Often referred to as “the posture of the throne,” the butterfly pose claims to bring good fortune to those who practice it. In Sanskrit, “Bhadra” means propitious and “Asana” means pose.
Butterfly Pose (Bhadrasana)
The butterfly pose is a graceful and gentle pose that focuses on stretching the fronts of your thighs, opening up the hips, and lengthening your spine. Performing Bhadrasana strengthens your groin muscles, lower back, spine, and knees and has also been proven to be beneficial for the digestive system.
Butterfly Pose Directions:
Follow these simple steps to help you master the butterfly pose:
- Sit in a comfortable position with your legs stretched out in front of you.
- As you inhale, draw your feet towards you, keeping the soles of the feet together and your back straight.
- Place your hands on your knees or grab onto your toes.
- Stay in this asana for as long as you are comfortable, then as you exhale, return to the starting position.
Butterfly Pose Variations:
Bhadrasana is a very important warm-up pose that will prepare you for deeper and more advanced poses. Although this pose is a beginner-friendly asana, it requires some flexibility and challenges you to maintain perfect posture.
If you experience any discomfort or pain while performing this pose, the simple variations below should help you reap the benefits of your yoga practice.
- Try placing a pillow or blanket under your bottom to give your spine height and to support your hips.
- Try holding your ankles and shins instead of holding your toes.
- If your back is not strong enough to support itself, use a wall or a beam for added support.
- Place yoga blocks below your knees to help stretch your inner thighs.
Benefits of Butterfly Pose:
The butterfly pose (Bhadrasana) does tremendous wonders for your leg and pelvic muscles. This pose creates a strong foundation for the spine because it adds pressure to your hips and ultimately stretches your spine to promote flexibility.
Added benefits of the butterfly pose (Bhadrasana) include:
- Alleviates symptoms of menstrual discomfort
- Stimulates digestion
- Relieves painful symptoms of sciatica and nerve pain
Butterfly Pose Do’s and Don’ts:
Do modify Bhadrasana if you have any lower back issues by placing a pillow or bolster underneath your knees.
Do your best to remain relaxed. You should never feel tight or stiff in this pose.
Don’t strain, this pose is about relaxation and flexibility. Doing so will add stress to your back and other parts of your body.
Don’t perform Bhadrasana if you have osteoarthritis and painful hip related conditions.
Butterfly Pose Follow-Up Poses:
Once you have fully mastered the butterfly pose, you can move onto the cobbler pose to further stretch your hips and back muscles. You can also practice the lotus pose or the frog pose to open and stretch your hips even more.
Butterfly Pose Recap:
Performing this particular pose not only increases your flexibility, but it also improves your digestive function.
While it is not recommended to practice this pose if you are experiencing sciatica or have inflammation trouble in your hips or knees, a moderate practice of this pose without straining yourself can ultimately eliminate sciatica when practiced regularly.
Quick FAQs
1. How can one practice the butterfly yoga pose?
Following the steps above can help you engage in the butterfly pose and improve the flexibility of your muscles.
Updated by Siya Rajan on 05/19/2018
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References:
Courtesy The Yoga Institute, Santacruz (E), Mumbai
Butterfly Pose (title), Benefits, Steps, and Precautions. (2017, September 22). Retrieved March 22, 2018, from http://yogaathomes.com/butterfly-pose-or-titli-asana-bhadrasana/
Bhadrasana. (n.d.). Retrieved March 22, 2018, from https://www.tummee.com/yoga-poses/bhadrasana
