Child’s Pose ( Balasana )

Child’s pose, this is the yoga pose that allows you to rest in between poses. It is a resting pose that I welcome anytime during a strong yoga practice.

Balasanaas it is called in Sanskrit. The word “Bala” means child. This is an excellent beginner’s pose.

Step By Step :

1. Kneel with your toes touching. Separate your knees, hip distance apart. You may go wider to feel more comfortable.
2. Then exhale and lay your body down between the knees and your buttocks on your heels. Try to lengthen the back and relax your arms either at the side or in front of you. You may use a block or thick towel between your back thighs to help support when you cannot touch your buttocks to the heels.
3. You can stay here for 30 seconds or more. At the end of the pose, inhale and sit back up.

Benefits
- calms the mind and your breath.
- gentle stretch to your thighs and hips.
- gentle lengthening of your spine.

But how do you gain the most benefit when you are in this pose?
Personally, when I am in the pose, I let go and relax the body. I breathe in deep and exhale out slow. If this pose is done after some strong poses, make use of this pose to calm your breath. When I am in this pose, I will also feel which part of my body is feeling sore or pain or tired. Then when I breathe in, I will think to direct the breath to that part to the body. And when I exhale, I often think that the pain or soreness of that part of the body is dissipating out of the body into the air.

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