Featured Pose: Child's Pose (Balasana)

by Baxter

For many of us, Child’s Pose (Balasana) is the ultimate resting pose. I, myself, saw firsthand how even the uninitiated will take this position when rest is suggested. One summer day, when the whistle for adult swim sounded, my young nieces, 8 and 4, hunkered down side by side into classic Child’s pose, pulled beach towels over their turtle-like backs, and only re-emerged when they heard the “all-swim” 15 minutes later!

In addition to being a potential resting pose (not all people find this pose easy to assume or restful to sustain), Child’s pose takes your hips and knees into a deep folded position, and stretches the fronts of your ankles and feet. And many of you will find it a nice stretch for your lower back muscles.

I prescribe this pose for:

• Quieting your nervous system
• Resting your body
• Stretching your lower back, hips, knees and ankles
• Releasing the tightness between your shoulder blades and training yourself to move your shoulder blades away from your spine
• Counter-pose for backbends, forward bends, and twists 
• Calming pose for anxiety
• Calming pose for insomnia, especially the supported version
• Possible relief from back pain, especially the supported version

Cautions: Those of you with tight or painful knees, hips, ankles, or lower backs will likely need to do versions 3 and 4 in order avoid aggravating those areas. Although many people with lower back pain find this pose helpful, not all do; so, avoid the pose if it worsens your pain. Those with neck pain may also need to be careful with the placement of your neck and head to avoid worsening your symptoms.

1. Classic Child’s Pose

If your knees are sensitive, place a thin blanket on top of your mat to cushion your knees and shins. Then, start by coming into a basic hands and knees position.

Keeping your knees about hips distance apart, with the tops of your feet resting on the floor, slide your feet closer together so your big toes touch. Then slowly lower your hips back and down towards your heels. Allow them to drop slowly and don’t force your buttocks down, especially if your hips, knees or ankles are tight. As you gently round your back to come forward, lower your chest towards or onto your thighs and release your head towards the floor, resting your forehead on the floor in front of the knees. Sweep your arms back alongside your body, resting your hands on the floor near the feet. Release your shoulder blades away from your spine and toward the floor. You can close your eyes or keep them softly open.

If you’re comfortable in the pose, stay for 2-5 minutes. However, if you feel intense stretching, start with 30-60 seconds and work you way up to longer holds. To come out of the pose, place your palms on the floor next to your knees and use your arms to help you roll up and sit back on your heels (if you knees allow) or come back into a hands and knees position.

You can vary the effects of the pose by changing your leg position. If you want to feel more stretch in your lower back, try keeping your thighs closer together. If you want less stretch your lower back, try widening your knees further apart, up to 2 feet or so,

Arms Forward Version

This version is excellent for helping to open your chest and upper back in preparation for poses like Downward-Facing Dog pose or even backbends. 

Come into the pose as in the classic version, but instead of taking your arms back, stretch your arms forward, as far forward as you can. With your arms parallel and elbows straight, press your hands into the floor. This initial arm position is much more active than the classic version and may not feel very restful to many of you. 

After 6-8 breaths in the active position, relax your elbows to the floor, decreasing the stretch of your arms. For some of you, this relaxed arm version may even feel more restorative than having your hands by the feet. 

You can stay in the relaxed version for 2-5 minutes. Exit the pose as in the classic version.

Ankle and/or Knee Support

This version of Child’s Pose is helpful for those with tight ankles or knee joints. If only your ankles are tight, roll a blanket or towel into a 2-3 inch thick roll and place the roll under your ankle joints before you fold into Child’s pose. This support should allow you to come into the pose without triggering pain or muscle cramps in your feet. (Sorry we don't have a photo of this.)

For those with tight knees, arthritis pain, or general knee pain when deeply folding your knees, use the roll behind your knees. While you are in the hands and knees position, place the roll behind both knees (even if only one side is painful) while you are in the hands and knees position. Then slowly lower your hips back and down as in the classic version. When your thighs reach the support check to make sure your knees feel good. If so, proceed as with the classic version. 

If you have problems in both your ankles and knees, use both supports.

Restorative Child's Pose

For most of us, the restorative version of Child’s pose is deeply restful, and comfortable enough to stay in for several minutes. And because the restorative version requires less bending of your hips, knees, and ankles, it is a good alternative for those with tightness or pain in those areas.

Start by positioning your bolster lengthwise on the mat in front of you. Then come into Child’s pose from your hands and knees as with the classic version, but as you lower your hips towards your heels, sit upright for a moment and widen your knees about two feet apart. Then, slide the end of your bolster lengthwise towards your hips, right up against your lower belly—do not slide it under your hips, just up to the front of you. 

Then lower your belly, chest, and head onto the bolster, turning your head to one side and resting your cheek on the bolster, as you release your buttocks gently toward the floor (do not force them). Rest your forearms on the floor along the sides of the bolster. Make sure that your entire front belly and chest rest on the bolster. If any part of you is lifted off the support, try adding a blanket folded into a thin rectangle on top of the bolster or placing a block under the far end of the bolster to raise the bolster, or ask your teacher to help you modify your props. Always turn your head in the opposite direction mid-way through the pose.

Stay in the pose for 2-3 minutes on each side at first, though you should, of course, come out of the pose if you experience any discomfort. With experience, you can work your way up to even longer holds. As you relax onto the support of the bolster, focus your attention on the sound of your breath. When you are ready to come up, use your hands and arms to slowly roll up to sitting.

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Featured Pose: Supported Child's Pose

by Baxter and Nina

This is one of the most comforting restorative poses. The position is one that small children take naturally when they are trying to rest or self soothe. And while many of the other restorative are supine (facing up), which can make some people feel vulnerable (especially if they are suffering from anxiety), in this pose you are in a prone position (facing down), which feels safe and nurturing.

Supported Child’s Pose allows you to rest deeply without falling asleep. Most people find that even a few minutes in this pose calms the nervous system while resting the body and soul. According to the yoga tradition, Child’s Pose can be beneficial for certain digestive conditions, including constipation, bloating, and flatulence.

The supported version of Child’s Pose is more accessible than the classic version for people who are tight in the hips, knees or ankles, as well as for those who are particularly stiff in the spine. It’s also a good way to broaden and open your upper back, which gets tight from sitting and/or being upright all day.

Your head is turned to the side in this pose, creating a passive rotation of the cervical spine that could help with the range of motion of your neck (for neck health). The pose takes your knees into full flexion (bending) which can improve the range of motion for people with stiff knees. And because your feet are pointed and your ankles are stretched, the pose can increase the range of motion in those joints. Finally, this is an accessible forward bend that allows those who find seated forward bends difficult to experience the soothing qualities of a comfortable forward bend.

You can practice this pose on its own for a short rest or include it at the end of any practice or as part of a restorative sequence, such as our Mini Restorative Sequence for Digestion.

Instructions: Start by assembling your props, including a bolster, preferable a round one (though whatever you can get your hands on, including a couch cushion, can work), and one to three blankets. The number of blankets you will need depends on how stiff your ankles or the tops of your feet are, so you may need to experiment.

Fold your blankets in standard fold (see photo) and set them cross-wise in the center of your mat.

Next, kneel on the blanket stack so your knees are supported by the blanket while your with your ankles are at the back of the blanket stack so your feet can hang off the back. Point your toes backward (do not tuck them under), with your big toes lightly touching and your knees as wide apart as your bolster is wide. Before bringing your bolster into position, sit down on your heels.

Because even a round long bolster will get flat over time, take your bolter and rotate it so the thickest part is facing toward the ceiling. Then pull the bolster up to your lower belly and pubic bone, but no lower. Do not bring the bolster under your pelvis or sit on it. Now, keeping your hips relatively low, drape your belly and chest out onto the bolster, turning your head to one side and letting your cheek rest on the bolster. Check to make sure that you feel your entire front body is supported by the bolster. If there are any gaps between you and the bolster, take the time to place blocks or other props underneath the bolster to support your entire body and remove the gaps. Make sure you’re comfortable before settling into the pose.

When you are comfortably supported by the bolster, bend your arms at the elbows while keeping your upper arms in line with your shoulders. Rest your forearms on the floor, parallel to the sides of your body.

While you are in the pose, it’s more restful and relaxing if you take a focus for your mind. It’s especially easy in this pose to practice breath awareness, so try bringing your focus to feeling your back body moving with your breath. But you can can do any mediation technique you like. Stay in the pose for about three to five minutes, turning your head to the other side half way through the duration.

To come out of the pose, slide your hands back so they are on the floor beneath your shoulders. Then use the strength of your arms to roll your head and spine back toward vertical. If it’s comfortable for you to sit back on your heels, sit for half a minute to acclimate to being upright again or change to any comfortable position.

Cautions: This is a very safe pose, and with proper use of props it should be accessible to almost everyone. If you have any joint issues in the hips, knees, ankles or neck, you may have to change the propping. Although a mild stretching sensation is fine, you shouldn’t feel any pain in this pose. So if you do experience pain, come out immediately and try changing your propping. If you can’t get comfortable on your own, try asking your yoga teacher for some help. And if you really cannot get comfortable, you can try the same pose upside down! Really. Try lying on your back with the bolster along your torso, and wrap both your arms and legs around it.

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Featured Sequence: Mini Restorative Practice for Digestion (or just relaxation)

by Baxter and Nina

Baxter’s been thinking a lot about digestion lately because he’s going to be teaching a workshop on yoga for digestion this Saturday, June 2, at Fourth Street Yoga in Berkeley, CA (see 4th Street Yoga for details). And he’s observed that a lovely underlying principle for working with digestive issues is that no matter what’s going on, all digestive issues respond to restorative poses. Remember, the opposite of the Fight, Flight or Freeze response is the Rest and Digest response (also known as the Relaxation response—see Relaxation Reponse and Yoga for information). So with that in mind, today we’re presenting a mini restorative practice consisting of three of Baxter’s favorite restorative poses, which you can use to help with digestive problems as well as other problems caused by stress, such as insomnia, fatigue, and anxiety.

1.    Reclined Cobbler’s Pose, from 10 to 20 minutes. Set a timer so you don’t fall asleep in the pose.

You will notice from the photograph that we’re using quite a few official yoga props (including a block under the bolster to prop the bolster at an angle). Don’t let this prevent you from trying it! If you don't have bolsters and blocks, look around your house to see what else you can use; try cushions from your couch, folded blankets, beach towels, and so on. Just make sure you’re completely physically comfortable in the pose.

One of the important parts of completing digestion is good elimination. In addition to physical relaxation, which this pose provides, gravity is also helpful for good elimination. As you can see from the photo, Reclined Cobbler’s pose creates a gradual slope from your head to your hips. Therefore, it’s possible that this pose can help with problems such as constipation and sluggish elimination. One of our favorite teachers, Patricia Walden, suggests that this pose may increase blood flow to your organs, as well as cool your digestive fire.

2.    Supported Child’s Pose, for 3 to 5 minutes. Turn your head to the other side when you’re half way through.

Make sure your bolster (or folded blankets, stacked pillows or couch cushion) is pulled in against your pubic bone so your belly actually rests on the prop. If necessary, turn the bolster on its edge or add folded blankets on top of the bolster to make sure your belly is fully supported.

As you can see from the photo, Child’s pose is a forward bend of your belly toward your thighs. Because the bolster is pressing against your belly, it’s possible this posture will have a stimulating effect on your digestive system and your abdominal organs. Patricia Walden suggests that this pose can relieve constipation, gas, and bloating.

3.    Legs Up the Wall pose, from 10 to 15 minutes. Come out if your legs fall asleep.

We’re showing two versions of the pose, one with just a folded blanket and the other using a bolster with a folded blanket underneath it and a second folded blanket under the spine. Try both versions to see which one is more comfortable for you. If they are equally comfortable, try the higher version, as this may enhance your relaxation.

This pose is a slight inversion (more so on the bolster than on the blanket). Therefore, it could have any even more profound quieting effect on your nervous system than the first two poses. Also because your hips are higher than your heart, there is a mild reversal of the effects of gravity, which could quiet an over-stimulated system in people who have, for example, IBS or chronic diarrhea. Patricia Walden says this is an excellent pose of nausea and diarrhea. However, if you have a history of gerd or chronic heartburn, take care with this pose, and come out if makes your symptoms worse.

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