Reclined Butterfly (Supta Baddha Konasana)
Supta means reclined, baddha means bound and kona means angle, so the name is reclined bound angle posture. It is Butterfly Pose done lying back.
At a glance
- Sanskrit name
- Supta Baddha Konasana
- Pronunciation
- SOOP-tuh BAH-duh koh-NAHS-uh-nuh. Say the double d in Baddha as a single soft d.
- Family
- Restorative
- Practised in
- Restorative yoga
- In pregnancy
- Adapt
- After birth
- Adapt
Reclined Butterfly is a good shape for a tired day. Set up over a bolster, it gives the hips a mild opening and the chest a little room, while the body is completely held.
It belongs to deeply rested, prop-supported yoga, where the bolster and blocks are in place before you lie back, so nothing has to hold on. With warmth on the belly, it is also a comfortable shape for the heavy days of a period.
Bring the knees together and let them fall to one side, and you have a reclined twist, the quietest of the twists.
How to do Reclined Butterfly
Place a bolster lengthways on your mat, with a folded blanket at the far end for your head and two blocks or firm cushions within reach.
Sit with your back against the near end of the bolster, bring the soles of your feet together and let your knees fall open.
Slide a block or a folded blanket under each outer thigh, so the knees are held and the inner thighs feel only a mild stretch.
Lower yourself back onto the bolster, one forearm at a time, until your spine and head are supported along its length.
Rest your arms out to the sides on the floor or on extra blankets, palms up, and let your breath slow down.
Stay for five to ten minutes. To come out, press your knees together with your hands, roll onto one side and push up slowly.
My cues
- Keep adding support until nothing is holding on. If your knees are hovering in the air, the props are too low.
- Let your heels rest a comfortable distance from your pelvis. Closer means more stretch, and here I would rather you had less.
- Feel the back of the ribs widen into the bolster as you breathe in. That is the only thing you need to pay attention to.
Modifications
- If your lower back pinches, raise the head end of the bolster with a block, or slide the feet farther from the pelvis.
- Loop a strap around your lower back and over the tops of your feet, so the feet stay close without effort.
In pregnancy. Adapt. The bolster already gives you an incline, which is the way to do this pose in later pregnancy. Raise the head end further with a block if lying back feels uncomfortable, keep the knees well supported and do not push into the stretch. If you feel dizzy, breathless or unwell, roll onto your left side. Check with your OB or midwife before you start.
After birth. Adapt. Once your OB or midwife has cleared you to exercise, this is a restful shape for your first weeks back on the mat. Keep the blocks high under the knees, and after a caesarean birth use your hands to bring the knees together before you roll to the side and come up.
Common mistakes
- Lying back with nothing under the knees, so the inner thighs strain the whole time. That turns a resting pose into a stretch.
- Sitting a little way from the bolster, so the lower back drops into a gap. Tuck your seat right against its end before you lie back.
Pairs well with
- Butterfly PoseBaddha Konasana
- Legs Up the WallViparita Karani
- Supported Child's PoseSalamba Balasana