YOGA CHILD POSE
This pose is a deep resting pose and perfect for beginners. Balasana is similar to a deep forward bend but gentler. Balasana reminds us of our times as infants, and we have memory in our bodies of being in this position. It gives you a taste of the yielding involved in a forward bend and your attention draws inward. Use the pose in a class or practice session whenever you need a break, to rest until your gather the energy for what is next. Substitute the pose for Downward Dog Pose when you are doing a sun salutation vinyasa. Or go to it in a class whenever you need to rest and restore yourself. Balasana can precede or follow any other asana. You may notice that some days you don’t need to do this pose and other days you are may go into it again and again during a yoga class depending on your stamina and the intensity of the class or practice. Rejoin the class or practice when you are ready.
On your yoga mat, start by kneeling on your hands and knees similar to
the position a baby assumes to crawl on the floor. Widen the knees apart
from each other. Place the tops of your feet on the floor so your toes
are not curled under and torso width apart. Your soles should be facing
the ceiling. Bring the torso rest between the thighs. Your hips are bent
and your buttocks are in the air. Lower the buttocks to the floor and
extend the spine. Lengthen the neck as your forehead rests on the floor.
Your arms can go along the body with palms up or facing toward you, next
to the thighs as shown in the photo. The arms can reach in front of
you, extended beyond your head on the floor with the palms down.
Shoulders are wide. Allow your chest to sink to the floor. Take some
long deep breaths with a focus on long exhalations. Let a sense of
surrender into the pose. Come out of the pose after a few to several
long breaths. Rise up on an inhalation and press the tailbone down as
you use your arms to bring your torso up. (description from
www.yoga.com)
