Happy Baby Pose
Happy Baby Pose: Step-by-Step Instructions
Relax your hip joints and align your lower back in Happy Baby Pose, also known as Ananda Balasana.
Ananda Balasana
(Pronounced as "ah-NONE-duh BAH-LAHS-anna")
In Sanskrit, ananda means "bliss," and bala means "baby" or "child." This pose helps to recreate the playful flexibility of a little infant.
How to do Happy Baby Pose
Step One
Lie down with your back against the yoga mat. On an exhalation, bend your knees all the way down to your belly and lift both of your feet off of the floor. Keep your knees together.
Step Two
Breathe in as you reach up to grab the outside edges of your feet with your hands. Adjust your feet so that the soles remain flat and face the ceiling.
You can also put a belt around your feet if you cannot reach them. Now spread your knees apart just enough so that your thighs can descend down to touch the sides of your ribs.
Focusing on lowering the knees rather than pulling the legs down from your feet.
Step Three
Check the positioning of your legs and feet. Your heels should be directly above the knees, and your shins should stay perpendicular to the floor.
Now straighten your arms slightly while pulling the outside edges of your shoulders down as close to the floor as you can. Let your bottom descend down to the mat also. Breathe normally.
Beginner's Tip:
Holding a yoga belt around the middle arch of each foot can help you come into the pose if you cannot grab your feet.
Pose Information
Sanskrit Name:
Ananda Balasana
Pose Level:
Level 1
Contraindications and Cautions:
Recent knee injuries.
Place a folded yoga blanket under your head for neck injuries.
Benefits:
Releases strain of the inner groins
Decompresses the lower back
Relaxes the nervous system