Balasana or child's pose: Process, health benefits, and precautions
Balasana is a restorative yoga pose that offers calming and relaxing effects to the body. Also called shishuasana in Sanskrit and child's pose in English, it gently stretches your lower back, hips, thighs, and arms, and helps relieve tensions in the body. Let's delve deeper into this easy asana by knowing its meaning, step-by-step process, health benefits, and precautions.
Meaning: The essence behind its name is related to divinity
The reason this yoga posture is called balasana or child's pose is that it resembles a child in a resting position and mirrors a kid in the mother's womb. However, the real essence is that this position signifies submission to the divine force as you bend over your knees and keep your head down. It's also about surrendering our ego to become more grounded.
How to do: Get these steps right to follow it
This is one of the easiest yoga poses that you can do any time of the day. All you need to do is, kneel on the floor and sit back on your heels. Bend forward until your thighs and chest are in contact. You can rest your hands by the side or extend them ahead. Hold for three to five minutes.
Health benefits: It relieves constipation, calms your nervous system
The health benefits of doing balasana daily are many, which is why it is even practiced by gym enthusiasts as a cool-down exercise. Firstly, it helps relieve constipation and gas and also helps you break free from stress, anxiety, and nervousness. It opens up your chest muscles and promotes better respiratory function. The pose also stretches your spine muscles and relieves fatigue.
Who should avoid: Pregnant ladies should refrain from doing it
Balasana may be easy and convenient but it is not meant for everyone to practice. Pregnant women should avoid it as it may cause complications. In case you have knee, shoulder, neck, or back injuries, skip doing this yoga pose or check with our doctor before attempting it. Diarrhea, hypertension, and vertigo patients should also refrain from practicing this asana.
