Butterfly Fold (Purna Titli Asana)

The Butterfly Fold is a yoga pose that stretches the entire front of the body.

It increases mobility, digestion and breathing in the chest and abdomen. It is a very good counterpose for those who tend to be stiff in the shoulders or neck region. 

Butterfly Pose is Baddha Konasana in Sanskrit and Bound Angle Pose or Cobbler's Pose. It provides a tremendous stretch for the hips and inner thighs, but you can progress to Folded Butterfly if you want to go even deeper. 

Folded Butterfly Pose stretches the lower back and groin more deeply, releasing tension in the neck and shoulders, engaging the pelvic floor muscles, and calming the mind. It’s a great hip opener, and it may also be beneficial for pregnant ladies or relieve menstrual discomfort.

This pose stimulates the Root and Sacral chakras, making it an excellent addition to yoga sequences that focus on these energy centres.

Level of Difficulty 

Intermediate

Muscles Worked:

• Hip flexors and groin muscles (the iliopsoas)
• Abdominal muscles
• Low back extensors and inner thigh muscles (most of the quadriceps femoris, the adductor Magnus, the adductor longus, pectineus, gracilis, brevis)
• Inner thigh adductors (pectinius, medial and lateral) 
• Outer thigh abductors (tensor fasciae latae and gluteus med.

How to do the folded butterfly pose:

• Bring the soles of your feet together in a diamond shape and relax your knees down towards the mat from a seated position.

• Inhale profoundly and rise. Then, Exhale, fold forward and allow your upper body—arms, neck, and head to relax completely.

• For 2–5 minutes, stay in Folded Butterfly pose, breathing in and out through your nose.

• Take a deep breath in and exhale slowly. Then, exhale and slowly rise back up. Bounce with your legs out in front of you.

Tips

• To make the folding forward process easier, sit on a folded blanket or a pillow.
• If the sensation in your thighs or groin is too powerful, you can use blocks to support your knees/thighs.
• If the intensity of this pose is too much for you, try a Reclined Butterfly variant.

Precautions

• Avoid this pose if you have problems with your knees, hips, or groin.
• If it is too hard on the knees to sit cross-legged, sit in a chair and fold forward.
• Be cautious if you have lower back problems.

Benefits

• The spine, inner thighs, and hamstrings are stretched, which is a great stretch- This stretch helps relieve stress in the body and get rid of tension and even insomnia.

• Hip mobility is improved – this helps improve functional movement patterns, and athletes can also use this pose for improved performance.

• Menstrual cramps can be relieved using this supplement- it can help relieve pain and reduce swelling in the lower abdomen caused by changes in the body during menstruation.

• Kidneys, ovaries, adrenal, and prostate glands are all stimulated – this helps improve these organs and boost the immune system.

• Improves digestion – it can help relieve constipation, and if you are suffering from IBS, this can help a great deal in relieving the symptoms.

• Improves flexibility and balance – it can help to improve both physical and mental balance. It also helps to improve your coordination and keeps your mind calm.

• Relieves stress – if you are suffering from anxiety or stress, this can help to alleviate the symptoms significantly.

Conclusion:

So, come on, those suffering from any of the above conditions, it’s time to look for a solution. You can try out this great folded butterfly pose as a solution for your problems. Just give it a try, and you’ll be happy that you did so.