Butterfly Pose Benefits:
- It is an excellent way to stretch the lower back without requiring loose hamstrings
- If the legs are straighter and the feet are farther away from the groin, the hamstrings will be stretched more. If the feet are closer to the groin, the adductor muscles will be stretched more.
- Suitable for the kidneys and prostate gland; highly recommended for people suffering from urinary problems [1]
- Removes heaviness in the testicles and regulates periods, helps ovaries function properly, and makes childbirth easier [2]
Contra-indications:
- Can aggravate sciatica. If you have sciatica, elevate the hips by sitting on a cushion until the knees are below the hips, or avoid this pose entirely. Beware of hips rotating backward while seated; we want them to rotate forward.
- If you have any lower back disorders that do not allow flexion of the spine, do not allow the spine to round: keep the back as straight as you can or do the reclining version.
- Avoid dropping the head down if the neck has suffered whiplash or has reverse curvature.
Getting Into the Butterfly Pose:
- Bring the soles of your feet together from a seated position and then slide them away from you. Allow your back to round, fold forward, and lightly rest your hands on your feet or the floor before you. Your head should hang down toward your heels.
Alternatives & Options:
- Elevate the hips with a bolster or cushion
- If the neck is too stressed, support the head in the hands, resting elbows on thighs or a block
- You could rest your chest on a bolster positioned across the thighs
- Various hand/arm positions are possible: hold feet, hands on the floor in front of the student, or arms relaxed behind the body
- If the back doesn’t like this pose, you can do the reclining variation: lie down, keeping your legs in a Butterfly
Coming Out of the Butterfly Pose:
- Use your hands to push the floor away and slowly roll up. Remember, slowly means “not fast.” This is a test! If you pop right up quickly, you are a yangster. Be a yinster and slowly come up
- Before straightening your legs, lean on your hands to release the hips. Then, slowly straighten each leg.
Counterposes:
- Sitting up or a gentle sitting back bend
- Lying on the stomach, which is also a gentle back bend
- Could do a spinal lift flow on the back or flow into Tabletop (aka Hammock)
- A seated twist.
Meridians & Organs Affected by Butterfly Poses:
- The Gall Bladder lines on the outside of the legs, as well as the Urinary Bladder lines[2] running along the spine in the lower back
- If the feet are close to the groin and a stretch is felt in the inner thighs, the Kidney and Liver lines are stimulated.
Joints Affected:
- Hips and lower spine
Recommended Hold Times:
- Three to five minutes
- It can hold much longer if desired, or you may do this while reading or talking on the phone …
Similar Yang Asanas:
- Baddha Konasana, but without the emphasis on a straight spine or the feet tight to the groin. In the Butterfly, we want the back to round, allowing the head to drop to the heels.
Other Butterfly Pose Notes:
- This can be done after meals, as long as the head does not touch the floor (which would place too much pressure on the abdomen)
- If the feet are closer, tight adductors or lower back tightness may prevent the student from folding forward. Move the feet farther away
- Many students will automatically go into a tight butterfly because of their yang training … they should be encouraged to move the feet away, forming a diamond shape with the legs
- This pose is excellent for pregnant women because the legs are abducted, providing space for the belly
The above video is an extract from Using Props in Yin Yoga,
which is a 50-minute video.
You can find more information HERE if you would like to Join my Online Yin Yoga Class.
Looking to Learn More About Yoga? Consider Signing up for my Yin Yoga Teacher Training. You can learn more Here.