pose-of-the-day ::: ananda balasana

from Yoga Journal:

Happy Baby Pose

Ananda Balasana

Step by Step
Lie on your back. With an exhale, bend your knees into your belly.
Inhale, grip the outsides of your feet with your hands (if you have difficulty holding the feet directly with your hands, hold onto a belt looped over each sole.) Open your knees slightly wider than your torso, then bring them up toward your armpits.
Position each ankle directly over the knee, so your shins are perpendicular to the floor. Flex through the heels. Gently push your feet up into your hands (or the belts) as you pull your hands down to create a resistance.
Coax the thighs in toward your torso and down toward the floor as you lengthen the spine—release your tail bone toward the floor and lengthen the base of your skull away from the back of your neck.
Hold the pose steadily for 30 seconds to one minute. Then release the feet back to the floor with an exhale and rest for a few breaths.

Anatomical Focus

• Hips

Benefits

Gently stretches the inner groins and the back spine
Calms the brain and helps relieve stress and fatigue

Contraindications and Cautions

Pregnancy
Knee injury
Neck injury, support head on a thickly folded blanket

Beginner's Tip

If you can't easily hold your feet with your hands, try holding each foot with a yoga strap looped around the middle arch.

Preparatory Poses

Balasana (Child's Pose)
Virasana (Hero Pose)

Follow-Up Poses

Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog)

Return to http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/2497

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