Ananda Balasana

aka: Happy Baby Pose

Yes

Step Into the Pose

1. Lie on your back. With an exhale, bend your knees into your belly.

2. Inhale, grip the outsides of your feet with your hands (if you have difficulty holding the feet directly with your hands, hold onto a belt looped over each sole.) Open your knees slightly wider than your torso, then bring them up toward your armpits.

3. Position each ankle directly over the knee, so your shins are perpendicular to the floor. Flex through the heels. Gently push your feet up into your hands (or the belts) as you pull your hands down to create a resistance.

4. Coax the thighs in toward your torso and down toward the floor as you lengthen the spine—release your tail bone toward the floor and lengthen the base of your skull away from the back of your neck.

5. Hold the pose steadily for 30 seconds to one minute. Then release the feet back to the floor with an exhale and rest for a few breaths.

Advanced Tips

Yes

Benefits
Gently stretches the inner groins and the back spine
Calms the brain and helps relieve stress and fatigue

Beginner's Tip
If you can't easily hold your feet with your hands, try holding each foot with a yoga strap looped around the middle arch.

Follow-Up Poses
Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog)