Certain asanas seem so simple that we don’t give them much thought. Balasana, or Child’s Pose, certainly falls into that category. It’s often used primarily as a go-to resting and escape posture. Getting tired? Take Child’s Pose. Can’t do a particular asana during class? Rest in Child’s Pose until the class moves on. How to get into it? Sit on your heels and push back into a kneeling position. Is that all there is?
Actually, Balasana is a posture that, like Walt Whitman’s idea of the self, contains multitudes. It can be used either actively or passively. Just like more dynamic poses, it can be modified to fit various bodies. And, like every yoga posture, it serves as a conduit to a deeper understanding of one’s self.
Try the pose now: move into a hands and knees position. Push back with your hands, moving your rear in the direction of your feet. Rest here. What do you notice?
For starters, those with rounder proportions or breathing issues will likely have trouble with this pose, as it the knees compress the stomach. While this can be a good thing, it’s not a shape that some people can take with comfort. If it bothers you to constrict your breathing, or if the size of your stomach makes this compression challenging, simply move your knees apart so that your belly rests between your thighs.
Another thought: for some of us, our rear end doesn’t magically rest against the heels. Often, I find myself taking this pose in stages, starting with actively using my hands to push my rear in the direction of my feet. At the beginning, my torso doesn’t sink to the ground; I often rest my head on a block for a few breaths before bending my elbows. Even so, there are some times when I have to choose: let the torso down in front, or keep the rear end stretching back? Usually, I choose the former for a restorative pose and the latter if I’m in the middle of practice.
And a third thought: where do the arms go? While many people are able to stretch the arms back alongside the torso, that has never worked for me. If my arms aren’t actively working, I am propped on my forearms underneath my chest. Perhaps one day my body will allow for the classic positioning, but that day hasn’t yet arrived.
I can also practice Balasana in a chair. I do so by sitting in Sukhasana, or Simple Sitting Pose, straightening my back, and bending forward over my legs. If you are tall enough for your feet to touch the ground while in a chair, you can practice that way as well. You can again adjust the position of your thighs for greater comfort. If you’re practicing yoga in bed, you can access a form of this position by rolling to the side and curling up in fetal position.
Quarter-Dog, a posture seen mostly in Yin Yoga practices, is a cross between Balasana and Adho Mukha Svanasana, or Down Dog. From Child’s Pose, bend one arm so that it is under the chest area while stretching the other arm in front to work the shoulder. This can also be done in a chair, using a desk to support the arm and upper body.
Once in the pose, in any adaptation, look to your mind. Is it resting, or is it using the lack of movement as an excuse to look outward, judge, and criticize? Perhaps use your breath as a focal point here or maintain awareness on the stretching hips or shoulders. Notice how easily this posture moves from a passive to an active stretch. What are you looking for today? Adjust accordingly.
Bring new awareness to this pose, and see where it takes you!
Yoga Cielo Stellato 