens hips and groin
• Stretches back, inner thighs
• Can provide relief from menstrual discomfort
• Can provide relief from sciatica discomfort
• Can provide relief from symptoms of menopause
• Can take the edge off, even can relieve mild depression and anxiety
• Stimulates internal organs (prostate, kidneys, abdominal organs and ovaries)
• Great for people with urinary problems
• Improves circulation 

Modifications:

• Lift the hips up on a blanket or two or three
• Support knees with blocks or blankets or pillows
• Support head in forward fold with block or pillow