Baddha Konasana

Baddha Konasana Bound angle pose

By Adam Bornstein The practice of Baddha Konasana offers Baddha Konasana is an excellent a tangible experience of Patanjali’s pose that teaches the yogic art of An invitation to be description of . In his second dissolving restlessness in order to chapter of the Sutras, sutra 46 reads embrace the stillness of our boundless immersed in stillness. “sthira sukham asanam”. This translates Self. The discipline it takes to unveil our as “asana is a balance of steadiness inner tranquillity is well worth the effort. tand easefulness”. Patanjali goes on to say It is important to balance the self-effort that asana creates a lessening of required with a healthy dose of restlessness and guides one into an sensitivity. When approaching this pose identification with that which is infinite. there are important alignment points to

australian yoga life 1 Baddha Konasana

consider. It is also essential that you adapt the asana to your individual needs. Through enduring practice and the right use [Using Props] of technique, an inner sense of easefulness will be revealed. The use of props can be very helpful for spinal alignment and This will expand to fill you as you explore the deeper aspects to protect the joints of the spine, pelvis and legs. of the pose. Initially, the focus is on aligning the different component Prop 1: Support for parts of the pose. Then we feel the relationship between all the spinal curves. parts, how they interrelate and fit together. At this point the If your back muscles are life-force can flow freely through the body. We begin to truly weak and your legs are embody asana and experience unity and wholeness. The root tight, practising with a lift under the bones of the word asana means ‘to stay’ or ‘to be’. This implies an will assist in maintaining inward state of being still. The journey from outer to inner, the natural spinal from separation to completeness, is the real path. Whether or curves. In this way, you not the knees press into the floor is not the main issue. will be strengthening the A very important reason why the originators of yoga spine in good alignment. practised asana, was to train the body to sit absolutely still so In your yoga practice, be that could be pursued without physical sure to include poses to distractions. One of the main benefits of Baddha Konasana is lengthen the hamstrings how it prepares us for meditation. Physically, it opens the hips and strengthen the iliopsoas muscles. and strengthens the back to enable us to sit steadily and with ease. Energetically, it encourages smooth breathing thereby Place a cushion or folded blanket under the sitting bones. Sit on the front edge of the prop to encourage the upper pelvis unifying our internal energies. Mentally, it centres the mind to rock forward to re-establish the lumbar curve. Look for and develops concentration. You may find that you naturally balance; too much tilt will compress the lumbar spine, while slip into meditation through practising this asana. too little will reverse the lumbar curve and create a compressive fold in the belly inhibiting the flow of breath.

Prop 2: Sacroiliac, hip joint and knee support. [Getting started] If you have any dysfunction in any of these joints, place folded blankets under the upper outer thighs close in by the hip joints and forward under the outer lower legs. This will prevent any strain in these areas and make this asana therapeutic, as it will increase circulation and healing Practise a few warm-ups to prepare the body and mind. without the risk of furthering any existing problems. Recommended : • Surya Namaskar – Sun Salutation • – Warrior poses • Thread the needle pose • Purvottanasana – Reverse plank pose The idea is to warm the musculoskeletal system and to Baddha Konasana is an excellent activate a clear connection between mind and body. The photo above shows a variation of Urdhva Mukha Upavistha pose that teaches the yogic art Konasana (Upward-facing wide-angle pose). It is a highly effective preparatory pose that will open the inner legs. Use of dissolving restlessness in the bolsters if needed to support the hips and legs. Sustain for 30 seconds to start. Gradually increase to five minutes to order to embrace the stillness of facilitate permanent change in the muscle fascia. our boundless Self.

2 australian yoga life Bound Angle Pose

[Guidelines for practice] Be process oriented (not goal oriented) Stay clear of pain Practise from the inside out While practising, let go of any outward Before beginning, honestly access the Do not impose the posture from the goal of forcing the knees flat to the floor. state of your knees, sacroiliac joints and outside; let the asana emerge from within In the beginning especially, there is some lumbar spine. Consult an experienced you. Feel the breath-inspired asana like a effort needed to create the action of teacher if you have injuries and are magnet drawing your energy and moving the knees towards the floor, but unsure about the safety of this pose for consciousness within. Try the pose with the focus will be on the journey. The your body. Begin with the variations closed eyes. With the two physical eyes perfect pose is a state of being; of using the props as indicated. Move shut, open your inner eye of awareness aligning your body,breath and awareness slowly and mindfully into the pose. By and feel the pose from the inside out. into a harmonious union. Stay connected going slow you will not only avoid pain Invite the pose to be expressed through to each breath, each subtle release, one and injuries, you will open the door into your body and mind. moment offering itself into the next. Apply the heart of the pose: the dissolving of yourself with an attitude of moment-to- any tendency towards restlessness. moment acceptance.

[Lessons in anatomy]

1. The spine wall, it could be indicative that your initiating opening the thighs to the sides One of the greatest benefits of this iliopsoas muscles are weak (they help to and back towards the floor. As these asana is the strengthening of the back establish the lumbar curve) and/or your muscles originate on the sacrum and muscles. We want to strengthen the hamstrings are tight. Practising with a prop pelvis and insert on the upper back spine with the natural spinal curves in under the sitting bones will be the right thighbone you can easily visualise how good alignment. Bad postural habits will starting point for you as it helps to maintain they move the bones. Apply the be perpetuated if we slouch while healthy spinal curves. contractive force slowly and steadily. Do sustaining the pose. Visualise the not bounce. Simultaneously allow the 2. Muscles in partnership intervertebral discs between each spinal inner thigh adductors to release. When a set of muscles on one side of a segment. By lifting up through the spine, Observe the effects. Maintain clear feel that you are creating space so the joint receives a nerve impulse they awareness with steady consistent discs are able to expand along their full contract and shorten. As the contraction breathing. Be in absolutely no hurry. height and breadth. There are deep and takes place the muscles at their tendinous When the muscles get fatigued, draw intermediate back muscles that help to attachments pull on the bones to create the knees up and wrap your arms maintain a well aligned posture. These movement. The muscles on the other side around them. muscles may need retraining. This of the joint need to release and lengthen asana can help in this educational to allow the contracting muscles to do [Benefits] process. It will be important to proceed their work of moving the bones. We need • Excellent as preparation for seated step by step. Challenge your strength both these elements to move the joints of meditation poses. but always within safe perimeters. the body. This synergy is aligned with the • Strengthens the spinal muscles to yogic principles of balance: strength and be able to sit upright with ease. Experiment flexibility; action and relaxation; stability • Opens the hips through a Practise Baddha Konasana with your and easefulness; power and peace. In the combination of strengthening lateral back against the wall. Move the flesh case of Baddha Konasana, the deep hip rotators and releasing inner back from the sitting bones to start. Place gluteal lateral hip rotators move the femur thigh adductors. the back of the pelvis, spine and skull at bones while the inner thigh adductors the wall and open your legs into an easy- • Cultivates an attitude of internal release to allow the movement. Some absorption. does-it variation of the pose. Notice which practitioners focus only on the inner thighs • Deepens the breath. parts of your back body are touching the stretching, imagining that the adductors • Improves posture. wall and which parts are not. Ideally the are pushing the knees open. For some, sacrum, thoracic spine and the back of • Can reduce or eliminate the pain of this can lead to knee injury. the skull touch the wall and the lumbar menstrual cramping. and cervical spine have a slight curve Experiment • Develops concentration. away from the wall. As a reference, take a While in the pose, place your awareness • Unifies the mind with the body. flat hand between the wall and the on the deep gluteal area where the hip Contraindications lumbar and then the wall and cervical rotators are located. They will be the • Knee injuries, particularly those spine. Generally speaking you should be driving power to open and rotate the involving menisci or ligaments. able to slide the flat hand in the space thighbones. With a focused and loving • Bulging or herniated lumbar discs. between the wall and these parts of the use of your will, send the nerve impulses • Sacroiliac joint ligament sprain. back. If you collapse the lumbar into the into the rotators to contract, thereby

australian yoga life 3 Baddha Konasana

[Practising Baddha Konasana step by step] your inner thighs down towards the floor.As the weight shifts towards the front edge of the sitting bones you will feel the lumbar spine move smoothly into its natural concave position. Do not overdo this action; you will feel compression if you do. Look for balance in the mid-section. Too much pelvic tilt will compress the posterior lumbar spine; too little will compress the anterior lumbar and • Sit on a or a blanket in ascend upward through the spine, feel the belly thereby inhibiting the breath. (Staff pose). Bend one the length travel all the way up the back • On your exhalations, maintain the knee at a time towards the chest and body and through the neck. Feel how spinal ascension and slide the place the feet on the floor. Wrap your this action helps to create more length shoulder blades down the back. arms around the knees and as you through the back. Then, without There will be some muscular action inhale draw them in and rock up onto sacrificing your spinal length, draw the involved with this in the space the sitting bones. Lengthen all the chin in towards the throat and slightly between the lower shoulder blades. way up through the crown of the up bringing it level to the floor.The idea Come back to inhaling and internally head as you draw the breath in. Keep is to equally carry the axial extension lifting up through each vertebra. Feel the spine lengthening upward, and through the front, back and sides of the spine between the shoulder begin exhaling smoothly,opening the the spine. Focus on the torso like a blades lift up towards the chest. In knees out to the sides. Another cylinder ascending from the foundation response, the chest lifts and the helpful technique is to reach back of the pelvis. collarbones broaden. The shoulder with the hands and draw the flesh • Continuing the lift through the spinal blades respond on the exhalations back from the sitting bones. This will axis, begin to lengthen the thighbones by gliding down the back. Create a shift your weight onto the sitting outward from the hip sockets. Feel this loop: Inhale and ascend upward bones and facilitate a dynamic action derive from the ascension of through the spine, into the chest, up upward lift to the spine. In addition, it the spine and the space within the to the tops of the shoulder. Exhale, will create space in the hip joints. This hips. As the core of the femurs is draw the shoulder blades down and spacious lift will support two lengthening out towards the knees, send the exhaling current all the way essential alignment points: begin activating the hip rotators back down to the earth through the 1. The front pelvis and entire spine located deep within the lower gluteal sitting bones. lifted up towards vertical. region. You will feel these muscles • Start with the inner elbows facing 2. The thighbones lengthening out of contracting as they draw the femurs each other to broaden the upper the hip sockets. back into external rotation. Attune to back and chest. Then experiment • Now, hold the ankles and slide the the feeling of the femurs gracefully with turning the inner elbows and heels closer in towards the pelvis. lengthening and turning within the hip biceps slightly forward. Notice the sockets. Focus this action in the hips response in the chest. Perhaps you Either maintain the hold on the and not in the knees. The other half of ankles or interlace the fingers under feel a blossoming of the heart from this equation is that the inner thigh the front part of the feet towards the the breastbone to the outer edges of adductor group of muscles will need toes. Do not aggressively pull up on the shoulders. the feet. This can compress the inner to release and lengthen to permit the • Now deepen and lengthen the breath ankles and knees. Press the soles of action of the rotators to do their job. integrating all these instructions and the feet together, including the ball of • Throughout this balancing of embody stability and lightness. The the feet and the centre of heels. If you contraction and release, maintain the breath is a vital aspect of the pose: have any knee sensitivity,dynamically power of the iliopsoas muscles to Use it to create your initial alignment; maintain pressing the ball of the big keep you on the sitting bones and not use it to maintain your pose; use it to toes together throughout the rolled back onto the buttocks. crack open the outer shell of the duration of the pose. This will help to Continue to emphasise the pelvic rim pose and experience the vastness keep the knees safe. Resist any moving evenly forward and upward. inside yourself. temptation to force the knees to the • On your exhalations, re-anchor • Sustain the pose for 30 seconds to floor. Stay present and attentive. through the foundation of the sitting five minutes. When the breath wavers • Draw the chin slightly down for the bones. Feel them spread roots down or the quality of awareness diminishes first few breaths. As you inhale and and around you. As you do this, roll begin to slowly exit the asana.

4 australian yoga life Bound Angle Pose

Conclusion Baddha Konasana, when practised consistently and with awareness, has the power to slow down the perception of time. When this happens, the mind’s busyness, a major cause of stress and strife, has the chance to unravel. A meditative state of mind is the natural outcome. The slowing of our internal clock offers the opportunity for valuable introspection. That which is behind the Counterpose scenes of our daily existence, driving us unconsciously, is ushered into our After completing the pose, draw the awareness. From this place of recognition, Adam and his partner Akash are the thighs together and squeeze the we can let the superficial simply drop founders of Radiant Light Yoga. They knees in towards the chest. Then step away. In doing so, another door opens began their study and practise of yoga the feet forward hip-width apart and into being truly awake and present to the in 1980 and have been teaching since place the palms by your sides with beauty within and around us. 1982. This year marks their tenth fingers turned back. Inhaling, lift up Sitting in the seat of the observer, year of training yoga teachers in into Purvottanasana. Start with the detaching from compulsions and likes Australia. Visit their website at chin at the chest then slowly take and dislikes, we become purified of www.radiantlightyoga.com for more the head back. For extra stabilisation restlessness, moods and fears. With the information and contact details. for the pelvis and spine, an option is to space created, we can realise a deeper squeeze a block between the thighs. With respect and love, Adam thanks aspect of our reality. Emerging from Release down after a few breaths. all his teachers over the years, deep within our heart of hearts, our Either sit in a meditative cross especially legged asana or lie down in inner divine nature of completeness and whose teachings continue to guide (Relaxation pose) to joy comes bubbling up. May we open to and inspire his life and service savour the after effects. it, become saturated with it and live in through yoga. its embrace.

australian yoga life 5