Balasana:: Child's Pose

Pronunciation: baw-LAWS-ahna

Translation: Sanskrit, the spiritual language of India from which yoga derives its nomenclature, translates the word “bala” to “child.” Asana, of course, means pose or posture. Thus Balasana means Child’s Pose in Sanskrit.

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.

Beginner Tips:

 Place your forehead on folded blanket or your stacked hands if resting on the floor is not easy for you. If the knees are hurting, try placing a pillow between the heels and buttocks or a rolled washcloth between the thigh and calf at the inner knee to stop the joint from closing as much. Similarly, if the ankles are overstretched on the floor, get two towels and roll them up, placing under the ankles. Eventually the body stretches into this and other poses more easily so keep practicing and adjust to make it comfortable for you.

Benefits:

Stretches, the thighs, hips, and ankles, opening up space in the body.

Balasana is spine lengthening and good for the back and neck, preventing or alleviating pain in these areas.

Internal organs soften and an inner yielding results.

The pose increases blood circulation to the head which may reduce the occurrence of headaches.

Your mind becomes less active and calmer.

Like many restorative poses, this one reduces stress and relieves fatigue. A very fatigued person can likely still do this asana as it isn’t demanding on one’s energy.

Contraindications and Cautions:

Don’t do the pose if you have knee injuries or ankle problems. Don’t do it if you have high blood pressure, an eye or ear infection or if you have diarrhea or are pregnant.

If you have back injuries or problems, have an instructor help you. She may suggest using a bolster under your trunk or a stack of blankets to support you.

Listen carefully to your body and respect its limitations. Stop if something hurts in a way that is more that a “stretching” sort of hurt, and if you have a sense that you should not do something. Nothing takes the place of a qualified instructor and your keen intuition about your own body.

Thanks to Victor Oppenheimer, yoga instructor, for his editing of this article.

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