Get Your Yoga with the Butterfly Pose
Do you find yourself feeling guilty and overwhelmed on the days when you may not have time to do an hour of yoga or your usual meditation? We all have those hectic days when life just happens and doesn't leave much time for things we've scheduled!
Whether we practice yoga daily or a few times a week, we tend to allow our guilt to shake our balance when we miss that practice. But there's a simple solution to that!
Spending three to five minutes in just one yin pose may be exactly what you need to ground yourself, get rid of the guilt, and relax.
Butterfly Pose can help you get your yoga, even during your busiest or toughest days, leaving you energized, nurtured and refreshed!
Butterfly Pose helps prevent or rid you of possible imbalances and it promotes proper functioning of the reproductive and urinary systems. It's also beneficial, especially if you have tight hamstrings, as it stretches the lower spine without straining them.
Follow those steps to safely practice Butterfly Pose:
Come into a seated position on the floor, or on a soft padding, if you have tight hips or groins, and bring the soles of your feet together to touch, forming a diamond shape with your legs.
Keeping the soles of your feet together, slide them away from your groins and fold forward resting your hands on your ankles, on your feet, or on the floor in front of you.
Allow your back to round and relax your head towards your heels.
Stay in the pose for 3-5 minutes breathing deeply through your nose, and staying mindful and observant of the sensations of the body, rising emotions and thoughts.
To come out of the butterfly pose, use your hands to lift up and push the floor away from you. Then, lean back onto your hands and release your hips by bending the knees and straightening one leg at a time.
Variations of Butterfly Pose:
If you have sciatica or lower back injuries, replace Seated Butterfly Pose with Lying Butterfly Pose. To get into Lying Butterfly pose, bring the soles of your feet together to touch, slide your feet away from your groins while keep the soles of your feet together, and then lie back on the floor with your hands on your abdomen.
If you have knee injuries, place soft blocks or cushions under the knees while doing this pose.
Now go, butterflies, go!
