In a stress-filled world challenged with increasing levels of anxiety and depression, restorative yoga is a boon to the mind, body, and spirit. Supta Baddha Konasana (Reclining Bound Angle Pose) is a familiar pose in most restorative sequences. It promotes a sense of safety and comfort allowing us to relax deeply and to surrender our conditioned holding patterns. Only when we are relaxed and resting in our Parasympathetic Nervous System can healing take place. Several other benefits of Supta Baddha Konasana are listed below:
- Stimulates the kidney and bladder meridians.
- Reduces stress and calms the nervous system and mind.
- Increases mobility in the hips and shoulders.
- Reduces high blood pressure.
- Benefits both menses and pregnancy.
- Opens the thoracic, abdominal, and pelvic cavities.
- Eases anxiety and depression.
If you seek any of the benefits listed above, consider practicing this posture daily for 10 minutes over the next seven days. Notice how each daily experience is impacted by this practice. For added measure, include the three Yoga Actions below. If you prefer to hear my audio of the Yoga Actions, click on the file.
Yoga Action (Annamaya Kosha):
– Soften the circumference of the upper thighs (inner, front, side, and back groins) at the top of the legs.
Yoga Action (Pranamaya Kosha):
1) Let your awareness travel up the back of your spine starting at the tailbone and moving to the sacrum, lumbar, thoracic, and cervical vertebrae.
2) INHALE down to your pelvic floor and sense the breath rise up the front of the spine from the tailbone to the sacrum, lumbar, thoracic, and cervical vertebrae. Continue to repeat this breath pattern for as long as it comforts you.
Yoga Action (Manomaya Kosha):
– rest in the pose by silently repeating to yourself “I am safe.”
NOTE: It may take more than one pose before you awaken these yoga actions or areas in your body and begin to feel the arising sensations and releases. In that case, apply the three yoga actions to the following poses –
BALASANA
SUKHASANA
SEATED BADDHA KONASANA
UPAVISTHA KONASANA
Should you feel inspired to experience a deeper chest opener, then merely flip the bolster into the horizontal position as depicted below. To support you in the pose, use the three Yoga Actions included above.
For more yoga actions and teachings, click here. Namaste.
