DormAsana
Photo of author Grace Giordano, taken by Rebecca Martinez
Breaking Down Child’s Pose: Why and how do we do it?
If you’ve ever been to a yoga class (or watched a YouTube video and attempted to imitate the poses that the super-fit instructor is cueing and doing quickly), then you’ve probably heard the phrase “child’s pose” thrown around at some point or another.
One of the most intimidating parts of starting a yoga practice is trying to remember all of the poses, including their names, alignments, and breathwork. However, sometimes the seemingly simplest movements and poses can have the greatest effects on our bodies and minds.
Child’s pose (its Sanskrit term is Balasana) is one of the best ways to connect our breath to our practice. It can work towards relieving stress, releasing tension in the back, stretching our muscles, and alleviating head and neck pain.
You can access the pose by starting in a tabletop position. Slowly pull your hips back towards your heels. Your knees should be framing the sides of your ribcage to allow a space for your stomach to relax between your legs. Lower your forehead to the ground. Your arms can be outstretched in front of you, with palms placed to the ground. For an active child’s pose, you can press firmly into the ground with your palms to lift your elbows and forearms off the ground. Alternatively, your arms can relax to the sides of your legs, with palms up and fingers pointing behind you. Continue to breathe in this pose, closing your eyes to allow your body to relax into the posture. Remain in the pose for as long as is comfortable; yoga has no rush or time limit. To exit the pose, you can press back up to a table top, or roll up through your spine into a comfortable seat.
Namaste
~DormAsana is intended to provide thoughtful, in-depth explanations of Yoga poses for all levels of students, from beginners to those who have practiced for years. These poses can all be done in the comfort of a dorm room (or common room if you don’t have much floor space), and can all be modified for the comfort/experience level of the yogi!~