Childs Pose | Balasana

“Sometimes, in order to open up, we actually need a moment to pull back inward. To calm, insulate, and rest. Child’s pose provides a quiet moment to release effort and work, agendas and expectations and “shoulds.”” ~Jillian Pransky, Deep Listening

Basic Child’s Pose:

Child’s Pose is a foundational yoga pose. It is a gentle back opening shape that gently stretches the pack of the spine. It can be supported with props to give the pose an even more gentle texture. The shape can be used within a practice to rest between poses or as a foundational pose of a stretchy yin or relaxing restorative practice. Child’s pose is also a gentle counter pose for back bends. The compression to the stomach and organs benefits digestion and detoxification. The emotions can be calmed as the rounding in to the body can relax the mood. There are many ways to add support with props to make it even more soothing and comfortable.

Be mindful of adding props for comfort to avoid unnecessary strain to the hips knees and feet. Child’s pose should feel comforting to the body, mind, emotions and mood.

Once you find the correct level for you – maintain the pose for as long as you like. Comforting the body invokes the parasympathetic nervous system.

Restorative Child’s Pose – Modification

Add a bolster under the torso. Can be angled up with a blanket or a block under the head side of the bolster, It will look like a hill with the head resting on the top. If the knees are too uncomfortable on the ground, you can sit in a chair and build a foundation for a fold on another chair or low table/desk or flip the pose upside down (see Child’s pose variations)

When using a bolster, you can turn your face to one side to lay on the side of the head and switch halfway through.

Adding the RAVI

There are many opportunities to enhance child’s pose with RAVI. The placement will change how you experience the pose.

RAVI on the back:

Placement on the back has the sensation of grounding and helps you to feel for places in the body that are not relaxed. It also brings your awareness to your breath when you feel the RAVI rise and fall.

Full Flat RAVI with the tubes running up and down (aligned with the spine)

Long-tube-fold or RAVI-Roll across the low back with the tubes running from left to right.

RAVI between the thighs and belly:

RAVI Roll, Folded or Flat – this placement draws awareness to the organs, as the RAVI adds compression. You can also experiment with the folds to find just the right shape for the desired sensation. The RAVI inherently has more structure and is more mold-able than other props. The compression benefits digestion and in women, can also provide relief from cramps.

RAVI between the hamstrings and calves:

RAVI Full Flat laid placed on the calves with knees closer together provides a stabilizing effect. When you sit back on the heels the RAVI becomes an anchor that holds the legs in place. When you provide an anchor your body responds with a deeper relaxing that can be felt in the hips and along the back of the spine.

RAVI anchoring the feet/hands/head:

Placing the RAVI over the hands or rolled onto the feet stimulates calming. Here you see the head is also weighted. Putting pressure on the forehead on the mat.

Child’s Pose Variations:

Flip it over:

Lay on the back and place RAVI on the Shins or between the calves and hamstring. You can also add a bolster under the hips to add a rounding sensation to the back.

Childs pose with RAVI weighted blanket is comforting