Bringing Balasana to Your Body and Mind By Dr. Puja Shah, RYT Balasana, also known as child s pose, is a resting yoga asana practiced in the fetal position. The name is derived from the Sanskrit words bala and asana, which translate to child and pose respectively. It s a pose that mostly anyone can do, regardless of yoga skill level. Its main physical focus is the thighs, although it is useful in relieving back, shoulder, neck, and hip strain, which plague many of us on a daily basis. The shape of the body in this pose forces the front of the rib cage to compress and causes an internal resistance to the full, frontal breathing, which is the adopted pattern for most of us. In this resistance you will confront, maybe for the first time ever, the notion of breathing somewhere other than the front of your lungs. As the frontal ribs are compressed, the unyielding presence of the internal organs and the compression of the abdomen trapped against the thighs limit the diaphragm, sometimes resulting in feelings of claustrophobia, nausea, or even fear. This further precludes soft, even breathing. The soft even breath is commonly known as Ujjayi Pranayama. The word "ujjayi" can be broken down into the prefix ud, which means upward or superior in rank and conveys power and jaya, which means conquest, victory, triumph, or success. Like many Sanskrit terms and words, the word "jaya" has a compound meaning it also implies restraint. Slightly contracting the back of the throat (at the epiglottis) in ujjayi breathing creates a delicate friction and produces a soft, audible sound. Often, I will tell my students it is like fogging up a mirror with your breath, that is the sound you would hear that mimics the ujjayi breath. As the inhalation and exhalation slows down, it forces the breath to lengthen, and by the very nature of elongation and moves closer to the spine, toward the sushumna nadi, (the word "nadi" comes from the Sanskrit root nad, which means movement). Simply defined, nadis operate as conduits for the movement of subtle energy, otherwise known as prana, through the body. You can say that the a yoga pose is a catalyst and guide for this prana. The pose increases the amount of prana available and removes obstacles to smooth circulation of it through out.
In "Salutation to the Teacher and the Eternal One," written by T. Krishnamacharya and he says: "One important thing to be constantly kept in mind when doing asanas is the regulation of the breath. It should be slow, thin, long, and steady: breathing through both nostrils with a rubbing sensation at the throat and through the esophagus, inhaling when coming to the straight posture, and exhaling when bending the body." I once heard a teacher of mine say that ujjayi breathing, done while in Child's Pose, (and other poses), squeezes the body as if it were a sponge and increases its capacity to soak up energy. And on the non-physical focus of the asana, there lies the full-body, gravitational pull of Balasana towards earth and the base of the Chakra system, allowing for a great sense of physical, mental and emotional relief. It is a pose that brings us back to the womb, to the deep physical and psychological memory of being an infant. As you also draw mother earth energy in through the Ajna chakra, of your third eye, you may feel connected, you may feel insight and deep awareness. In old world custom, it was said that ancients believed that children held pure and sacred energy, and this pose was one where that energy could be obtained and held within.
Getting Into Child s Pose: Begin by kneeling on a yoga mat or the floor. Bring your knees together and your sits bones to the soles of your feet. Exhale and slowly rest your torso over your thighs so that your forehead touches the mat. For an active child s pose, stretch your arms over your head. Place your palms on the floor and reach your arms forward, until you feel your shoulder blades stretching across your back. Feel your torso lengthening.
For a more passive version, let your arms rest palms up at your sides. Feel the stretch in your spine. Close your eyes, steady your breath and allow a deeper level of relaxation. You can even alternate between the two versions of Balasana. Breath control is a significant element of child s pose, as it is with any yoga asana. Since breathing is usually an involuntary action, not a conscious choice, Balasana allows us an opportunity to breathe fully into the back of the torso as noted before. Imagine your spine lengthening and widening with each inhalation. As you exhale, relax more, allowing the stretch to release tension with each breath. Focus on your breathing to help increase concentration and shut out any distraction. You could even say that child s pose is an act of surrender. You surrender to gravity, to earth, to the health of your internal organs, to your physical body, to confront your attitudes and patterns of breath, and most importantly, to the awareness to just be, do just do nothing else. It is a pose that in many cultures is equated with worship, with humbling the ego. Modifications and Alerts: The goal is to have your forehead touching the ground in front of you while your sits bones remains in contact with your heels. If you find it strenuous to sit on your heels throughout this pose, modify it by placing a thickly folded blanket between the back of your thighs and your calves or if you cannot touch your forehead to mat, allow your hands to form a fist and rest your forehead to your hands. Do not perform Balasana if you have had a knee injury, unless you are under the supervision of an experienced teacher. Avoid child s pose if you have diarrhea or are pregnant. But if you are pregnant, have had hip surgery or suffer from acid reflux, you can still practice this pose with a slight modification. Instead of bringing your knees together, have your big toes touch and keep your knees at least hip distance apart. This will allow room for your big belly, lessen the strain on your hips, and avoid putting pressure on the stomach. The Benefits of Child s Pose: Releases tension in the back, shoulders and chest Helps with dizziness or fatigue Alleviates stress and anxiety Flexes the body s internal organs Lengthens and stretches the spine Relieves neck and lower back pain with torso support Gently stretches the hips, thighs and ankles Normalizes circulation throughout the body Stretches muscles, tendons and ligaments of the knee Calms the mind and body Encourages strong and steady breathing Induces flow of creative energy Allows for emotional release