Embrace your inner child with this joyful yoga pose that boosts flexibility and lifts your spirits.
Babies are flexible, freely expressive of their emotions, and share love unconditionally. Happy baby – Ananda Balasana in Sanskrit (‘ananda’ means happy, ‘bal’ means child or baby) – is a yoga pose that eases tension in the lower back, stretches the hips and thighs, and calms the mind. It also helps to release stress and fatigue.
HERE’S HOW TO GET INTO THE POSE:
1 Begin by lying flat on your back on your yoga mat. Breathe here for a moment. Connect with the youngest version of yourself that you can think back to – perhaps you can remember being a toddler, or even an infant.
2 On an exhale, bend your knees, bringing them towards your chest, with the soles of your feet flat and facing the ceiling. Take hold of the outside of your feet with your hands. If that’s difficult, loop a yoga strap or belt around the sole of each foot – or hold onto your ankles or shins instead.
3 Spread your knees apart to a position that’s slightly wider than your torso, then move them gently towards your armpits. Position your ankles above your knees, with the soles of your feet facing the ceiling. Breathe here.
4 Your head, neck, shoulders, back, and hips remain flat on the ground, opening and releasing downwards. Relax and gently rock from side to side like a happy baby.
5 When ready, release your feet and slowly lower your legs back to the ground. Gently bring yourself up to a comfortable cross-legged position.
This pose is not recommended for anyone who has neck or knee injuries. Do not attempt if you have any medical or physical conditions that may be aggravated. If in doubt, talk to your doctor. Younger children should be supervised.
This article was originally published under the title Happy as a Baby in Issue 45 – Lead the Way. You can get this issue here to enjoy more mindful inspiration.
