Butterfly Pose/ Baddha Konasana- Meaning, Steps, and Benefits

Yoga has not just given us great and balanced life only, but so amazing asanas through which we can cure any kind of issue. One of such asanas called – Butterfly Pose, which helps people in gaining ultimate and unlimited advantages. Butterfly pose is also known as Baddha Konasana or Titli Pose, which is generally used as one of the best hip openers. It’s related to the symmetrical seated forward-bending pose, but it is a safe and healthy pose. It is all about a seated posture, where the soles of the feet are brought to touch as the knees relax toward the floor, a very helpful pose for urinary and women’s reproductive health.

While posing the same, it can be challenging for some people as they may need to struggle with their knees and must be adapted to every person’s physical conditions and limitations. Yes, this asana is challenging for the knees so if you have any injuries make sure you choose a pose where you can use your legs that doesn’t bring any kind of hurting feeling in your joints. 

Why Butterfly Pose?

Well, it helps in connecting the upper and lower appendicular skeletons whilst grasping the feet with the hands. It increases the flexibility when the hips bend and turn outward, along with the knees bend and go into opposite directions from each other. All these actions are the best in offering great stretching to the muscles as well as the inside of the thighs.

If you are unable to do the task using knees due to a knee injury, using legs will keep the notion and your navel goes on the floor direction instead of the head will be very helpful for your breathing since it minimizes the obstructions of breath. For best results push the head towards the floor compresses the abdomen, while a lengthened spine results in freer breathing.  As most of us live in a constant state of stress due to overload of work, family issues, to be first in the race of competition, and various others, which lead to blocked energies and an overload of toxins in the body. Yoga is actually a great way for eliminating all stress and pain of the body and at the same time ensuring for building self-awareness, positivity and for teaching us proactive methods of responding to the stress. Out of many poses, Butterfly Pose is called as one positive way to control the stress and negatives of life and improves flexibility as the pose is all about easing the tension in the neck, stretching the spine, and best for mind and body to put them in the restorative state. 

One should definitely go with the Baddha Konasana as it benefits us in various forms as follows-

Great Hip Opener

The specialty of the pose is- it is a great hip opener, offers amazing results. Due to sedentary living or the 9-5 job, our hips suffer a lot and sometimes they hurt. However, it is very important to care about them and pay attention to the practice of Butterfly Pose. It helps in resting the sitting bones on the floor and best for the opening of the hips making the posterior feel light. 

Get Rid Of Headaches

The causes of headaches are our day to day stress, rush to go here and there for work, continuous work, and lead to many issues. Moving up with the Butterfly Pose helps us release the tension of the neck and head easily. Trying it out and resting the forehead on the ground supports us a relaxing feeling and with the attention to the breath in the butterfly pose is a great way to release all tension anxiety and achieve stillness. This will help you to relieve headaches.

Best For Low Back

Uncomfortable due to lower back pain or would like to work comfortably without any back issues? With the Butterfly Pose, you can stretch out of the low back without having to involve your hamstrings. This will improve the flexibility and make your back straight and very comfortable. If your heels are closer to your groin the less of a hamstring stretch or you can also think of creating a diamond shape with your legs and then explore the distance to discover what feels best. For your back, this is one of the best poses, especially for those who perform a 9-5 sitting job will make you feel fully relaxed and good. 

Have A Great Peace

Looking to calm your mind and have great peace? This is called a grounding position that leads to the creation of great peace of mind and it is essential the relaxed breaths coordinated with the leg movements. In our day to day, life stress is increasing day by day, hence if you would like to get rid of the same, you just connect with the very same pose, focus on it and at the end get a soothing experience. This is also called a medication pose, hence one will feel happier, connected, and calm. This way you can mediate your life and say goodbye to negative feelings.

Best for flexibility

Would you like to improve your body flexibility? Begin with the Baddha Konasana offers a great stretch for the inner thighs, groins, and knees, improving flexibility in the groin and hip region. With regular practise one can strengthen the muscles of the hips and legs and make them flexible completely, best for our health and wellness. 

For relieving from sciatica 

Say Goodbye to Sciatica with the Butterfly pose forever. Sciatica pain is a sharp, throbbing, or looks like a burning sensation that shoots down your leg. Some people may feel numbness or may experience tingling, and they will be very uncomfortable all day, hence can’t perform good work at all. It is said sciatica is felt on only one side of the body, offers discomfort, and can cause serious pain, hence if you would like to heal it down, there is nothing better than the very same pose. Make sure to go with the pose step by step and in the correct manner and expect a great peace. This is the pose- wonderful way to tune into and relax your body via lengthening and stretching your spine, promoting great flexibility and openness in your hips, thighs, and lower back.

Opens up the Connective Tissues

Before practicing this asana make sure to do  some follow up preparatory poses such as the warrior pose or Gomukhasana. Butterfly pose is effective for opening the connective tissues by making a diamond shape with your legs and keeping the feet away from the hips. Just bend forward and rest in this pose for 2-3 minutes to open up the connective tissues in knees, groin, and spine.

Moreover, the asana is the best for pregnant women to help them have a smooth and easy delivery. But do consult your doctor before practicing this asana.

How To Perform The Butterfly Pose?

Sit straight and stretch your legs out and whilst breathing out bend your knees and pull your heels towards your pelvis. Make a close contact between the heels and pelvis. Now, gently open the knees and try to touch to the ground, if facing difficulty doing this then sit on an elevation by using a pillow. You will feel an imaginary energy line from the crown of the hips to the crown of the head and stay in the pose for 1-5 minutes.