Balasana ( बालासन ) or ‘Child’s Pose‘ is a relaxing pose that helps to alleviate backache, shoulder, neck and hip strains. This asana is regarded as a warm–up yoga pose to prepare the body for more difficult & intense yoga poses. In this section, we will discuss various such health benefits, steps and precautions for performing Balasana.
The word ‘Balasana‘ is derived from two Sanskrit words – Bala ( बाला ) meaning ‘child‘ and ‘asana’ ( आसन ) means ‘posture or seat’. In this asana, one need to first kneel down and touch the floor with forehead while bending torso forward. Meanwhile the hands can be stretched in the front or kept back alongside thighs with palms facing upwards.
The most common word for Balasana in Iyengar Yoga is ‘Adho Mukha Virasana’ ( अधो मुख वीरासन ) or ‘Downward Facing Hero’s Pose‘. This base pose is extensively mentioned in the 19th century Indian text ” Sritattvanidhi “.
Balasana is a part of Vinyasa Yoga that benefits your overall body posture – relieves tightens muscles, lengthens spine, rejuvenates one’s mood, boosts energy levels of the body. Plus, it also lowers stress hormone cortisol.
Balasana (Child’s Pose) : Step-by-Step Instructions
To get the maximum benefits and to avoid injuries; it’s important to know the correct alignment of the body in this asana. So, following the steps to do Balasana (Child’s Pose) :
Step 1
Kneel on the floor & sit in Vajrasana. Touch your big toes together and sit on your heels, then spread your knees hip–width apart.
Step 2
Breathe in slightly and get yourself comfortable with the child’s pose. Once you are able find a balance, exhale and bend forward.
Step 3
Lie down your torso between both the thighs & release the shoulders towards the front. Try to touch floor mat with your forehead.
Step 4
Keep hands on the floor alongside your body with palms facing upwards. Relax the spine, feel the stretch on lower back & thighs.
Step 5
Broaden sacrum all across the back of the pelvis. Focus on your breathing and pull your navel towards your spine as you inhale.
Step 6
Breathe out and soften your body. Hold the child pose for 45 secs to 3 minutes and regulate your breath. Repeat it for 4 -5 times.
Step 7
To come back, inhale and gradually raise your upper body (torso) to return to the sitting position on the heels and relax yourself.
Precautions and Contraindications
Some people may find this pose quite challenging to hold the pose. Don’t rush & take it slow as you practice Balasana.
Following are the precautions you need to keep in mind before you start performing the Balasana ( The Child’s Pose ) :
- People with incontinence, diarrhoea, stomach infections, spondylitis or arthritis in knees should avoid this pose.
- Avoid practicing it if you have any pain or injuries in your knee, shoulders, lower Back, feet. hips, neck and ankles.
- Pregnant women should avoid the practice of Balasana. They may prefer doing other resting pose like Savasana.
- If you have high blood pressure, you can use props to support your head so that it doesn’t go below your heart.
Take a look at the top 7 health benefits of child pose
The powerful calming and spiritual effects of Child’s pose makes it easier to hold body in seated meditation for long.
Following are the health benefits of Balasana – the child’s pose that you would attain gradually with regular practice :
1. Balasana improves digestion
- Balasana aids to stimulate digestive fire that boosts digestion and elimination process in the body.
- It also provides massaging effects to abdominal organs like intestinal tracts that finally cures acidity.
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2. Balasana calms mind and body
- Balasana is one of the most calming and restorative yoga asanas that relaxes both body and mind.
- It encourages the correct way of breathing, revive your body strength, vitality and overall wellness.
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3. Balasana helps to relieve Pain
- This Forward bend pose immediately reverses splaying of the tailbone that causes lower back pain.
- Balasana benefits our body by alleviating pain and opening up shoulder, chest, back, hips, neck etc.
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4. Balasana aids to fight insomnia
- Child pose is a resting pose that helps you fall asleep faster, offers sound sleep and cures insomnia.
- It is an effective remedy for releasing body fatigue that transports your body into a relaxation state.
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5. Balasana corrects your body posture
- The repetitive motions of abdomens with regulated breathing during the pose makes muscles active.
- It corrects the body posture as due to constant sitting at the desk can compress lower back muscles.
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6. Balasana Stretches different muscles
- Balasana is a great stretching exercise for the shoulders, lower back, knees, thighs, legs and ankles.
- Furthermore, this forward bend not only assists to tone the pelvic muscles but also prevents injuries.
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7. Balasana enhances blood circulation
- The stretching of muscles during its practice helps to increase the blood flow throughout the body.
- Improved blood flow is always healthy that can benefit patients lowers blood pressure and migraines.
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Modifications & Variations
To get the maximum benefits from Balasana, try the following modifications and find a variation that works well for you :
Shashankasana is one of the most common variations of Balasana that equally works to improve strength and flexibility.
1. If you neck and shoulders hurt
- If you have a larger belly or breasts, you may place a bolster or pillow under your stomach or chest for support.
- You may use a pillow or yoga block to keep pressure off your neck. It would also prevent your neck from bending.
2. If you face difficulty when you bend forward
- If you face difficulty in bending knees place a bolster or folded blanket between your hips and feet and sit on that.
- You may place a cushion or folded towel under your ankles, if your ankles or feet are uncomfortable in child’s pose.
3. If you can’t touch your forehead to the floor
- If your head does not easily rest on the floor, you can either support your forehead on a cushion or yoga blocks.
- Apart from this, you may also place your forehead on your first or on top of your forearms while bending forward.
Preparatory Poses
- Vajrasana
- Uttanasana
- Baddha Konasana
- Ashwa Sanchalanasana
- Bhujangasana
- Adho Mukha Svanasana
- Virasana
- Bharmanasana
- Manjariasana
- Malasana
Follow-up Pose
- Anahatasana
- Paschimottanasana
- Urdhva Mukha Svanasana
- Setu Bandha Sarvangasana
- Tadasana
- Ananda Balasana
- Matsyasana
- Salamba bhujangasana
- Adho Mukha Vrksasana
Tips For Beginners
Balasana is one the easiest and highly beneficial yoga asana that can even be performed by beginners.
- Keep neck in neutral position and inhale fully up to stomach with awareness.
- It can be done whenever you want to relax as it restores a state of calmness.
- Balasana should be practiced at least four to six hours after having a meal.
- Your bowels and stomach should be empty when you perform this position.
- You can practice the child’s pose in the midst of your workout or afterwards.
- Feel the stretch in your spine from the back of pelvis with each exhalation.
- This restful yoga pose can be practiced between more challenging asanas.
- With each exhalation, release torso a bit more deeply into the forward fold.
Conclusion
Balasana involves steady breathing movement with closed eyes that helps you to attain deeper relaxation. It has positive effects on ill-effects of incorrect lifestyle by especially engaging abdominal and back muscles.
We really hope that this article would be a helpful guide for your practice of Balasana. Here, we would like to invite you to please share your views, thoughts and suggestions on this blogpost in the comment section below.
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FAQs related to Balasana and its related health benefits
Do Balasana really help to stop inner mental clutter ?
Yes indeed, Balasana is an amazing yoga pose that helps you to find a place of rest amidst swirling thoughts of your mind. It’s dome shape not only improves the quality of your breathing but also gives you an opportunity to focus on yourself. In other words it encourages introspection, concentration and contemplation.
How do Balasana corrects one's Body Alignments ?
Balasana helps to strengthen quads, erector, glutes, trapezius, posterior, rhomboids, ankles, shins, tendons and ligaments of knees. Plus, It also heals restless leg syndrome and maintains natural alignment by reversing compression in the lower back. This sitting forward bend offers passive opening to the hips.
How practicing Balasana before bedtime help to Sleep faster ?
Balasana resembles a fetal position that provides a great sense of physical, mental and emotional solace. This calming pose is also known as Sharnagat Mudra ( refugee posture ) as it promotes feelings of safety, calmness and relaxation. It’s really beneficial for mind and body as it relieves stress, tension, anxiety, dizziness and this makes it one of the perfect sleeping asana.
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